Question about engine

[jmcooper]

I have a 98 Chevy 1500 with a Vortec V-6 and 113,000 miles on it. A small oil leak has developed between the engine and transmission. A guy told me he could fix it for $200. With the miles on this truck I'm not sure if it's worth it. The question is could I put a 305 engine in it and use the same transmission, radiator, and all the air conditioning hoses, etc.? The V-6 just doesn't have enough power for pulling the trailer up hills. The body is still in great shape so I really don't see a reason for buying a new truck for pulling a trailer. Anyone know an answer if this can be done. If so, how much $ am I looking at?

Thanks,

[The Dude]

Why just a 305? Why not a 350? The transmission is the least of your problems, it will work fine. You will probably need a larger radiator, and being the 4.3 is similar to the small block V8 most of the accesory brackets should swap. The computer and wiring harness will all have to be changed out. Thats where the swap gets to be a pain in the rear.

Will you be doing it yourself or having a shop do it?

If it were me, I would just repair the V6 and sell it. Use that money to buy something bigger and better.

[xcopterdoc]

If you are set on doing an engine swap like this, I suggest you find a wrecked "donor" truck so you will have all the needed stuff to go with the swap. If not, beef up the V-6 a lil, put some lower gears in the rear, fix the oil leak and go for it.

[Edgewater]

The oil leak is probably a rear main seal. From experience I can tell you that it is a temporary fix. It will leak again in about 3 months. The seal goes due to a worn crank shaft surface. Unless you have the sealing portion of the crank resurface (involves taking it right out $$$$) the new seal will get worn by the rough surface of the crank shaft.

My cost for this lesson $350, I will feel better if someone else can benifit too.

[PSUturf]

If your truck is the W/T version with auto trans it has (I forget the model #) the tranny from the S-10 pickup. Probably not durable enough to be hooked up to a V8

[jmcooper]

Originally posted by PSUturf
If your truck is the W/T version with auto trans it has (I forget the model #) the tranny from the S-10 pickup. Probably not durable enough to be hooked up to a V8

It's the full size LWB truck. I'm about to the point of just letting it leak a few drops and buy a new one next year.

[UNISCAPER]

Let it leak...If you are worried about the stains, you can take a drip pan and clamp it to the frame rails, then clean it every now and again...One of our 350's hit 550,000 miles, seales, everything needed redoing...Until we put the 454 in that truck, that is what we did to save the staining.

[riches139]

The 4.3 v6 was a 350v8 with two cylinders removed.

The v6 from the factory had five more horsepower than the 305 smog motor had.

Higher rise intake and larger pistons on the v6.