V6Discussion and questions about the base carbureted or MPFI V6's and the rare SFI Turbo V6.
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Hello everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has swapped a 4.3 V6 into a camaro or firebird. I think it would be a really cool project, I assume everone saw the 4.3 HOT ROD magazine built up
Thought bout it decided to try twin turbos though you will need v-8 motor mounts and trans to make it work as well as a lot of other parts it can be done and probably would not be all that difficult if you took your time and did it right
I'll probably be starting that this summer as a project for my degree, just think of the personal benifit here. you should really go through with the 4.3 idea it would be something different
The 4.3 is essentially a 350 minus two cylinders the middle ones it will bolt directly to the v-8 tranny and use most common parts I'm not sure but the motor mounts may need fabrication/machining to inncorporate the slightly different motor the finished product should look like a small block only 4 inches farther back in the engine bay
I believe that you can use the same motor mounts as a V8. I think that the bolt holes for the mounts are cast in the same location (relative to the transmission) on both the V8 and 4.3 liter.
I bet that it hasn't been done, at least not much, because it would be just as much trouble as swapping in a V8, but you would still have a V6. I guess if I was going to go to all that trouble, I would want the most power I could get, too. Just my opinion on it. It would be cool to see. What I would like to see done is to take the 4.2 liter inline six cylinder out of my wife's Envoy, and put it in my 1992 Firebird! That 4.2 is 275 HP, and it is a normally aspirated six cylinder! It would be a pain to do, since it is an inline six, though. Wouldn't it be cool to have a third gen with an inline six!
I agree; if it was between a 4.3 or a 5.7, I'd be throwing the 5.7 in instead. If you've gotta change out the transmission and computer and wiring harness, might as well go all the way!
__________________ -Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)
The 4.3 Throttle body engines in the pickup trucks have a little less HP than the 5.0 liter Throttle body V8, but they actually have more torque. The 4.3 is about 175 HP or something like that in the early 90's, and the 350 throttle body was 230. The 4.3 is a pretty good V6 with the same bore and stroke as the 350, 4.00 X 3.48.
only actual reason that (that makes sense) one would swap a 4.3 V6 into an F-body is for better handling
a 4.3 weighs a little less than a SBC, so the cars weight balance would be a little for auto-xing
otherwise, just drop a SBC in, you'll be happier with the results and nearly endless aftermarket
__________________ 1991 Turquoise Metallic Corvette Coupe with Saddle Tan interior L98/700R4
Greenwood Signature Rear Spoiler
OZ Monte Carlo Rims
Otherwise pretty much stock 48K original miles
GM ASEP graduate
Saturn C-technician
I kind of see swapping a 4.3l in as kind of useless considering the conversion requires basically the same modifications as a V8, which you might as well swap in, unless emissions are of a concern.
Originally posted by devianb I kind of see swapping a 4.3l in as kind of useless considering the conversion requires basically the same modifications as a V8, which you might as well swap in, unless emissions are of a concern.
you'd still have emissions problems with a 4.3 becuz they were never offered in a 82-92 f-body
as i said above, a well built up 4.3 would only really make sense for auto-xing
the excuse of being "unique" can be used, but remember, when you try to be "unique" you usually get left behind in the dust
i should add this though: used hard parts for these engines (4.3) are available pretty cheap from what i have seen, so if you want to build an economy engine, that might be another valid excuse
Originally posted by 1991tealRSt-topGuy you'd still have emissions problems with a 4.3 becuz they were never offered in a 82-92 f-body
Even still, the 4.3l would still produce less emissions than a 5.7l that wasn't equiped in an F-body. Sometimes you need every little bit to pass.
The only worth while 4.3l swap I can think of is the turbocharged Cylones - those were even faster than TTAs. It would certainately be unique and would not be left behind in the dust.
If I really wanted to be unique and eclectic, I would twin turbocharge the 2.8l and use 25lbs of boost at a cost of around $30,000 - $45,000. It's stupid to do that, but it sure would be quite the converstational piece.
Originally posted by Gumby Not if your using a T5 and dont feel ike replacing it every few months when that 350 shreads it.
Gumby- your not making any sense
if you drive an engine hard your going to "shred" your T5 whether you have 180 ft. lbs. of torque or 400 ft. lbs. of torque
it makes no sense to me that you would want less power, when in the long run your going to kill your trans anyway
if you shift your T5 like an *** with a 350 you will break it
if you shift your T5 like an *** with a 4.3 you will break it
a 4.3 is a very torquey engine
the only way i would choose a 4.3, is if it was built
cuz it makes no sense to me to spend $3000 to swap to a 4.3 from your 2.8/3.1 and only be running high 15's when you all said an done
Originally posted by 1991tealRSt-topGuy not exactly, it depends on many things, and ultimately its not legal at all
You trying to prove me wrong everytime. Ok, I will admit that I am wrong. I don't see the point on the swap if it doesn't have some sort of forced induction since any non 60 degree swap would be illegal.
