oem carbureted chevy 4.3l

what trucks and what years did chevy run 4.3l with a carb? i plan on keeping the 4.3l in my 48 f1 when i do the s10 frame swap, but i want to switch it to a carb. im lookin to do this on the cheap, so this is gonna be a junkyard special.

 

the light trucks to 85 I think. The S10 didn't get the 4.3 until maybe 87 or 88 which was efi, but you can put an aftermarket manifold on any of them. Don't let the efi scare you. The improvements they have seen in the last 10 years are well worth the trouble of using a later model. Roller cams, better heads, better oiling all make for really low wear these days.

 

Mike, I just ordered the edelbrock intake and msd dist...
Good luck finding the carb'd 4.3 intake..ps. the dist for the carb'd 4.3 still has computer controlled timing (at least the calfornia cars i have seen.)
Keep us posted
Dave

 

also a TON of 4.3 marine engines....all or most with carbs

 

Are you still going to use an ECM type carb? All 4.3 S10's used computers.
If you are going to use a non computer carb, then just go to edelbrock or some other aftermarket for the carb and intake.

 

thanks. i already have the engine. i think it is a 90 or 91. i cant remember off the top of my head. i just want to switch to a carb cause the efi kept given me problems when i had the truck on the road. its the main reason i donated it to my f1 project.

 

All you need is an edelbrock intake and stand alone distributor. Hit up GMC Bubba to build you a early Chevy points unit converted to HEI. It will fit much better and look better than a large cap HEI.

 

The Edelbrock and GM carb manifolds will not work on 4.3 motors with the "anti vibration" counterweight shaft in the cam valley. 92? and up I think.

 

The tbi EFI is a really easy system, it needs minimal wiring.
My buddy had a later 4.3 in an s10, one day the engine stalled, electric fuel pump kept going, truck burned up. use an oil pressure switch to turn on/off the fuel pump relay. Sometimes you can forget little things and they become big things.

 

Just did one for spooler41 on the hamb, hei remote module and complete distributor cap etc .





Module and coil cover go well together..........

 

I got one from an 86 van. It had a cast iron intake and a Qjet on it. I've seen some older ones and I believe that they were the same (in full size pickups). I think they will bolt up the non vortec heads up through the early 90's. If you have a older V8 HEI you can swap the mainshaft and the ring that sits on the pick up coil and have a vacuum advanced set up.

 

not sure

 

Hey, whatsup with the 4.3. I just got one for my latest project, and want a carb intake and a points setup. A little calling around and I found two different styled carb intakes. Another local guy has a brand new "in the box" distrubator ($70.00) and my engine builder had the cam reground to sound like the Thumper cams. I plan on making tube headers, but I couldn't find headder fllanges. I got a pair from Speedway that fit the Chev small block and with a little cuttin and fittin they will work. I did get the short water pump from the SB v-8 but I did have to modify the lower pulley to fit the belt system. I'm Changing the auto trans to a 5-Speed and I see that I will have some clearance problems with the clutch petal. How hard is it to make a hydrolic clutch system with overhead petals?

 

I'm using a 4.3 in my lakes mod. roadster, this is a retro tech build. This motor has a 2000 short block and' 89 vortec heads, I scraped the EFI,electronic distributer, surpentine belt system and replaced the intake with an '86 OEM cast 4V manifold,added a short water pump and V belt drive system. I'll be running a 500cfm AFB and GMC Bubba's prototype SBC V8 toV6 electronic dist., it should be back by early next week. I've also got a TH350 bolted to this engine.

............Jack

 

A guy I know is doing this same thing. He bought an early 90's S-15 and decided monkeying with the computer and injection was too complicated for him. He converted his to a carburetor and non-computerized distributor. HE found a four barrel manifold on Ebay for his. It was for a marine application and he was able to get it pretty cheap. The marine manifold was very shy on vacuum ports so if you're running things like vacuum based power brakes you might need to do some slight modifying.

I know these intakes were also available in the full-size trucks for a while and I thought when I looked it up for him that some of the early Astro and Safari vans were carbureted. AT least another option for you to consider.

One other issue would be that you'll probably need to run an electric fuel pump. My friend's block didn't have a provision for a mechanical pump since it was originally injected.

Yes, Edelbrock does make an intake and carb for this application but if $$$ is a factor (when isn't it?) the GM parts will assuredly be FAR more budget friendly.

Good luck with it.
Jay

 

Just for grins, did the marine manifold have the reverse angle cut on the carburetor flange?

That was the "feature" which made marine intake manifolds marine since the engine usually sits backwards in a boat.

 

I did an overhaul on a buddies '85 Chevy half ton about 10 years ago. It had a 4.3 with carb and HEI. No computer I can remember. Good luck with your build. I know I'm probably in the minority here but, I love the way those little engines sound when they're built right and breathing.

 

I was gonna say i had a 85 c10 with a carbed 4.3 w/hei, bought the thing from this old dude who was the original owner who bought a new one when it started knocking. I held it to the floor for 15 minutes til the manifolds were cherry red and it never finished the job, i finally gave up and pulled the motor without blowing it.

 

Edelbrock says they will...
http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc/manifolds/chevy/performer-v6.shtml

 

yeah most intakes will work with that motor where you run into problems are the cam shafts if you are ever wanting to do that you have to get a pre 90's since they dont have the counter balance shafts in them

 

not sure if anyone has said this yet, but the s10 4.3 was carbed (qjet) the first couple of yrs, and as far as i know, there was no computer involved until they brought in the TBI which in my opinion is a horrible setup, specially for gas mileage, i have owned several, but it will work easily and great if setup correctly

 

Pretty sure that '87 was the last year for a carb on the 4.3 engine.

 

A buddy of mine in Oklahoma has an iron four barrel he would part with for $50. Shipping is gonna kill you though. I'd try some marine dealers. A lot of cracked blocks getting replaced this time of year.

 

i remember seeing a chevy astro van with a factory q-jet on a 4.3
i believe it was an 85 only i have ever seen

 

Ya beat me to it. I'd be pulling the dog house off of every astro, you'll find one. Quite a few astro's out there with carbs.

 

I have an edelbrock 4 bbl intake and should have a non computer HEI for it. PM sent.

 

I used a TBI manifold and made an adapter to use a 350 CFM Holley 2 barrel. Runs great.

Bob

 

Is there a 6cyl cap that works with that window distributor?

 

Lobucrod, GMC BuBa did a conversion on my 4.3 dist. It started out as a sbc 8cyl core.
Any auto parts store will have a 6 cyl cap that fits the v8 dist. Buba installed a 6 cyl. reluctor and electronic pack. What a great dist.,drops right into the 4.3, it's the perf. conversion.

.............Jack

 

wow any pictures or drawings of this.