chey 4.3 v6

[ponchogeezer]

HI GUYS I sthis the section for 4.3 v6 or somewhere else.While tuis engine has no popularity I THOUGHT all chevy stuff waas the same after I started on afiero with a4.3 I started to find out the differnt v6 s and v8s.Being a little goofy I decided to stay with my idea of the 6.Now I have to find ways to make enough hp. to justify my dumb choice.Ibought a motor to rebuild;conversion kit to bolt motor tofiero transaxle, ported heads w/ bigger valves.edelbrock intake #2111 roller double timing chain.now i am looking for cam and exhaust and excuses for going chevy 4.3 v6 so all you guys who know why can help me out. thans phil the geezer

[nitrowarrior]

Close enough to small block to be posted as such. The 4.3 went through some generational changes and got easier to make affordable horsepower. Which 4.3 did you buy to build? Year? etc. Heads started getting better for bowl and port work. Also tell us whether you got the balance shaft motor or earlier version.

[ponchogeezer]

hi again... the bllock is marked for an 88 nonbalace engineI have the intake off.there is no b/s it is a roller. the heads are from the 87 to 91 group right now I have them packed away so Icannot give the #.the motor has a t molded along with the block# on the back.I have read the h.r.m. article on building it.I also have the article by d. anderson,between the 2 I am confused on int. or ext. balance. can I use v8 pistons and rods? thanks p the g.

[pat mccarthy]

350 parts if pistons rings valves springs timing set lifters oil pump push rods rocker arms .they are a great engine they were used in boats they had 4 barrel carbs on them and a hot hyd roller cam they make many parts for them ? gm made alum blocks and heads so what do you need? i have built 4 of the using 350 pistons dish and flat tops

[nitrowarrior]

Like mentioned before the 4.3 went thru some generational changes. After a few years of production (camaros and astro vans come to mind), the rod journals went bigger for more beef and the engineers decided that lightening the crank and piston with slipper skirts were a good idea. See what you bought and go from there. Share it with the forum and you might be surprised what could come out of it.

[ponchogeezer]

I m baack...pat, you say you have used 350 rods and pistons?I thought that 6 had narrower rods and piston pin was offset?again I know only what I read.I have not tore the pan or heads off,so I dont know myself.I have not been inside a chevy motor since the 70s. again thanks p the g

[Itoldyouso]

4.3 is a great little motor, essentially a 350 with two cylinders cut off. I had one in a boat, a 97 roller vortec, and it was very peppy.

Would make a nice street engine.

Don

[pat mccarthy]

I m baack...pat, you say you have used 350 rods and pistons?I thought that 6 had narrower rods and piston pin was offset?again I know only what I read.I have not tore the pan or heads off,so I dont know myself.I have not been inside a chevy motor since the 70s. again thanks p the g

no i did not say that ...rods you have to buy a custom crank that as no off set pin or very old 4.3 were like this .i think you could run the 350 rod in them your rods big end is big for the offset rod journal .i have used 350 pistons in them they are cheaper and i use the older 350 that do not use the thin 1.5mm 1.5mm 4.0mm or pistons rings i do this on the vortec 350 engines to .it saves abit on a rebuild

[ponchogeezer]

o.k. If I usev6rods I can use 350 pistons? I am sorry if I ve got every one confused,but there is an article by doug anderson I found on an s10 site on rebuilding the 262.He says there are several types of pistons and rods,heavy and light.plus towonda and romeul us engines.MY confusion came when I read the hot rod mag. article on building a 300 hp. engine.The engine I want when I am done would be around 250 or so hp.The reason I am looking at everything now is I am the cheapest guy in town,so if I know what to buy early I can look for cheap.If I am not explaining things so you guys please post so I can make myself understood. thanks for your patiance with an old fart p the g

[pat mccarthy]

i have done 1989 -1993 and used new stock cast 350 chevy pistons in stock and mild builds the 350 chevy pistons work have used dish and flat tops