LS Swapping a S10
 

Hey guys, first time posting. Coming from the DSM world.

I am currently looking at a couple different trucks. One is a RCSB 1500 V6/4l60e truck. The other two are S10s. One is a RCSB S10, the other a S10 Xtreme. Both S10s have the 4.3l V6 with 4l60e transmissions as well.

I’ve done my homework when it comes to LS swapping a Midsize 1500 truck. Pretty straightforward. Motor mounts, wiring harness, ECU reflash, and a couple miscellaneous items here and there.

Is this the same process for the S10? Swapping a V8 into a midsize truck is BASICALLY plug and play with an ECU tune. The S10 I’m looking at is very clean, very affordable. If I can just as easily swap a LS into it as I can a midsize RCSB truck, I may just go that route. Thanks guys.

Here are the pics of the trucks I’m looking at. Yellow S10, black S10 Xtreme, and red RCSB 1500. All V6.

-Anthony
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Why do a LS swap on a V6 1500 when you can just buy one with an LS anyway? The all NBS 1500 v8 trucks have an LS motor...

Because the only midsize V8 trucks in my area are rust buckets or overpriced.

These V6s are cheaper and substantially cleaner.

I'd stay away from a 4L80E trans because it will likely require floor pan surgery. Gen 3 LS truck motors have a very deep oil pan which will be too low for use on practically ANY car or S10 truck and I'm using the Holley 302-2 oil pan on my El Camino. Also Holley forward bias engine mounts to help with room for the 4L60E trans. Your LS engine exhaust manifolds may also not fit - I'm using Hooker Blackheart headers from Holley.

Try to get your engine and trans bought together to avoid possibly needing a different flywheel.

Have you ever considered doing your own PCM tuning for free with Tuner Pro RT / LS Droid / PCM Hammer? It's easy and free as long as you stick with a P01 or P59 PCM. Plenty of You Tube videos for these software packages if you are interested and the only hardware that is recommended is a junk yard parts bench harness.

Rick

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the advice and insight. With all that in mind, I’ll stick with a 1500 truck. Clean examples pop up every now and then. I was asking about the S10s because they are a dime a dozen!

I would be comfortable base tuning my own truck to get it running. I’ve meddled with DSMLink (DSM), hondata (Honda), and open source (Subaru). When it comes to WOT tuning, I have a pretty good grasp on how to; but I’d much prefer to pay someone else to do that!

The S10 swap is so common, you can buy a swap in a box. I wouldn't shy away from it

H3 pan if you wanna stay OEM. Since they are 4.3, you can reuse your trans too. Take out engine with harness/ecu, swap kit, pressure washer and some time is all you need

The RCSB 1500 truck is a full size.... the S10 is a mid size.

That being said, an LS swap into both is super common.

^ yeah. That red one, a Silverado, is a full size / 1/2 ton / 1500 / NBS. They came with an LS motor. Its just a straight swap over from all factory stuff, you can't get any easier than that. Personally, I would keep looking for one with a v8 already.

The S10s are midsize, and my guess is there is more information on swapping an LS into one of those, then probably any other vehicle out there.

From someone who has owned a 05 Colorado, and now a 02 Silverado (for the last 10 years). The easy answer would be: If its a second vehicle, for fun, the weekend, or a toy, and your priorities are the quarter mile of fuel mileage, then easily s10. If its a daily driver then hands down the Silverado. The Silverado has a better seating position (unless you like being in a pickup, and not being able to see over a Honda), more ground clearance, bigger bed, more payload capacity and I think mine with very little suspension work handles better than the s10 because of the width.

I ended up grabbing a lq4 swapped short bed Silverado.
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That looks better than your other 3 options.