4.3 vortec?

[Primer69er]

i've been searching a while but cannot find what i need, a friend of mine told me he has a 4.3 vortec from an s-10, that has a 700r4. and he will sell me it for $300. the questions i have are this
1. did the s-10 ever come with a 700r4?
2. is $300 a good price?
3. my 69 has an inline 250, no power steering or breaks, what will i need other than the motor and tranny, for this swap
4. are there differences in the 4.3 vortecs, that i need to look for to be sure im not getting a crap motor.
5. will it be hard to hook up the computer and fuel injection.
6. will typhoon/syclone parts swap over?

sorry for all the questions, but i would like to know some things before forking over 300 bones. thanks in advance.

[iluvmy72]

the S10 did in fact come with that configuration. Both it and the Astro vans. They actually had the same frames for a while and ran on the same line. If GM was smart(which they are not) they would have kept that same option for the Colorado. But GM claims if they did that the large size trucks would never sell because that's now the standard for their larger, under powered trucks. Are you sure he didn't mean $1,300?....that's a deal!!!! You will have to shorten your drive shafts and and cut a notch in your steering wheel for the overdrive.......make sure all electrical wiring and harness comes with it. The computers you are adding will require some the same wireing.....I'd get a S10 book from the vortec year you are getting and use those schematics. And you will also need to re-do your exhaust system. The vortec uses a tuned port injection system. Motor mounts will also need to be relocated since you didn't have the 350 in it before and it's an inline 6.....It's not a hard swap....but you are crossing modern with old and for that engine to run like it was designed, you will need to run it as it was designed. But make sure you get all of the electrical. Otherwise you will pay alot more than the cost of the used engine and tranny.

[Primer69er]

I thought 300 was a good deal, especally with the tranny, thats why i wondered if this was a crappy version 4.3 i guess now another question is, can i run a floor shifer with this tranny? i really dont want a colum shifter.
i dont know for sure if it comes with the computer, but i would assume it had all the wiring. exhaust on the truck is nothing more than a crappy flex pipe hooked to a cheap univ. muffler, so thats no problem.

[iluvmy72]

Also There were a few junk years for the 4.3......I'm told to avoid the 90-94.....what's wrong with the inline 6?....I don't know if you'll gain as much except for gas consumption.

[Primer69er]

i bought the truck as it is, it's suposed to have a 350 but someone put this in for some reason, but it runs like crap, and never wants to start. plus i would love to have fuel injection. i have been told about the junk years, but never heard if the junk years included vortec, or if they fixed their problems before they came up with vortec

[Idaho Outlaw]

I have the 4.3l Vortec in my 01 Sonoma. It does just fine. I get about an average of 15MPG. I think even though it is a good price, it might be a little under powered for such a heavy pickup. I think once you add up the time and money you are gong to spend on making it work in your pickup, you would be better off buying a 350 crate motor. My .02

[bobthecop]

[st1x10]

You could get a 5.7 Vortec motor, since your wanting fuel injection. It would be the same setup as your talking, just two more cylinders. You might want to look into that.

[Primer69er]

i am sorta underfunded, so when i found this for 300 i thought that would be my best bet. my biggest questions are, on a scale of 1-100 how hard is it to wire up everything, and can i use a floor shifter with this tranny?

[shifty]

I guess for $300 it's not bad, but I wouldn't want to go from an inline 6 to a V6.

[Primer69er]

hmm, you got me curious, im wondering why inline is better than v6? (i've never had v6 or inline 6 before)

so if i scrapped the motor idea, next question is.. the 700r4, can i put in on my 250 inline?

[Primer69er]

Originally Posted by Primer69er

so if i scrapped the motor idea, next question is.. the 700r4, can i put it on my 250 inline?

??? anyone know??

[BowTieMan]

Ya you can get a floor shifter for a 700 r-4. And the 4.3's are the same as the small blocks so if a inline is the same as a v8 then yes it will bolt up. But I dont know if inlines are the same somebody else will have to answer.

[cooters]

700 will bolt to a 250 but you must make sure to adapt the tv cable to the carb properly or you will wipe the tranny out. The 4.3s came with about 4 different injection systems. the 1/2 ton versions get the best fuel milage and throtle body injection is the simplist

[russellmarling]

I think this would make a very interesting swap. You should do it just because it is different. The 4.3 is easy to work on, cheap to maintain, and it has good fuel economy and adequate power. At $300 it is a steal if it comes with the wiring harness and PCM. You could even throw some old school 305 V6 emblems on the fender. Take the road less traveled- it will make a great conversation piece!

[shifty]

Originally Posted by Primer69er

hmm, you got me curious, im wondering why inline is better than v6? (i've never had v6 or inline 6 before)

so if i scrapped the motor idea, next question is.. the 700r4, can i put in on my 250 inline?

I'm not saying it's better. I'm just saying - if you're going to spend all that hassle wiring things, trying to get the computer to work, why in the hell wouldn't you take the tranny and bolt it to an LT1 or LS1? Does anyone even reprogram the V6 PCM/ECU/whatever you call it in that year?

Take it from me or anyone else who is doing a newer fuel injected swap - lots of reading (unless you have $$$ to spend on direct plug-and-play parts), lots of wiring ....

Not trying to discourage. If I were in your shoes, I would take the deal, keep the tranny, sell the 4.3L engine on Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks, and try to find a used LT1 or other SBC which is more widely used in trucks like ours - the more people who have done the swap, the more parts are available to do the swap without problems.

I commend you if you choose to take on this swap and would love to see pics.

I think your inline 6 has more torque than you're gonna get outta that V6, but I am talking out of my ass on that one.

[68haywagon]

Originally Posted by iluvmy72

Also There were a few junk years for the 4.3......I'm told to avoid the 90-94.

What did you hear? I have a 93 1500 with the 4.3 and it has taken some rough miles so far and still running strong. I'm just curious on what people are saying out there.

Mike

[texanidiot25]

the 98 4.3L was rated for 190hp, and 220 ft lb of torque. Or 98 Jimmy gets an average 16 city, 20 highway. Plenty of torque, kills every wanna-be honda boy in snap.

Did I mention Plenty of torque? (yes it was a closed road)
http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p...t=MVI_0526.flv

They sound good, cheep to maintain, and very reliable. The only problem its ever had is now it needs a new fuel pressure regulator. Its making its 157,000 mile mark in few days

edit: as far as computer/wiring, find a junk yarded 4.3 to steal from. Theres plenty of low-buck work-truck S10s around here that are sitting junked. Or look for a wrecked one, either way.

[cooters]

tha vortec 4.3s have plastic intake gaskets which fail and put antifreeze into the motor and wiping out bearings but thats all i know of.

[texanidiot25]

What year 4.3L, and how many miles. At 157,000, this engine has held up very well. Even survived a day of over heating in the Houston summer when the cattylitic(sp) converter went out.

[FLEET72]

S series.org 4.3 forum

s10 4.3 forum

Are you sure you want to take on that wiring? This is in my wife's '95 Jimmy.

[texanidiot25]

Yeh... The 98's is much cleaner. I shall get a pic tomorrow. Ive gotta do the serpentine belt anyways...

[Primer69er]

so does every vortec 4.3 have tpi? and do they all look like this?

[Primer69er]

the board member _dick_ has done exactly what i am talking about and says he gets 22mpg hiway with ac on. and it has plenty of torque. not dragster, but good enough to cross a busy street. sounds good to me.

[cooters]

i believe astro van, blazer were throttle body till 92, trucks till 95, then there were a few different confiqurations of tpi after that. Buy an aftermarket harness if you do the swap, its well worth the 400.00