How many 4.3 v6 chevy's?

[68 longbed]

Was wondering how many of you are running a 4.3 in your trucks also would you send photos of your installed 4.3?

[C-10 simplex]

Also, what kind of mpg are you getting?

[Longhorn Man]

you won't get much feedback, only seen 3 or 4 on here with them in the 9 years I've been here.

[junkyardjohn]

I've got a 96 short block thats going in a 72 short fleet. It was a g.m. Test motor & is basically new. Some feller in northern k.y. Got his hands on about 2 dozen of them & was nice enough to let me have one for $250. He had a few left in his shop that have been on pallets for 13 years. I put a eldelbrock perfomer intake & a hei dist. In it. I paid $189 for it. Gm never offered a hei setup for this vortec, but i believe it's a proform. I got it from summit. I'll go with a 500 cfm edelbrock carb. This thing had no intake,fuel inj, dist., brackets or accesories. Well it did come with a harmonic balancer ,crank pully, water pump & exaust manifolds. I still need to find a oil filter setup & alternator. Theres a new (spelled rebuilt) t-400 & a brand spanking new gear vendors o-d behind it, going thru a ford 9" posi with 350-1 gears (also rebuilt). I'm hoping to get 20+ mpg out of this old girl. Parts for this motor are expensive. Like big block expensive. It cost me just over $500 just for an intake & dist. Oh well... Like all us poor people say... It's only money. i need a new camera (i have an old sony mavica that takes 3.5" floppys & this new computer doesn't) or i'd post some pictures. I was going to put a 70 396 in it, even totally rebuilt mine, but i need something i can afford to drive.(thats why the 396) it's setting on my shop floor. It won't go to waste though, as it'll make a good motor for my 69 wrecker. I've got a holly projection throttle body for the 4.3 but i'll put a carb. On it first as i have zero experiance with throttle bodys or any kind of fuel injection. Everything looks good so far on paper anyway. john

[68 longbed]

junkyardjohn it sounds like it'll be a good motor for you. Mine is a 91 lower end with 85 astro van high rise intake with quadrojet carb astro hei distributor with 92 s10 5 speed. Has lots of power and seems to get good milage. Don't know figures as trans has electric speedo I've still got to fix. Would send pictures but only have 35 mm camera and no scaner.

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by 68 longbed

junkyardjohn it sounds like it'll be a good motor for you. Mine is a 91 lower end with 85 astro van high rise intake with quadrojet carb astro hei distributor with 92 s10 5 speed. Has lots of power and seems to get good milage. Don't know figures as trans has electric speedo I've still got to fix. Would send pictures but only have 35 mm camera and no scaner.

THIS IS NEW TERRITORY TO ME AS I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE ON PRE-86 SMALL N BIG BLOCK CHEVY'S, BUT I THINK I'VE GOT IT LICKED. G.M. NEVER MADE A HEI FOR POST 96 VORTEC MOTORS (OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL TECH.S THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO NO THERE STUFF) HENCE THE $189 BILLET DIST.(SORTA LIKE LOOKIN FOR A UNICORN) LIKE I SAID BEFORE ..GM TOOK ALL THE F.I. & ELECTRICAL STUFF, SO I'M JUST GOING SEMI-OLD SCHOOL WITH AN INTAKE,CARB. & HEI. I'M HOPEING FOR AN HONEST & REALISTIC 200 HP & 20 MPG. I KNOW.. I KNOW THERES TONS OF PEOPLE WITH STORYS ABOUT... THEY HAD A V-8 TRUCK THAT GOT 26 MPG WITH THE AIR COND. ON... BUT I'VE BEEN DRIVING & RESTORING THE OLD TRUCKS SINCE 85 & I'VE NEVER BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO OWN ONE THAT GOT MORE THAN ABOUT 14 MPG DOWN HILL WITH A GOOD TAILWIND. IT SEEMS.... MOST FELLERS NEVER UNDERESTIMATE HORSE POWER OR MILEAGE. JOHN