Originally posted by devianb You trying to prove me wrong everytime. Ok, I will admit that I am wrong. I don't see the point on the swap if it doesn't have some sort of forced induction since any non 60 degree swap would be illegal.
no, you can swap in a engine found in a f-body any year later than your car, thats legal, say a 350 or a 305, all long as you do it 100% (all emissions, ECM, EFI, ETC) it will be a legal swap
if you were to swap in a 4.3 with TBI (which is a suckass injection, so whats the point) it might be legal, but for all the legwork and money (Emissions, etc), its not worth it
Originally posted by 1991tealRSt-topGuy no, you can swap in a engine found in a f-body any year later than your car, thats legal, say a 350 or a 305, all long as you do it 100% (all emissions, ECM, EFI, ETC) it will be a legal swap
if you were to swap in a 4.3 with TBI (which is a suckass injection, so whats the point) it might be legal, but for all the legwork and money (Emissions, etc), its not worth it
Originally posted by 1991tealRSt-topGuy not exactly, it depends on many things, and ultimately its not legal at all
all the car has to do is pass a safty inspection and emmsions. just re title it under your name.
that way you are not limited to what GM did.
How do you think people build motorcycles, trikes, moster trucks, wacked out hot rods and other strange objects on the road.
I posted one not too long ago. someone grafted a motorcycle front end onto the fornt end of a fwd car. put a seat on the hood and riged it all up. now you know he could not use either the cars or the motorcyles title, he got his own, pass safty check, emmsions, got his own title and plates.
nothing is impossiable or ilegal, if you have enough cash and give it some thought. why trying to get a lost titile is dumb, just get a new one under your name. long as it aint stolen and it will pass the safty test, it 1000 times easier.
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did you see that motorcycle on "boy toys" like 50 feet long and built out of junk, with some old *** monster motor and an auto trans about the size of a geo metro, they only showed it briefly, but its name is "road dog"
If you look at those numbers, our little V6's are doing pretty well, especially compared to the sorry specific output of some of the V8s! Still, there is no replacement for displacement, except maybe a turbo or nitrous, but that is another topic that we shouldn't start here.
I bought a 4.3L v6 from a friend about 3 years ago. i was going to put it into my firebird but I was told that the heads wouldn't clear the shock towers, the motor mounts would match and I would have to fiddle with my wiring so I decieded not to put it in. Whether or not any of this is true, i will never know.
I wanted to do it for the uniqness of it all but hey I have a unique motor anyway.
Originally posted by Firebird TypeR BILL YOUR SLOW PIECE OF **** SUCKS. COME ON DUDE A 4 CYLINDER IN A FIREBIRD? WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS!!!
thanks, but tell me how you really feel. Trust me you're not the first to tell me that. Not the last either. I wont go into details and try to defend myself, but the car is staying as it is. I don't want to mess with it.
Originally posted by mw66nova firebird type r ? says it all i suppose...
I know, what is up with all that type R stuff. gotta have type rs, got my type rs, Im so cool I have type rs.
Is it the speaker or the name??? I think all the hype is around the name. I think the speakers are so so. Just another fad like when crunch first came out. just to be able to say the name or poster it across your car in bright stickers.
Originally posted by Camar_Hunter_c If your going to swap in a IL 6, swap in the 2JZ GTE toyo motor(better known as the Twin T Supra!)
nissan had a bad straight 6 too, frind had one in a truck. it was a stick and man would that sucker get up and move.
straight 6 motors are great, them old chevy ones owuld run and run forever. Long as it had oil and coolant you could abuse the piss out of em and they just kept rooling.
Originally posted by zer0321 yeah, Bill's Firebird is probably one of the coolest birds around here, it looks cool and the shock value or having the iron duke is worth it alone...
Yep it has good shock value. I still get blown away time from time at the sweet rides sporting a 2.8.
sometimes a paint job n some bondo does make a difference.
Everyone talks about the 4.3 being a hard swap, what if you just used the engine and transmission from an S10, hung a carb on it & let it fly. What's this about clearing the strut towers?
(I sure wouldn't want some like this under my hood)
Originally posted by GhostRider84 Everyone talks about the 4.3 being a hard swap, what if you just used the engine and transmission from an S10, hung a carb on it & let it fly. What's this about clearing the strut towers?
(I sure wouldn't want some like this under my hood)
because in the long run, its going to cost you the same price as a SBC swap
Originally posted by 1991tealRSt-topGuy because in the long run, its going to cost you the same price as a SBC swap
your starting to sound like some of the broken records you can find in the other section of this forum. Some of us have / had or own a v8 car and have no interest in another one, but a new and different v6 that didn't come in the car stock might just be fun to me.
the v8 swap has been done to death, if your so worried about power why even go sbc go bbc if your so up tight about size.
3.4HT or a 4.3 add 100-150 shot of NOS and a 4:11 posi.
& you can take your v8 and hello operator give me #9.................
__________________ 86 Pontiac Firebird [68 Firebird HoodScoops, Notchback, Rear Mounted Tach, Inverted Wing,
T/A HoodVents in SailPanel, Front & Rear STB, Boxed LCA/PanHard, Fulley Welded Interior, Alston SFC] http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/v6...-all-over.html
See link for newer pics and above mods.
. Ok, I will admit that I am wrong. I don't see the point on the swap if it doesn't have some sort of forced induction since any non 60 degree swap would be illegal.
