Exchange a V10 for a V8!? Possible?

[curtis]

Hello good friends in the SMB community! I recently purchased a a 1994 (yes 1994) RB30 Two wheel drive; with a 4" lift. Its so cleaned and meticulously detailed and babied, I couldnt walk away. I live twenty minutes from Santee, California so I droped down the hill to Aluminess and had the front and rear trojans put on and nerf bars. My SMB has 129,000 miles on the V8 5.7L. Doesn't hardly drop a speck of oil and the tranny is tight. Came with every single piece of reciept and maitenence schedule performed as well. I will hold on to this 94 for ten years or more and create awesome memories of camping and surfing with my kids and conitnue the heritage. My Question...... Can I drop a V10 in exchange for the V8 thats in there now? Shes a little under-powered and would like to eventually pull a boat or climb Mt Everest with her : ) So any info would help. I'll post pics soon. I'm really proud of her. She bitchin. Thanks!

[mmocken]

By 5.7L I assume you have a Gm truck. I think it would be too tight to put one in...you can ask at a GM forum like http://www.chevroletforum.com/m_13013/m ... ey_/tm.htm

Years ago Caroll Shelby put a V8 in the original dakota...he fit it by adding electric fans to the outside of the radiatior. You may need to do the same to fit a V10. GM never made a V10, and you usually don't mix manufacturers. You might consider putting a Chevy big block instead....if it fits.

Anyway you look at it...its not an easy change

[kenkillsr]

Curtis;
If the engine and transmission are really as tight as You wrote, I'd be inclined to recommend a Gear Vendors or U S Gear overdrive/underdrive unit.
Use fourth [4th] {factory OD} gear for general purposes and third [3rd] [factory direct} gear with GV or USG overdrive for towing.
Add a Bank or other intake/exhaust/chip system and You're in business for a lot less bucks and fewer of the problems associated with engine swaps especially crossbred swaps.

[Ford_6L_E350]

Generally the CARB will not allow engine changes to a different size engine.

Certainly, if the engine you want was available in the van you have, you can do the conversion. You want to find a wrecked van of the same vintage and get the wiring harnesses, computers, engine and trans, exhaust, catalytic convertors and probably the dash panel and swap them all out.

But, before I started anything like that I would talk to a smog referee to understand if it could be registered after the changes.

All in all, it might be easier to swap the camper conversion into a V10 van.

Mike

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350

Generally the CARB will not allow engine changes to a different size engine.

It's a lot of work, but engine size changes are entirely possible in California, are therefore registerable in California. I have an '85 Toyota Landcruiser with an '88 Chevy V8. About an unoriginal as you can get going from a Japanese inline 6 to an American V8, and it is CARB certified. My Landcruiser does now need to be smog tested as an '88 Chevy V8 though.

I would think the space limitations would be a significant challenge in a van when looking at engine conversions.


Herb

[curtis]

I knew there would be a genius or two in the crowd. The chip modification sounds like a viable obtion with a gear change or two. Ford said the easiest change would be to eventually swap a V8 for a new "reman" V8. it comes with a 3 year 70,000 mile warranty when you get the new "reman" ford engine. Costs?.......about $6600.00 But if that breaths new life into an old bird....well thats a personal call. Yesterday I put a high quality rubbing compound on the pop top and brought the luster and beauty back in the white hood. Stripped and re-painted /primered the windshield wipers gloss black. The older speaker covers were turning olive green from the original gray. Primered and sprayed flat black. Put a shiny coat of wax on'er body. Put the van cover on and put her to bed. When I leave the fire station on Monday to trek back down to san Diego, she'll command the attention she deserves. I'll take digital photos in a couple days so I can share amongst my SMB brothers and sisters. Thanks again for the advice. By the way...... the goucho bed; with the small extention that comes with the couch, I noticed it also fits up top in the crows nest. Since I'm 6'3" I need the extra length......do others use it for this reason? and when using the extention on the goucho, is the little table platform that folds out between the drivers seat and the couch what one is supposed to balance the extention on to lengthen the goucho? The fold-out seems a little small for this application and not very stable. Thanks again kind people! Curtis

[jage]

You can always change your axle gearing too, a little change might not kill your gas mileage so much but give you that extra power..