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Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
I am looking at a 89 Camaro RS that is white with an unknown 4.3 motor swaped in to replace an old I-4. The motor had three exhaust lines on each side so I believe it is a V6. The seller is stating that the air cleaner for the unit will not fit on the motor with the hood down because of the height of the motor. Seller is stating I need a low profile air cleaner. Does anyone have any information on what I should look for? Sorry if any of this info is bad, I'm not super knowledgeable on cars and just have a passion for the third gen Camaro. Thanks in advance.
Last edited by Bolas047; 11-15-2020 at 01:32 AM.
Reason: For Clarity
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Take a picture and post it. That'll help keen eye'd members to identify your engine. We'll have to know what kind of fueling system is on it. i.e. TBI, carburetor and which type of carburetor. It does sound like you need what id called a "drop base air cleaner"
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
That doesn't make sense...
The 4-cyl was only used in these cars up to 84 or thereabouts; not in 89.
The 4.3 never came in them. It only came in truck type vehicles, in the period that these cars were built. While not impossible to put into one by any means, there's no readily available source of swap parts; exhaust, specifically. In most of the truck type of chassis (S trucks, small vans, etc.) the exhaust manifolds exit the engine at an angle and in a location that is totally incompatible with the Camaro/Firebird chassis. No one in their right mind would go to the trouble of graunching one of those into one of these cars: it would require too much fabrication and other "effort". It would be cheeeeper and eeeeeezier to BUY a motor that fits and for which parts that fit are plentiful and available, than to do all the "custom" work that would be needed to put in even a "free" 4.3 POS.
In short, I seriously doubt you have a 4.3.
More likely you have a V8 of some sort; most likely a 305 or 350. Those being the 2 most common displacements that are readily available to swap into such a car. They are identical from the outside, within a given year, so you wouldn't be able to tell the difference by just looking at them somehow. In both cases, if they have stock exhaust manifolds, the center 2 cylinders on each side are combined into one casting feature; they look rather like they have 2 thinner things at the front and rear, and 1 thick one in the middle.
Rather than counting "exhaust lines", count the spark plugs. That'll tell you much more accurately how many cylinders it has.
The VIN will tell you what engine the car came with. Which WON'T have been a 4-cyl. Post the 1st 11 digits of your VIN - but NOT the last 6 to avoid potential scammers and whatnot - and they can be decoded into all sorts of useful information, though of course far short of some sort of "complete" description of the car. The 8th digit is for the engine.
As stated, a photo will help illuminate what can be done about the air cleaner.
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Seller stated that the motor was replaced. Glad I am not crazy in thinking that the I-4 wasn't in that car. Here is a picture of the motor the seller finally sent me. When I asked them for more pictures they just said it's a 4.3. So not sure where the hell it came from.
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Unless you mechanically skilled and very patient, you should stay away from that car. From your post you do not seem to have the knowledge and skills that will be required to correct what has been done to this car. Paying someone to do it would be more expensive than buying a less molested car. In other word look for a car that is closer to the way it left the factory and you can learn about and how to work on these cars in a way that is more likely to be successful
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Yes it does appear to be a carb'd 4.3 Not the best choice but it could be fine for some one versed. It does sound like it would be a lot to handle for yoy. If you didn't buy it then run. There are better ones out there that haven't been hacked up.
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
That looks to be the '85-'86 4.3L full size pickup ONLY with 4bbl carburetor. I see what looks like the stainless headers too. Origionally ESC distributor. What a mess...
Re: Air Cleaner for an Unknown 4.3 Engine in 89 Camaro
Yeah, this thing is pretty ****ed mechanically and electrically. But, the body looks really good. didn't see any rust, it's been straight piped. It has the original red interior with no cracks. I'm looking to know this car inside and out, new wiring harness, new (used) motor and transmission, and (eventually) maybe a new paint job.
They are pretty firm on the price of $1500.
11-14-2020, 10:18 PM
