4.3 Chevy Swap
- Thread starter Mekanecman
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You can pickup used ones for a couple hundred bucks... the 4.3 is a very, very common motor. I'd say they last in the 200k range, depending on how you drive it. Most expire between 175k and 200k, according to S10 and Astro Van forums. At 20k miles per year, that's 10 years of daily driving. If your truck actually lasts that long (think of how much bodywork alone you'll have done in that time frame), a rebuild in 2017 will be pennies in comparison. I'd rather have 10 years of being happy and impressed at the mud pits/muddy trails I can get out of, the on-ramps that I can merge properly onto, the ability to pull a decent sized trailer, etc. The power will be well used and could help you avoid an accident, to boot.
If someone offered me a 4.3'd 4Runner or an identical 22RE 4Runner for $1k less, I'd have to be in the loony bin not to spend the extra grand. No-brainer, IMO. I haven't looked back, not many folks have.
I considered the same swap... but decided I'd rather have a rebuilt and much more reliable 22R.
I have no problem with my truck being slow; its not meant to be fast. My T-case gives me plenty of power to do anything I want. I like keeping my truck light.
Furthermore if your truck ever goes out of country, like to australia, you won't ever find chevy parts. Or at least not as easily as you'll find Toyota parts.
I have no problem with my truck being slow; its not meant to be fast. My T-case gives me plenty of power to do anything I want. I like keeping my truck light.
Furthermore if your truck ever goes out of country, like to australia, you won't ever find chevy parts. Or at least not as easily as you'll find Toyota parts.
4.3l is the way too go if you are going to wheel the truck power & response is great . As for on the road there will never be another 22r in my 4runner 16mpg running 529's & 38's with 700r4 trans in OD 2400@ 75 or so. great DD
Furthermore, if something breaks out on the trail (and lets be honest here, something is more likely to break with a chevy swap) would you rather work on an engine you had to cram into the bay, or a nice, open, 4 cylinder cockpit?
To be honest with ya, the Chev motor will never be a 'yota motor, but it definitely doesn't have any recognized reliability issues. The motor is stout and cheap (as with most domestic bits), though longevity doesn't appear to be quite as good. Realistically though, how many 22RE's are there lasting 300k miles that still have good compression, aren't burning any oil, etc?
Sure the truck isn't meant to be fast, but how many 4Runner owners have complained about having "too much power"? Now how many people have complained about not having enough power? The nickname "3.slow" is a great example, and it produces a substantial amount more horsepower than the 22RE.
I can't speak for Australians, or places where the S10 and Astro Vans aren't widely used... but in North America, these are some of the most popular trucks/vans/cars on the streets. Parts are everywhere and are *dirt* cheap. An OEM starter is $100 CAD and an OEM PS pump is $80 CAD, just as an example.
W56 FTW (For The Win)!
I can assure you my rig hasn't been driven lightly (it gets driven HARD) and nothing, aside from stock birfields have broken so far. They were replaced with 27 spline longfields which have been holding up awesome.
I can take a picture of the engine bay of mine if you like. Aside from the crappy strut towers (that should be hoops), everything is really easy to get at, especially the spark plugs. If you do flood your motor, taking the plugs out now takes 10 minutes instead of 40, for instance.
W56 FTW (For The Win)!
I can assure you my rig hasn't been driven lightly (it gets driven HARD) and nothing, aside from stock birfields have broken so far. They were replaced with 27 spline longfields which have been holding up awesome.
Yep, the W56 is rated to 300 ft/lbs of torque.
Well, let me know how it goes, I know two guys that have done 4.3 swaps and they both say its a constant battle with oil leaks :/
If there's one bad thing I've heard about the motor, that'd probably be it. I don't/haven't had any problems with leaks, but only older motors that haven't been refreshed with new gaskets, I could definitely see it.
Hrrmm, I haven't heard of any stories like that so far. I wonder if the gaskets weren't seated properly when everything was bolted back up... because that definitely isn't normal. I'd question the quality of gaskets/silicone used, as well as the assembly of the motor (properly cleaned, surfaces plained and even, etc).
I was just on the phone with a good friend of mine (and fellow 4Runner owner) who has been a general mechanic for the last 13 years and he's never seen/heard of properly rebuilt motors having issues like this before. Sucks to be those two dudes!
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There's a hell of a lot more GM Dealerships 'ere than Toyota Dealers.
Also, Australia has a Free Trade Agreement with America, but not with Japan.
God bless Australia!
I've had a 4.3 in my truck for about 8 years, no major issues. '85 W56, '92 4.3 TBI. 'Con, Fordyce, TDS, etc. Mileage is about 16.5 avg. Power to spare. Howell harness, get the long one. A/A bell housing and clutch kit. Flywheel from a '80s something Camaro. If running dual cases I recommend dual T-case mounts. Get your motor mounts from CRASH, or fab your own. V6 rad should fit and work. 16" or 17" flex fan works well, no shroud required, little noisy. I run a three core '82 Toy diesel rad($25 at the junkyard). You will need at least minimum 1.5" body lift for clearance.
Enjoy.....
Enjoy.....
Pic of the engine bay.
No room ????????????? I'll be swapping in an LS2 next year, need more power no. I want the sound I have plenty of power.
No room ????????????? I'll be swapping in an LS2 next year, need more power no. I want the sound I have plenty of power.
When I worked in a shop we did a LOT of intake manifold gaskets on 4.3's. They constantly needed oil cooler lines and manifold gaskets it seemed. We eventually started to torque them down a little tighter than suggested by the factory and we never had any come back.
Definitely good info to have, being a 4.3 owner! Thanks mate
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BTW, in my experience, this happened much more on the Vortec motors than the TBI versions, but it could have also been a slew of bad Colorado trucks for all I know. I'm not knocking the 4.3, I actually think that it's a great engine, but if I put one in my truck, the first thing I'd do before it went in would be intake manifold/head gaskets. So easy when they aren't in the truck!