Oh i loved this thing.

[Tuner]

Built 4.3 - YouTube

Built 4.3 - YouTube

T'was a great perky little engine Gotta love 4.3's Dont attempt to ask the the cam specs... frickin retarded to choose one that wouldnt blow through gas. Vortec heads , holley 850 carb , air gap intake... I didnt care for power , it was all sound , and everything was at hand for the build , but its been few years since , and i recorded this the day before i pulled it.

I will record it with the v8 in when i work all the problems out... Cant seem to get my timing correct.. And as of recently.. Experiencing an exhaust leak. Not too fond of the overlap with this cam either , so i might pull it and go abit smaller.


I just wanted to say....

This is how a V6 should sound.

[trevorusn]

I would love to do that to an Astro!!!!!!! I just might one day, lol!!!

[Tuner]

I still have the engine , I sold it when I needed money , bought it back 700 miles and $100 less than what I sold it for.

It idles around 700 , it's louder in person.

Make sure when you do to get some stubby headers, makes a complete difference.

I might find a project use for it one day.

[AutoItKing]

This is how a huge V6 based on a V8 sounds lol

Sounds beast!

[Tuner]

Lol yeah The 4.3 is essentially a 5.7 with the front 2 cylinders cut off. The 4.3 is a nasty little V6 , and I believe this was one of the best engines I've had to this day.

When done correctly , a V6 has just as much potential as a V8.

[GraveSideTears]

Pu it in the KOUP!!

[Tuner]

I don't think the transmission would do it justice. And if I did anything I'd go fuel injected.

[trevorusn]

And they last. MY dad had two Astros and each 4.3 went for over 250k miles, such a rugged big 6.

[Tuner]

OOh yes , that last well over standards 6 cylinders , in fact , this is an original build '86 , it had 325k miles on it when I pulled it from a the C10 it came in. I had the cylinder walls bored and honed out and tossed the stock heads , had the vortecs shaved down "772s I believe" , roller rockers" which are a pain on Vortec heads , and I hate the constant adjusting" etc etc , and I replaced the stock crank , tho it should be the same , I believe it's different somehow.

The engine came with a high rise manifold that produced a gain of like 19 HP or more I believe , well that didn't fit user the stock hood of my lent , so I replaced it with an air gap edelbrock that was supposedly a 22hp gain , so I highly doubt that. And intakes are VERY hard to find for this thing.

The '86 block is a lot easier to build because as 8'7 up has a balance shaft that literally is the reason I looked for an 86. Also , I believe I went to autozone 3 different times for the rear main when I built this thing , 86 was the 1st year for piece seals and they kept giving me bullshit.

I believe it pulled 155 stock , and I'd rate it would 205 now , but I don't care about power.

The 4.3 replaced the elcamino's 3.8 , which is what my car came factory with. It's just an overall better engine.


I did this my senior year of highschool, pretty much everything I earned for like 3 months went into this. During the build I road the cheese wagon. Ahh fond memories.