'88 2.8 into an '86 S10 Blazer

[Ray Hamilton]

Hello,
I have an '86 S10 Blazer that I'm going to install an '88 2.8 S10 Blazer engine. Among other things I've notived that the oil filter has an adapter on it repostioning it from where my '86 is. Is this going to cause a motor mount problem? Because if I removed the adapter the motor mount on the '88 would hit the filter. Or will the '88 mm fit right in to the '86's postion? Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Use the mounts, oil filter adaptioor and oil pan from the recipiant truck, as this will simplify the install. It sounds like one engine is from a 4x4 and and one is from a 2WD.

[Ray Hamilton]

Thanks for the reply. No, the '88 came out of a 4WD. So use the'86 oil filter postion on the '88. It looks like the MM on the '88 will interfere with it but maybe not. The engine ('8 may not have been original in that truck. But it has the 4WD pan. I was surprised to see the oil filter moved back. It still sticks out, not like a Camaro that points rearwards, but it's back a few inches.

[Ray Hamilton]

Front Cover

There's so much conflicting information out there on these swaps it's hard to keep things straight. For instance the front cover. I have read that to install an '88 up 2.8 with the better oil pan, one piece gasket, that the 3.4 crate has a front cover #12509037 that enables the use of the '88 up 4x4 oil pan and allowing the use of earlier belt and water pump set-ups. Then I read to use the existing pan and cover ('86) in my case because the water pump rotates the wrong way with serpentine belts, except with the '86 which has V and serp belts. What's the straight poop on this argument? Do I need to put a different cover on the '88 2.8 I intend to install, and if so what pump do I use? Or do I stick to the existing old type pan and cover ('86) and put it on the '88?

[Guest]

Use the original cover and pan, so that it will be a complete bolt into your truck, unless you want to change to the serpintine system, which will take a few more parts to complete, like powerw steering pump, brackets, etc.

Most people just swap to thier existing parts to keep it simple.

[geoffinbc]

Agreed. Because you have a 2WD and the donor is 4WD you are going to have to use your original pan and front cover. OR you can go get a late model pan and use that but then you MUST use a serp belt setup. OR you can get a crate engine front cover, use a late model pan and keep your belt setup.

Its all up to you. Just use the original filter adaptor on your truck along with your motor mounts. 4X4 mounts look similar but trust me they are different by just enough to not allow the engine to mount up.

[Ray Hamilton]

My Blazer is 4WD as is the doner, the '88. The 12509037 cover is used on the 3.4 crate to permit the use of the later model pan, '88 in this case, and the earlier belt set-up. On my '86, the car this is going into, has one serp running the pump and alternator, no idler or air pump or a/c, and a V-belt running the p/s. I thought that with this combination I could use the pan on the "88 and the 12509037 cover would allow that along with the '86 belt set-up. I'm probably not explaining this right at all. And then a neutral flexplate. Along comes the #981 3.1 crank that goes into the '88 2.8 and whatever pistons I need for that, 3.1 cast iron head versions I think. The serp set-up on the '88 donor goes away. The oil filter set back still confuses me. I appears that putting the oil filter back on the block, w/o the set back adapter would interfere with the MM. This could very well be a 2 WD engine ('8 that has been converted to 4WD with the use of the 4WD pan, hence the strange oil filter set-back.

[Guest]

Your thinking about this way too much.

Just use the parts (oil filter adaptor, engine mounts, etc.) from YOUR '86, and it will bolt right in.

BTW BTY, you can use a 4x4 pan in a 2WD s-series, Jimmy at least, because when I pulled mine out, the iron head carbed junk, it had a 4x4 pan on it, seems the engine had already been replaced once before.

[Ray Hamilton]

Thanks, you're absolutely right. I'm very anal. One more question though, can I use the 12509037 cover and get the advantage of the better pan gasket?

[geoffinbc]

Your thinking about this way too much.

Just use the parts (oil filter adaptor, engine mounts, etc.) from YOUR '86, and it will bolt right in.

BTW BTY, you can use a 4x4 pan in a 2WD s-series, Jimmy at least, because when I pulled mine out, the iron head carbed junk, it had a 4x4 pan on it, seems the engine had already been replaced once before.

Yea I know but then the sump sits lower risking a snag.

[Guest]

Yea I know but then the sump sits lower risking a snag.

Only if you off-road with it.

It was only an inch or so lower than the crossmember, and if you're bottoming that out on trhe pavement, I think the oil pan isn't really a concern, well it is, but the rest of the failed suspension should be. I know in the SUV the higher engine mounting would make this less of a problem in a @WD, but even still I don't think it would be that much of a problem, if a 4x4 pan had to be used in a 2WD, which has nothing to do with the discussion at hand.

Yes, you can use that elusive front cover to use the forward rotaion h2o pump and newer pan. I was pretty sure that '86s had that front cover from teh factory. If it has a forward rotation h2o pump, and a from oil pan to front cover area that does not have bolts than you have the cover you want.

[geoffinbc]

Well if your lowered like me you want the cross member to bottom out and not the oil pan. Luckily neither has happened to me.

The 86 front cover is a crate engine cover. You can get one from GM.

The newer gaskets do a better job of sealing so if you plan to keep this thing for a long time you may want to consider it. Having to replace that pan gasket usually means pulling the engine.

[Ray Hamilton]

Thatnks for the replies. I have no clearance problems as I'm using the 4WD, no lowering. Yeah, the stock cover on this '86 has the bolts in it and the little cork gasket. I fould a cover on e-bay (same GM numbers as the crate 3.4 cover) for $21! GM wanted $167. Got a good 3.1 crank #981 off e-bay for $60 including freight.

Thanks again. Ray

One more thing, will the '88 distributor work in the '86? Is the wiring and so forth the same? It looks different.

[geoffinbc]

They all use the same distributor, and they all used the same TBI fuel injection.

[Ray Hamilton]

Thanks for the reply.