Are the diesel 350 small block and the gas 350 the same motor mounts tranny bolt patterns etc? Can I replace a gas motor with a diesel?

Diesel cost more than gas here ...

Yeah but better mpg with diesel and very hard to find a replacement motor here in Ireland.

Hey Shaggy,

I think, yes, being a Chevy, Not entirely sure, but If they bolt it up to a T350/400 at the factory, It stands to reason it would bolt up.

FYI A major shortage of diesel coming in June. Inventory is beyond low now. From the article posted on Twitter:

We are looking at a nightmare in terms of global diesel shortage that will shock people starting June.

Diesel inventory on the east coast is 18 million (About 3 days demand) as of today, we will run down to sub 10 million. 🚨

This is WAY below historic inventory levels

https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1523329724792991747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1523329724792991747%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.riverdavesplace.com%2Fforums%2Fthreads%2Ffuel-prices-corporate-greed.251985%2F

I did the math on this once. The diesel will cost more to operate than any fuel savings will create. I did it based on running a 6.2L Suburban vs. a 350 gas Suburban like 15 years ago and at that time it was basically going to cost me the same to get 14 mpg out of the gasser as like 18 out of the diesel.

The 350 diesel is still another animal. It's based on an Oldsmobile block, so it needs a BOP trans with a diesel governor on it. They had issues with head bolts stretching. They have all the power of a 4.3L gas engine, although more torque, and if you think finding Chevy 350 parts is hard, this long hated motor they made for six years in the 1980s is going to be much worse.

I'm not even sure the mounts are in the same place, I saw plenty of formerly 350 diesel pickups with Oldsmobile and even Pontiac gas V8s stuffed in them. That tells me you have to move the mounts or get different ones for a Chevy engine. The 6.2 on the other hand should swap over more directly. But you'd almost need a parts truck to get the lift pump and filters and so forth that you need to make the swap work.

OK, I'm convinced.....

I'm gonna stick with gas, I've had a guy reply to a wanted ad I put up with a 350 SBC (gas) and torqueflite box.

I presume it's easy to switch the torqueflite for my TH350?
Thanks for your helpful replies guys.

Correct me if I am wrong, did you not just rebuild the motor? Is it giving you problems? Remember the parts you put in that engine are better than what gm had, you should get an easy 60k (miles) on it. Am I wrong that you have a rare 400?

Torqueflite isn't even a GM transmission, I don't know how they have that bolted up.

No don't have a 400, yes I did rebuild it BUT on the way to a show the alternator bracket came loose which meant the belt was loose and not driving the water pump and it boiled the oil and cooked the motor on a hill. Bearings are toast getting the crank checked out at the moment.

Just weighing up my options at the moments. Yeah I'm not sure if he is wrong about the tranny being a torqueflite or if it is correct as it came off an RB Appollo Fire truck and it seems adaptors did exist to fit them to SBC motors.
He just sent me some pics. Can anyone identify the tranny?

IMG_0631 by shagedemus, on Flickr

IMG_0630 by shagedemus, on Flickr

and the motor he is selling

IMG_0632 by shagedemus, on Flickr

It's another gas SBC. It's got a Holley carb on it and some old performance dizzy, can't tell you what tranny.

Curious motor, may be quit old. If you can get the part # left side of dizzy bell housing flange and maybe RPO pass front top pad in front of the head. It's got rams horn exhaust manifolds, a local hot rodder would want them.

Yeah that's a Mallory Dizzy.
I've asked for ID numbers.

I'm wondering is it a TH400?

Bummer Shaggy,

I had an alternator seize once, but the belt was slipping past the frozen pulley and still turning the WP. Turned around and limped back home. Good luck on the R&R of the well done SBC. RIP. And Good Wenching!

Cheers man, yeah it was a major pisser. But onwards and upwards.

Hey Shag put a 454 in it ....

Currently there are 3 used Chevy engines for sale in the country 1 of which is diesel (I live in Ireland). Nobody here sells new crate engines and importing something as heavy as this is expensive. A 454 will cost me the same as I paid for the van originally.
I'm considering this one a few hours drive from me that comes with the above tranny, if I can sell the tranny on it will make it affordable, but I need to find out what tranny it is first.

Irishman tries to identify tranny...........sounds like a review of The Crying Game movie!

Hey Shaggy, scrolling around to get a picture of a Chevy V8 block bolt pattern. Found this,

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60334/10002/-1

Whatever that transmission in your picture is, it looks like that bellhousing has a very similar bolt pattern to this Jeg's bellhousing.

Jeg's part is a SBC bolt pattern, to Chevy TH400, and Powerglide. IDK if a 350 is the same circular bolt pattern. Couldn't hurt to make a call if needed. But if using your SBC transmission and bell housing, a SBC block should/will bolt up to your existing transmission. Right?

Good Wrenching Mate ! !

Cheers Wedgy, Yeah I spent some time looking at pics of different trannys and I'm pretty certain the one this guy is selling with his motor is a TH400. I was gonna roll the dice on it but now another guy has come up with a properly built ready to go SBC with all the good stuff that I may well get instead. More money at €2500 but all the best internals and comes with a good TH350. Plan is to drop it in get my van back on the road and rebuild the old motor later to sell on.