[Johnmackey]

Plenty of us have run stock GM manifolds w/o the need to cut a notch in the frame. I know for one I have never notched the frame on an S10 V8 conversion.

S

Plenty of us have run stock GM manifolds w/o the need to cut a notch in the frame. I know for one I have never notched the frame on an S10 V8 conversion.

So you have used stock manifolds.i have a 2003 with a complete computer controlled 5.7 with 0411 and 4160e trans.the stock 5.7 manifold will work?.or use the 88-93 tbi manifolds

 

[xx_ED_xx]

no idea but i doubt it, had to notch mine on an ls swap because i didnt feel like buying 1 manifold that did fit for 300 bux at the time. now i think the manifolds have gotten cheaper this was 10 years ago,on my big block swap i found manifolds that fit if i put engine in at certain height but my aluminum oil pan dictated other wise so i raised engine and notched fire wall

 

[oldeerslayer]

The stock Vortec 5.7 manifolds won't fit. Where did you find a 2003 5.7 with a 0411? Both were in their final year in 02.
There was a posting either here or on the old s10v8.org website years ago about angle grinding the surface that mounts to the head something like 3/16" at the bottom to get it to incline more toward the engine. When I asked a machinist friend of mine about doing it he said "Not on my milling machine!" Because used manifolds have hard spots and it will ruin the cutters". Which are quite time consuming to have sharpened and reset on the mill correctly. It's pretty much TBI LoPo manifolds or headers. I went with coated headers.

 

[KJF95S-10]

All this work to have manifolds that flow awful and eat up power everywhere. Buy coated Hedman headers and run all graphite gaskets and safety wire header bolts. You will never have an issue.

 

[oldeerslayer]

I use copper head to header and collector gaskets. Never blown one. Don't understand how they can charge the prices they do for headers and put paper gaskets in the box.

 

[scooty779]

Yes you can run stock L31 manifolds on a S-10 frame! You do need to have them milled. I am running them on my 5.7 set up in my 03 Sonoma . I got the idea off of a post on ZR2USA (site died years ago). Guy in Tennessee took a pair of manifolds to a machine shop and kept milling them till he had tucked the collectors in to clear the frame. Machine shop thought it was a cool idea and did it for him for free. He showed the final specs in two photos and I handed them to my machinist and he replicated them on the first pass. Now comes the fun part. The original posting went away when the ZR2USA website died. I luckily saved the pictures locally about a year before in preparation for the project. Those pictures were lost when that computer was stolen from me 2 years ago. I remember the specs and they represent how much to take off the top and then the bottom of the manifold. 0MM-5MM and 1MM and 3MM was what worked but I don’t remember which side is which ( I’m Old). Point is that it is very doable and I certainly wouldn’t cut the frame to accomplish the same thing. I have over 30K on the set up (pictures attached) and I have never had to retighten my exhaust bolts and my engine bay stays relatively cool. I am running a mild cam over the stock setup. People whine all the time about the stock manifolds and think headers are the end all be all but the Vortec exhaust manifolds actually flow relatively well and I have a whole lot less maintenance the others do.

 

[scooty779]

Also forgot to mention that the machinist will need to cut the EGR Port off the driver side manifold to clear the firewall. They can weld a cap over the hole. The manifold is cast iron but a good machinist/shop can weld it no problem.

 

[oldeerslayer]

When I asked our local machine shop about doing it he refused, saying that over multiple heat cycles the cast iron develops hard spots which are tough on the actual cutters of the machine. He said it's a major PITA to sharpen them if they get damaged because realignment is extremely critical and time consuming. Just wouldn't be worth it for them. I never asked if I bought new ones if that would work. Didn't know at the time they are available for $135 to $180+ per pair.

 

[scooty779]

Some shops will say that depending on the equipment they have. I would check with a number of shops to see if it can be done. I have found that it is beneficial to check around since skill and price can vary greatly between shops.

 

[bk2life]

What is zip tied across your crossmember and down the torsion bar?

Yes View attachment 369273

 

[scooty779]

That is the re routed vacuum hose for the vacuum ball the operates the front differential

 

[sync]

I can post something relevant here. I happened to save that picture from years ago.