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How does a turbo chevy 4.3 v6 swap sound?

9K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  tstefan 
#1 ·
I've been thinking about this for a month or so. My replacement 5m has been a bit of a problem lately:32: and i was why not do a swap that seems to have not been done yet (i said seems because i think i read about some one doing and ls swap on an 85 supra but it had a supercharged v6 in it before i may be wrong but i'm off topic now....) but anyway. One day i just opened my hood and stared and thought maybe a 4.3 might fit in there or even a twin turbo 4.3:naughty:. so i thought i would pose the question here on the forum and see what others had to say about a swap like this.
 
#3 ·
the 4.3 vortec V6 is a really good engine. my family has had several of them. the only real problem we have had is that you really need to replace the intake manifold gasket if its a high mileage motor. i dont think its a bad idea at all. you might piss of all the purists who wine about it "not being true to its roots" but fuck them. its a good engine.

you will have MAD transmission options. T5, T56, 4l60, 4l80, 700r4, the rock crusher....

my only real concern would be the oil pan. i dont know if you can just go out and buy a front sump for it or not.

that engine did actually come factory from GM as a TwinTurbo. it was called the GMC Cyclone! a really cool truck. pretty much all it could do was 0-60 pulls but i always thought they were pretty sweet. those are really rare though. if you actually wanted to turbo it you would pretty much need to buy or fab everything aftermarket. if you really want big power id lean more towards an LS swap because there is a lot more support for it.

a stock NA vortec 4.3 would be a pretty respectable swap though. i am thinking about doing it on my 89 cressida. more power and torque than a 7m without the HG and bearing issues. GM still sells like everything for those engines and the parts are pretty cheap. not to mention you an buy a running S10 on craigslist with flat tires and a broken window for like $350...

only real negative is that it would look a little funny in the engine bay. a lot of people would give you shit for doing it if you do.
 
#4 ·
It would be a bitch to change spark plugs on, plus not really be a higher revving engine. A 3.8 would be a better application, and there are both turbo and supercharged options of that engine.

I was looking at the 5.7 V8 in our Dodge Magnum and saw that it has a front sump oil pan and coil-on-plug down the tops of the valve covers. With 340 hp and transmissions that interchange between Dodge and Toyota, I bet someone could make one work.
 
#6 ·
@CarFreek: well as far as it being a bad idea i don't know about that but idea for a discussion not sarcasm and criticism.(don't mean any disrespect but didnt think that was call for ) @cmdeshon you made some good points. The 4.3 has so many option for trans i would probably go with a t56 cause if it ever made any more then 300 lb of torque a t5 would be toast after a couple of hard pulls. as for the sump i'm not sure need to do more research. @RoadRipper a 3.8 would work as well but power is made in displacement first, then induction i have a 3.8 in my firebird but it just to weak in its n/a form for my liking and a 4.3 is just a sbc 350 missing two cylinders so parts aren't to hard to come by and the spark plugs would be a pain but any swap other then 6m and 7m has its problems. Thanks for the dialog I'd really like to talk this out and even have more people advocate the purest points as well.:thumbsup:
 
#7 ·
No, torque is made with displacement.

Power is made with technology. LOL

The hurdle with the 4.3 is that it is a 350 with 2 cylinder chopped off. Good luck finding a front sump pan for THAT. Much easier to do a LS swap. Then again I hate chevy/GM.
 
#8 ·
torque and power are relative to displacement you also have to take in to account lift and duration of the cam and how efficient of an air pump your engine is. Touche on the front sump hurdle but if a oil pan can be reshaped and fashioned to work more like the ls pan and have a pickup tube much like the ls it could work. plus I am a lover of all makes just not all models like I said before this is a discussion if there is some other engine that would make a swap unique and not something everyone else would do I am open to suggestions the 4.3 was just what i could think of and is cheap and plentiful and parts are easy to source. But if there is a Mopar or Blue Oval or even some no domestic v6 that would remotely be as easy to find parts for it with the same amount of ease and work in theory I'm open to it.;)
 
#9 ·
For crying out loud, IT WAS A JOKE! Lighten up. Oil pan will be your biggest hurdle. I personally have never been a big fan of the 90degree V-6 design, but one advantage is you will have plenty of side clearance to the strut towers, compared to a 120 degree V-6...
 
#10 ·
i would really only consider doing the 4.3 swap as a stock engine / DD kinda deal. i dont think it would really be cost effective to build one. if thats what you Want though, they can be built and they can make some serious power. and who doesn't want a getrag T56 6 speed? i have two extra 4.3's in the garage. really thinking about putting one of them in my 3vz 4runner. would be just enough for what that truck needs to do.

check this out. lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hJ0kMY6rc4
 
#12 ·
so far i found that the cpi motor is 600 to 850 and its a 195-200hp motor with like 250ftlb of torque the tbi motor is 500 to 700ish with 170-185hp and 200ftlb of torque the higher prices are with ecu and harness. i might try the cpi motor for baseline hp numbers close to the 7m and build form there.
 
#13 ·
This may be helpful.
https://www.teambuick.com/reference/engine_dimensions.php
Not a lot of front sump pans.The 401" Buick engine is not too fat,but the wrong sump location.

I swapped a 300 " I-6 truck engine in a '61 Ford Falcon and had to push the fire wall back with a bumper jack.
The shock towers were in the way,so I made a '37 Plymouth beam axle (with leaf springs ) to fit.
9 " Ford Posi differential,top loader 4 speed,'57 Ford driveshaft,2 radiators.(One from an MG!)
I learned to arc weld in high school:Smoke weed at lunch and burn 6011 rod @ 180 amps for fun.

Damn kids!!!! I was 19.
 
#14 ·
Man this is a interesting swap to me
i was thinking about swapping a Chevy LFX V6 w/6-speed transmission out of a 2012-2015 Camaro
they are 60 degree V6 motors - if you could get it to work you would have a modern motor with 323 factory HP.
the aluminium block is quite a bit lighter as well, (345 vs 436 lbs) which would help move the centre of gravity back a bit.
more power, better gas mileage, higher output alternator - what's not to love ? :)

if i recall correctly the engine transmission should fit.

But i would assume there would be a fair amount of wiring to get things working.

all i need now is the time, motivation and money to do it. :)
 
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