hey guys so i'm doing a 97 tbi 305 swap into my 88blazer and i've got everything i need already but i'm not sure which transmission to swap in, i want something that's a direct bolt in and will "plug and play" with everything, this is my first swap and i've had a steep enough learning curve as is so the easier the better, as well as cost, the truck is going to be my daily driver, it's not going to have huge power so that's not specifically important any help would be appreciated thanks

 

How are you controlling the motor? Do you have the PCM to go with the 97 TBI 305? If you are using some thing different (ie, a PCM from an OBD1 equipped TBI motor), then you could use either the 700R4 or the 4L60.

 

the pcm was from a 3/4ton 350 with a 3 speed, but it's been "prommed" i'm assuming that means reprogrammed and it now has 305 tbi written on it, the guy i bought it from had it running on this pcm so i know it will work, does that restrict my transmission choices? or will i have to get ahold of him to figure out what he was running.

 

What year was the 3/4 ton? You need to figure out what that PROM was programmed to control. It may restrict your choice.

 

i'll take a picture of it tomorrow after school and see what i can get from it, now what do you mean by what the prom was meant to control, by that do you mean you can individually program the engine or transmission into it?

 

Well, yes. Since the TBI motor was used for quite a long while, some motors had the 700R4/4L60 while others had the 4L60E which was controlled by the ECM.

 

it's a 97 motor, now, there's no transmission computer so i should be able to run anything i thought, the 4l60e's ran there own controller did they not? in which case i should be able to just put in whatever i can find and roll with that?

 

The 4L60E was controlled by the VCM/PCM which would be what the computer that came out of the 97 was. You can buy stand alone controllers for the 4L60E, but be prepared to shell out almost as much as a professionally rebuilt transmission! You can likely go with a 700R4/4L60, but you may have to make provisions on the throttle body for the TV cable from the transmission.

 

i'm pretty sure i'll just use an older 700r4, as far as the tv cable mount etc on the tb i think i can rig something up using the bracket from the 2.8 tbi, shouldn't take much i dont think. next issue is going to be installing the lsd rear end as i've never toyed with one much, pretty sure that'll be going to a shop.

 

If you have never setup a rear end and do not have the measuring equipment to do so (dial indicator is a must), then I would definitely recommend taking it to a shop. If you can, find a shop which will let you watch or even maybe help (maybe find a mechanic that is interested in after hours work).