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Motor Swap

1K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  ChiScouter 
#1 ·
Hey guys, I see some of you have done a GM motor, tranny, etc swap into your Scouts. I debating on that type of swap myself. I have a suburban with a 400 small block that's all rusted to hell but runs great and a scout that needs carb work. I'm going to run 38s on full width D60/14bolt axles, would you suggest swapping in the more easily modifiable 400sb, if so what kind of problems may I run into, any info or help would be greatly appreciated. If someone is interested in buying a 304/727/d20 that runs great once warmed up let me know, you may get a great deal.
Thanks- Charlie
 
#5 ·
scout_on_38s said:
Hey guys, I see some of you have done a GM motor, tranny, etc swap into your Scouts. I debating on that type of swap myself. I have a suburban with a 400 small block that's all rusted to hell but runs great and a scout that needs carb work. I'm going to run 38s on full width D60/14bolt axles, would you suggest swapping in the more easily modifiable 400sb, if so what kind of problems may I run into, any info or help would be greatly appreciated. If someone is interested in buying a 304/727/d20 that runs great once warmed up let me know, you may get a great deal.
Thanks- Charlie
400's are not a big improvement over the 304. It would be a good swap using your 203 with a doubler. Do a search and then hit us up with some specific questions.
 
#6 ·
Thanks guys, I guess my line of thinking is that it would be easier to get more performance out of the 400sb than the 304. I'll probably see more mud than anything. What has he done to get 400hp out of his 304? I'm just feeling things out, I know its sin in the IH world to run GM motor but I figured it would be easier to build a 400 than a 304. Any other thoughts would be great.
Thanks Again- Charlie
 
#7 ·
scout_on_38s said:
Thanks guys, I guess my line of thinking is that it would be easier to get more performance out of the 400sb than the 304. I'll probably see more mud than anything. What has he done to get 400hp out of his 304? I'm just feeling things out, I know its sin in the IH world to run GM motor but I figured it would be easier to build a 400 than a 304. Any other thoughts would be great.
Thanks Again- Charlie

Nope not a sin....just a pact with the devil.

I gauuuuuurrrrrooooonty that if you drop a 350, 400, what the fuck ever in that rig and see as much mud as you say that you will. You will have rodded that thing to death. Other than the weight savings, which in my opinion is moot...there is no real world advantage to running anything other than an IH mill.

The engines are fucking farm equipment man...They are cheap to replace, and will give you gobs of torque...even stock.

Of course if I bought a rig with a non IH motor in it that would be ok as well...Just would not want to have the down time on a conversion that is not really needed.
 
#11 ·
Harvester of Sorrow said:



So then since you say it...it must be the truth...

I know that Mandera's 304 does not have 400 ponies...but that does not mean that it is not possible:)
Since I still haven't had a weekend free to truck the rig down to my friend's chassis dyno (or the $100 for a pull burning a hole in my pocket) I have to go with good estimates.. and with the info available.. it's somewhere between 375-400hp and as many lbs-ft of torque.

Sure, I didn't hit the 250k mile mark between rebuilds.. maybe 2500 miles.. but ya gotta pay to play. :flipoff2:

Next time I make it to the PNW, HOS, we'll go for a ride.. it'll damn near pull the front tires off the ground on flat level ground when you make the 1-2 shift. If I didn't have so much wheel travel, it probably would pick the front. :D

My 304 puts my built "392" to shame.

But I'm sure the 304 would ping itself to death dragging around the truck n' trailer.

Back to "easier to modify" argument.. IMO, the 304/345/392 are easier to modify.. since there's no need to modify a 400SBC.. just buy the fawkin' parts and bolt them in. Follow the recipe.

Where's the fun in that?
 
#14 ·
tsm1mt said:


Since I still haven't had a weekend free to truck the rig down to my friend's chassis dyno (or the $100 for a pull burning a hole in my pocket) I have to go with good estimates.. and with the info available.. it's somewhere between 375-400hp and as many lbs-ft of torque.

