5.3 Swap - 1st Gen Jimmy
 

Well here I finally made a build thread I can update. Ill paste what I had posted in my new section. Still trying to find a name so if you have an idea please feel free to suggest!!

HI,
I'm Matt and after a few months of owning my fantastic 94 Jimmy SLT (the JimmerSLuT) I am now starting to build it the way I want to. I work at my buddies shop here in Wisconsin call Evil Tuning and we are slowly starting the build. My original plan was Big Block and TONS of nitrous but after finishing a nice 5.3L swap into a LT1 Chamaro, yes i said Chamaro, I have decided to go the same route. We built a custom turbo set up for the car and even though the big numbers we are projecting as soon as we strap er to the dyno, I dont want to go through that hassle and plan on staying with throwing as much nitrous as I can to the 5.3. I am projecting it may handle a good 200 shot, but we will see. Back to my Jimmy though, It is a 94 (box style) 4dr with 4wd. My 4Lo only seems to work so I am going to ditch the 4wd set up. I am super excited to start this project that I can't even sleep at night!!! Now my pockets are NOT that deep and I am hoping to use most of the stuff we have laying around the shop for this build. Considering most people are like me with not endless pockets I want to share everything along this progress to help every BIG DREAMER!!! I am starting from back to front and actually started today by replacing all rear brake components and wheel seals, fuel filter, gas tank and pump. **Here's my first pointer, The BMW Walboro 255 fuel pump will work with our set-ups and suprisingly is TONS cheaper and is true quality unlike EBAY crap!!! $70!!!!! I already have droped my front end 2in with the torsion bars and milled out some 4" rear drop blocks that I will also install tomorrow. I'll keep everyone posted and if ANYONE has already began this set-up please let me know what ya'll suggest or any pointers that is a HAVE TO HAVE for our neat little SUVS!!!

240,000 miles on er and she ain't skipping a beat.

It won't let me upload photos it keeps failing!!!

since you are dropping the 4wd,you can get rid of the front diff and cv joints. In order to do so,you have to snap off the outter cv joints (what slides into the wheel hubs). If you dont reinsert them your hubs will fail as soon as you drive it. I did this personally. Easy way to pull the front diff once you get the bolts out,there will be a ear on the driver side which is in the way,either bend it back or blow it off.

for the drop up front,cut off the bump stops or you'll be hitting them on bumps. Replace em with pancakes.

Get on rock auto,and pick up a ac delco (replacement pump) for the blazer. The cpi pump puts out 60psi+ which is what the 5.3 needs to begin with. The pump is only 40.00.

The only reason I said the bmw pump is because we have a few of them hanging around the shop from a couple turbo bimmers we did. Looks like I am going to have to do this this week, my gas tank finally rotted through and likes to leave its mark in the driveway....

Made some progress this week. Swapped in a new tank and the 255 pump and lowered it 4 1/2" front and rear but turned out more like a 5.5" drop. Here's my pictures. I lowered my front by cranking out the bolts first but then it wasn't enough for my 4" blocks so i tried removing the torsion bars. They were rusted tight so I removed the key blocks and welded them tight to the bottom of the brace. Damn it's low!!! lol O yeah I also made a new decal for the back window :icon_crackup:

more photos

I removed my spare tire rack so if anyone is interested in it for there offroad build or something let me know.

throwing around new color schemes

I will definitely be paying attention to this build as i plan on doing this to my truck in the future. I really want a 5.3 but i may have to settle with a 5.7 (funds permitting). So what are your plans for the transmission? Definitely should do a rebuild with that power, they are pretty cheap and and you will have a lot less torque loss through the tranny. I'm sure you're well aware tho..

Great build keep it up!

I plan on keeping in the original 4l60e that is slowly but surely taking a crap over time. Hopefully it will last long enough after the build so I can save enough to pick up some type of manual trans swap. I highly suggest go with a 5.3 over the 5.7 because the power difference is rediculous. A 5.3 around me is only $350 from junk yard.

Yeah getting the engine isn't what im worried about, i think a complete engine is about 350 here as well, but all the little things needed to make it clean is the spendy part. I wouldn't trust myself to make a wiring harness so i would probably have one made, which my next question is what rout are you taking for wiring?

Going with a manual trans is good idea, they are in abundance. I've also been wanting to do that for a long time. But i would want to rebuild that as well and get a better clutch. Its all just money ;)