383 Stroker Transmision?

[Christian.mers]

Can I temporarily mount my 383 Stroker to my 1997 SE 30RH 3-Speed Automatic Transmission? I currently don’t have enough money to just toss it in and buy a brand new transmission Automatic or Manual. My goal is to Convert to a full Manual system but as you all know it is not cheap for every part required.

Soo, my question is can I just slap my 383 Stroker in my Engine Bay and bolt onto my stock trans? What would you all recommend changing or altering? Please be specific as I’m an amateur at all of this. Now that I’m typing it out slapping a V8 in a rig meant to handle a time 2.5l with 4 angry squirrels sounds like I’m going to need to bite a bullet somewhere and drop the money.

What should I change first? What should I buy before doing the swap? What teams would you all pair? Transfer Case? Would I need to regear anything? I don’t know the first thing about engine swaps so I wanted to get on here and ask more experienced people. What would I need to move in my engine bay and switch? I just know it’s expensive.

 

[Foxhound67]

I don't see any cheap way to accomplish what you're saying. I doubt the 30rh will mount to a sbc, even if it did you'd likely have to move the trans mount and then depending on where it lands a new driveshaft. You might be able to get a cheapish functioning th350 or 400 and do the bare essentials to get it running but you're likely still talking a couple thousand

 

[TerryD]

Easy/quick is try to find a 1988-1992 (IIRC) chevy K1500. It'll be a K case 700R4 and a drivers drop t-case. Probably find one with a blown engine pretty cheap. But you want the GMT400 K1500 pickup not the V10/20/30 or Suburban or K5 Blazer. They will be passenger side drop.

 

[Christian.mers]

I don't see any cheap way to accomplish what you're saying. I doubt the 30rh will mount to a sbc, even if it did you'd likely have to move the trans mount and then depending on where it lands a new driveshaft. You might be able to get a cheapish functioning th350 or 400 and do the bare essentials to get it running but you're likely still talking a couple thousand

Any recommendations on a proper way to fix it? Assuming I have all the time in the world and I can get the money somehow. The right parts I’d need?

 

[Christian.mers]

Easy/quick is try to find a 1988-1992 (IIRC) chevy K1500. It'll be a K case 700R4 and a drivers drop t-case. Probably find one with a blown engine pretty cheap. But you want the GMT400 K1500 pickup not the V10/20/30 or Suburban or K5 Blazer. They will be passenger side drop.

So I’m looking for a Drivers drop t-case? Is this for a particular reason? Why the GMT 400 as well? So am I going for the 700R4 on the K1500 or GMT 400? If you wouldn’t mind breaking it down a slight bit further it would really help!

 

[TerryD]

The K1500 IS a GMT400 platform truck. It's a 4wd (K) half ton (1500).

The front axle pinion is on the drivers side of the TJ and the GMT400. The R/V series (old C/K square body) has a passenger side pinion on the front axle so you need the GMT400 t-case to be able to hook up your front driveshaft.

You should be able to use the TJ front shaft or at least have a new shaft built from the yokes as the GMT400 should have a 1310 front drive shaft as well.

You need a 1988-1992 as in 1993 I believe they went from the fully hydraulic 700R4 to a computer controlled 4L60E. You won't need an external computer to run the 700R4, just a TCI torque converter lockup kit so you don't cook the transmission running in OD below stall speed.

That gives you a reasonably good chance to get a NP241C as well which is a pretty stout and desirable t-case in the GM world.

 

[Christian.mers]

The K1500 IS a GMT400 platform truck. It's a 4wd (K) half ton (1500).

The front axle pinion is on the drivers side of the TJ and the GMT400. The R/V series (old C/K square body) has a passenger side pinion on the front axle so you need the GMT400 t-case to be able to hook up your front driveshaft.

You should be able to use the TJ front shaft or at least have a new shaft built from the yokes as the GMT400 should have a 1310 front drive shaft as well.

You need a 1988-1992 as in 1993 I believe they went from the fully hydraulic 700R4 to a computer controlled 4L60E. You won't need an external computer to run the 700R4, just a TCI torque converter lockup kit so you don't cook the transmission running in OD below stall speed.

That gives you a reasonably good chance to get a NP241C as well which is a pretty stout and desirable t-case in the GM world.

Thank you for breaking it down and explaining the Why very well. This helps me to further comprehend on another level. Is there anything else you would recommend to change while I’m at it? For the 241 should I also get a driver side T-case?

 

[Christian.mers]

You won't need an external computer to run the 700R4, just a TCI torque converter lockup kit so you don't cook the transmission running in OD below stall speed.

How do you feel about the 4L60e’s and 80e’s? I personally know very little about them but heard they were something to look into.

