Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.

[NastyBuzzard]

Ok good deal. I will wait and see what happends before I order myself a set. Hell I have to get my 4l60e rebuilt so I got some time still.

[TheBlueBomber]

Okay so yesterday morning I got everything bolted down yet again. I'm getting closer now but I ran out of time before I could try one last thing.

We're getting close still just a hair off.


Got both sides adjusted back 3"s


Here's what my clearance is looking like now on the passenger side by the firewall.


And the drivers side which is closer to the fire wall than the passenger


NastyBuzzard I'm almost 100% positive this is where I need to make my final major adjustments. Between that and re measuring the bolts on the block I should have it adjusted properly.


And the passenger side


Here's the clearance problem. Got the engine slid back and the oil pan dropped down... just need a little more height which will hopefully come from the previous pictures.



So close!!


Passenger side of the oil pan is fine.




So far this has been the most difficult part of the build is bolting everything down. Once I get it all square then I will look at the crossmember and where it needs to go. The fuel system should be a breeze the most difficult thing I see about that is cleaning the frame and cutting out rotten mounts. Figure out the linkage for the trans and tcase and rewire my instrument cluster. I plan on looking for a tach cluster with a clock if not fitting a clock from one of the clusters I got into it.

[NastyBuzzard]

I'm thinking that the dirty dingos allow you to put it in stock position but with only 1/2" of adjustment left. Possible you don't have it far back enough?

Seems like a lot of people who go from th350 to 700r4/4l60e have to only move the xmember back like 1" in so, I've seen a lot of people still able to use one set of bolt holes but have to drill other two.

Idk though, seems odd you are having so many issues with these mounts. Scary! Sorry you're having a rough time bro!

[bohmankid]

If I were you I would Play with the stock mounts a little. I know you can put those mounts in multiple positions with those 3 bolts. Try lifting up the motor and sliding those stock mounts up an eighth of an inch. Also, dirty Dingo must have changed their design , your mounts don't look like mine..

[bohmankid]

It wouldn't hurt to give their customer service a call as well.

[NastyBuzzard]

Yes I just noticed those mounts you have don't look like the ones I'm looking at ordering... Did they change their design and not update the picture? Weird maybe they sent u the wrong ones??

Here's ones I am trying to purchase.
http://dirtydingo.com/store/product_...1369%7B15%7D52

[tinydb84]

They changed the design (likely cheaper to produce). I reinforced mine (I plan to turbo one day).

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by bohmankid

If I were you I would Play with the stock mounts a little. I know you can put those mounts in multiple positions with those 3 bolts. Try lifting up the motor and sliding those stock mounts up an eighth of an inch. Also, dirty Dingo must have changed their design , your mounts don't look like mine..

That'll be my next plan of attack along with adjusting the long bolts. I'll call DD if that doesn't do the trick

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Yes I just noticed those mounts you have don't look like the ones I'm looking at ordering... Did they change their design and not update the picture? Weird maybe they sent u the wrong ones??

Here's ones I am trying to purchase.
http://dirtydingo.com/store/product_...1369%7B15%7D52

Should be the same ones... i ordered them over the phone and he said they were right... my invoice reflects that model number DD-2585-4.

Originally Posted by tinydb84

They changed the design (likely cheaper to produce). I reinforced mine (I plan to turbo one day).

I'll be reinforcing mine as well... but I think I'll wait until after I get it all bolted down lol.

[TheBlueBomber]

Got a couple of good picks at the junkyard. Went there looking for 73-87 stuff and found 9 99+ ls trucks/burbans/avalanches...


Got both dipstick's and the Vortec cover.


Going to need a little touching up on the lettering and a good wash.



The cover goes for $50 at cost from the dealership and the dipstick's go for around $22 a peice. Got all three for $20

[NastyBuzzard]

Nice finds!

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Nice finds!

These little victories add up! I had budgeted those for brand new from the dealer and since I found them used I can use the $$ elsewhere.

[NastyBuzzard]

Any updates on the DD mounts?

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Any updates on the DD mounts?

Yes. Just got off the phone with them. It turns out for 4x4 truck you will have to notch the frame to fit the motor... He said once I slide the engine back a little more the oil pan will drop down and the corner of the block is going to be what hits.


Guess I'll be pulling her one last time after I mark everything lol.

[NastyBuzzard]

Wow... Thats rough. I have talked to two of their representatives and both said it will go in fine no modifications needed. Unless I want to keep lower a/c mount that is.

What I sent:
I have a 1987 GMC V1500 (4x4)w/ 241c transfer case that I am swapping a 4.8/4l60e combo out of a 2001 4x4 silverado donor. I am looking for some swap motor mounts that will allow me to reuse my stock driveshaft, retain all stock locations and possibly keep and use the a/c compressor off of the 2001. Will these work?

What they responded with:
Yes these will work. You cannot run the low mount a/c compressor with out chopping the cross member out and moving the engine forward 2 1/2", but yes they will still work with the low mount a/c compressor. The LS low mount compressor is not compatible with your a/c system.

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Wow... Thats rough. I have talked to two of their representatives and both said it will go in fine no modifications needed. Unless I want to keep lower a/c mount that is.

What I sent:
I have a 1987 GMC V1500 (4x4)w/ 241c transfer case that I am swapping a 4.8/4l60e combo out of a 2001 4x4 silverado donor. I am looking for some swap motor mounts that will allow me to reuse my stock driveshaft, retain all stock locations and possibly keep and use the a/c compressor off of the 2001. Will these work?

What they responded with:
Yes these will work. You cannot run the low mount a/c compressor with out chopping the cross member out and moving the engine forward 2 1/2", but yes they will still work with the low mount a/c compressor. The LS low mount compressor is not compatible with your a/c system.

