1992 Chevy S10 engine swap time

The vehicle is a 1992 Chevy S10 pickup, 2.2L four cylinder, 5 speed transmission.

This was brought to me last year with engine problems, low/flakey oil pressure and a bad knock in the bottom end. I threw a junkyard engine (same 2.2L 4 cylinder) in and just replaced the entire engine.

Now, it's back. No compression in cylinder #1 or #2. I pulled the head, and #1 has a burned exhaust valve and it's not sealing at all. On cylinder #2, the exhaust valve doesn't look so good either, and the head gasket was leaking between the cylinder and the coolant jacket.

The owner of this one tends to drive it hard. He really wants more power, and he likes to rev the thing a lot higher than he should. I'm wondering if maybe I should try a different engine for him.

I was thinking about a Quad 4 or Quad 4 HO (from an Olds Acheiva or Pontiac donor). I'm hoping that will take his high revving driving style a bit better.

Now for the questions,

1) Will a Quad 4 engine bolt up to his 5 speed transmission? A transmission swap really isn't in the budget, either from a time or economic standpoint. Will I need a different bell housing or adapter or anything? And what about the clutch?

2) Is the injection system the same? Or could I use the controller, wiring, sensors and whatnot that's in the truck now with the fuel rail on the Quad-4 engine? Or am I looking at a full ECU and wiring harness swap with this?

3) What about ignition. This 2.2 has the coil packs on the side of it. I'm not sure what the Quad 4's used.

4) Was the Quad 4 ever used in a front engine/rear wheel drive vehicle? Is there going to be an exhaust manifold that would work? Making a header isn't entirely out of the question, but I'd rather use off the shelf parts if possible.

Has anyone ever done a swap like this? Is there some other engine that might be a more appropriate swap? I'd really prefer to avoid another

2.2L 4 banger. Just not enough power, and I'm not terribly impressed with that engine overall.

I've heard and seen on various internet posts that the early Quad 4's had problems with head gaskets failing, but the later ones seemed to be better. I've also seen mention of valve train problems, but nothing real specific about what that problem really is.

Thanks in advance for any input or advice. If I'm about to make a huge mistake, I'd rather find out now than after starting this project.

-- Racer X

1984 VW Jetta Diesel GT 1992 Mazda Miata (looks OK considering it's been hit by an 18 wheeler) 1994 Caravan (OK, maybe it's a keeper, but I still want a VW Caddy) 1995 Ford Escort (may it rest in pieces) 1983 VW Rabbit GTI (ITB racer) 1988 Mazda RX-7 (maybe for sale, make offer) 1992 GMC Topkick (portable garage for racecar[s])
Reply to
racer_x
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Do what I did, 350/375horse in front of a 4 speed, he'll never again complain about a gutless motor. Just a suggestion. You probably didn't do anything that affected the outcome of the second motor, sometimes you'll have this with junkyard stuff. I like to find 'em with low miles, if you can, & always pull the dipstick on the doner motor so I have half a chance of gettin' a good one.

Reply to
pater

You're probably right about going with the small block. If money were no object, that would be an option.

But that's also not so unique. There are tons of V8 powered S10's out there.

I suspect the engine had problems when I put it in, but i also think the owner's driving style helped kill it. The best description of his "style" is, "mash the gas until the valves float, then shift." The only car I know of that he hasn't killed the engine in is a Honda Civic Si (which was totalled in an accident, he wasn't driving it at the time). He likes to rev everything really high. He does get a little squeemish going over 6,500-7,000 RPMs, so if the engine will live to 6,700-7,000 RPM's, he probably won't kill it. Even tuning a small block for that kind of revs is difficult (and he drives his V8 Cougar to similar high revs, so I don't think he'd go easy on a V8).

That's why I was thinking some kind of DOHC 4 banger might work for him. Heck, a Honda engine might work, but I was hoping a Quad 4 might be less work to install.

Thanks for your answer, though.

-- Racer X

1984 VW Jetta Diesel GT 1992 Mazda Miata (looks OK considering it's been hit by an 18 wheeler) 1994 Caravan (OK, maybe it's a keeper, but I still want a VW Caddy) 1995 Ford Escort (may it rest in pieces) 1983 VW Rabbit GTI (ITB racer) 1988 Mazda RX-7 (maybe for sale, make offer) 1992 GMC Topkick (portable garage for racecar[s])
Reply to
racer_x

I was thinking a 4.3 swap - they came factory, but doubt it would live very long with his driving style.

Dumb question - emissions testing where you live? :)

Reply to
ray

Yeah, I considered that. Wrong transmission in it for that right now. The 4.3's got a different trans (and I think they have a different bolt pattern for the bell housing and block). I think the same trans for the

4.3L will fit the small block V8, So if I go to that much trouble, I might as well do the small block V8.