 

[Amorget]

4L60E is a electronically controlled 700R4, which will require either an aftermarket controller or running a stock GM PCM.

4L80E is a physically larger transmission and can handle more power, but also requires the aftermarket controller or stock GM PCM.

 

[hear]

if it's in the short term, then get a 2WD transmission and don't worry about which side the t-case drops on. Find a rear driveshaft to fit and call it good.

 

[TerryD]

Thank you for breaking it down and explaining the Why very well. This helps me to further comprehend on another level. Is there anything else you would recommend to change while I’m at it? For the 241 should I also get a driver side T-case?

If you get the 88-92 setup it WILL be a TH700R4 K case (heavier cast 4wd truck transmission housing) and a drivers side drop transfer case.

The "drop" refers to which side the transfer case front output is on. Drivers drop being left hand side output and what you need.

 

[TerryD]

How do you feel about the 4L60e’s and 80e’s? I personally know very little about them but heard they were something to look into.

4L60E is a electronically controlled 700R4, which will require either an aftermarket controller or running a stock GM PCM.

4L80E is a physically larger transmission and can handle more power, but also requires the aftermarket controller or stock GM PCM.

Amorget is correct. The 4L60 (new name designation for the TH700R4) and the 4L60E (E for electronically controlled) are practically the same transmission and one of the most common transmission swaps out there.

With a few mods they will easily handle 400hp and some more upgrades you can handle 600hp+.

The 82-84 TH700R4s should be avoided unless you need numbers matching. They have low pump vane count, smaller input shaft and lacked several of the later improvements in the valve body which initially gave the TH700R4 a bad rep.

The 85-87 are 9 vane pump (from memory) instead of 7 for more stable line pressures and use a larger input shaft.

In 1988 they added an auxiliary valve body to improve function, I cannot recall exactly what it does now, been years since I've researched it.

I would pose that 80% of the rear or 4wd GM vehicles made from 1982 until the mid 2000s (S10, ASTRO Van, 1/2t pickups, suburbans, camaro ect) came with a 4L60/4L60E/4L65E so they're ok transmissions. LOL.

 

[Christian.mers]

4L60E is a electronically controlled 700R4, which will require either an aftermarket controller or running a stock GM PCM.

4L80E is a physically larger transmission and can handle more power, but also requires the aftermarket controller or stock GM PCM.

Thank you for breaking it down!

 

[Christian.mers]

You should be able to use the TJ front shaft or at least have a new shaft built from the yokes as the GMT400 should have a 1310 front drive shaft as well.

If I wanted to switch my Front and Rear drive shafts to better hold up what would you recommend? Should I just take the Shafts from the K1500 and call it a day or is it worth it to alter things?

On another note as well, would I have to mess with differentials like buying a bigger differential or potentially regearing?

 

[TerryD]

If I wanted to switch my Front and Rear drive shafts to better hold up what would you recommend? Should I just take the Shafts from the K1500 and call it a day or is it worth it to alter things?

On another note as well, would I have to mess with differentials like buying a bigger differential or potentially regearing?

If you're making any decent power with that 383 you'll need bigger diffs.

You'll be better off getting custom drive shafts. 1330 front and 1350 or 1410 rear but finding yokes becomes an issue.

What is the goal for this thing? The baddest crawlers I've seen actually getting used are usually stock engine with lots of gear. Think 90hp 22RE Toyota with dual cases and 5.29s.

There's the rock bouncers and Ultra4 stuff but those guys couldn't define the words "budget" or "affordable".

 

[JMT]

If I wanted to switch my Front and Rear drive shafts to better hold up what would you recommend? Should I just take the Shafts from the K1500 and call it a day or is it worth it to alter things?

On another note as well, would I have to mess with differentials like buying a bigger differential or potentially regearing?

You don’t do engine/transmission/ TCase swaps for a “temporary” solution. Just buy another car and put the Jeep under the knife when you have it all figured out. Any kind of swap, even just a transmission, can take months.

 

[astjp2]

Can I temporarily mount my 383 Stroker to my 1997 SE 30RH 3-Speed Automatic Transmission? I currently don’t have enough money to just toss it in and buy a brand new transmission Automatic or Manual. My goal is to Convert to a full Manual system but as you all know it is not cheap for every part required.

Soo, my question is can I just slap my 383 Stroker in my Engine Bay and bolt onto my stock trans? What would you all recommend changing or altering? Please be specific as I’m an amateur at all of this. Now that I’m typing it out slapping a V8 in a rig meant to handle a time 2.5l with 4 angry squirrels sounds like I’m going to need to bite a bullet somewhere and drop the money.

