V6 Engine Swap

[miket_99]

Have a 95 GMC 1500 2WD with 200K mi on original 4.3 L V6 and auto tranny. Both will need some major work to make a dependable daily driver. I am thinking of going the extra step and swaping for a 350, maybe a ZZ4 crate motor. Trying to keep around the 300hp (it will be the wife's daily driver).

 

What kind of issues will I run into when it comes to the electronics/computer?

Would it be better to just rebuild the 4.3L with some performance upgrades along with rebuilding the tranny?

 

Just looking for some guidance from someone who has gone though this already.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[ScottyBoy]

Have a 95 GMC 1500 2WD with 200K mi on original 4.3 L V6 and auto tranny. Both will need some major work to make a dependable daily driver. I am thinking of going the extra step and swaping for a 350, maybe a ZZ4 crate motor. Trying to keep around the 300hp (it will be the wife's daily driver).

 

What kind of issues will I run into when it comes to the electronics/computer?

Would it be better to just rebuild the 4.3L with some performance upgrades along with rebuilding the tranny?

 

Just looking for some guidance from someone who has gone though this already.

 

Thanks,

Mike

It depends which 4.3 you have. If you have the throttle body injected 4.3 v6, then its a cake walk to upgrade to the throttle body injected 350 v8 (the ones that came in the 90-95 trucks). Aside from transplanting the entire v8 engine and all pulleys and accessories, you can use the same engine harness. All the plugs will plug right up to everything on the 350. The computer plugs are the same as well. You will have to either swap the computer for a v8 computer or get yours reprogrammed to run the v8. I've seen this done in many blazers and s-10 trucks that came with the throttle body v6 engines.

[Mike G]

First off, welcome aboard!

 

Secondly, don't forget to consider all the emission requirements of your state when planning this out. Are you planning on doing all the work yourself? Do you have a salvage yard nearby that you can shop for all the parts at? When I undertake a project, I plot all the options and find a suitable donor for what I plan to accomplish that can provide an easy path. It all looks good on paper, but you lose interest quickly if it becomes more of a hassle than planned, and at that point, the costs start to escalate too...

--Mike

[ScottyBoy]

First off, welcome aboard!

 

Secondly, don't forget to consider all the emission requirements of your state when planning this out. Are you planning on doing all the work yourself? Do you have a salvage yard nearby that you can shop for all the parts at? When I undertake a project, I plot all the options and find a suitable donor for what I plan to accomplish that can provide an easy path. It all looks good on paper, but you lose interest quickly if it becomes more of a hassle than planned, and at that point, the costs start to escalate too...

--Mike

 

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