Caprice Wagon engine trans swap

[64osby]

I am having an issue with my 700R tranny, 3rd/4th sticking valve/slow shifts, 1992 Caprice wagon. Also I had installed a replacement engine 5.7 in my 92 wagon last year, it was out of a 95 van, It has never performed like my old Caprice, Now 18MPG hwy vs 23MPG on my 93.

I have a spare engine / tranny in great shape, 1993 - 5.7 350 TBI/700R. Vehicle totaled by deer and then falling tree.

My question is can I pull my 93 engine/trans as one unit to replace my 92 engine/trans.? Everything I read states I have to remove engine and trans as seperate units and install as seperate units.

The other question is why this engine does not perform like my old engine, I have been all over it and have had it in the shop, everything checks out. Do I need a different chip or computer? This engine has half the mileage of my 93, I'd like to keep it if I could get the mileage up to where it should be.

I have researched the web and my haynes manual with limited info available.
I think it would be much easier if I didn't have to seperate them to exchange them. I have a hoist and the shadetree skills, I just don't know if there is enough room to pull and install.

Any input would be great.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Caprice Wagon engine trans swap

You should be able to swap them with no problem as one assembly however it may require you to remove the grill and header assembly.

As for the reason why mileage is different with the new engine, a 5.7 out of a truck/van and a car are not the same engine, they use a different cam and develop peak horsepower and torque at different rpm, combine that with the fact that the torque converters from the van to the caprice are also different.

You took a van engine and mated it to a transmisson in a passenger vehicle, and I have no way of knowing which converter was used.

This is why there is a big difference in performance and fuel mileage.

 

[64osby]

Re: Caprice Wagon engine trans swap

Sixmark - Thanks for the reply. Makes perfect sense. I know "they" say that x years will work to replace the engine. I never did consider different cams. I did use the converter from the 92 Caprice.

So if I put my 93 caprice engine in a Suburban, would it get better mileage then a the usual 16mpg the Suburban 4x2 gets? Just have less torque.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Caprice Wagon engine trans swap

not exactly, as the gear ratio in a Suburban would be different as well as the weight of the vehicle, aerodynamics, etc. Aero really wouldn't be drastically different between them but it would have an effect.