Guest Anonymous Posted April 15, 2001 Share Posted April 15, 2001 I HAVE A 71 240Z THAT I AM INTERESTED IN PUTTING A 4.3 INTO...IS IT WORTH IT???..OR SHOULD I JUST GO WITH THE 350 CHEVY??...I HAVE A 4.3 OUT OF A CHEVY MINI VAN...I HAVE TO REBUILD IT BUT ITS I GOOD SHAPE AND IF I PUT A NICE CAM AND ALUMINUM INTAKE WITH A 4 BARREL CARB IT MIGHT WORK NICE....MAYBE A V8 WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE SINCE IM CHANGING EVERTHING ALREADY????...THANKS FOR THE HELP...JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted April 15, 2001 Share Posted April 15, 2001 Welcome Jim, the GM 4.3 can be v. nice stock with good power and great efficiency. You have to decide what you want for power/perfomance. Have you driven other rides that were great to you or more what you'd like? You mention intake/carb for power, the GM EFI can be great stuff as can any efi but GM might tolerate a fair change and still run fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 15, 2001 Share Posted April 15, 2001 I HAVENT DRIVEN A Z WITH A V8.......BUT WANT TO...MAYBE MINE....MY 240 HAS THE USUAL...L28..WEBBERS...CAM...HEADERS..EXAUST AND ELECRONIC IGNITION..AND IS PRETTY QUICK...BUT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO A V6 OR V8 Z...I WANT ALOT OF HP....I WANT TO SPANK MUSTANG 5.0'S...LOL....BUT SERIOUSLY I JUST WANT THE CAR TO BE FAST...I DONT KNOW IF IM GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE HP I WANT FROM A 4.3...MAYBE I SHOULD GO WITH A 350 CHEVY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted April 15, 2001 Share Posted April 15, 2001 Jim, turn off the CAPS. IMO, if you want a lot of HP and want to go fast with a V-6, I suggest you start with a forced-induction engine. ------------------ Scottie 71 240GN-Z Scottie's GNZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 16, 2001 Share Posted April 16, 2001 Jim, if you want easy speed and power, then a normally aspirated large displacement engine is the easiest way, but not the most elegant or efficient. In other words, bolting in a carbed V8 (350, etc.) is the easy way. Scottie has the GN Buick V6 Turbo in his car and it has more power than almost any two NA L6 motors put together. John Scott has a supercharged 4.3 V6 also making alot of power. Of course, the L28T, RB26ETT, etc. are other choices. The L28T in stock form will give good power, but to make any "smaller" displacement engine make lots of power, you need to boost it somehow and put an intercooler in. Not easy or cheap, generally. But loads of fun! The Chevy small block V8 swap is well documented in the http://www.jagsthatrun.com manual and in the forum here. The Ford Small Block is getting more coverage here as well, in the last year. Good luck with your decision, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kc6wfs Posted April 16, 2001 Share Posted April 16, 2001 Hi Jim, If you want to see and check out my 240z V8 and do lunch one weekend come on up. I'm only about 30 mins from you up in Saugus by Magic Mountain amusment park. Dave ------------------ www.geocities.com/kc6wfs/240z.html www.NitroPhotos.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zthang43 Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Hi yall. I put a 4.3 Chev in my 74 260Z, and it's definitely worth it if you want to autocross. My distributor is almost touching the firewall, so the weight balance of the car is as good or better than stock. The front end sits about 3/4" higher now though. Also, you have to use the oil pan and pickup tube from an Astro van, the S-10 pan is too deep. Performance is a lot better, even though the motor is mostly stock. (Quadrajet, HEI, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Welcome Zthang, I'd heard via a fuzzy grapevine a year or two ago their was a nice 4.3Z in the Seattle/WA area...great to see you pop up!...got any pics? I loved that motor in 1990 and I know it's only gotten better since then. Did you try the EFI at all? what size carby you running? Great to have you aboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 theres no replacement for displacement....none Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Does that include turbo 4s and 6s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zthang43 Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 No pics of my 4.3 Z yet, but hopefully soon... I didn't try the efi yet. I have a whole vortec fuel injection setup for the motor, but I haven't convinced myself yet that it's worth the time and hassle, since the Quadrajet works so well. The carb is from a Astro 4.3, about an '85 or so, and I think they put a regular old 780 cfm Quad on those. The secondary springs are adjustable, so it isn't too hard to tune, and throttle response is incredible. By the way, there