[wildwilly4x4]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

THIS IS NEW TERRITORY TO ME AS I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE ON PRE-86 SMALL N BIG BLOCK CHEVY'S, BUT I THINK I'VE GOT IT LICKED. G.M. NEVER MADE A HEI FOR POST 96 VORTEC MOTORS (OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL TECH.S THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO NO THERE STUFF) HENCE THE $189 BILLET DIST.(SORTA LIKE LOOKIN FOR A UNICORN) LIKE I SAID BEFORE ..GM TOOK ALL THE F.I. & ELECTRICAL STUFF, SO I'M JUST GOING SEMI-OLD SCHOOL WITH AN INTAKE,CARB. & HEI. I'M HOPEING FOR AN HONEST & REALISTIC 200 HP & 20 MPG. I KNOW.. I KNOW THERES TONS OF PEOPLE WITH STORYS ABOUT... THEY HAD A V-8 TRUCK THAT GOT 26 MPG WITH THE AIR COND. ON... BUT I'VE BEEN DRIVING & RESTORING THE OLD TRUCKS SINCE 85 & I'VE NEVER BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO OWN ONE THAT GOT MORE THAN ABOUT 14 MPG DOWN HILL WITH A GOOD TAILWIND. IT SEEMS.... MOST FELLERS NEVER UNDERESTIMATE HORSE POWER OR MILEAGE. JOHN

The HEI you would want on here for a carb would be an '85 astro van dizzy. Also there was a pontiac(or buick I dont remember) 229 cu in that was almost identical to the 4.3 in '85. They are proportional to a chevy 305 as a 4.3 is proportional to a 350.

['72customdeluxe]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

I've got a 96 short block thats going in a 72 short fleet. It was a g.m. Test motor & is basically new. Some feller in northern k.y. Got his hands on about 2 dozen of them & was nice enough to let me have one for $250. He had a few left in his shop that have been on pallets for 13 years. I put a eldelbrock perfomer intake & a hei dist. In it. I paid $189 for it. Gm never offered a hei setup for this vortec, but i believe it's a proform. I got it from summit. I'll go with a 500 cfm edelbrock carb. This thing had no intake,fuel inj, dist., brackets or accesories. Well it did come with a harmonic balancer ,crank pully, water pump & exaust manifolds. I still need to find a oil filter setup & alternator. Theres a new (spelled rebuilt) t-400 & a brand spanking new gear vendors o-d behind it, going thru a ford 9" posi with 350-1 gears (also rebuilt). I'm hoping to get 20+ mpg out of this old girl. Parts for this motor are expensive. Like big block expensive. It cost me just over $500 just for an intake & dist. Oh well... Like all us poor people say... It's only money. i need a new camera (i have an old sony mavica that takes 3.5" floppys & this new computer doesn't) or i'd post some pictures. I was going to put a 70 396 in it, even totally rebuilt mine, but i need something i can afford to drive.(thats why the t-400) it's setting on my shop floor. It won't go to waste though, as it'll make a good motor for my 69 wrecker. I've got a holly projection throttle body for the 4.3 but i'll put a carb. On it first as i have zero experiance with throttle bodys or any kind of fuel injection. Everything looks good so far on paper anyway. john

Good luck with your mileage goals, but I feel you might fall short. Truck with no overdrive and the aerodynamics of a brick couple with a power sucking and heavy 9" and t400 setup. I would find a t5 and lighter axle if I were you. Should run good compared to some stock smogger small blocks though

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by wildwilly4x4

The HEI you would want on here for a carb would be an '85 astro van dizzy. Also there was a pontiac(or buick I dont remember) 229 cu in that was almost identical to the 4.3 in '85. They are proportional to a chevy 305 as a 4.3 is proportional to a 350.

