S10 engine swap : MGB & GT Forum : MG Experience Forums : The MG Experience

S10 engine swap #1
Pop Mike Ryan Pennsylvania, USA 1929 Ford Model A "Ethel" 1976 MG MGB "Ethel II"	Posted: April 06, 2012 09:59AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 308

A while back on one of the 'My Classic Car' episodes, Dennis was at a car show and came upon a B with a Chevy S10 engine and tranny in it. While talking with the owner he was told it was a 'direct' swap. Anyone familiar with this. It just so happens I have an available S10 handy. Not real sure of the year but it is the V6 auto.

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Re: S10 engine swap #2
kawtoy Shane Nudds Henrietta, NY, USA 1970 MG MGB GT	Posted: April 06, 2012 10:09AM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 861

The only "direct swap" for a B is an engine from another B. Maybe he meant that there was not much cutting and welding to do. Regardless it is still going to need engine mounts relocated, custom driveshaft, custom exhaust, new wiring harness, upgraded front suspension, bigger brakes, possible steering changes if the column doesn't clear the new engine.

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Re: S10 engine swap #3
NOHOME Peter Plouf London, Canada 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite Bugeye "Lil" 1967 MG MGB GT "Maggie (GT From Hell)"	Posted: April 06, 2012 10:40AM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 11,908

The V6 swap is easy in that it does not require fabrication to any great degree since there are kits available to do the swap.

That said, no swap is a walk in the park skill or $$$ wise

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Re: S10 engine swap #4
paullubbock Paul A Lubbock, USA 1980 MG MGB	Posted: April 06, 2012 11:05AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 72

I was considering an upgrade to my B down the road, would you recommend a swap as mentioned above or something like a Moss supercharger upgrade to existing engine. Either is pricey but my thoughts is Moss would keep the original engine and just give it the HP it should have had originally without going crazy.

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Re: S10 engine swap #5
29desoto Wayne Sanders Outside Otis, OR - in the woods!, USA 1965 MG MGB V6 Conversion "Tubby" 1977 MG MGB "Ole Yeller" 1979 MG MGB "Kermit" 1984 Chevrolet Corvette "The Green Weenie" 1994 Chevrolet S10 "Lil Red"	Posted: April 06, 2012 12:20PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 6,057

You+ guys should jump over the the MG engine swap forum. In blue, left hand column.

They know all this stuff. I'm in the middle of one, and can tell you that the S-10 engine is a 90 degree engine, making it much wider than the 60 degree engines preferred for this swap.

Drop over there and take a look. But I can guarantee you that Shane is right, there are no "direct" swaps. Even the 60 degree does take some work.

Wayne Sanders
Rose Lodge, OR

"I don't care to belong to any club that accepts people like me"-joined Willamette Valley Club in 2011

77 MGB - Four tone paint - some kind of electronic ignition - hood props - cheap tires - new springs all around - mixture of poly and rubber bushings - original exhaust - fuzzy seatcovers - stereo out of old F150 pickup - virtually no rust - right front wrecked and semi well repaired - just about right for me!

78 MGB - Done right by a good PO, and I only bought it. Tell Jim how nice it is. But I did put in a Datsun 5 speed.

79/65 MGB - Tubby - Carmine Red - V-6 - T-5
Going to do this one more right, less rat rod!

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Re: S10 engine swap #6
Speedracer Hap Waldrop Greenville, SC, USA 1967 MG MGB "The Biscuit"	Posted: April 06, 2012 12:24PM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 20,338

Mike the GM 2.8 V6 and T5 5 speed is very popular engine swap for a MGB, it fits the engine bay of MGB very nicely and still leaves good room to work on the engine, unlike some of the V8 coversion that swallow up the MGB engine bay. Bill Guzman of Classic Conversions in CA sells kit to do this in a MGB, and is a good fella, you can find him often posting over on the engine swap forum.

Hap Waldrop
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Re: S10 engine swap #7
Soyokaze 72MGB Ryan Foster Ð¡Ð¾Ñ„Ð¸Ñ, Bulgaria 1972 MG MGB "Bitty"	Posted: April 06, 2012 01:33PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 3,476

Possible, there are lots of choices here. A Rotory RX-7 engine/transmission at the top of my list of choices. The smaller displacement non turbo versions with about 130 hp should be just right.

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Re: S10 engine swap #8
djdavies David D Ca, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: April 06, 2012 02:07PM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 559

In reply to # 2032902 by kawtoy upgraded front suspension, bigger brakes,

That seems to be a widely held misconception. Not saying it's easy or cheap, but it doesn't have to get ridiculous.

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Re: S10 engine swap #9
29desoto Wayne Sanders Outside Otis, OR - in the woods!, USA 1965 MG MGB V6 Conversion "Tubby" 1977 MG MGB "Ole Yeller" 1979 MG MGB "Kermit" 1984 Chevrolet Corvette "The Green Weenie" 1994 Chevrolet S10 "Lil Red"	Posted: April 06, 2012 04:09PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 6,057

In reply to # 2033092 by djdavies

In reply to # 2032902 by kawtoy upgraded front suspension, bigger brakes,

That seems to be a widely held misconception. Not saying it's easy or cheap, but it doesn't have to get ridiculous.

Matter of second hand fact, the 2.8L and T5 weighs less than the stock lump. Of course, depending on how fast you are moving that weight.......... smoking smiley

Wayne Sanders
Rose Lodge, OR

"I don't care to belong to any club that accepts people like me"-joined Willamette Valley Club in 2011

77 MGB - Four tone paint - some kind of electronic ignition - hood props - cheap tires - new springs all around - mixture of poly and rubber bushings - original exhaust - fuzzy seatcovers - stereo out of old F150 pickup - virtually no rust - right front wrecked and semi well repaired - just about right for me!

