[AgentCAS]

This has been my hair brained project for the past couple of months, since October really. Almost all the engine work is complete, just some lump port heads and it's done. It's got 1.94 intake 1.6 exhaust, it's 60 over (ridge wouldn't come out at 40 over). With a thrifty cam grind from 12 bolt tom. Deleting the mechanical fan and using an SBC swap radiator with eFans, I may downsize the rad because of thickness hope I can get some other pointers here.

Truck is a 1993 single cab 2wd S10 2.8v6. and the WC Borg-Warner T5.. I am sticking with that transmission but swapping the bell to a 90° and the 14 spline Input shaft with a 10 spline. Manual steering gear, no ac (if I do it will be electric driven and beef up the alt more)

The 250 is the ideal swap because the motor mounts are in line with one another but alas I couldn't make it that easy for my very first swap.

I am going repaint the roof, rattle can the engine bay. The engine is going to be Detroit green like it came from factory.

 

[Rhotpursuit]

Somebody here has done that...been a long time though.

 

[AgentCAS]

Somebody here has done that...been a long time though.

Thank you, I am aware. I found their post a short while after I came up with the idea and started doing research. Read through it again scrounged up what information I could. Hoping I can collect some more while simultaneously sharing the process.

 

[bk2life]

2014

87 2dr w/ inline 250

ok, I signed up with the name "InlineDime" for a reason, so let the fun begin: the donor set-up: I found this on craigslist for $630.00 top to bottom, front to back, complete with exhaust....this was a complete score for me. the recipient; my 1987 2dr Blazer, with a blown 2.8: Hope to...

www.s10forum.com

 

[MrUnknown]

Planning on driving the truck a million miles or something?

 

[AgentCAS]

aiming for 150k, but it'd be pretty awesome to have it last a million. Then maybe it will have paid itself off.
It'll be a nice cruising machine with a little pony behind it and there's no airbags to slow me down. 🙃

 

[Mad Max]

It's amazing how almost all of the General's engines will fit an S10
250/292s are torque hefters. You'll have lots of fun with a 5 speed.
BTW, the T5 from an S10 will not bolt to the back of any 6 or 8 cylinder Chevy without a spacer between the trans and bell housing. The input shaft is too long
I have several spacers, they aren't cheap. Look up Bentsten's hot rods in Minnesota. They sell them for $ a lot and are on eBay.
Ive' bought 3 or more. They are pretty nice billet units

 

[ScottyV1966]

Great Engine! When I was a kid my Dad had a C20 with the 292 I6 three on the floor, Great Truck.
That thing would pull a house! That 292 was a beast.
I had a 69 camaro with the 250 in it Meh... I didnt have it long I was not impressed with it.
I like the idea! Good Luck!

 

[AgentCAS]

BTW, the T5 from an S10 will not bolt to the back of any 6 or 8 cylinder Chevy without a spacer between the trans and bell housing. The input shaft is too long

I thought about this and have found a guy that specializes in putting T5 trans into either inline or SBC engines, and he has found cutting the extra off the input shaft will suffice without the need for the spacer. And the amount in cutting off is bare with no splines on it. I will still measure it up, the phrase measure twice cut once doesn't exist for nothing.

Links to him: Thinking about installing a T5? READ THIS FIRST

 

[fattboyzz65]

👍👍👍

I digg it !

 

[Mad Max]

Excellent! ^^^
I figure at some point there would be a solution other than a spacer plate. I didn't do any research.
Remember one issue... The S10 T5 is made out of cardboard. They don't hold up well to big torque.
Thanks for the info and link.

 

[ScottyV1966]

Excellent! ^^^
I figure at some point there would be a solution other than a spacer plate. I didn't do any research.
Remember one issue... The S10 T5 is made out of cardboard. They don't hold up well to big torque.
Thanks for the info and link.

I have asked this before but never got an answer. Mustangs had a BW T5 in them, is it the same as the S10 T5? (beside gear ratios)

 

[Brawndo]

I have asked this before but never got an answer. Mustangs had a BW T5 in them, is it the same as the S10 T5? (beside gear ratios)

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The T5 Five-Speed - Modern Driveline

T5 Explained: Modern Driveline has everything you’re going to need to freshen up a T5, including real tech support Jim Smart June 22, 2015 One of the most popular drive-train mods done to early Mustangs is to swap out the non-over driven three- and four-speed transmissions with the later-model...

www.moderndriveline.com

 

[ScottyV1966]

Never Mind, I looked up an Old Motor Trend article about the T5's Input shaft spline count, Nickel content in Gears, Output shaft spline count, Learned a bunch from 1 article!
Years ago I helped a friend put a T5 in his 71 Mustang that had a four speed, We found a wrecked 85 stang gt and pulled the Trans from it, I remember he was so excited by the find!

