4.3L question - Is it worth buying a set of Vortec heads to put on my 4.3?

[handloader90]

Here's how crusty the thermostat hole is. I can't knock any more of it off with a wire brush and don't wanna bust out a grinder or anything...

A machine shop should be able to clean this up and give me a nice flat surface in there, right?

 

[Stinky]

I looked at the, cuz the link on the 1st page, or 2, said that there was no carb i take available for the vortec heads. The only intake that I found was an Edelbrock. They are over 400 bucks.

So, that is a reason to go w/tbi heads.

I have a Vortec motor and thinking that I might have a use for it....some day.

 

[handloader90]

I looked at the, cuz the link on the 1st page, or 2, said that there was no carb i take available for the vortec heads. The only intake that I found was an Edelbrock. They are over 400 bucks.

So, that is a reason to go w/tbi heads.

I have a Vortec motor and thinking that I might have a use for it....some day.

The Edelbrock intake is made for the Vortec and Non-Vortec heads. They are $200 and something on Summit racing.

I haven't seen a stock intake from a Vortec headed engine, there may be an adapter out there to adapt a carb to it but again I'm not sure.

The marine intakes were used on Vortec and Non-Vortec engines, so a 2 barrel could be used. I believe I may have seen a marine style spreadbore intake for the 4.3 too.

 

[frankin5]

Why worry about the inside. If the outside will seal the manifold to the outlet housing all is good. The lip just holds the thermostat in position.

 

[handloader90]

Why worry about the inside. If the outside will seal the manifold to the outlet housing all is good. The lip just holds the thermostat in position.

I would just feel better about it. Don't think it would cost me much to have it cleaned up either.

 

[Justin V]

Waste of time...

 

[diesel4me]

I would run it as is...the gasket will seal it fine,the "lip" only holds the thermostat from dropping in too far..

If your determined to clean that up maybe one of those small grinding wheels that fit in a drill would be the right size to make it pretty again..
You could also put a thin layer of J-B Weld over the pitted area..

 

[b454rat]

Rust? What rust? That isn't anything to worry about. It's on the inside, so put a thing layer of silly cone on it. I had a 93 S-10 Blazer that had the Vortec CPI in it, and that thing would plain haul ass. 260 horse or something. I never tried to fry the tires, but mashing it in the acceleration lane would get you up to speed very quick. I was very impressed with it. As small as that jeep is, I'd run whatever you get, it will run fine, and prolly have more than enough power.

 

[frankin5]

The Dauntless 225 ci V6 in the CJ5 I had was a power house. It also was not a stock 225. Late model heads, four barrel and headers.

 

[handloader90]

The Dauntless 225 ci V6 in the CJ5 I had was a power house. It also was not a stock 225. Late model heads, four barrel and headers.

I can't find an of the Buick engines anywhere... they're dying out.

Gonna give this 4.3 a try. Might do the Vortec heads and a 4 barrel intake later down the road.

 

[TreeFarm]

I can't find an of the Buick engines anywhere... they're dying out.

Gonna give this 4.3 a try. Might do the Vortec heads and a 4 barrel intake later down the road.

you wont be disappointed! Have you ever driven a 4.3? I have never found that was under powered. Sure, they are no 350, but they smoked the tires on every s10/blazer I've ever owned.

 

[handloader90]

The more and more I think about it I almost want to sell the 4.3L and throw my 350 in there... parts are 1000x more plentiful and cheaper than the V6.

 

[handloader90]

you wont be disappointed! Have you ever driven a 4.3? I have never found that was under powered. Sure, they are no 350, but they smoked the tires on every s10/blazer I've ever owned.

I've never driven anything with a 4.3 in it. They seem like good little engines though.

One thing that I dont like about them is that damn balance bar in the valley...

 

[TreeFarm]

I've never driven anything with a 4.3 in it. They seem like good little engines though.

One thing that I dont like about them is that damn balance bar in the valley...

There is a reason why they were basically unchanged for so many years. Just like the jeep 4.0, they are bullet proof, reliable, and dead simple

the balance shaft is not required. the early engines didn't even have them. It was to make the engine smoother for the average consumer. You have options. Leave it alone, you wont notice it. Remove the drive gear and leave it in there. Remove it, you will have to make a plug to fill its space in the rear of the block since the rear bearing is oiled and you will lose all oil pressure to the top end without the shaft in there

Im not telling you how to do your thing, but accessory you want to buy for the 4.3 can be the same as the 350, short of intake, distributor, and internal components obviously. That's one of the reasons why mine is v belt. externally my engine only has SBC parts on it. from motor mounts, to starter, and accessories. Internal components in factory replacement form are common and cheap, but why rebuild when you get another junkyard engine for a few hundred.

 

[handloader90]

the balance shaft is not required. the early engines didn't even have them. It was to make the engine smoother for the average consumer. You have options. Leave it alone, you wont notice it. Remove the drive gear and leave it in there. Remove it, you will have to make a plug to fill its space in the rear of the block since the rear bearing is oiled and you will loose all oil pressure to the top end without the shaft in there

I've looked at the options. If I use the 4.3 the balance shaft will stay. No need to take it out.

 

[Bent77]

350 will probably overheat in that Willy’s

 

[frankin5]

'62-'63 Buick Specials had the 198 Buick V-6, '64-'67's had the 225 Buick V-6, '75-'87 Buicks had the 231 V-6's, ('75-early '77's were odd-fire, late '77's and on were even fire). After '87, I believe all the 231/3.8/3800's were FWD engines that Buick started phasing in around '84. They also share the same front cover and oil pump as the Buick V8. The 87 Buick Grand Sport came with dual turbos on the V6. There is a ton of after market parts. The late model 3.8 had a super charger.

 

[diesel4me]

Unfortunately 1987 was 31 years ago,and anything of that vintage has either been crushed or is in need of extensive repairs from sitting if your lucky enough to find anything that old in a salvage yard..
(unless you live in AZ or similar desert climates perhaps)..

It doesn't seem possible--1987 doesn't feel like 31 years ago to me--more like 10 or 15....

 

[b454rat]

Uh, grand national had one turbo, not two. Don't think any factory GM had twins. But IMO your looking too hard at this. Run what you got and go from there. The put V-6s in full size trucks, and tho they might not be power houses, they moved them around. I had a couple S-10s with the V-6, one TBI and the other CPI. The TBI was a torquey 'lil motor, and the CPI would flat out ****in move when you put your foot into it. They are a 350 with two cylinders whacked off, so parts aren't that hard to get. Don't forgot boats used them too.

 

[handloader90]

The parts are out there. I know they use the same piston as a 350.

I was getting at things like an Edelbrock intake costs twice as much for a 4.3L than it does for a 350... probably because Edelbrock is the only mfg making one.

Other things like the timing cover is for the engines with a balance bar such as mine can't use a regular SBC timing cover... the actual Vortec headed engines use a plastic timing cover with a different amount of bolts than the previous generation, the first gen of 4.3 uses a regular SBC timing cover and has no balance bar.

I think I'll keep my eyes out for an older 4.3 without the balance bar and then find some Vortec heads in the vineyard or something. Best of both worlds right there.