Hey guys i have a 2.8 now and ive heard alot about 4.3 beating 305's and 350's. and i want to smoke all them v8's with a v6. My question is where can i find a 4.3 complete. and if i cant find a 4.3 what other motor should i get. Some one told me to get a engine out of a grand national. but i cant find one of them eather. dose chevy have a 3 speed trany. i read aobut one in the paper and i did not know what to think. i never heard of one. sorry that was off the subject. but any ways my goal is to beat v8 with my v6. thanks

 

OK, you can get a 4.3 out of a Blazer. I think they start in 88, but not sure. You're going to run into a problem though. A 4.3 is a 350 missing 2 cylinders, and has the same bolt pattern, MEANING that you can NOT use your transmission out of your thirdgen, sorry. If you're swapping the tranny, then you might as well throw a 350 in (don't flame me for sayin the old throw a v8 in it, I'm just being honest). Anyways, 4.3's are good engine's, and I think it'd be a fun project.

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Smile, you're in my rearview I'm joking, I have a v6.
See pics @ Billy's Firebird
92 Bird 3.1L Auto
Best $750 I ever spent....
DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT!
Kills:
93 Mustang LX (Before Mods),98 or 99 Dodge Stratus (tough one, edged out at 40),
92 Camaro RS 305 TBI-Not too fair, his fuel pump went out 2 days later. Nice car, but not running right. 97+ Honda somethin or another...modded....kept at my door the entire way
Close Calls
94 Grand Am 3.1 V6, 92 Cavalier 3.1 V6
01 Porsche 911 Turbo (Had em till first gear)
Mods-Jet Stage 2 Performance Chip, Accel Cap/Rotor, Accel 8.8 MM Wires, Accell Coil, AC Delco Rapidfire Plugs, Dynomax Catback, K&N
AIM name OVRCLCK350

 

I think ede (one of the moderators on the Tech board) is doing this project. You may want to email him about it.

 

The smallblock and 4.3's also index the motor mounts off thhe front of the engine. That means the 4.3 mounts need to be 4-3/8" farther back on the crossmember.

Ovrclck is correct about the blazers in 88. That's when chevy started using them in everthing that resembled a small truck. It's the standard engine in the astro vans and the 1/2 ton truck. It's also the only engine in the Olds Bravada. Starting in 92 there were 2 types of 4.3 the W and the Z versions. One is TBI and the other is central port injected with a balance shaft. the TBI is around 185 HP and the CPI is close to 210-220 HP. You'll need to change the trans as stated before.

If your going to go through all of that work (I hate to say it, Here's looking at you KED.)
Drop in a V-8, I did. Pulls like a frieght train.

 

4.3's were also in El Caminos. My cousin has an 86 with it.

Vman

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1969 Camaro Sport Coupe
383, 700R4, leather, everything black but the lights

Previous owner of an 89 RS Camaro
2.8L V6, 700R4

 

LMAO...I fell out of my chair.

 

Flattery will get you everywhere

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Ked, you GOTTA put that in your signature.....

 

Sorry KED I had too... I couldn't resist. You might as well put it in your sig, your never going to live it down on this board.

 

I have a 4.3 in my jeep and they are great engines. They come in Astro vans, Full size trucks, compact trucks, caprices, monte carlos, blazers and probably a few others. I have found vans to be the best source because they are cheap and come with a th700r4 tranny. I got my van, running for $400. The engine in the van is just the same as in the other vehicles.

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86 Camaro 2.8, 92 Firebird 3.1, 1951 Chev 327, Four-wheeling hybrid.

 

Hello I see your looking for a 4.3 v-6....
Are you interested in a carbed 4.3 or a tbi or central port fuel injection?? they are real performers and just Scream like a bat outta hell when built right. Its not to hard to pull 400 ponies outta them either....
if your looking for easy HP outta the 4.3s go with the early Carbed 4.3s they were in the early astros and some el caminos and monte carlos. Look for the ones with the high rise intake and quadra jet carbs. They have a full roller valve train and are easy to pull power out of...


Good luck to you

 

Can one swap the injection from the 2.8 to the 4.3 like you can with the 2.8 to 3.1/3.4 swap?