78 MGB - Done right by a good PO, and I only bought it. Tell Jim how nice it is. But I did put in a Datsun 5 speed.

79/65 MGB - Tubby - Carmine Red - V-6 - T-5
Going to do this one more right, less rat rod!

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Re: S10 engine swap #10
chris Chris Roop Pendleton, OR, USA	Posted: April 06, 2012 10:36PM Registered: 14 years ago Posts: 30,251

I bought a hot deal on an S-10 v-6 pickup awhile back and got a surprise. The original sticker was still in the back window showing that the expected combined hiway/dity mileage would top out at 14 mpg. Yes, I made money on the truck, but geez! I would have thought thtat the mileage would have been better.

How to advertise on this website

Roop's MG – Pendleton, OR USA Check out the Vendors' Deals page for the clutch, brake, and water pump sale. Please email me at the business address for business concerns.

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Re: S10 engine swap #11
29desoto Wayne Sanders Outside Otis, OR - in the woods!, USA 1965 MG MGB V6 Conversion "Tubby" 1977 MG MGB "Ole Yeller" 1979 MG MGB "Kermit" 1984 Chevrolet Corvette "The Green Weenie" 1994 Chevrolet S10 "Lil Red"	Posted: April 07, 2012 12:19AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 6,057

Chris, my 94 S-10 with the V-6 and five speed runs around 28 highway, and 20 city.

I dunno what year yours was, but I'm not impressed! Four wheel drive, maybe?

Wayne Sanders
Rose Lodge, OR

"I don't care to belong to any club that accepts people like me"-joined Willamette Valley Club in 2011

77 MGB - Four tone paint - some kind of electronic ignition - hood props - cheap tires - new springs all around - mixture of poly and rubber bushings - original exhaust - fuzzy seatcovers - stereo out of old F150 pickup - virtually no rust - right front wrecked and semi well repaired - just about right for me!

78 MGB - Done right by a good PO, and I only bought it. Tell Jim how nice it is. But I did put in a Datsun 5 speed.

79/65 MGB - Tubby - Carmine Red - V-6 - T-5
Going to do this one more right, less rat rod!

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Re: S10 engine swap #12
forestghost07 Marco Sinai Florida, USA 1972 MG MGB GT "Viajero" 1999 Chevrolet Blazer "Works For Gas"	Posted: April 07, 2012 12:29AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,238

Someone set me straight here; wasn't the S-10 V6 always the 4.3? My '99 S-10 Blazer is; looks too massive & heavy to plop in a B, right?

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Re: S10 engine swap #13
NOHOME Peter Plouf London, Canada 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite Bugeye "Lil" 1967 MG MGB GT "Maggie (GT From Hell)"	Posted: April 07, 2012 05:59AM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 11,908

In reply to # 2033528 by forestghost07 Someone set me straight here; wasn't the S-10 V6 always the 4.3? My '99 S-10 Blazer is; looks too massive & heavy to plop in a B, right?

Marco:

That I know, the S10 engines ran from 2.8 to 3.4 and were 60 degree V6 variant. There was a 4 banger also.

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Re: S10 engine swap #14
LittleBritishCar Rick Anderson Napa, California, USA 1966 MG 1100 "Julia" 1975 MG MGB "Chiquita"	Posted: April 07, 2012 08:25AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 853

Yes and no. It is technically a direct bolt-on in that there is no cutting or welding required. The S-10 had several engine options in the 1980s which included two 60 degree V6 engines: a 2.8L and the later 3.1L engine. These are basically the same engines that came in the Camaros and Firebirds but they had a carburetor, rather than fuel injection, so it makes it an easier swap. The engine/gearbox lump is about 80 pounds lighter than the stock engine/box. A few companies market a set of headers and motor mounts that make it a bolt-in installation when combined with a driveshaft swap and a few other mods: http://bmcautos.com/

I am picking up an engine and gearbox this afternoon, although I am getting the 3.4L fuel injected cousin from a 1994 Camaro. I will be documenting the entire build on my website at www.LittleBritishCar.org and will be posting my progress in my journal here.

Harvey Leichti's conversion below is what inspired me. I borrowed the photo from BritishV8 http://www.britishv8.org/MG/HarveyLeichti2.htm

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2012 08:32AM by LittleBritishCar.

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Re: S10 engine swap #15
chris Chris Roop Pendleton, OR, USA	Posted: April 07, 2012 08:58AM Registered: 14 years ago Posts: 30,251

I think it was 4 wheel drive. It was only here long enough to get a clutch and detail job.

How to advertise on this website

Roop's MG – Pendleton, OR USA Check out the Vendors' Deals page for the clutch, brake, and water pump sale. Please email me at the business address for business concerns.

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Re: S10 engine swap #16
ekloste1 Eric Klostermann Belleville, IL, USA 1969 MG MGB	Posted: April 07, 2012 09:13AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 83

Not sure which years, but the S10 had the 4.3L V6 as well. This is the 90 degree block.

Eric

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Re: S10 engine swap #17
LittleBritishCar Rick Anderson Napa, California, USA 1966 MG 1100 "Julia" 1975 MG MGB "Chiquita"	Posted: April 07, 2012 09:34AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 853

Yeah, the 4.3 90 degree V6 Vortec was available from 1998 on and won't fit the MGB without a lot of work. And I misspoke - the 2.8 was available on the S10 and not the 3.1, which was a Camaro/Firebird stroked version of the 2.8.

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