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Greetings from Sarajevo, Bosnia

M

Mcfobos

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Hi all, quick introduction and straight to the dilemma 🙂 My friend have gmc sl sierra 2500 suburban 5.7 v8 with only 80k km's on odometar. That car was manufactured or departed from wisconsin april 10 1992 and came straight to my country to be a vehicle in presidential use. It has dash in kms not miles. Short story long 🙂 I need an engine! As new as it can be for 1992 5.7 SL2500 SUBURBAN SIERRA. I am dwelling to buy or not to buy that car because engine from the car was pregiven to a 1969 corvette. So I am stuck here in south east europe without hundreds of thousands gmc engines... wanting a car and fighting against fear that I want be able to brought it back to the street and beyond. I am afraid to go diesel because of all other components required and there is one 6.5 with transmission but they said it is complicated almost impossible to successfully complete that conversion. So I was start looking for brand new/refurbished/remanufactured 5.7 v8 350 engine to bolt it in. It could be some complications to bring the engine all the way from the states but let's first find the engine. Where to look/buy? S&J Engines? Don't know anything about it. I may have only one chance to do it right. What would you do with your knowledge and in my shoes?

All the best,
M
 

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Welcome to the forum. I'm not sure on how available GM engines are in your area whether it be from a rebuilder or from a local salvage yard for you to rebuild. depending on the age of the 6.5 with trans you found it can an easy conversion or a complicated one, also depends on if the 6.5 runs and is complete for all the parts you need for the conversion.

5.7 350's are plentiful here in the states, but it would cost a fair amount to get one to your area from here. finding a used 350 might be an easier approach where parts for the rebuild are much easier to be shipped anywhere.
 
@Mcfobos welcome to TTS , and greetings from the USA.. as @dbrannon79 said conversion can be done relatively simply. I was looking into doing the opposite of my 6.5 failed.. I believe you're dilemma is finding a 5.7 in your country if I understood right. First don't be stuck on buying a new one. I have one with 284,000 miles on it and it still runs strong. So buying one with say 100,000 on it isn't the end of the world.. just my opinion but I think the 350 is probably one of best engines gm ever built. There built pretty tough.. if your fairly good at working on engine's you could probably order a 350 block and have it shipped from a salvage yard here in the states and find remaining parts either in your country or order them individually as money allows and as you find good deals. I honestly don't know what the shipping weight is for a whole engine. But I can tell you I can buy a whole 350 engine here in my area for 3 or 4 hundred dollars from a salvage yard. So shipping would be the major concern.. maybe before making any plans you might want to look into the shipping cost of an engine before looking at the cost of buying the engine. Just to see you if the shipping is a pricing you can handle to begin with.
I'm sure any of us on this site could help you source One from here in the states for Canada for that matter since we have members from Canada on here.
 
Welcome to the truck stop.
Find a reputable shop in Your area and have them rebuild the engine that You have.
Makes me curious, with only 100,000 KM on the odometer why this engine is already shot ? Was it run out of oil or coolant ?
100,000 KM is a lot less than 100,000 miles and I know the same vintage of 350s that had run well over 200,000 without any complications.
Please explain why this engine is already shot.
 
Thank you all, you made me text my friend and said ok I'll buy it lets do it!
Let me try to explain it better...
My friend's friend have '69 Corvette without an engine and found this GMC with 350 engine with only 80kms on odo but didn't want the whole car so my friend bought the car, his friend takes the engine from it and found him that 6.5 diesel with transmission. Then my friend got information from local mechanic that conversion is "almost impossible" and my friend ask me do you want the car? And here we are, today I said YES.
I'll need to do some research. See the state of that 6.5 plus trans and what is that "impossible" staff. Ask freight what are the cost to import 350 from USA... and so on. I'll keep you up-to-date!
P.S.
GMs here are as rare as lions. There were some blazers with 6.2 detroit diesel but currently none for sale
 
something else to conciser in your country and area. are there any regulations on doing a gas to diesel conversion as to being able to register the vehicle on the road without issues. some areas here in the US mandate that it MUST be factory and can't be modified due to emission regulations.

on the other hand. what is the cost and availibility for diesel compared to gasoline for every day driving. a side note, if you do the diesel conversion and the vehicle that you take the engine and trans from is all mechanical injected (not electronic) you can run home brew diesel in it without any issues other than maybe gelling in colder weather! other thing to think about is there are no "NEW" electronic diesel injection pumps made for the 6.5. only the mechanical ones can be had NEW. depending on what the donor engine has on it and how much your budget is for getting it running, your options are open :)
 
As far as I know if that specific car was once registered and it is in the sistem it will be possible to put in it a new engine if there is all clear, paper wise, with that engine.
I have fzj 80 for a daily drink sorry I was ment drive and it is doable. This GMC would become a family mover. I have four kids and ofcourse I don't really need it I have fzj 80 or I can buy some van or monovolumen etc. but I like the truck, it is spacious, big and all of that. It's a proper American car. It have some kind of a personality it has some interesting and unique history, this vehicle is a purpose-built HD SUV and it would be a shame to let it root or leave it on some scrapyard.
And eventually I could just have some more freedom in modifying fzj, off road wise, not being only, thus family, car itself.
Never saw that 6.5 but I've heard that it has electronic pumps and that someone would have changed that to a mechanical... so that is indeed a food for thought.
So, first I need to sit down with a friend of mine and buy that suburban then go to have a meeting with a freight agent and after that I will know can I import an engine for it or not. After that many things will be much more clearer.
 
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