Olds 350 diesel to sbc swap

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Ryanbrown36

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2024
Posts
48
Reaction score
47
Location
Ontario, Canada
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
c1500
Engine Size
350
Back to the fuel thing, agree that selector looks unique for sure. But does it work? If it works, and you said you verified it’s switched to the tank you want to use initially, I’d just fill it with gas and send it!
Regarding the off side tank, if the fuel pickup and filter sock from the tank you removed was ok, I’d presume the passenger side is similar condition.
As said, siphon or pump out as much old diesel as possible and put gas in it. Or just wait til you have more time and drop that tank and empty/clean it and run off your new tank only for now.
Kind of depends if both senders and switching valve work or not imo.

Fwiw we once proved that a Mercury marine V6 will run on approximately 2/3 gas 1/3 diesel. Back in the day a dock helper filled his boat with diesel at the fuel dock. No one knew it until the boat died. We were on vacation and time was of the essence so we towed it back to the resort, put it on the trailer, siphoned as much diesel out as we could. Guessed it was 2/3-3/4 of the tank. Topped it off with premium and it ran. Smoked like hell the first day. Topped off with gas again, less smoke then, but it did no damage other than the weirdest exhaust smell ever and the fact it was a mosquito fogger for a couple days.
I have now got the truck running and going through the struggles of tuning now but it took me longer than I was hoping to get to this point so my plan is to run the one tank for now (hoping to drive the truck once or twice before the roads are salted) and will mess with the other one in the spring. I have it siphoned out now and flushed some gas through it so should be good. Thank you for the help
 

Ryanbrown36

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2024
Posts
48
Reaction score
47
Location
Ontario, Canada
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
c1500
Engine Size
350
@Ryanbrown36 beautiful truck! Wow! That was either someone’s local garage queen or it didn’t live up there most of its life.
And even moreso, amazing you’re doing all this work at your age, especially on your own. Me and my buddies were the same at your age, but our collective knowledge combined with dads and grampas knowledge and help was key. Although the internet is a great resource, I had an “Andy”. My grampas buddy who knew “everything.” He was like a 1970s and 80s Google for all things auto repair related! Very influential person in my life back then.
Thank you! Really appreciate it. I have all the papers on this truck and know the history very well and very pleased with the fact it has little to no rust being all original and being made at the Oshawa plant in Ontario and never left Ontario, sat for 15 years in the early 90s so not much driving for it. Definitely had a lot of help from the internet and anyone I can find lol.
 

Ryanbrown36

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2024
Posts
48
Reaction score
47
Location
Ontario, Canada
First Name
Ryan
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
c1500
Engine Size
350
Man, I'd disconnect that tank, which I did on my '78, and replace the rubber fuel lines where ever they are. That old rubber wasn't made to run the newer low sulpher fuel through them. I'm positive that they are deteriorating inside and will become an issue at some point.
Yes I have ran all new rubber right to the tanks.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,387
Posts
956,041
Members
36,667
Latest member
yeye
Top