Late model GM 4.3 fitment question. The JIMMY motor!

Just figured out my game plan & purchased all my needed parts. After weeding through hours & hours of BS forum posts all over the net, I found an adapter that fits the Edelbrock 2114 intake manifold. Now I can bolt up the stock TBI unit. That saved me $315 on a carb. I also found that I can re-use the '00 motor mounts, & that the '89 distributor will fit the '00 block ... and also that all the accessories from the '89 will bolt right up to the '00 block. That works for me! It has a new alternator, water pump & I just installed a spankin' new bearing in the R4 compressor pulley. Might as well use them.

When the hell did carbs start costing over $300??? I've been out of the loop for a while. Holy inflation! Jeesh!

So all told, with the manifold, gaskets, motor mounts & adapter plate, this motor swap will cost me under $375. As an added bonus, I'll also gain a minimum of 30 HP with the better breathing Vortec.

Once this crap melts out there I'll be getting started on this project. Many, many pics to follow .....

SMITTY wrote:For fuel, the plan is an Edelbrock intake with a 500 cfm carb..

Yep, plans change once you start doing a little homework. Glad you found the adapter, like you said, you'll have more power. And better gas mileage too!

I'm flip flopping worse than John Kerry now ....

Now I'm back on the carb plan again. The more I thought about it, slapping that TBI setup on a motor with a different cam, better flowing heads, & better combustion chambers sounds like a bad idea. There's no tuneability .... if it ends up having a dead spot off idle ... or a flat spot in the mid .. etc etc ... I'll be stuck with whatever was programmed into the TBI computer. With an Edelbrock, I can tune away just about any driveability issue. And I've found some cheaper carbs out there on the net ...

Now I'll have to buy a fuel pressure regulator & the 700R4 kickdown cable hookup.

I bought some cheap chinese motor mounts ... and they are scaring me. I don't want to do this twice ... so I might bite the bullet & buy some OEM ones. Not sure yet ....

Not sure when this project is gonna get started. Motorcycle & fishing season is coming, plus I've got a bunch of other projects I put off so I wouldn't have to heat the barn at $4/gallon.

If you plan to keep it or drive it more than a year, buy OEM motor mounts. The Chinese stuff is just junk. I replaced the lower control arm bushings in my Jetta with parts from a reputable supplier and brand name. They looked OEM. They lasted 8,000 miles before they were falling apart. The OEM parts went 160,000 miles and weren't really that bad. I'm sure the replacement parts were Chinese clones. At least I'm good at pulling apart my front suspension and putting it back together again!

Be very wary of any rubber item coming out of China - belts, hoses, motor or suspension mounts/bushings. My '05 Liberty CRD must have Chinese bushings all over it because every one of them is badly cracked, collapsed, and/or dry rotted...

Thanks for confirming my suspicions Chris!

I'm going to order up a new set ...

Big difference in price: $124 shipped vs. $32 shipped for the asian ones. But at least I wont have to yank the motor yearly to replace them.

Hey Smitty, hows the rear? I had the pleasure of spending the best part of easter putting the "golden rear" in my awd astro!
naturally brand new adjuster kits, holdown kits, wheel cyl, drums, lines, hose, new rivited shoes, super dot 4, rear cover and fluid. its a posi too

new u joint and strap kit.... nothing like an all wheel drive 4.3L in the summer time for "fuel economy"

the air shocks and class three hitch makes it a good trailer hauler anyway
new premimum front rotors,hoses,calipers and ceramic pads help the highdollar Idler arms and new radiator,water pump, belt,t-stat,dexcool,alternator,ect. do thier job....
GM's. gotta love em huh??? but hey with 180 k on the clock it still purr's... from gas station to station.....

Ahhh ... the golden diff! Rub it 3 times ...... then wish for better mileage ...

I'll have to check the rears again on the Blazer. When I bought it, the eBay ad said they had just done the rears - but you know how that goes ...

I just installed those Wagner Thermo Quiets in my Silverado & the Marquis. They work great in the Marquis, but the Silverado isn't liking them too much. I might have to turn the rotors to make them bite a bit more. Should've done that to begin with ... Lots of pedal effort & lots of heat, but doesn't seem to stop as sharply as it did when new. I noticed this yesterday when I got a bit aggressive in the holiday traffic. Bunch of people from CT going 20 under the limit!

Just got rid of the china mounts on eBay. Lost some cash on shipping but at least I got something for them.

I'd better get started on this swap soon. I have a feeling there is going to be lots of bumps & shimmies along this road. Would be nice to have several months to sort them out , instead of waiting till the last minute like I usually do.

yeah.. i just took on a 89 2wd chev pu project. got a jasper 350 ordered and a muncie and a posi rear. going with msd 6al, blaster and a billet dist

a 700 double feed and double pumper mechanical on a weiand stealth both polished nice ceramic coated headers going thru flowmasters and then stacks

the guy spent 12k on paint and decided to jerk the 4.3 out and go 350...

says its a nice running 4.3.... you interested?? jasper dont want the 4.3 as a core for the 350....

Do you already have the carb? I have a beautiful 750DP on the bench...annular boosters, nonstick gaskets, 4 corner idle, external secondary idle adjustment, the works! Baby on the way, no racing for a while, I would love to sell the carb.

markviii wrote:Do you already have the carb? I have a beautiful 750DP on the bench...annular boosters, nonstick gaskets, 4 corner idle, external secondary idle adjustment, the works! Baby on the way, no racing for a while, I would love to sell the carb.

WOW thats a cool set up and was looking at a simular one with the 4 corners idle.. . was looking at 700 or even 650... gonna decide on cam and thus size. i kinda like the 800 but could be over carbing ..

is it used or new? got a price in mind?

now maybe a roots 671 blower.......corrillo rods...keith black......

I appreciate the offers from you both, guys, but I'm already committed to the Jimmy motor. Spent quite a bit already just to make this happen. If I didn't have the Jimmy motor I would have definitely bought that one off you Pocono.

MarkVIII - I just got my shipment from Summit containing the new Edlebrock 1404 & a free 14" air cleaner. I think a 750 would be big-time overkill for this project, as the 500 is anyway - but thanks!

So now this whole swap is costing about $800 ... which is more than I paid for the truck! But it will last a good many winters before the body falls off it .... and no OBDII to screw with on a daily basis. After the body rots away, I'll swap it all over to the next victim & park the carcass next to the Jimmy. That way no yuppies will move into my neighborhood. Serves a dual-purpose!

Digging this up to declare this project ............... FINISHED!

It got a block heater, new intake gaskets (GM), Edelbrock intake/carb, Pro-comp HEI distributor, & GM motor mounts. Also added an A/C compressor delete pulley - no sense carrying extra useless weight for winter-only use - and aluminum tranny lines off the Jimmy joined to new zinc coated steel going in the tranny with reducing unions. Took me about a month straight. Missed a few rain days.

Edit - forgot the new oil filter lines - all brand new, plus I covered them with loom I stole off the Jimmy for extra protection.

I have a plethora of pics for your perusal.












Blazer project - all finished, engine quiet.wmv

Old engine: