[DetailsbyGRod]

Hello , have a lot of questions on swapping over a v8 over into my 1997 Astro
It is RWD. I know very little about the conversion. I know there is a website that sells the engine mounts to swap in the 5.7.
Is the 5.7 the easiest swap to put in ? If so what exactly do I need when I come across a good 5.7? I have 2-3k to put into this swap. Current transmission is in good condition. I will be having around 900-1000lbs in the van most of the time as I detail out of it. Thanks in advance !

 

[Mmusicman]

The 5.7 is the easiest... with lot of torque and bang for the buck.

The quick basics and considerations:

• Block type (Gen1 V8 simple)
• Swap mounts
• Block hugger headers
• Accys/pulleys are direct bolt on (with Gen1 engine)
• Electronic trans vs non (4L60e vs 700r4)
• Carb or fuel injection
• Emission standards where you live?
• Electric fan or modify shroud
• Cut cross-support or drop subframe (Gen2 vans)
• Place where work is being done and by who

The complexity (and expense) of your job will depend on a lot of these decisions.
I would strongly recommend you acquaint yourself with the V8 section of this forum
Who will be doing the work, and where?

Welcome to the forum

 

[Big_kid]

Mounts:
I used these for my RWD

Astro Van V8 Parts

V8 Swaps that work. Conversion Manuals and parts for V8 S10, Datzun Z V8, Datsun ZX, Jaguar V8, Astro Van V8, Chevy TPI & TBI, Chevy Colorado, Volvo 200 & 700.

jagsthatrun.com

I grabbed the computer, complete under hood harness from the computer to the sensors, engine (air filter to oil pan), and the transmission. There is a difference in stall speeds between the 4.3 and the 5.7. I left my 4.3 torque converter in because I knew it and the transmission were both good. I documented everything for my 95 RWD swap in my build thread in the V8 section.

 

[DetailsbyGRod]

The 5.7 is the easiest... with lot of torque and bang for the buck.

The quick basics and considerations:

• Block type (Gen1 V8 simple)
• Swap mounts
• Block hugger headers
• Accys/pulleys are direct bolt on (with Gen1 engine)
• Electronic trans vs non (4L60e vs 700r4)
• Carb or fuel injection
• Emission standards where you live?
• Electric fan or modify shroud
• Cut cross-support or drop subframe (Gen2 vans)
• Place where work is being done and by who

The complexity (and expense) of your job will depend on a lot of these decisions.
I would strongly recommend you acquaint yourself with the V8 section of this forum
Who will be doing the work, and where?

Welcome to the forum

Thank you !! Really appreciate the info
The work will be getting done by my buddy he lives down the street from me. I live in California but don’t care about emissions as I have an alternative for smogs. Anyway I can leave my stick trans in ? And would like to change over to the best fuel injection system there is. I had a 2000 safari and would always have issues with the fuel system assuming it was that “spider “ set up.

 

[DetailsbyGRod]

Mounts:
I used these for my RWD

Astro Van V8 Parts

V8 Swaps that work. Conversion Manuals and parts for V8 S10, Datzun Z V8, Datsun ZX, Jaguar V8, Astro Van V8, Chevy TPI & TBI, Chevy Colorado, Volvo 200 & 700.

jagsthatrun.com

I grabbed the computer, complete under hood harness from the computer to the sensors, engine (air filter to oil pan), and the transmission. There is a difference in stall speeds between the 4.3 and the 5.7. I left my 4.3 torque converter in because I knew it and the transmission were both good. I documented everything for my 95 RWD swap in my build thread in the V8 section.

Thank you man !! I’ll be checking out your post asap ! Also forgot to mention my Astro is lowered , will this be an issue ??
and hoes your swap doing now ?? Also did you get all this off a Tahoe , silverado ??
and if so was it the same exact year as your van ?

 

[Big_kid]

Short version:
My van is a 95. I got the engine, transmission, computer and harness from a 95 G20 van.
I found the heads on the donor engine were trash. I found a 92 Buick Roadmaster with 51K on it. I used the Buick longblock (it is really a Chevy engine) with the G20 intake/exhaust/engine management/chip (my original and the G20 used the same computer, different chip).
The Y pipe came from a Silverado, the rest of the exhaust was pieced together before the swap. It just took an adapter pipe to make it all fit together.

I don't see where being lowered will be an issue. Mine still runs. Not as well as I'd like, but it runs as well as it's going to with the effort I'm able to put into it.

 

[markmitch]

Avoid the engine out of a 4x4 as the oil pan is different as is the wiring harness and ecm/pcm The 4x4 oil pan will most likely be lower in the rear so with a lowered vehicle it could be an issue. Otherwise I agree with the posts above completely.

 

[DetailsbyGRod]

The 5.7 is the easiest... with lot of torque and bang for the buck.

The quick basics and considerations:

• Block type (Gen1 V8 simple)
• Swap mounts
• Block hugger headers
• Accys/pulleys are direct bolt on (with Gen1 engine)
• Electronic trans vs non (4L60e vs 700r4)
• Carb or fuel injection
• Emission standards where you live?
• Electric fan or modify shroud
• Cut cross-support or drop subframe (Gen2 vans)
• Place where work is being done and by who

The complexity (and expense) of your job will depend on a lot of these decisions.
I would strongly recommend you acquaint yourself with the V8 section of this forum
Who will be doing the work, and where?

Welcome to the forum

how’s it going , thanks again for all the info ! Had a question on that Gen 1 engine , what year or models did that come in since I plan on pulling the engine off a part out or junkyard.
Also I plan on staying fuel injected. And would like to keep my 4l60e. I have an extra one as well.
Would I need harness and computer from this Gen 1 engine ? Or would I have to pull that off a Silverado/Tahoe/suburban my year ?