ASTROMENS

Astrovan Engine Pictures
The L31 swap

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This page is the start of an L31 swap into a 1986 Astro
with 97K miles on it. I purchased the production L31
with the hopes of doing a 4.3Z to a L31 swap adding
more than 100 more HP under the hood.
The engine swap was completed March 2004

 

L31 Engine fresh, still in the crate. Kind of dusty isn't it.

 

 

No extra charge for the flywheel, manifolds and wiring.
Thank you Generous Motors!

  

This thing says Astro all over it,
Ok so maybe it says it on the inside.

I removed the factory intake and installed the TBI intake.

    
 


TBI intake installed.


 


Test fitting TBI and fuel lines




Fuel lines need to be rerouted some

 


Fuel lines reworked and distributor installed


Fuel lines- view from the top




Mounting cruise module and accelerator brackets

 


Side view





View from inside, engine removed





4.3 in sub-frame

 





Close up of rear of 4.3 before disassembly





4.3 Intake before disassembly





Front of TBI on 4.3









A/C mounting 4.3





V8 mounted in sub-frame. Body ready to be lowered





Same as above, close up





V8 mounted in sub-frame. Front view





Body lowered onto sub-frame,
nice fit.





Body lowered down and mounted to sub-frame





Checking for fan clearance with radiator





Side view of fan blade and radiator







Front view with radiator installed



Fan shroud modified for the 350

 

Fan shroud modified for the 350




Fan shroud modified for the 350




Fan shroud modified for the 350

 


Lower fan shroud

 

 


LH engine mounting bracket,
can someone please clean the steering linkage?





Rh engine mounting bracket




Left side of cross over pipe




Right side of cross over pipe




Catalytic converter & muffler



Catalytic converter



This will be the Astro's second engine swap. The first was 3 years ago.

That job went fairly smooth. Check it out. http://astromens.com/astrovan.html

This time its going to take a little bit more patients as we will have to do some modifications to drop this L31 into place.

This is how the project is going so far.
We have a Donor vehicle for spare
parts and when we are ready for the
swap we can just slam the new
sub-frame w/engine into
the Pahh Van*
as my son calls it

http://astromens.com/Donor_vehicle.html

 

*Pahh... as in that's what it does currently when you step on the gas. Hmm
not for much longer.