On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 03:01:46 GMT, "William R. Walsh" wrote something wonderfully witty:
The usual answer is laughs & giggles. Not one of my vehicles is bone stock the way it came from the factory. I won't even go into what I've done to my bike. For me it is a hobby, keeps me out of trouble.
Sure is. I have had two Astro's and three S-10's all with that engine and one S-10 with the Iron Duke. The only problem I have ever had with them is valve guides getting old & dried out and getting blow-by smoke when they first start up.
However, the original poster is currently not running a 4.3. He is running the base 4-banger. For the price & energy of doing a 4.3 swap, you can do the V-8 swap and get more for you time & money. A Goodwrench 4.3 is $2,495.23, the 350/290 I mentioned is $1599 plus another $425 for the swap parts. It actually ends up being cheaper. The issue with both swaps with be the tranny. The 4-banger tranny won't handle the 4.3 or 5.7 liter engines. Or at least I don't think it will.
All depends on what your goals are. Some folks like to go faster, some like to putter along in the right hand lane of life. To each their own.