What should I change first? What should I buy before doing the swap? What teams would you all pair? Transfer Case? Would I need to regear anything? I don’t know the first thing about engine swaps so I wanted to get on here and ask more experienced people. What would I need to move in my engine bay and switch? I just know it’s expensive.

Jw ultra bell housing will adapt the 32rh to a gm transmission

 

[Christian.mers]

What is the goal for this thing? The baddest crawlers I've seen actually getting used are usually stock engine with lots of gear. Think 90hp 22RE Toyota with dual cases and 5.29s.

My goal is to put a 383 stroker in it. I rarely go off-roading but my dad really wanted to put a 383 in before he passed. I just feel like following through on that goal that he had and making it a reality is something that means a lot to me. It’s a Daily driver, nothing crazy so it’s not going to be beat on

 

[TerryD]

I'm going to be completely honest with you and I'm not trying to insult you or anything like that. There are a LOT of guys who start into this stuff without the passion and wind up selling what was a good running vehicle for scrap prices because they never loved it.

You don't seem to be a car guy. You might like cars but you don't seem to know about them. A driveline swap isn't a small "we'll I want to do this this weekend" kinda thing. You're talking months of reading, studying, trying to source parts, and in some cases completely restarting multiple times.

It can be frustrating and infuriating and down right soul crushing even for the folks who love doing it.

Take the Jeep, drive it and enjoy it and fall in love with the Jeep. Drive it and think of your Dad and keep enjoying it.

Would it be cool to have the 383? Probably. Are you ready to put thousands and thousands of dollars I to parts and pieces, hundreds of hours of your life, and most likely wind up selling the whole thing to the crusher because you finally hate the Jeep and hate getting towed home constantly for little failures and still be stuck with a Jeep that's gonna drive bad and be worth 1/4 or less than all the money you invested in it? Because that's part of a swap like this.

It's gotta be a passion and you have to love the vehicle. I've repeatedly had this conversation with people over the years and I've seen a lot of good vehicles scraped or sold off for parts because they gave up. Or like Hank at work that decided to build his dream 55 Chevy and now hates it and refuses to drive it because he dramatically underestimated how much it would cost and started cutting corners and it's nowhere near what he actually wanted.

Take a few days and really stew this over before you proceed. Not saying for sure you will or won't get it done, but I have to voice this. Good luck.

 

[Christian.mers]

I'm going to be completely honest with you and I'm not trying to insult you or anything like that. There are a LOT of guys who start into this stuff without the passion and wind up selling what was a good running vehicle for scrap prices because they never loved it.

You don't seem to be a car guy. You might like cars but you don't seem to know about them. A driveline swap isn't a small "we'll I want to do this this weekend" kinda thing. You're talking months of reading, studying, trying to source parts, and in some cases completely restarting multiple times.

It can be frustrating and infuriating and down right soul crushing even for the folks who love doing it.

Take the Jeep, drive it and enjoy it and fall in love with the Jeep. Drive it and think of your Dad and keep enjoying it.

Would it be cool to have the 383? Probably. Are you ready to put thousands and thousands of dollars I to parts and pieces, hundreds of hours of your life, and most likely wind up selling the whole thing to the crusher because you finally hate the Jeep and hate getting towed home constantly for little failures and still be stuck with a Jeep that's gonna drive bad and be worth 1/4 or less than all the money you invested in it? Because that's part of a swap like this.

It's gotta be a passion and you have to love the vehicle. I've repeatedly had this conversation with people over the years and I've seen a lot of good vehicles scraped or sold off for parts because they gave up. Or like Hank at work that decided to build his dream 55 Chevy and now hates it and refuses to drive it because he dramatically underestimated how much it would cost and started cutting corners and it's nowhere near what he actually wanted.

Take a few days and really stew this over before you proceed. Not saying for sure you will or won't get it done, but I have to voice this. Good luck.

I’m happy you’re being honest, to be honest as well, I’ve only had this jeep 4 Months. Before then I never had anything to work on. I’m not that old (17) and not that experienced yet. I’ve got lots of family to help me, lost of friends. I know this is all going to take months, even years.

I’m well aware of the difficulty of a task like this where I’m breaking down the whole jeep and pretty much starting from scratch. One thing I won’t do is sell the jeep, no matter if I don’t do the swap or I do. This was more of a way for me to gain knowledge and explains my comprehension on what I’d be diving myself into.

With all that said, I don’t care what it takes, how much time, how much money. I don’t care if I’m spending years and insane amounts of money on quality parts. I really appreciate you educating me on everything and helping me how you have.

If I ever did want more power in my jeep for Daily Driving what would you recommend? Switch to the 4.0? Upgrades to my 2.5? A different engine?