are quite a few nice Z's around here, but mine isn't well known since I just did bodywork and paint about a month ago, and I was autocrossing in Flint, Michigan for a couple years before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zthang43 Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Has anyone else out there done the 4.3 Z swap? I'm really interested to hear other opinions about it. Also, I've had trouble finding certain parts, such as shorty (block hugger) headers and some performance heads. Does anybody know where to find this stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Check this out !!! http://www.arautosports.com Will that work for ya? No replacement for displacement huh? Would work for me if I had the $$$ Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Scott Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 quote: Originally posted by zthang43: Has anyone else out there done the 4.3 Z swap? I'm really interested to hear other opinions about it. Also, I've had trouble finding certain parts, such as shorty (block hugger) headers and some performance heads. Does anybody know where to find this stuff? Look in the members rides I've been running the 4.3 in my Z for 5 or 6 years. I think Sanderson has a good shorty header. I had mine made. Heads avail. from Chevy and Brodix. Forged cranks are out there but really expensive. When I pull my engine out I'll have some parts for sale. Performer 4.3 manifold, Mallory unilite, CC Magnum Rollerrockers. The Qjet set up is nice. I ran it for 150K in my Toyota PU. I've run the 4.3 since late 80s. Its a great engine. I just ready to play with V8s again. JS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Scottie-GNZ: Does that include turbo 4s and 6s? Scottie, we all know that forced induction is cheating!!! lol Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Before I got into the long rod 327 idea I was looking into a 4.3 v6 t-5 combo. My goal was to make about 375-425hp and a light torque rating in the 285-335lbs. range. I believed that with light rods,alum. heads and a roller cam I could do it. Major problem: The only heads for them are bowtie versions(i.e. EXPENSIVE) and only use exotic shaft rockers and so on and so forth. Finally wieghing it out I figured an iron headed 4.3 would wiegh close to an aluminum headed 327 and with all the costs associated with reaching that hp level I wanted the sbc ended up working out cheaper and easier with off the shelf parts. I am still really intrigued with the idea of a Winston west style V6 motor in a Z with the alum goodies and 430+hp. Sounds like the ultimate autocross weapon. The Blown 4.3 is also damn cool, maybe my favorite "alternative" Hybrid. ScottyZ is also one bad dude with the GN set up. Just my .02cents worth. Someday I think I might be the man for the NASCAR styled V6! It's only money right?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Scott Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 Other heads are available. Brodix. Check the sy typhoon sites. Some of the older alum.versions pop up. Some unused. Ron Jones has a drag friend that I think was running a Nascar 4.3 in his Miata. 8000+ redline? 650 hp on Nitrous. Melted a piston. JS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 24, 2001 Share Posted October 24, 2001 My only real drawback is that the heads are probably close to the price of alum. V8 heads. Money and parts availability are my main concerns... But a 400+hp alum. headed 4.3 still simmers in the back of my mind... When weight becomes a bigger factor that will be THE engine choice for me!! John I love your Hybrid and will make it a goal to see and ride in it in person. The power, torque, and balance of that package has to be incredible... Nice work man... Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jens Posted October 25, 2001 Share Posted October 25, 2001 If 400 hp na is the goal it would be better to use a buick stage 2 252 v6. If your lucky you can find some used race parts. Look at the new aluminium v6 www.taperformance.com/v6block.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted October 25, 2001 Share Posted October 25, 2001 Jens, excellent suggestion. The Buick Stage II engine as used in Indy Lights makes about 465hp. Since it is (was) a spec series, all the engines were made by one shop. The Indy Lights series is dead after this season so there should be a good source of engines available. They will be pricey but I wonder how it would compare to building up a standard block to make 450hp. Of course, most of those engines will be gobbled up by the Buick drag racers. A change of pistons and cam, add turbo setup and pull 1000hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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