Not yet, but I don't want to do anything so wild he couldn't pass if it comes here. There's a lot of rumbling that we might be getting some kind of emissions testing soon. We're only one county away from the Metro Atlanta areas with strict emissions testing, and there have been lawsuits from the environmental groups to expand that testing to cover the entire area around us. Not sure where that's going.

If we get that, then there's visual (cat must be present, and factory emissions stuff has to be present and functioning). This one is old enough that it's not OBD-II (not even OBD-I I don't think), so I don't think there's any requirements for OBD connectors on it.

I'm still not clear on the bellhousing issue. Were any cars delivered that used both the 2.xL pushrod 4 cylinders and the Quad 4? Is the end of the engine going to be the same and bolt up to the transmission. I think I can work the rest of the issues out. The main issues I'm worried about are hooking it up the transmission and maybe bolting the engine mounts on.

I'll be getting the engine at a "pull it yourself" type yard, so I really don't want to get the thing off and find out it won't fit.

-- Racer X

1984 VW Jetta Diesel GT 1992 Mazda Miata (looks OK considering it's been hit by an 18 wheeler) 1994 Caravan (OK, maybe it's a keeper, but I still want a VW Caddy) 1995 Ford Escort (may it rest in pieces) 1983 VW Rabbit GTI (ITB racer) 1988 Mazda RX-7 (maybe for sale, make offer) 1992 GMC Topkick (portable garage for racecar[s])
Reply to
racer_x

If the bottom end is intact, why just not machine shop the head and put a new head gasket on it? Should not be much more than a few hundred in parts and services. Some junk yards sell refurb heads off the shelf with core.

I don't think a quad 4 is going to be a easy or durable swap.

Bob

Reply to
BOB URZ

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You'd probably spend the same amount to get a junkyard 350 and a 700R4 from a Caprice or Camaro...

Reply to
ray

"racer_x" wrote: > The vehicle is a 1992 Chevy S10 pickup, 2.2L four cylinder, 5 > speed > transmission. > > This was brought to me last year with engine problems, > low/flakey oil > pressure and a bad knock in the bottom end. I threw a junkyard > engine > (same 2.2L 4 cylinder) in and just replaced the entire engine. > > Now, it's back. No compression in cylinder #1 or #2. I pulled > the head, > and #1 has a burned exhaust valve and it's not sealing at all. > On > cylinder #2, the exhaust valve doesn't look so good either, > and the > head gasket was leaking between the cylinder and the coolant > jacket. > > The owner of this one tends to drive it hard. He really wants > more > power, and he likes to rev the thing a lot higher than he > should. I'm > wondering if maybe I should try a different engine for him. > > I was thinking about a Quad 4 or Quad 4 HO (from an Olds > Acheiva or > Pontiac donor). I'm hoping that will take his high revving > driving > style a bit better. > > Now for the questions, > > 1) Will a Quad 4 engine bolt up to his 5 speed transmission? A > transmission swap really isn't in the budget, either from a > time or > economic standpoint. Will I need a different bell housing or > adapter or > anything? And what about the clutch? > > 2) Is the injection system the same? Or could I use the > controller, > wiring, sensors and whatnot that's in the truck now with the > fuel rail > on the Quad-4 engine? Or am I looking at a full ECU and wiring > harness > swap with this? > > 3) What about ignition. This 2.2 has the coil packs on the > side of it. > I'm not sure what the Quad 4's used. > > 4) Was the Quad 4 ever used in a front engine/rear wheel drive > vehicle? > Is there going to be an exhaust manifold that would work? > Making a > header isn't entirely out of the question, but I'd rather use > off the > shelf parts if possible. > > Has anyone ever done a swap like this? Is there some other > engine that > might be a more appropriate swap? I'd really prefer to avoid > another > 2.2L 4 banger. Just not enough power, and I'm not terribly > impressed > with that engine overall. > > I've heard and seen on various internet posts that the early > Quad 4's > had problems with head gaskets failing, but the later ones > seemed to be > better. I've also seen mention of valve train problems, but > nothing > real specific about what that problem really is. > > Thanks in advance for any input or advice. If I'm about to > make a huge > mistake, I'd rather find out now than after starting this > project. > > -- > Racer X > > 1984 VW Jetta Diesel GT > 1992 Mazda Miata (looks OK considering it's been hit by an 18 > wheeler) > 1994 Caravan (OK, maybe it's a keeper, but I still want a VW > Caddy) > 1995 Ford Escort (may it rest in pieces) > 1983 VW Rabbit GTI (ITB racer) > 1988 Mazda RX-7 (maybe for sale, make offer) > 1992 GMC Topkick (portable garage for racecar[s])

I don?t see what?s so wrong with the 2.2L 4 cyl. engine. My ?99 S10 had a stock FI 4 cyl. engine. I don?t know if his is FI. My truck could keep up with the S10 Xtremes an turbo tuner cars. Trust me, I tried, and did.

