Hi I`m new here to third gen just wanted to show every body what a 4.3l swap looks like.

 

it looks really clean, but my only question is ....Why?

 

The car had a 2.8l and the 4.3l was a free replacement and its different.

 

NICE!!! Can't argue with free. It really does look good brother!

 

I should have it running in the car in a couple of weeks.

 

just curious, but those look like the SBC clamshells on the block.

 

Yeah they are sbc clams off a 84 Camaro. I was going to buy a set conversion mounts for a s10 It was just easier to move the mounting pads and drill some holes. I didnt want to mess with cross member or a driveshaft. Besides with engine further back I supposed have a beter handling car. Dont know if it true yet Im waiting on some parts that should be here tomorrow so I can fire it up in car.

 

makes sense. I guess I was under the impression that the conversion brackets would have put the bell housing in the same spot as the SBC. looks good, so when are you fitting the twin turbos? JK

 

interesting considering this is the only one iv seen (yet pondered about one years ago). my brother is wanting do this swap, so i may watch this one

 

I got some work done today.

 

does the hood close with that compressor all the way up there? TBI is such a nice and easy system to work with. is the engine bonew stock?

 

Hey guys, I`ve got 2 questions

1. Since I am running a 4l60e I ran into the speedometer problem. I`m thinking about using the Dakoda Digital cluster. Should work right ?

2. What kind headers would you recommend. I`m trying to run the exhaust in the stock location with a custom Y pipe.

 

Very nice. I wouldn't pay to do a 4.3 swap, but free replacement for a 2.8 sounds good. Not sure about your tech questions, hopefully someone else more experianced will be able to help you. Best of luck!

 

Nice looking swap.

I am thinking that you can use the original speedo gears and drive from your original 700R4 and retain your original dashboard. You should be able to remove the tailshaft housing from your old and new transmissions, pull off the drive gear from the output shaft of your old one and install it on your new piece. I BELIEVE there is a vehicle speed sensor on the back of your old Camaro gauge cluster that works off of the speedo cable. I can't remember exactly. At any rate, your pcm that is running that 4L60E should be able to use the VSS signal from your original setup to run. I'm sure someone will chime in if I have that all wrong.

I think using some "hogged out" stock Vortec manifolds should get you by, but I'm not sure what vehicle application you will need to fit the crossmember. I think full size truck stuff will rub, maybe S-10 stuff will work.

Good luck!

 

Yeah it closes I have .5 in clearence to the closes thing the pulley. Its a freshly rebuilt stock 4.3l with exception of the ported heads, headers, and the tbi mod. I rebuilt the transmission it has 13 vane front pump, transgo shift kit, new stock torque converter.

 

just take a set for the car and cut off the primary that doesn't match up. Just kidding.

 

I used a 94 Chevy Astro vans oil pan it fit perfect

 

I used a 94 Astro`s oil pan it fit perfect.

 

Yeah didn`t even think about the cluster mounted vss. Is it calibrated the same?
S10, thats what I was thinking but headers. Thanks

 

They do. I did it this way.

 

Even if its not the same, it will work. You can make it perfect later if you use that box from Dakota digital that lets you adjust the signal to make it exactly right. From what I have seen from PCMs, there is a fair amount of tolerance even if the speed signal is not exactly perfect.

 

Here is a link to a video of the car running.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGWb1LMwtQ

 

Good job, man! That's the first running swap I've ever seen done with that engine.

Next, we'll need to see what kind of mileage it gets!

Great job.

 

Thsnks. I can`t wait to drive it. How much fuel millage do think I will see? If i keep my foot out of it.The little 2.8 was mpfi and was getting on a good day about 25 mpg high way. The numbers for the doner Astro was I think 18 to 24 mpg but the Camaro is lighter amd has less drag because its more aerodynamic so Idont know

 

My V8 and V6 cars (in near stock form) all got more than 25 mpg highway under cruise conditions. The big difference was the in town driving.

I think you should still get as good or better mileage than the V8 cars, especially with the electronic transmission. Its a slight edge to maximize efficiency.

 

The 4.3 is very interesting swap, and congrats on getting it in and running, sounds good. Now if you got your hands on the vortec mpfi manifold, you could have that turboed pretty easily.... food for thought. If I ever picked up another 3rdgen to do a swap in, it would be for a 4.3 I think.

 

That looks like a TBI X block out of a Astro.AWD Astro's suck for gas mileage,so in your car it should be decent.And your right,the Astro's wt is 4,000 lbs or better.In late 1993 or later they came with a W Block which was a CPI.More horsey's and better gas mileage.In 1999 and beyond they came with SFI's and again better hp and mileage.After 1995 it was a OBD II,well really 1995 was a transitional yr and had a mixture of OBD II and OBD I.But in 1996 is is a solid OBD II from that point on.
Not sure how your car's computer would phase together with the Astro's.Maybe your going to find that you have to use the same Astro computer for the engine/trans management and do a conversion of the VSS to run the gauges on your car.I have seen(although right at the minute I doesn't recall who makes them)conversions to go from a cable driven speedo to electronic and the other way around.Hooks into the trans cable housing or to the E trans output.

 

Oh yeah.We found most Astro's have a 3.42 rear end gear.We found a good all around gear that at 60 mph actually improves gas mileage in Astro's is 3.72's.It move the power curve right under or just before the 60 mph.It was a option in some of them as was posi with a G code found in the glove box or on the passenger side door pillar.Most are 7.5's as some of these cars are,so I would think it would swap over from a pick and pull Astro.Most of the cars I've seen on here are in the lower threes and that would lug the 4.3 down to eat more gas.

The nice part about the E trans is there are stand alone programers where you can on the fly adjust the shift points and how hard those shifts are.
www.TCIauto.com

Comes to mind of one company that sells them.

 

i'm all for being different and what not, but a properly built 350 will get better mileage, make more power, and run a lot smoother.

 

Obvious statement of the year right there. He said it was free though. Oh and this thread is almost a year old BTW.

 

just swap the tail housing and presto you have the speedo without all that dash stuff.
that will also fix the tq arm problem.

 

how did you hook up the tq arm?