mounting issues 400 sbc to 350 sbc

[tanyourhide]

I got a 77 k10 suburban. It had a 400 sbc that had broken started mounting holes. The motor mounts on to my turbo 350. I purchased a 350 out of a 79 k10 that was mounted to a 4 speed standard. When I went to mount the new motor it would sit on the motor mounts okay, but left a 1- 2 inch gap between the block and tranny. I'm looking for any answers. Everyone says it should match the same because the blocks are the same dimensions. This is my first motor swap and I'm fairly new to the game. Any help would be more than terrific.
Tan your hide

 

[74propu]

did you pull the bronze bushing out of the crank shaft ( needed for a standard trans ) if not it is in the center of the crank where the flexplate bolts on and will not let the converter slide in to the crank and will hold every thing apart about a inch . if the bushing is still in it you can use a wood brome handel just cut it off about 8 in long and grind it down to go in the bushing snug about a inch then pack the bushing full of axel grease then put your wood tool in the hole and drive it in with a hammer and the grease well push the bushing out may have to put grease in it a few times good luck

 

[HotRodPC]

I never realized a pilot bushing would keep a converter snout from fitting into a crank since the pilot bearing is usually deeper into the crank. But worth checking for sure.

The things I'd suggest are the clam shells that are bolted to the block that go over your motor mounts on the frame. I don't think they should be different but maybe if they came from a different model car. You didn't take your motor mounts off the frame and put them in a different set of holes did you? No reason to unless you replacing the motor mounts on the frame.

You mention this is your first motor swap so maybe you're looking at the engine as setting straight up. If you look real close, the motor is designed to lean back a little bit so the intake manifold actually is slopped just a bit for this reason. The intake manifold will look like it's going down hill from front to back so that when the engine is leaning back, the intake is actually level. I'm thinking your just not used to seeing this since you've not done an engine swap before.

 

[highdesertrange]

couple of things. are you sure the flexplate is on correctly and are you sure the torque converter hasn't slip out a little? one more thing to check for is the wire harness that crosses over on top of the engine. the block mounting is identical. highdesertranger

 

[tanyourhide]

The first go around the converter didn't get put in all the way. I totally thought that's what it was. Wrong

 

[HotRodPC]

You haven't got this figured out yet? When you do, let us know what was up.

 

[tanyourhide]

figured out

So I didn't take out the pilot bearing. Yesterday I got a tool from the auto store to remove it. No dice. It was to big to slide in the hole. Found a video showing how to use bread to get it out. I packed bread in the hole and pounded it in with 3/8" drive extension. Kept do in it until came out, it took 1-2 slices of bread. So I got the bearing out. Then had some trouble with mounting on the motor mounts after it mated to the tranny. Found that the piece going over the rubber center of Mount was warped because I let the motor rest in the compartment for two weeks until I rented another lift. So got some new mounts, fought a little more now it's mounted. Now I can spend a little time each night putting the rest back together.

 

[74propu]

good job Jesse I have seen pilot bearings mess up some dame good mechanics including me . now you can get her running and enjoy your burb again

 

[74 Shortbed]

Hmmm, never heard of using bread before, I've always used grease and they pop right out, guess anything that will put pressure behind the bearing would work..

 

[HotRodPC]

I've just never heard of a pilot bearing keeping a converter from mounting.

If you already had the engine sitting in the truck you could have used a block of wood on a floor jack instead of renting a hoist again.