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Old 10-24-2013, 10:15 AM   #1 (permalink)
funkhoss
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Edinburg, VA
Posts: 95

The Little Car - '00 Chevrolet Metro
90 day: 91.08 mpg (US)

The Big Car - '94 Chevrolet Caprice Wagon
90 day: 44.9 mpg (US)
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Caprice Wagon engine swap--worth it?

Hi all,

We recently bought a 1994 Chevy Caprice Station Wagon (as a "second car" to our eco-modded 2000 Chevy Metro ). We plan to use it for carpooling (as it seats up to 8 people) and maybe towing a trailer someday (as it has a 5,000+ lb. towing capacity).

The car has an "LT1" 5.7 liter V8 (260 hp, 330 lb/ft tq). However, the Caprice Sedans from the same era were also available with an "L99" 4.3 liter V8 (200 hp, 245 lb/ft). The two engines are identical except for bore and stroke--all external components are completely interchangeable. I could literally take the LT1 out, put an L99 in, change the PCM, plug everything up, and go. However, I'm afraid that the smaller engine might not have enough "power" for a car this size (especially of we tow with it in the future), and might therefore net little to no change in FE.

Here are some other pertinent specs about the wagon:

-2.56 final drive
-4l60e 4 spd. auto trans (3.059 1st, 0.696 OD)
-4500 lb. curb weight

What do you all think? Would the smaller engine be worth it, and make a significant increase in FE? Or should I stick with the LT1?

Sam