After having the appetite of eating two 3.0 Nissan motors and one transmission I found it necessary to kiss the Nissan drivetrain goodbye and change to a more cost effective replacement part change. At least this is what I'm hopeing for.

I started with a 1993 S-10 Blazer. Originally when purchased I was told had a 700R4. When all was said and done and on the ground ended up a 4L60E. Pros and cons. Being at the mercy of what I had, it was the choice at hand. I originally was going to use the factory harness which I reatained, but after I pulled some of it apart and with the transmission being completely electronic shifting I changed my mind. I ordered a replacement harness through Fuel Injection Specialties located in TX. I tried various other vendors, but due to being a 4L60E transmission they didn't want to do it.

Removal of all the Nissian drivetrain was no harder than any other removal. With the exception I had to decide what parts of the original harness I needed to retain for the interior and etc, components. Thank god for mitchell on demand and all the wireing diagrams I got for the Blazer and Pathfinder.

I had many concerns from here on how I would mount the engine and transmission. I contaced a few places for some universial GM mounts, but I was told to come and see them and if I bought them and they were installed in anyway they were mine. So I opted to look further. I then called Automotive Customizers. And to my amazement they had the conversion mounts for the engine only and bolted to the original Nissan frame holes. At least I was gonna have a mounting point. The mounts finally arrived and in the instructions on one side they raed use factory 4.3 rubber mounts and on the other side it said needed two different GM parts to make work. Having the OE 4.3 mounts I put them on them and there was about a 1/2 inch gap on both sides of the conversion mount. So I called Advanced Adapters back which where Automotive Customizers drop shipped the mounts from and talked to them. I was then told the OE 4.3 mounts were the correct ones and that they were no longer manufactoring the mounts mine were the last set. After two more days of back and forth with A.C. and A.A I went to the dealer and got the mounts which were listed on the other page of destructions. Put them on and fit perfect.

I finally was ready to mount engine. I got the engine set into the frame to find out there would be no way the conversion mounts could be bolted in as I was told. The engine hit the firewall three inches before the bolt holes. No biggie I thought I'll weld them in. Well after looking closer they was no way of putting the trans and t-case in without lifting the body. So progress was once again halted while I order and three inch body lift. I really hated to do this since I'm so against them, but there was no choice. I installed the body lift and the adjusted the firewall around the distributer area and around the bell housing area with a BFH. The opening for the 4X4 shifter was also enlarged. The transmission bolted up to the engine. I the jacked and slide the hole thing back and forth until I achieved and optimum mounting point. Weled the engine mounts in place.

At this point I was really getting fed up with the entire project. So close, but so far from done. I decided to run the harness and mount the computer to give myself some time to relax. Next on the list was tubeing. All Tubes And Hoses of Phoenix made the P/S hoses to adapt to the GM P/S pump and goto the Nissan gearbox. Also made the A/C lines to adapt from Nissan to GM A/C compressor.

Cooling system parts were the next in line. I retained the factory Nissan radiator and had the upper neck moved from passenger side to drivers side which the factory 4.3 hose went right to with a little trimming. The lower hose was a combination of two hoses which I had to cut and splice together. For a cooling fan I went with a Flex Lite twin 10 inch set up due to having limited room between the water pump and radiator. The fans only take up 2 5/8 of thickness. Heater hoses were the same as any vehicle to the inlets and outlets.

Fuel system was next in line. I removed the complete fuel line assembly from the Blazer which was a good idea on my part due to Vortech engines requireing high pressures for running. I routed and plumbed them to the Nissan frame and removed all Nissan fuel hoses. The fuel pump took a little engineering on my half since I wanted to try to keep this is as original as possible. I modified the Nissan intank fuel assembly unit to accept the Vortech 4.3 fuel. pump.

The tranmisson crossmember I though was gonna be an issue, but I ended throwing something simple together incase it would'nt work. the rear driveshaft was then made with a CV at the slip yoke end at the transfercase. I'm not thrilled on this t-case, but it's what I have to work with. The front shaft is last priority and will be made when project is completely finished.

Shifter and throttle linkages were next. I reatained both factory Nissan shifter and throttle cables. On the throttle cable I cut the U shaped piece out of the Nissan throttle bracket and welded to the 4.3 Vortech brakcet to lock down the adjustment nuts. On the floor board inside under the throttle there is a plastic block for a throttle stop. It was then cut down to achieve full throttle. For the shifter I reused the factory cable and shifter. The linkage piece on the trans was cut and flipped so the Nissan end would fit into. For the cable mount on the transmission I used the mount off the Nissan transmission and welded a plate to mount to the 4L60E. For the 4X4 shifter I used the Blazer one which I cut down and welded together.

For the exhaust I reused the factory Chevy Y pipe and catalytic converter and had Mad Hatter Muffler make the rest.

sounds like quite an adventure but heres the million dollar question if you could do it all over again would you? ive been thinking this same conversion myself. but now not so sure.

any pictures?

I've been wanting to do the same thing, but w/a TH400 (or 700R4) and 4-speed Atlas. What I really want is an LS3 though .