[709]

How come the 4.3L Chev isn't a popular swap.

I was looking at the options for my ageing 258, and a friend mentioned the 4.3..

Worth it or no?

They come in everything, and come with Fuel Injection or take a MC2100 easily enough..

 

[mach2_nh]

Im runing a 4.3 and I love it.. Good HP/torq but not so much where you can kill your drive train.. Well not like a V8 anyway..

and its small lots of room for other suff like OBA or OBW things like that..

Im runing a 89 4.3 with a 700R4 with overdrive

 

[3018]

Out here in California the 4.3 is vary popular swap, if you got the Dough. I just purchased a tottaly wrecked S-10 for super cheap, the Engine is the 4.3 vortec engine its going right into my Jeepster Commando. I cant wait.

 

[jfralph]

The reason 4.3's are not as swapped as you would think, is due to the cost. For the same cost, a SB can be installed. The 4.3 requires all the same mods and adaptors as the SB. Soooo, why be small when real power can be had for the same cost. I too like the 4.3, especially when drivetrain life will be longer. Actually, the 4.0 is a better torque motor, cheaper to install, and, kinda original equipment. So if a 6 is in the future, 4.0 is usually used.

 

[general420]

I think jfralph hit the nail on the head. While I'm a huge 4.3 fan, you don't gain a huge amount of performance. A 258 can be upgraded w/ a 4.0L head and FI to perform as well as a 4.3. The benefit would probably come down the road, as they're much cheaper to work on and have more after market support than the old 4.2 or even the 4.0 liter engines, plus you have a whole slew of Chevy tranny's to choose from. In my opinion, a Vortec 4.3 / sm465 / D300 combo would be bad a$$.

 

[709]

I was just curious as I'm having trouble finding any 4.0's

4.3s are dirt cheap and came in a slew of trucks/vans.. and I like the idea of an SM465.
then one adapter to go to the 300 and i'm set

 

[WILL]

For my next jeep, I'm planning on a 4.3/700R4/quadratrac drivetrain. I already have the cherokee frame and axles. I'm still at the stage of working out the suspension design so it'll be a while. I found out that advance adapters makes the adapter from the trans to transfer case I need. It's pricey, but I'll save up for it.

 

[709]

Whats the deal with SM465-D300? Is that an Advance Adapters/Novak or does someone make an OEM adapter like the 465-NP208?

 

[jdoggmoney]

Aftermarket I'm afraid.

 

[1221]

How well would a stock drivetrain (D30/D35/NP231) hold up to a 4.3L?

 

[general420]

The 4.3 and a 4.0 HO are very similar in HP and Torque figures...so I'd imagine the axles would last as well as a factory drive train holds up. That not to say that many a D35 haven't been broken behind factory drive trains...but with reasonable operation you should be fine. As for the adapters for the sm465, I went with Novak, and have been pleased. However, I would not be opposed to going with an np208 the next time. A lot heavier, and not as good on the gearing, but way cheaper. The money you save would get you about half way to a steeper gear set down the road. Then again, it's pretty hard to beat a D300.

 

[lindy80cj7]

4.3 isn't a bad engine it just isn't a good engine. Remember that GM is not going to build anymore. Look at the hp and torque output for the 4.3 the 4.0 jeep and throw in the ford 4.0 for kicks and see what the numbers tell you. Now look at price for the swap. The local machine shop owner told me he'd like to put a 4.3 in his jeep because he gets them in all the time and they're cheap to rebuild. I asked him how many ford or jeep 4.0's he gets in for rebuild. He scratched his head and said not very many.

 

[709]

The only reason I'd be doing a 4.3L is because they are dirt cheap.. I could probably get 3 or 4 round here for $50 then rebuild them into one or two

I'm going to take another look at the Sm-NP adapter my friend has. maybe there's some promise for adapting to the D300..

and theres a local machine shop that resplines just about anything for $90 so that may work..
Haven't taken a close look.. but if I could get that adapter, and I have the bellhousing for the GM-SM.. I may not be too far off

I've also decided to forgo Fuel injection for now on my next engine. It'd be nice, but the simplicity of running 3 or 4 wires to the engine total instead of 100-200 is just too much

Just thinking outloud..

 

[Guest]

if your not going to swap in FI you can find a good 4.2 to bolt right in for cheap. not even have to rebuild it. i have two and my nephew as one. a carbureted 4.3 i would guess would be pretty weak at best. v-6 has poor low end torque anyway take away there FI and wow the four cyl may out perform it. personally i would find a wrecked cherokee with a 4.0 and swap it in complete with all FI you only use about six or eight wires to hook up the FI not 100-200. i bought a wreck cherokee for $325 and another local fairly low miles for $500. but its your jeep you should make yourself happy. but that just my opinion

 

[709]

4.0s around here are like needles in a haystack.

I've seen one sold in the last year or so an it was a fluke.

To get under 100,000kms, 4.0.. would cost me upwards of $1500 just for the engine.. then they charge for each indiviual part as well.

Harness, ECU, bellhousing..

 

[Tippy]

One advantage the 4.3 has is that they are pretty light weight. Of course I think anything would be lighter than the 4.2!

 

[general420]

Just a couple more thoughts. Not that I recommend it, but I've seen some pretty mean and well built carburated 4.3's. However, the FI wouldn't be that hard, and well worth the time. The sm465 / NP combo used a short course spline output shaft and mounted directly to the t-case. It was not well known for being long lasting, and I venture to say that most 4x4 465's you'll find will have subtantial tail shaft wear. Even though it's easier to go with a stub shaft adapter for the course spline tail shaft, I ended up doing the mainshaft conversion anyway for that reason. On the same note, the D300 uses a fine spline input (23 spline I believe). It would be pretty hard to use the NP adapter to convert to a D300. You're best bet, if you want to go through a machine shop, would be to have them build a 10 spline to 23 spline stub shaft, and an adapter to connect the tranny and t-case. Hope any of that made sense.

 

[183]

My CJ5 had a carb 4.3L in it when he bought it a few years back. So far I like it even though it is on its last legs. It seems to be powerful enough for my little Jeep and I keep having guys at auto parts stores telling me "wow it must be nice to have that torqy motor in there".

From what I read the 4.3L was a fairly popular swap to replace the Buick Dauntless (226???) V6 that was orginally in my Jeep. Only problem is the the 4.3L and my heavy foot seem to be too much for my poor little T-14a 3-speed tranny.


I just got a Vortec 4.3L with 113,000 miles out of a totaled S-10 Blazer for $135 ( that is the price at auction for the rig minus the money from parts we sold). I am planning on pulling the engine (4.3L carb), tranny (T-14a) and t-case (D18) w/Warn OD and reworking it to be the Vortec 4.3L, a heavy duty 4-speed (T-18a or SM420 or 465), and D18 with Tera-Low gears and Warn OD.

That will be a ways down the road though.

 

[445]

My mom had an astro with the 4.3 and we have 3 jeeps with the 4.0 both motors are real similar to drive, the astro was heavier (coversion van) and a little slower but not by much, we've have no torulbe with any of the motors. Go fuel injection you won't regret it. If your going with a 4.3 the 350 is just as easy of a swap why not get 2 more cylinders, it will give you an excust to upgrade axles.

BarrelRoll