engine swap advice needed

Hey all,

I have a '92 S-10 Blazer 4wd with a bad 4.3L (was REALLY overheated, a couple of times, don't ask) . I have a line on a new one out of an El Camino of unknown year. What will I need to make it fit right? apparently the new one is in real good shape (2K miles on a rebuild) but has been sitting in the backseat of a van for 6 months, anything I should look out for?

Thanks for the help. I'm an old Army deisel mechanic, pretty good at changing oil and scrubbing floors but I am hopeless with civilian rigs. Got a Humvee question? I can help!

Thanks again,

Mason

Reply to
Mason Stanhope
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The number one thing to remember...a rebuilt engine is only as good as the mechanic that rebuilt it.

If you don't personally know the mechanic, I'd say it was a crap shoot.

Reply to
Advocate

Reply to
Shep

I didnt even know they made an ElCamino in 1992, and even when they did they didnt put 4.3s in them did they?

Reply to
Adam

Reply to
Shep

Reply to
Wayne Jones

GM used the 4.3 in everything rear wheel drive except the Camero. 1987 was the last year of production for the El Camino, and its sister line, the GMC Sprint. Engine choices where the 4.3 or the 305 for the last 3 years. There were 200 '87 models retitled as 1988, left over from the last production run. the 85-87 models used a throttle body injection 4.3, earlier models used the 229 Chevy, and the 231 Buick for V-6 engines with 2 bbl carbs, both listed as 3.8. liter. The 229 is physically the same as the 4.3 as far as motor mounts, tranny bolt pattern, water pump etc. Valve covers are different, both are 90 degree blocks, and according to eldebrock they use the same manifold. The catch here would be things like a place to mount the knock sensor. Most 229's were painted blue, 4.3 were black, 229 valve covers bolted with four bolts, just like early small blocks, 4.3 two bolts through the top. 229 were SAE thread, most 4.3 use metric fasteners.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

Bill emailed: "Good stuff... What is the difference in the 5.3l I have in my 2000 Silverado, and the old 327 Chevy made?"

About the only thing the same is the displacement. Nothing from the early engines will fit the new ones. And even in the early 327s there were differences, forged steel vs. cast iron crankshafts, double roller chain and gears on some and not others, different heads etc. . But the 327, 302, and 283 bore and stroke combos always seemed the best to me. They ran , and they stayed together. There was a lot more meat in the blocks back then too. I've bored 283's .080, .120 over, I wouldn't think of trying that today, 030 over is probably pushing it. another maligned engine is the poor 307. This wasn't an engine designed to go racing with, but it would pull, it was good torque motor, and if they were driven with that in mind they stayed together as well. The 307 was a

283 bore with a 327 stroke. They put out 300 lb-ft of torque at 2400 rpm.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

That was educational, I didnt know much of what you said.

Reply to
Adam

Not related to the original question but growing up my folks had a 73 Pontiac Safari wagon with the 400 engine. They bought the car new in 73 and sold it 13 years later in 1986. The car was falling apart but that

400 ran like the day she came off of the factory floor. It was replaced with an 86 Pontiac Grand Prix (year might be wrong) with the Buick 231 V6. That was the biggest piece of crap they ever owned. That car was in the shop all the time with engine problems. Anyway my point is, if there is one, that GM did make some great engines. Good luck in your engine swap Bill.

Bob

Reply to
Bob M

Sorry. I meant good luck Mason not Bill. I need coffee!!

Bob

Reply to
Bob M

Its funny but the 231 was ether top dog, or a pile of junk depending on who you talk to. But the 231 ie Buick 3.8 was the power plant in the Buick Grand National.. It's hard to condemn those.

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

Even that is not the same. The 5.3 is 325cu.inches.

Dave

Reply to
Hairy

I should have dug deeper on the 5.3, not only is the displacement different, the bore and stroke are radically different, 327 was 4.00 x 3.25, basically a short stroke 350, got love short stroke engines, can we say major rpms (the 302 was 327 with a 3 inch stroke crank, really short stroke). The new

5.3 is 3.779 x 3.622. So there is really no similarity at all between the engines. What's interesting tho is the 5.3 ie 325 shares the same stroke as the 364/6.0 Gen III LS2 and LQ4 engines. Which makes one wonder how boreable the block is. Also the new engines are using long rods, 6.098" long as opposed to earlier 5.7" . which raises the question, has block geometry changed: the deck heights higher, or the crank "lowered" in the block?

Whitelightning

Reply to
Whitelightning

my engine has a carburetor, and I haven't seen the new one yet. I'm gonna try to get down to see it on Friday.

Reply to
Mason Stanhope

Thanks for the help guys! I plan to see it on Friday if I get the chance. The contact number I called from the ad rang up a cycle shop and they had to holler for the guy. He said the mechanic was good, but I will have to check things closely.

Thanks again! I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

Reply to
Mason Stanhope

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