NO... IT'S A 96 WITH VORTEC HEADS. I TALKED AT LENGHT WITH SEVERAL KNOWLEDGEABLE SERVICE TECH.S (BOTH FACT. & SPEED SHOPS) ABOUT THIS. BELIEVE ME.. I SURE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND $189 FOR A %#^&$ HEI ... BUT LEARN AS YOU GO. I REALIZE A T-400 & GEAR VENDORS O.D. GOING THRU A 9" POSSI. W-350-1 GEARS BEHIND A 6 CYL. IS NOT THE PERFECT IDEAL SET UP, BUT IT'S STUFF I ALREADY OWN. I ORIGANALLY PLANNED ON PUTTING A REBUILT WARM 396 , BUT I NEED A VEHICAL I CAN AFFORD TO DRIVE WITH NO PAYMENTS & THAT IS SPELLED OLD TRUCK. JOHN

[Keith Seymore]

I can comment from the vantage point of a "square body":

It's an '87, so the first year for TBI. 4.3L V6, MY6 trans (the New Process manual 4 speed overdrive with a .73 4th gear) and a 3.73 rear axle. P235/75R15 tires.

I've gotten as high as 22 mpg on trips (haven't checked it around town).

K

['72customdeluxe]

I know you already have the t400 and 9", but you could sell those and buy lighter duty parts with a little profit too. An lsx based car forum would be a good place to start because both 9" (if they didn't want to pay for a moser) and t400 swaps are very popular. The gv overdrive will fetch big dollars too. All your driveline will be doing is dragging you down. With a load the v6 will tap out before you can even pop a ten bolt.

[junkyardjohn]

I GUESS I'M NOT BEING CLEAR. I ALREADY OWN THESE PARTS, THEY ARE NOT FOR SALE. I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE WORTH & WHAT THEY WILL DO. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR OPTIONS, ADVICE OR OPINIONS. I'VE GOT THIS STUFF & I WILL USE IT. BUT THANKS ANY WAY. JOHN

[skchevota]

A 9" is not very heavy??? it is about the same weight as a 10 bolt. Now the deep cut gears might rob a little power, but it sould work fine. I had a 98 GMC 1500, extended cab with the 4.3. I had a solid front axle swap and ran 35" tires. I would get 18mpg on the hiway. now she toped out at about 80 even with 4.56 gears, but that was a lot of truck for that engine, and i am at 5000ft. you should be fine. On the plus side your drive train will be ready for that 396 if you ever so choose.

['72customdeluxe]

I lqtm'd, you guys are kidders. Just c10, t400, and mileage mentioned in the same paragraph. 60 pound weight gain for the 9" over a 7.5" and less efficient, not much difference. Just the principle of not profiting off of selling the axle for something lighter when you have a v6. The t400 is the bigger problem, they suck big power. It oughta get a nice 16 mpg I know my opinion is not welcome, but anyways

[Shon]

I have a customer that put a 4.3 in his 4dr Chevy II. he says it runs great now that it's tuned right but for the $$ he has in that thing he could have done a 5.3 at least and had less complications. The 4.3 was a good little motor back then but to fix some of the stuff that goes out in them, ie the "injector spider thingy" (as described to me), the 4.8/5.3s are a better option and would have the same or better MPGs with more UMPH.

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

I GUESS I'M NOT BEING CLEAR. I ALREADY OWN THESE PARTS, THEY ARE NOT FOR SALE. I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE WORTH & WHAT THEY WILL DO. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR OPTIONS, ADVICE OR OPINIONS. I'VE GOT THIS STUFF & I WILL USE IT. BUT THANKS ANY WAY. JOHN

THANKS FOR THE OPINIONS. I'M PRETTY WELL VERSED ON THE DRIVE TRAINS OF THESE OLD TRUCKS (I'VE BEEN DRIVING THEM FOR 25 YEARS) & NOT SEEKING SHOULDOFS OR COULDOFS. IT'S NOT JUST AN IDEA. SOME OF THESE PARTS, I PAID A TON FOR, & I'M NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING THEM. AT ALL!! UNLESS YOU HAVE DIRECT EXPERIANCE WITH THESE EXACT PARTS COMBO... IT'S JUST AN OPINION.. & I NEVER ASKED FOR ANY. I THINK IF YOU REREAD MY POSTS IT WILL EXPLAIN MY SITUATION EXACTLY. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE MORE PLAIN. THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPLIED POSITIVE, HELPFUL COMMENTS. TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO THINKS THEY KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR ME, & FEEL THE NEED TO SET ME STRAIGHT... WELL MY MOMA QUIT DOING THAT ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO & IT WAS HER JOB. JOHN

[Shon]

I LIKE BEING YELLED AT!!!
But my post was directed to the OP, he asked about 4.3s in the old truck, so I gave him my opinion.

