Based on a 2000 model year Blazer and emissions. This is the way I see it.

If your dead set on a V8.
I recommend a GM create engine. $1500 out the door. Brand new, garunted by GM. Buying a used engine has only a 30-90day warrenty. Will you get the swap done in that time? Plus your gambling on the condition of the donor. Could be good, could be the reason the truck ended up in the junk yard. Whole lot of work to find out hte engine is bad.

I can understand lack of funds, in that case, choose the donor carefully. But if cost is an issue, you shouldn't be doing the swap to a V8.

If you go create, swing by the slavage yard and crab the intake manifold, wiring, and computer off a donor V8 truck, after '96. In '96 GM changed the angle of the intake to head bolts. A intake manifold off a '95 or older won't bolt up to the heads on a '96 or newer. Besides, being a '00, emission testing will require you to meet the specs of '00 or newer. Not gonna happen with a carb. Plus the "Vortec heads" came out in '96. Actually it is the most recognized version of vortec heads. Vortec heads have been in use since the late '80s.

Being that your truck is a '00 you have a 4L60E tranny, yep computer controlled. It will bolt up to a V8 no problem. I do not recommend getting a tranny from a 2wdr car. It won't work in a 4wdr truck, unless you swap out the output shaft, that means taking the guts of the tranny out. Might as well rebuild it then. If you do the work, you can rebuild a tranny for less then $600 in parts. And that is for all top end high performance parts.

Now the down side of a V8. Yep, she will smoke the tires. She will smoke em in 1st gear, and all of2nd gear, and if your not carefull into 3rd gear. You ain't hooking up and going fast if your smoking tires. Plus your going to have to deal with axle wrap. Add a leafs in back should do the trick. Altough a track bar might be a better option, plus it will allow you to hook up much better. Get more of that power to the ground instead of up in smoke.

If you haven't done so already. Buy the JTR S10 V8 manual. It gives best donor engines, and other considerations for the swap. Your not the first guy to try this. Use their expierience to your benefit.


Now if all your really after is more power out of the V6. Intake, headers, cam, cat back exhuast, and a new chip. That should put you into 250/300 hp/torque range. Get the tranny shift points firmed up witht eh PCM, dealer can do it, or get it done witht eh chip. Those numbers are equal to a 305 V8. A 350 is roughly 300-350/350, is it worth it?