Never doubted you Tom...just knew that until it is "officially" dyno'ed it does NOT have 400hp;)

I know my 304 was a barn burner and it could have been so much more...but I wanted to reach the long life that IH mills are so known for.

I would enjoy sitting in the Black Death....Bring it bitch....:D
 
#18 ·
I figured that would get some of you all going... This place has been pretty mild for a LONG TIME!!!

You know Tom, I had no choice on ditchin the IH mill, Sad but true, since I had a complete chev, dodge drivetrain sittin there with no body or frame.. But my father-in-law had a Scout II sittin at his place up in wyoming with a mother-in-law bitchin because the Scout had not moved in over 10 years..... Rust in peace IH MIll:D
 
#19 ·
well i had a 392 in my scout with no problems, but wanted a chevy with with some power and FI. Well not even a month goes by, and my chevy motor is hurting. Although it had so much more HP and i guess holding the pedal to the floor everytime i had a chance isn't too good. But i just picked up a blazer with a 383 and thats going in with propane on it....so we shall see how much fun that is. I have to say i really think that IH motors are tougher and stronger built...i held the IH mill to the floor many times and i know the redline is like 4k or something on that and i had that motor last longer and that was straight out of a junkyard. I put in a tbi 350 in with 30k and look what happens oh well....383 propane mmmmmmmm
 
#21 ·
Or do any of you IH loyal have a spare 392 lying around you'd be willing to donate to keep my scoutII all International.:D I want more go power!!!
 
#22 ·
snoop dogg said:
well i had a 392 in my scout with no problems, but wanted a chevy with with some power and FI. Well not even a month goes by, and my chevy motor is hurting. Although it had so much more HP and i guess holding the pedal to the floor everytime i had a chance isn't too good. But i just picked up a blazer with a 383 and thats going in with propane on it....so we shall see how much fun that is. I have to say i really think that IH motors are tougher and stronger built...i held the IH mill to the floor many times and i know the redline is like 4k or something on that and i had that motor last longer and that was straight out of a junkyard. I put in a tbi 350 in with 30k and look what happens oh well....383 propane mmmmmmmm

I don't see why getting 200,000 plus miles out of an engine is a wow? I've seen several bigblock chevs and small blocks go to 200,000 miles and several mopars... When I pulled the GUTLESS 304 out of my scout it had 90,000 on it and was a pile of shit for power...That is one reason why it is sporting a tired old 350 that has twice the power the 304 did.. I've been talking about putting the 383 in it now for more than two years, why should I when the pile in it still runs strong? And believe me, I beat the Fawk out of this little 350.. I'd hate to think how many miles are on it and how its been treated over the years before I got it."came out of an old railroad truck". It had been sitting on a garage floor for more than 15 years when I got it, hell I didn't even change the oil in it before I fired it up after such a long sleep it had. Didn't want to waste fresh oil on a junk motor. Hell even one of my old mans Studebaker trucks has over 200,000 on it and it still runs strong.. So point is, other engines "makes" are capable of hitting 200,000 plus miles also. Anyone can have goodluck with a motor, I said "LUCK"
And the 383 with ProPane sounds like a killer setup, soon to be my setup whenever this 350 on ProPane dies...
Oh and I'm not singling you out on the motor thing Snoop, just making a mileage statement:D
 
#23 ·
i hear ya on that, who knows...the motor that i have right now could have been rebuilt like a piece of shit. Either way, it needs big time work...

im gonna try to pull the motor tonight or tomorrow and swap in that 383 by this weekend...im gonna run it on gas for about a week or so till i can get the propane setup. From then its awn.
 
#24 ·
harkinoff said:



I don't see why getting 200,000 plus miles out of an engine is a wow? I've seen several bigblock chevs and small blocks go to 200,000 miles and several mopars...
I can attest to that.. we had a '77 Monte with a 350 in it.. almost a quarter million miles on it, too.

Ran great.

Never had a mosquito problem when driving it, either.

Rust demon and my brother's friend T-boning it with his '74 Malibu put an end to that one..
 
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