 

Nope, The 4.3 is completely different. Also the 2.8 injection is way to small for the airflow needs of the 4.3

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Remember, Behind every successful man is a suprised mother-in-law.
-Gallager
Qsac

 

The 2.8-3.1-3.4 engine series are 60 degree V-6.
The 4.3 (6 cylinder) is just like the Small Block Chevy (V-8), a 90 Degree engine design.
The 4.3 also requires a different transmission, for the bellhousing, it is wider.
Never knew that detail about the early 4.3.
How radical can one get with the cams available for the early 4.3.
I would love to slip one of these 4.3's into a Vega.

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

400 HP from a N/A 4.3, It may not be hard, but it's not going to be easy either.

Full roller valve train, I don't think so. I've had 4 different 4.3 engines so far. Every one of them had roller lifters, thats the only roller part of the valve train. Same old stock stamped steel rockers with the ball pivot and slotted ends. No roller fulcrum or tip.

As far as what you can do to the early carbed version. Anything you can do to a SBC can be done to the 4.3 Call comp cams or crane with the specs and if they don't have a cam for your engine they will custom grind one to your specs for $35 extra.

I wouldn't worry about carbed or TBI, you can burn a custom prom to accept whatever mods you want, just like the guys on the prom board. Injection isn't exactly rocket science anymore.

They are fun little engines though, I'm on #4 now and I think it's safe to say I've done pretty well with mine in the past. The new one pulls my 92 S-10 Blazer 4X4 down the road at 75 mph getting 21 mpg.

 

Great minds MUST think alike Ked .... I have been thinking about that for a while now... With as light as a Vega is, that big V6 should move them right along...
And to think, I almost had a '73 Vega GT for $500... Should've bought it, but I don't think dad would understand another one of my junk cars sitting in the driveway....

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--'87 Camaro LT --
Currently undergoing a 2.8->3.4 swap.....

 

hi all,

maybe you'd like to know what i did and experienced last summer with my gmc s15 -88 truck that i used to have.

it was 4.3 v6 long bed and th700 auto transmission.

i made few mods to improve its very poor performance. here it goes:

- i ported and shaved the heads. i took just 0.04" since i didn't want to experience any problems fitting intake.
- Edelbrock roller cam(the only one available), intake/exhaust 272°/276°
- Edelbrock true roller chain
- TBI Spacer, which was in fact too high and it touched the hood insulation
- K&N filter element
- 2,5" exhaust with one "Turbo" muffler and without cat
- under drive pulleys

pros:
- mileage was around 10% better, best after mods was 28mpg. i think it was OK for box designed truck like that
- 200hp. acceleration was slightly better, around 8sec from 0 to 60
- burning the single tire was more easy, just kick the pedal down
http://personal.inet.fi/cool/konola/burnout.jpg

cons:
- it died (almost) at idle, since vacuum was lower and TBI made it too rich. i bet TBI guys here knows how to handle that issue. maybe new chip will help?
- k&n is waste of money. u simply cant notice difference after it's placed alone.
- under drives gave too little voltage at idle

those mods cost can be calculate from summit racing catalog. i ordered almost everything from there.

i recommed those mods to anyone who like to get some extra punch to 4.3. at least better mileage is a nice thing

 

So a 4.3 from a blazer will fit with out any exhaust clearnce problems. I keep hearing that 60 degree v-6's have issues with the exhaust hitting the side frame rails. Is the 4.3 out of newer blazers 60 or 90 degrees.

#2 do the 4.3's use v-8 bellhousing's?

3# Anyone got a hp rating for the new vortec v-6's?

 

#1, Won't have any probs, The 4.3 will fit just like a V-8.

#1a, All 4.3's are 90* engines.

#2, The 4.3 being a 350 with two cylinders cut of, is exactly like a 350 on the front and back. All of the front accessories are interchangeable. from the back it looks like any other SBC.

#3, Not real sure on that one. IIRC the new vortec's are rated around 210 hp, they don't, however, have the torque of a 210 hp V-8

 

Thanks 87RS402!!