5.3 swap into '94 Full Size Blazer - aka Big Ugly - build thread

[ibelonginprison]

haha, thanks guys. I'm not really that far along, unfortunately. I'm just trying to get as much stuff in hand for when I start the real work this weekend.
And I'm only able to do that because of all the build threads from you guys where I could follow in your footsteps.

I'll keep the thread updated with lots of pics. And of course, all the stuff I do that's wrong because I'm an idiot and thought "hey, maybe if I did it like xxxxxxx it would be easier." And it turns out to be a disaster. lol

[ibelonginprison]

Transmission cooler came in. It's.......... err... well, "sizable."



Seriously, if the trans overheats with this thing on it, then nothing short of spraying Nitrous on the transmission itself would work.

[Blasphemy]

Yes, that is indeed a long trans cooler. I'm going to be replacing my cooler eventually to, considering I'll be pulling my Airstream around the country. I thought about grabbing a smaller unit with a fan attached. That way I could have a temp gauge inside and turn on the fan at my discretion. Sounds excessive I know, but like I said, I'll be pulling that trailer around the country and probably through some hot climates.

[ibelonginprison]

You shouldn't need a fan with this. Stacked plate coolers are the most efficient. And this one is built for trucks 3 times this size. .... Maybe 4 times this size. Lol
http://www.amazon.com/Tru-Cool-LPD47...=AIRZZ7YDFO57W

However, tossing a fan on it with a temp activated relay isn't a bad idea. I considered it, but decided to try a massive cooler instead. Lol

[ibelonginprison]

OK, had the first session on the truck yesterday. Did a video of the truck running and "driving" so I could list the motor on craigslist and sell it off to fund the swap a little bit.

Spent about 4 hours on it, taking my time. My father in law came over to lend a hand when draining things to help keep from making a massive mess (always helpful to have one person holding a funnel while another person is holding the hose) - but nothing I did required two people as a necessity. I used the engine hoist to hold the bumper up, which is well over 100 lb's, and cart it off, and could have easily done the same with the core support. If I had been in a hurry, this could have all been done in 2-2.5 hours pretty easily.

Speaking of the core support, that came out really easily and for me it's worth pulling off if you're swapping the engine and trans. I know I said that I'd be installing the engine and trans separately, but that was before I saw how easily the front was to remove.
On each side you have one bolt at the top for the fender and core support, then on the bottom from the side there's one bolt, then three bolts at the back from the lower section of the fender liner and then the body mount bolt. Just pry up on the core support at the bottom, and wiggle the bottom forward and after a minute it will slide out. I couldn't really take it out from the top because the fender slopes towards the front and makes that impossible. I'm not sure if this is the "right way" to do it, but it worked out really well for me.
Also, if you remove the bulbs from the lighting wire harness, remove it from the clips, then it's easy to fish it through the hole on the drivers side and move it out of the way.


Here's the lower side bolt




Here's the upper fender bolt




Here are the three holes for the bolts that come through from the back side (from the fender well) and of course the front body mount bolt.






OK - so here are just some random pictures from the afternoon. I could have had the motor and trans out within another 2-3 hours, but it started sleeting (In Alabama, in Spring... wtf?) and so I just tabled everything till another day. Left to do is drain the trans pan, disconnect trans electronics/cables, remove driveshafts, and remove transfer case. I took the time to idiot label just about everything, even though it's pretty else explanatory where most of it goes. I also didn't have to worry about making a conscious decision to kill penguins by not reclaiming the AC, because it had all leaked out over the winter anyway. Which makes it easier to buy a new AC compressor/lines since I was going to have to do that anyway if I kept the old motor.

I didn't really start taking pics until after I had snatched the front bumper off, so this is about 20 minutes into the day.











An example of idiot labeling things...































And this is where I left off for the day...

[Skylark]

I would have headed to the quarter snatcher car wash before making a video and tearing that apart!

[ibelonginprison]

I hosed this mother f***** off with two cans of engine degreaser today... I'm not sure it made much of a dent. LOL

I'll borrow a pressure washer and blast it when the motor/trans are out. Whoever gets this old motor, well - that's on them to clean it. ha

[Skylark]

Degreaser doesn't do squat for our mud either. Try spraying it with armor all wait 5 minutes then spray again. Then hit it with the pressure washer. It works on our mud.

[ibelonginprison]

I'm not worried about the dirt that much, all the layers of mud are long gone, that's just a coating that stained everything and it's not really in the way of anything.

The section I'm trying to get cleaned up is where mud and years of leaking ps fluid are caked on together, then baked to perfection.
I think this is the automotive version of teflon coated cooking pans... nothing seems to phase it. I'm actually impressed.

But, when the motor is out I'll give it another try.

[ibelonginprison]

Ordered a few more parts today for the build.

Dual electric fan setup. $150
http://www.amazon.com/Depo-335-55042...l+Fan+Assembly

I called and added two relays to the wire harness (additional $100)

Fuel filter, since I'd rather have a new one on there. $9
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ignition coil, hoping this works like OEM, to replace the one that we broke getting the motor out. $24
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


So that was another quick $283.

So far here's what I've got:
Motor / trans - $1000
Misc parts - $1262
That brings me up to a total of: $2262

There's still:
$500-600 in AC stuff depending on how much lines are to have made.
$250 for a tune
$200 ish for exhaust work
$150-200 for misc items
Meaning I'll be about another $1100-1200 into the swap (making for about $3500 total, give or take.) I plan to buy these things after I sell the motor, trans, other transfer case, and misc items I pulled from the Suburban that I don't need.