[junkyardjohn]

DON'T GET THE WRONG IDEA. I'M NOT YELLING. I'M CRIPPLED UP & ONLY TYPE WITH ONE FINGER.& I ALWAY TYPE IN CAPS. IT'S KINDA LIKE PICK & PECK... & PECK MOVED ON. BELIEVE ME.. I'M SURE NOT TRYING TO HURT ANY FEELINGS. JOHN

[Shon]

and your keyboard is crippled as well!?

[junkyardjohn]

NAW... IT'S BRAND NEW. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS ON HERE FOR LONG ENOUGH THAT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF. (FOR THE 100TH TIME) SORRY IF IT BOTHERS YOU. JOHN

[Damien]

Originally Posted by 68 longbed

Was wondering how many of you are running a 4.3 in your trucks also would you send photos of your installed 4.3?

I built a 4.3 to swap into my s10. It had the 4 cyl. and 5 speed removed long before I bought it as a roller. The engine is a '86 block with '96 vortec heads, comp 286h cam, roller rockers, edelbrock vortec intake, 600 cfm edel. carb. headman headers. For the dist. I used a GM large cap HEI with the 5 pin module for a 4.3. Replaced the module with a 4 pin and switched the pick up coil for a late '70s Buick 231 pick up coil. I also built my own valve covers because the stock stamped ones would not clear the poly locks. I think there is a place in Australia that makes tall valve covers now.

I do not have the truck in a drivable condition. I have maybe 500 miles on the engine since I put it in. I'm hoping I can get is streetable this summer and put it on the chassis dyno here at school. I based the build on the one in HRM, so it should be about 300 hp at the flywheel, which would give be roughly 240hp at the rear wheels.

I've thought about putting it in my '83 C10 so I can recoup some of my money when I sell the s10. I think the s10 headers will work, It is a pretty tight fit to get them in the s10 chassis.

[Damien]

Like I said, It is not streetable yet. I need to put some holes in the valve covers and work on wiring and fuel system.

[69GMCLonghorn]

I haven't put a4.3 in an old truck, but I bought a '95 Chevy C1500 brand new with a 4.3 and 4L60E trans (1st year for that trans!). It's std cab 2WD with a shell, but I lifted the front end 2" to level it out and have it sitting on 31 x 10.50 x 15 all terrains. I also put a 4.10 limited slip in the rear end. I got 16 - 17 on the Hwy. My dad now has the truck with 190,000 miles on it and has never gotten more than 19 and he drives like he's 100 years old. Unless you really build that V-6, it won't perform like a V-8, but you know that already. I say go for it! It's not like it won't move. If it's too slow, work on making it faster.

On a side note, I was at a cruise night years ago and came across a guy with a BLOWN 4.3 in an old rat rod! He said it dyno'd at over 500 HP at the wheels! it sounded REALLY weird, but fast as hell! So there's lots of potential there, dependant on the almight pocket book!

[68 longbed]

here's mine



sorry about lousy pics. Still need to detail it.

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by 68 longbed

here's mine sorry about lousy pics. Still need to detail it.

WOW.. LOOKS PRETTY DARN NICE. I'M TRYING TO GO WITH THE SERPETINE BELT ON MINE. GOT ALMOST EVERY THING I NEED BUT THE GUMPTION TO GET OFF MY BUTT & JUST DO IT. DAMIAN.... THAT IS INCREDABLE...VERY NICE. MINE IS BOX STOCK WITH THE EXEPTION OF BEING CARBURATED. IM GETTING TO BE OLD I GUESS CAUSE I DON'TCARE ABOUT SPEED. I JUST WANT SOMETHING DEPENDABLE. JOHN