Nbs Drivetrain Into '90

Cowboy09 · December 28, 2009

Something I've wanted to do for a while is upgrade the 5.7L engine in my 1990, but I never went beyond ogling the crate engines in the catalog. I'm hopefully going to be able to do something in the next few months, so I'd like to do my research. As I was looking into engines, I thought "why not try a NBS drivetrain?". I'm very interested in the 6.2L Vortec and transmission like the Silverado LTZ has because of the 10k lb towing capacity and good fuel economy.

My immediate concerns are mounting issues. Will that drivetrain fit in my truck and what kind of mounting issues am I looking at? Assuming that the engine and transmission somehow fit and mount up semi-easily, I figure that I'll need a drive shaft (likely custom) and appropriate dash components. Past that, I'm not sure.

I've never done anything this outrageous, so any facts or insight that might be handy is appreciated.

gmtech4 · December 28, 2009

it depends how talented you are ,have you seen those powerblock shows,they take the cab off and on a thousand times ,make the mounts spend to much time and money on projects just like your idea,

lets us know how ya make out

rodram · December 28, 2009

... on a little more serious note

... you have a 5.7L TBI, so putting a different engine in like even a 5.7L Vortec (96-99 Vintage) will be do-able but not a simple job.... the transmissions run on different electronics ... the overall wiring harnesses will be different ... its going to be a big pain in the ass.

... AND you won't get your big increase in tow capacity, because this tow capacity number is based on a number of factors, one being the engine power, but even more important is the suspension, transmission capability, and braking capability of the truck.... you will still be limited to the 6 or 7000 lbs that your truck is right now

... if you want to go wild without any major problems fitting things back together ... get someone to rebuild your 5.7 (350) as a 383 Stroker engine ... should get lots more low end power ... or check out a 383 crate engine from gm performance parts.

gmtech4 · December 28, 2009

was there something wrong with my answer Rod ?its the truth,seriously,gosh!well I never ! lol

Cowboy09 · December 29, 2009

... on a little more serious note

... you have a 5.7L TBI, so putting a different engine in like even a 5.7L Vortec (96-99 Vintage) will be do-able but not a simple job.... the transmissions run on different electronics ... the overall wiring harnesses will be different ... its going to be a big pain in the ass.

... AND you won't get your big increase in tow capacity, because this tow capacity number is based on a number of factors, one being the engine power, but even more important is the suspension, transmission capability, and braking capability of the truck.... you will still be limited to the 6 or 7000 lbs that your truck is right now

... if you want to go wild without any major problems fitting things back together ... get someone to rebuild your 5.7 (350) as a 383 Stroker engine ... should get lots more low end power ... or check out a 383 crate engine from gm performance parts.

Thanks, this is more what I was looking for. I've spent about 8 hours trying to research what can be done, and while a drive train swap would be cool and is certainly do-able, it looks like upgrades to my current drive train will be more attainable and practical.

I have zero clue about how to "shop" for a transmission. When I'm trying to find one that will be compatible, what am I looking for? I'd like to stay manual, but I don't want the manual transmission that came with it. Almost no one will work on it, and the shop that would rebuild it did such a shitty job that I'd rather go with a more mainstream transmission.