A 1996-02 L31 Vortec 350 would be a whole lot easier and by the time it's complete the total expenditure will be less. Wiring is a matter of adding 4 wires. Fuel needs no changes and bolts up. Put a PCM out of a 2000 van with the L31 in it and it's ready to go. None of which is true for an 84 smog era motor. You'll also lose most of your gauges with a carbed motor and have to buy analog gauges and fabricate a new cluster. Not a small undertaking, with all the indicator lights and wiring. The fuel system will need some costly changes also. You can't pump 60 PSI into a carb designed for 5 psi.
The L31 is 60 HP more than the smog era 350. And will run a lot smoother because it has sequential port fuel injection.
Not to mention running cleaner and probably better on MPG.
On 2wd trucks the stock oil pan works, even the old ones. Unless it's 4wd. The issue with oil pans on a 2wd is primarily an LS engine issue because the lower part of the block is deeper.
On most swaps the engine only accounts for less than 1/4 of what you'll end up spending and making the wrong choice can increase all the other costs. I've seen a number of guys spend $500 on a intake manifold and a carburetor for an old motor when they could have bought a good L31 for less money and not had to deal with any intake issues.
If your truck is currently a 2.2 there are other changes that will be needed for any V8. Starting with transmission and wiring.
The L31 is 60 HP more than the smog era 350. And will run a lot smoother because it has sequential port fuel injection.
Not to mention running cleaner and probably better on MPG.
On 2wd trucks the stock oil pan works, even the old ones. Unless it's 4wd. The issue with oil pans on a 2wd is primarily an LS engine issue because the lower part of the block is deeper.
On most swaps the engine only accounts for less than 1/4 of what you'll end up spending and making the wrong choice can increase all the other costs. I've seen a number of guys spend $500 on a intake manifold and a carburetor for an old motor when they could have bought a good L31 for less money and not had to deal with any intake issues.
If your truck is currently a 2.2 there are other changes that will be needed for any V8. Starting with transmission and wiring.
