About differentials

[Salty Crusty]

^ maybe so, but......vortec heads are still a TERRIBLE choice for carb'd applications in the cold.

Besides, everybody knows that chrome valve covers and a few back window stickers trump the hell out of a pair of heads, even Vortex!

 

[Ricko1966]

Let's get real folks...all of this dude's problems could be solved IF he would simply add vortex heads.

Amirite?

And an ls swap!!!

 

[bucket]

Nope, you am wrong. Unless, of course, the entire fuel injection system is also added.
Vortec heads have NO heat crossover and it will be a turd to try to drive when cold, particularly in the great white north. I had a buddy that went through the same thing in Colorado. Pulled the Vortec heads off and added a pair with a heat crossover and his cold driving problems disappeared.
They're fine in their OEM configuration because the fuel injection system runs the engine rich until it gets warmed up a little bit.

It all just depends on how picky someone is about cold starts and what they consider to be acceptable. I've had a few daily drivers (winter too) that did not have a heat crossover and it wasn't nearly as bad as people make it sound these days. After the first mile of driving, they tend to run fine. Hell, a couple of those cars didn't even have a functional choke.

 

[80BrownK10]

While I totally understand what you're saying, two things to consider- depending on what part of Alaska we're talking, not having a tall truck with 4x4 might not even be an option (most of the state is backwoods AF, dude might be off grid for all we know), and FWIW Subarus aren't cheap (even for old beaters for some reason they hold their value really well) and they get **** gas mileage as well. I have owned several and only ever got over 20mpg on super long highway trips on mostly flat ground, the same sort of trips that my OD square gets 16+mpg.

I get the point you're making, but most likely OP is better off just sticking with his truck and paying for gas. Even with a cheap beater Corolla or Civic, you still have to pay for the car up front, pay to register it, and pay insurance. Even with double the gas mileage, unless he gets rid of the square (which doesn't seem likely) it will take YEARS to pay for itself, as would the gears (at least you don't have to insure those lol.

You could look into getting a little S10 or Toyota Pickup or something, but even those IME are sub 20mpg vehicles, and then you have even less power and tow capacity than the 305...

In this situation, there may be no magical answer to save money. Living in AK isn't cheap or easy from what I hear. Hell, I dream of living there but I know it wouldn't be easy

Yea I know, I watch all the Alaska shows too. But we don't know all the facts. This guy could live in Anchorage for all we know it 2 miles outside Homer and a car might do just fine for almost everything, except towing, camping or fishing/hunting expiditions? Or he could live in Tok, Tanana, Mcarthy, 60 miles in the bush from Fairbanks, who knows.

 

[Salty Crusty]

It all just depends on how picky someone is about cold starts and what they consider to be acceptable.

Acceptable is for her to be able to turn the key and start it without a list of crap to do before she starts it and have it warm up promptly. I can live with it, but most women can't and won't.

Fighting a cold natured engine is futile and frustrating. I did plenty of it back in the day and ain't going back. I'm too old for that ****.

 

[bucket]

Acceptable is for her to be able to turn the key and start it without a list of crap to do before she starts it and have it warm up promptly. I can live with it, but most women can't and won't.

Fighting a cold natured engine is futile and frustrating. I did plenty of it back in the day and ain't going back. I'm too old for that ****.

I can respect that. For me, it's just man and machine. Me telling it what I want it to do and it giving me feedback. When we both come to an agreement it is happy motoring that is a different feeling than what you get when everything just happens automatically. It may sound weird, but it gives me satisfaction.

But I also have no problem firing up a chokeless big block truck with bias plys and no overdrive, then drive it on down the road in the dead of winter. I realize that many people don't want any part of that.

 

[idahovette]

And an la swap!!!

Does this mean ya gotta move to california.....la??

 

[Snoots]

Does this mean ya gotta move to california.....la??

No, that's probably Lower Alabama.

 

[Rusty Nail]

About differentials... Is a 88-91 front differential a direct bolt in to a 1988 model? I know those differentials were superior to the 88s and I could buy one if I wanted it bad enough, but will it bolt in?

I bet not.

 

[Ricko1966]

About differentials... Is a 88-91 front differential a direct bolt in to a 1988 model? I know those differentials were superior to the 88s and I could buy one if I wanted it bafd enough, but will itbolt in?

I bet not.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[68post]

About differentials... Is a 88-91 front differential a direct bolt in to a 1988 model? I know those differentials were superior to the 88s and I could buy one if I wanted it bafd enough, but will itbolt in?

I bet not.

All half ton fronts suck and I don't know of any improvement yr to yr, the 3/4 & one ton fronts do not bolt into a half-ton unfortunately. Wish they did, I'm going to install a hot 407 into my '94 shortbed

 

[Rusty Nail]

In fact the differentials were improved for the '89 model year...but I think the spring perches changed .... I do not believe an '89 differential will bolt in place of an '88 differential.

Moving to that newer style would indeed be an upgrade. The bearingsgotbigger or something..
I thought this thread aughta have something useful about differentials in it...

 

[shiftpro]

About differentials... Is a 88-91 front differential a direct bolt in to a 1988 model? I know those differentials were superior to the 88s and I could buy one if I wanted it bad enough, but will it bolt in?

I bet not.

?
The only front diffs in 88-91 were D60s on the crew cabs and probably 10 bolt on the Blazer/Jimmy/Suburban. The gen 5 that arrived in 88 was independent (car suspension). Right?

 

[Salty Crusty]

It's possible to swap the candy-ass IFS on half tons to a full 1-ton setup.
All you have to do is separate the frame at the fishmouth welds under your feet. Frames are the same size (except the half-ton shorties) and it'll weld right up. This gives you the 9.5" ring gear and a whole lot stronger CV axles.

 

[dsteelejr]

You can go down to 3:08 at least, but with a 305 and OD the truck might not have enough power to get out of its own way?

I had an '84 K5 with 2.73 gears and a 700R4. Gutless. A 6.2L diesel could out run it.