Something is not right. Whether it's on my end or their end something Isn't right... He said it mentions the required notch on the website but I see no thing... i have the same part number as the one you mentioned earlier. I'll out a thread up in the ls swap section and post some on other forums I'm a member of and see what they say...

[NastyBuzzard]

I'm thinking it's on their end. I just double checked their site and no where does it mention frame modification.

However, I did just remember you are using a L33 oil pan right? Is it any way different than stock truck oil pan? I have no idea.

I would send them back and have them QA them or something. I've never heard anyone having to modify cross member when using those mounts.

[1963c-10]

Nice progress Austin.

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

I'm thinking it's on their end. I just double checked their site and no where does it mention frame modification.

However, I did just remember you are using a L33 oil pan right? Is it any way different than stock truck oil pan? I have no idea.

I would send them back and have them QA them or something. I've never heard anyone having to modify cross member when using those mounts.

Wasn't the mounts or the oil pan that was the problem. That last adjustment I was looking at did the trick.

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Nice progress Austin.

Thanks Jon, the race is on!!!

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by TheBlueBomber

Wasn't the mounts or the oil pan that was the problem. That last adjustment I was looking at did the trick.




Thanks Jon, the race is on!!!

Last adjustment?? Please explain? So the mounts make it fit without modification?

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Last adjustment?? Please explain? So the mounts make it fit without modification?

The mounts can fit without any modification. Sorry about the late response/cliffhanger... I had to wait for my photos to load in my photobucket account.


This is the last adjustment I was referring to for the long bolts. The spot you see where its missing the powdercoating is where the engine was sitting before. I loosened those bolts and put a big pry bar between the DD mount and the frame mount and then tightened it down while holding it in place. I did the same thing on the other side as well. This is the drivers side


That pushed it off far enough for it to clear. Once I was happy where the motor was sitting vertically I loosened all of the adjusters and pulled it forward what I could to clear the fire wall. Once I was happy with that I went underneath and adjusted the tail shaft of the transmission so that it was dead on with the axle.


I threw a level on there just for grins and boom... perfectly level haha.


Mocked up the intake.



From what I can see, the cross member will have to move back about half of an inch. I put a couple pieces of wood underneath the transmission to hold it about where I expect it to be so I could put the transfer case in... That's when it hit me... Something isn't right.






So I say to myself... good job, put it in one hole off. Rotated it one bolt up and sat back...









The output shaft on the tcase is too high now. Did a little digging and found DIY4x.com makes clocking rings for NP241 and NP208 transfer cases for only $65 including all the hardware needed. So it looks like ill be ordering one. I'm going to crawl under the truck and put the tcase back in and do some measuring to see which one I want to order.

They have to one for a passenger side tcase to go up and one for a driver side tcase to go up. If either side needs to go down you have to buy the opposite side clocking ring. So if I decide I want to move my tcase from the lower bolt hole up, then I will use the clocking ring designed for a passenger side tcase, however, if I want to move the tcase down from the upper bolt position, then I will buy the driver side clocking ring.

The rings have 3 positions: Stock, 15*, and 30*. The plate itself is about 3/8ths of an inch thick so no problems when it comes to the length of the splines.
http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?rout...&product_id=64

[TheBlueBomber]

After throwing that tcase up and down a couple of times and moving that engine back and forth I called it a day before I started relocating the transmission crossmember.

I bought a transmission mount for a 1987 truck because it would be the same bolt holes. Only thing that will need attention is where the bottom of the mount goes into the crossmember. I need to find something to put in there for it to hold it in place.



With the transmission at the correct height the cross member needs to move back about half of an inch


Low light now but here is the transmission output shaft point straight at the axle. The camera is sitting directly above the yoke on the axle. Once the cross member is moved back and the mount is in place, I will retake this picture and the output shaft will point straight at the axle


Clearance looks good. In this picture it looks like the head is a hair away from the firewall but in reality I can slip my finger right past it. This is the passenger side





The driver side is a little bit tighter but it still has room between the fire wall and head.



Once the tcase situation is figured out and I know 100% that nothing else needs to be moved I will take and respray the valve covers.

[NastyBuzzard]

Ok, so Dirty Dingos work without modification. That is excellent freaking news man!!!

Whats this about clocking the tcase? I am running a 241c in my 87 GMC now, its from a 91 K5. Will I need that plate too you think? I have been told the 241c will bolt up and not need modifications.

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Ok, so Dirty Dingos work without modification. That is excellent freaking news man!!!

Whats this about clocking the tcase? I am running a 241c in my 87 GMC now, its from a 91 K5. Will I need that plate too you think? I have been told the 241c will bolt up and not need modifications.

Can you post a picture of the cross member and angle of the tcase? I may have jumped the gun on the whole clocking deal... I'm just not used to that angle on the transfer case. I talked to my buddy and he said that it has a steeper angle compared to the NP208

[NastyBuzzard]

Originally Posted by TheBlueBomber

Can you post a picture of the cross member and angle of the tcase? I may have jumped the gun on the whole clocking deal... I'm just not used to that angle on the transfer case. I talked to my buddy and he said that it has a steeper angle compared to the NP208

I can get a pic tomorrow if thats ok.

I think the NP208 and NP241 are really similar. I just know the NP241 is a little better, has better oiling/cooling system. From memory mine is at a pretty decent angle. I know it hangs low enough I can see it from the side of the truck. It has a shield that protects it as well. It hangs atleast 4" or more below frame. Not ideal I know.

[rusty76]

Looking good. Glad to see you making progress!