Reply to
BadBow99S10

NOPE. The FWD blocks have different mounting points than the RWD ones.

Full swap.

vehicle?

Considering how your friend drives it I would put a 2.2 in it, throw an MSD ignition with Rev Limiter on it in and let him drive it. Maybe switch it to an automatic?

Reply to
Steve W.

Why not put on a rev-limiter?

Brian

Reply to
Brian

On 25 Feb 2005 05:35:50 -0800, "racer snipped-for-privacy@winning.com" wrote something wonderfully witty:

A V8 Swap into an S-10 isn't all that much work. Matter of fact with a kit it is about the same amount of work as a stock engine swap. Complete crate motors from GM brand new or remanufactured with 3/36000 warranties aren't all that expensive either. For example GM part #

12496968 is a complete pan to carb 350/330 for about $3500. A complete assembled long block is about $1600. For course you could also go with a 4.3 V6 (which really aren't cheaper) which came as an optional engine in an S-10.

Regardless of what you do, put a rev limiter on that dumbasses car/truck so his driving style no longer impacts your work.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

On 25 Feb 2005 13:45:54 -0500, BadBow99S10 wrote something wonderfully witty:

You do realize that the Xtremes were nothing other then a body package don't you? Most were 4-bangers just like yours.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

I've got an 83 S-15 , 2.8 , 4 sp. that's due for something different . I've been researching putting a Volvo 2300 in it . Side mounts , cable operated clutch , 4 sp + OD or 5 sp and the early Canadian models were carburated . Lots of "go-fast" parts available and , while nothing is "bulletproof" these are pretty close . Will

Reply to
will350

I still don't know how you can fit the 350 in there. I just changed the valve cover gaskets on my 2.8 and there's just no room down there. I know anything is possible, but it just doesn't look like fun to service after.

And for crissakes, why can't GM design a valve cover that doesn't leak? Or at least make them easy to get to like on the old cars - I had to dismantle 1/2 the accessories to get the valve covers off. I can pull the engine out of my race car in the time it takes to GET to the valve covers on this thing. :)

Ray

Reply to
Ray

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 00:04:34 GMT, Ray wrote something wonderfully witty:

Because your race car was designed for easy engine pulls.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

Duh. :) (actually the race car is just a 70's Camaro.)

Have you looked under the hood of a Blazer recently? The 4.3 is buried... you have to hunt for the plug wires under all the crap. At least on the wife's Beretta they have the valve covers nice and accessable. Of course, the coils are hidden but that's a tradeoff.

To change the valve cover gaskets you have to disconnect the the air cleaner, the throttle body and injectors, pull the coil and bracket, remove a coolant crossover tube, remove the serpentine belt and alternator and probably more stuff that I forgot.

Maybe I'm just grumpy because it was a lot of stuff to disconnect for what should be a simple job.

But like I said, have they finally managed to design valve covers that don't leak and need to be changed every couple of years? :)

That was one of the reasons we passed on a new Blazer - I can't see servicing that thing in 5 years as being anything but extremely difficult.

Ray

Reply to
ray

91 S-10 Blazer, 4.3 V-6, hit 210,000 miles saturday, valve covers never been off, and they aren't leaking.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

You're probably right. I'm thinking the Quad 4 is a bad idea.

He definitely wants something different, and he wants more power as well. And for him, junkyard engines are really cheap (he has a relative who owns a junkyard).

Right now, we're down to:

- 4.3L V6 with automatic transmission

- 350 small block V8 with automatic transmission

And yesterday he took the Mazda RX-7 for a test drive up and down the driveway here. He liked that. So that adds a third choice:

- Mazda 13B or turbo 13B with matching Mazda 5 speed transmission

At least with the last choice he won't be burning any more valves. I'm not sure about the fabrication to pull that swap off, though. But it would be something unique if it's done right.

Thanks for all the comments and keep them coming.

Reply to
gti.racer.x

On 1 Mar 2005 08:03:11 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote something wonderfully witty:

Whatever you do, throw a rev limiter on it.

Reply to
ZombyWoof

I've got a '91 S-10 w/ a 4.3L and the plug wires on it were very easy to get to and change.

My brother-in-law had an '87 S-10 with a 305 in it, and it wasn't really that much harder to work on. Only thing was that the distributer was pretty close to the firewall.

Of coarse the only difference in the block of a 4.3L and a small block V8 is the length.

Reply to
ozzuen

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