4.3 swap

[HBHRacing]

Just to clear up.. The newer 4.3L (actualy early 90's and up) have 2 different designs. The 96 up and the (I belive 92-95) They are not TBI but Central sequalcial FI. and no, there is no reason to swap it out. I would rather stroke a 3800 to a 4.3L then drop a vortec it. They are just not made for any kind of power. CI doesn't mean everything.

[Fredless]

Originally posted by KBeezy:
3800 manifolds going on to a 4.3? not going to happen. A 4.3 V6 is a standard Small-Block Chevy w/ 2 cylinders chopped off the end.

I didn't realize the manifold bolts wouldn't line up. Figured since both were 90 degree motors, it might work.

Yeah this does sound like a huge pain the ***, just buy the 4.1 stroker kit.

[OneQuickV6]

No potential in the 4.3??? Yall must be kidding! If you ever see a circle track car running a V6 (not real uncommon) they'll usually have a 4.3 in there. Magazines do write-ups fairly often on them as well, and it's very common on a MILD setup to get over 300 hp and TQ at the crank. Now get a real heads/cam combo, nice stall, and it's known they love forced induction...they'll fly! The hard part is just making everything fit. The extra CI is worth it, and if done right, would be one of the fastest on this site NA for sure!!

[lon elliott]

ok. so whats the verdict. LOL, i am getting 2 for free, one is turnkey, the other needs to be rebuilt.

[Fredless]

I wouldn't do it if the 3800 manifold won't bolt up to the 4.3 longblock. Vortec manifolds have 8 intake bolts instead of 12.

You're talking wiring harness swap here at this point...if you go that far, you might as well drop in an LS1.

[RedFrk13]

Originally posted by OneQuickV6:
No potential in the 4.3??? Yall must be kidding! If you ever see a circle track car running a V6 (not real uncommon) they'll usually have a 4.3 in there. Magazines do write-ups fairly often on them as well, and it's very common on a MILD setup to get over 300 hp and TQ at the crank. Now get a real heads/cam combo, nice stall, and it's known they love forced induction...they'll fly! The hard part is just making everything fit. The extra CI is worth it, and if done right, would be one of the fastest on this site NA for sure!!

Your right, the 4.3 does have great potential. It based on a smallblock 350 and most of the parts are interchangable and cheap. But to keep it fuel injected and very streetable, I dont think it compares to the 3800. The only one to come with multiport fuel injection was the syclone, otherwise you would be stuck with TBI or worse, the CPI,CSPI which I think are just terrible not to mention the lack of aftermarket for those fuel injections systems. As of now, there are no tuners for those engines like HP tuners or DHP. So if you want to make power with it, it would be best to use a carborator. Which is fine, except you will get worse gas milage than the fuel injected ones which are already bad. If you wanted forced induction, you would have to stick with the fuel injection and I really dont know the limits of those fuel systems, but I dont think its good.

Stock engine vs stock engine, I think the 3800 will win everytime. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Fredless]

Thats another issue, good luck getting the carbuerator or TBI to fit in a 4thgen engine bay.

[94fbody]

Sequentuial Central Port Injection is used on the later 4.3L Vortec engines and to me, they offer plenty of power fixed up right. Stock is always boring folks, that's where the 4.3L gets a bad rep. I own a '98 S-10 with a 4.3L A4, 190HP 250TQ and it has a lot of punch for what it is and I know that engine in my '94 Camaro with the 3.4L will make my car fly in comparison. I am going to be putting a new 4.3L in my '94 Camaro within the next 6 months, I want to get some good LS1 mounts, a new wiring harness, performance camshaft, new heavy duty 4L60E tranny, and all the other small components to boot. Since I own both a 3.4L and a 4.3L, I am coming with experience on this topic. I have thought before about just swapping to a 3.8L because of how much easier it would be, but I would only we upping my horsepower by 40 and by torque by 25.....what's the point in that!? With the 4.3L Vortec, there is only a 10 HP difference "whooppeedooo" but 25lb more torque and that is what I want. I don't really care about HP as much as I do torque anyway. Another option in store for me is to go with a 4.3L Marine engine and add an Edelbrock intake manifold. The 4.3L Marine engines come with standard 223HP 267TQ.....nothing wrong with that! I have came up with a way already to have my air coming in from the front of the motor instead of the standard sideways config. seen on the S-10's, and I can do this by relocating the throttle body to an elbow facing frontward and then run a tube to the airbox itself if I wanted to keep what is already there on my '94 Camaro 3.4L or I can go K&N. One thing I have not figured out yet is what speed rear end/gear ratios I am going to need for this car once it is finally done. Will I want to keep L/S differential or go Positive Traction, 3.42 3.08, 3.23 gears, what? I am not trying to build a racer here, all I want is something fun to drive and have a respectable amount of power when I want it and not be too bad on gas either. For example, my '98 S-10 extended cab weighs 4600lbs and when driven right gets 26.5 MPG, best yet has been 27.9 and I am not making this up (Also have K&N FIPK on that one). If the 4.3L vortec in that weight of a vehicle can get that kind of mileage with all the drag characteristics, I should expect a lot better from a car weighing 4,080 lbs and much sleeker and aerodynamic. Someone let me know your thoughts/suggestions on this. Thanks.