vortec 454 swap into a 68 K20

[grass]

New to the page and to classic Chevy's, I have been searching for a couple weeks now for any info on swapping the drivetrain from a late 90s k2500 into a 67-72 Chevy k20 4x4 chassis, and I haven't really found anything. I have a 68 K20 with a mild 350 and turbo 350 mated to a np205. I also have a 97 K2500 suburban vortec 454 with 4l80e. I am looking at swapping the whole drivetrain from the burb into my k20. I'm trying to find a way to just bolt the 454 in, I'm not concerned with the cross member, I've built many cross members so that is not a problem, any help here would be greatly appreciated. Pics are what it looked like when I brought it home and how it looks now.

[grass]

Dang... Probably should have post this in the 4x4 section.

[MARKDTN]

There are many 67-72 4x4s that have put in a big block since it was not available from GM. The late 90s 454s have the same mounts as an early one so it can bolt in pretty easy. There are typical big-block issues with exhaust, cooling, and such. Yours is a bit of a hybrid as you are also adding fuel injection and an electronic trans. so wiring, speedo, and fuel tank enter in as well. You will I'm sure have to build all new driveshafts. Not sure if the output location on the new transfer case is compatible with the early axle-might be on opposite sides?

[JHT67]

What!! Just one picture of it all painted up?

[grass]

Thanks for the reply, I'm hoping to start swapping everything over this weekend, I've been driving my wife's old suburban sense I used my cadilac CTS-V to hunt deer on a mountain road... She got a new car with the insurance money, but I got the K20 to build so its a win!!! I hate driving the suburban, but I do love the drive train in it. I guess I might do a build page!!!

[casper71]

Howell engineering for the fuel injection harness. Advanced adapter to install the correct transfer case as the newer ones exit under drivers side. Those were the two biggest issues I had when I installed an 8.1 vortec in my truck.

[grass]

I'm going to a driver drop t case and a king pin ford 60

[grass]

I was going to try and use the factory harness and just run a custom ecm... but not 100% on that yet

[57taskforce]

If your gonna be knee deep in re working your harness it may be worth your time to look into the 0411 PCM. It's got a ton more tuning capability than what came with your suburban and can be made to work. Not that you want to but it would allow your to run the l21 (medium duty and higher vortec 454) the light duty 454 is the l29)style coil near plug system and ditch your distributor. Just an example of one thing that PCM can do. There's lots more.

Also for your front axle I'd suggest using a t400 np205, it can be made to work with the 80e.

[grass]

I'm planning on running the tcase from the suburban at first, while I get everything to do a 205 from a ford behind the 4l80e

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by grass

I'm planning on running the tcase from the suburban at first, while I get everything to do a 205 from a ford behind the 4l80e

Is the case from the suburban floor shift or push button? The one in my big block 98 is push button.

[grass]

I'm planning on running the tcase from the suburban at first, while I get everything to do a twin sticked 205 from a ford behind the 4l80e

[grass]

its a push button, but I have a floor shift unit sitting on the shelf in the garage from my old SAS k3500 I built

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by grass

its a push button, but I have a floor shift unit sitting on the shelf in the garage from my old SAS k3500 I built

Sounds pretty cool. Post pics as you go I'm always Into anything gm 4x4 I'll keep up and check back in as you go. If you want to read about how to make the l29 run good there is a pretty good thread on the fullsizechevy forum I can link if you like.

[grass]

please shoot me the link. I would love to be able to do some tuning on this thing with an HP-tuner or something. I'm sure you could really get some better numbers out of these motors

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by grass

please shoot me the link. I would love to be able to do some tuning on this thing with an HP-tuner or something. I'm sure you could really get some better numbers out of these motors

Yes sir, with some work there's guys in that thread pushing 600 hp and more torque. I'll find the thread and pm it to you. I love the vortec 454 so I can certainly appreciate what your trying to do!

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by grass

please shoot me the link. I would love to be able to do some tuning on this thing with an HP-tuner or something. I'm sure you could really get some better numbers out of these motors

Here's the link:http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/g...ec-owners.html it's 553 pages long but a lot of the info repeats read about the first 20 pages and you'll get a good head start on making that l29 scream.

[grass]

awesome and perfect timing I'm going to be twirling my thumbs the next two days at work... this will give me something to do

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by grass

awesome and perfect timing I'm going to be twirling my thumbs the next two days at work... this will give me something to do

The biggest things for the l29 are new injectors,headers,full exhaust,cam re-degree, PCM tuning, and re gapped plugs. Plus a few things I probably am not remembering but it's all in that thread. It's an excellent resource.