 

[ScottyV1966]

Brawndo, LOL, Just Read that Article! Thanks Though...

 

[nfamus10]

Cool. I think I have a intake for a 4 barrel carb laying around somewhere if you are interested. PM me.

 

[AgentCAS]

Excellent! ^^^
I figure at some point there would be a solution other than a spacer plate. I didn't do any research.
Remember one issue... The S10 T5 is made out of cardboard. They don't hold up well to big torque.
Thanks for the info and link.

I was worried about this, and after reading the link it won't work out with the stock T5 internals. I got two roads then rebuild with internals up to hold up to 300 ftlbs or buy a new TKO 500. Which I believe is a direct swap, and opens the road for If I want to later upgrade the engine again, like slap a turbo manifold not that there would be space in the engine bay for that.

 

[AgentCAS]

Some Updates: I'm extremely excited to pick up the engine tomorrow even though it will be another 2 months before I will break it in. That's due to weather and time spent obtaining the truck.

I found a mounting adapter for the passenger side of the 292 which was a concern as it sits almost 6" forward of the usual location, this billet scoots it back and now can use the stock mounts, which means new holes in the frame but that's no problem. this part is from 12bolt.com

As the weekend grows closer for the install (mid-late March) I began thinking about the brakes, which currently need work as they have to be pumped to stop the truck. Which could be a leak in the MBC or a busted seal on a caliper piston/drum. But I would also like to upgrade them to 2nd gen blazer front discs, and a posi rear end. A ratio 3.73 is fine given how much torque the engine will put out, >300 but less than 350, at 1800 rpms. I can go lower but the truck is only going to weigh ~2500 lbs with fuel, driver and rebalanced front to rear. Could burn out pretty easy but that's what aerosolized silicone lube is for 😉

For the fuel system the stock TBI pump runs fairly low <15psi and a regulator with a return line back to tank makes that an easy fix to the usable 6.5-7 psi the carb needs.
To engage it for priming I'm going to piggy back off the stereo, which turns on in accessory mode. Difference here is there will be a secondary switch so it isn't constantly priming when keyed on in said mode. And to keep it on when the engine is running I'm using an oil pressure switch T piped off the analog guage (thank you icepaws for the idea).

A 3in body lift to give some extra room in the engine bay is in order. The reason is because the 292 is ~2" taller than the 250. I'm aware it will look goofy with the stock 205 tires. Couple ways to change that: no body lift, larger wheels (that would require messing with the DRAC module to give an accurate speed and Odometer reading), or a drop kit on the suspension.

The steering is going to be a manual box. I want to add anti roll bars front and rear but I am unsure of what will and won't fit.

Air conditioning: I'm going to slap a Sanden 508 on the engine and send it. Another summer without AC, this time in a black truck, is a NO CAN DO. Happened in my 03 S10 in July in mesquite NV. Nevada again 🥲 (sorry bad joke).

Pictures of the engine will be posted tomorrow.

 

[MrUnknown]

aiming for 150k, but it'd be pretty awesome to have it last a million. Then maybe it will have paid itself off.
It'll be a nice cruising machine with a little pony behind it and there's no airbags to slow me down. 🙃

Maintain it and it could very well do 1 million. 250's and 292's are reliable as hell.

 

[AgentCAS]

So a couple things I noticed upon further examination. The shop clipped the dipstick, which is fixable but irritating. The first cam bearing isn't in all the way and should to be pushed further back to avoid starving the timing gears of extra oil.

There is 1 sleeve on cylinder 1, they told me about that, guess it was the first block to be bored in the morning and the machine was set wrong.. oops, So I got 1 free sleeve. It's bored 60 over, making it 301 cu/in, crank and mains are 20 under.

There is this sandy **** in the water jacket. I cleaned it off all the wear surfaces and places oil are going to be as best as I could with the compressor.

It's going to be Detroit diesel Alpine green as that's how this 1963 block came from factory. It's also far less offensive than Chevy orange.

AC Mounting bracket arrived in 2 days which is record time for anything I've ordered.

The mounting plate, lump ports and pushrods are on the way (using stock ones as the block was true and the head only needed 18thou taken off). Timing cover, valve cover, and rock arms need to be cleaned.. oh I should get some pictures of the head and the new valves.

Ordered parts for the truck, tie rods, shocks, master cylinder and power brake booster. Still need all the A arms, manual steering gear and body lift. And the truck of course.

it may be a while before the next update as I'm waiting for nicer weather to drive the truck up here. As for the engine it's going to sit partial assembled in the carport outside until the truck arrives.