Motor Swap For 88' Chevy

[Racer-X]

The motor in my 1988 chevy shot craps, The motor has center bolt heads, not sure about roller cam and TBI. My plan is to take a low mileage 1979 chevy 350 lower end mated with the 1988 heads (after rebuild) and TBI intake back into the truck. Will this work? Do the newer center bolt heads fit properly onto the older style blocks. Is reverse flow cooling an issue( not even sure if this motor is reverse flow cooling)? What am i getting into?

[redvett]

You can use any 350 truck engine from 1988 to 1995 and its a bolt in. No reverse cooling was ever used on trucks just the LT-1 engines 1992 to 1996.

[Genuinefine409]

The motor in my 1988 chevy shot craps, The motor has center bolt heads, not sure about roller cam and TBI. My plan is to take a low mileage 1979 chevy 350 lower end mated with the 1988 heads (after rebuild) and TBI intake back into the truck. Will this work? Do the newer center bolt heads fit properly onto the older style blocks. Is reverse flow cooling an issue( not even sure if this motor is reverse flow cooling)? What am i getting into?

 

 

The heads will fit the block just fine. however, the older chevys are a little different. The flexplate/flywheel will be different, the oil pans are different, and your dipstick will be on the drivers side. a 79 block has two peice rear seal, 86+ have a one peice. in 80 or 81, not 100% sure, but they switched to passenger side dipstick. it'll work just fine you just need to do a little reasearch to make sure you have the right stuff first. My cousin did a similar swap in a 1989 1/2 ton chevy.

[redvett]

If your going to use a 79 MY make sure you use a FI cam. If you don't drivability will be compromised.