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4.3 Upgrades?

T

TruckDude94

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Hey yall,

So I have the 4.3 262 in my 97 GMC c1500. I have a CAI and a glasspack at the moment. Next summer I plan on getting a flowmaster super 40, hypertech programmer, and maybe headers (not sure on that one). After these what would be the most cost effective upgrade? Thanks

TD94
 
If you keep the 4.3L instead of an engine swap, here is the list of things i would do if i built up my 4.3L.

-Mail order ECU tune (more bang for the buck compared to a handheld and much cheaper)
-E-fans
-Upgraded multec II spider injection system
-Intake manifold spacer
-Crane cams makes a cam for the truck 4.3L's that seems like a good choice for a replacement performance cam
-Shorty headers (only direct fit choice for the chassis)

That's what i'd do with bolt ons.
 
"If you keep the 4.3L instead of an engine swap, here is the list of things i would do if i built up my 4.3L.

-Mail order ECU tune (more bang for the buck compared to a handheld and much cheaper)
-E-fans
-Upgraded multec II spider injection system
-Intake manifold spacer
-Crane cams makes a cam for the truck 4.3L's that seems like a good choice for a replacement performance cam
-Shorty headers (only direct fit choice for the chassis)"

Thanks bro. I appreciate the reply, good info. Ill definatly look into these :) Im kinda stuck with the 4.3 in it right now. I plan on going with this truck for awhile (especially being its my first vehicle, and I am 17 at the moment) then eventually selling it and going with a truck with a 350 and positrack .

That's what i'd do with bolt ons.[/QUOTE]
 
There are some good parts to the 4.3L and that it can be quite fuel efficient if driven carefully. They can take a miserable beating and still beg for more. I've driven the sweet piss out of my 98 K1500 and it still runs. I drove it an entire summer with a weapy water pump, so i'd just fill the rad with the garden hose and keep going. Ran her nearly dry of coolant a few times and never had an issue. It took 7 years for most of the ignition components to start going and when they did they all started to go LOL.

Replacing the old spider injection unit isn't cheap but it's supposed to make it idle a ton better and get a bit more power. The upgrade is that the stock poppet injectors are replaced with multec II injectors which are a better design but don't offer much in the way of pressure or flow increase over stock. it's just good insurance for any older Vortec truck with CSFI.
 
You have the 200 HP version of the 4.3. I had the older 160 HP TBI version. YUCK!!! Not a bad platform to start with having the 200 HP edition.

Not much more you can get out of them cheaply. price the fans, headers, tune etc. Then price a used complete V8. You can even look for a running beat up truck to donate an engine. Don't be scared to swap an engine as it isn't that hard with a engine hoist.

The resulting V8 truck will have more power gains and because the engine doesn't work as hard can sometimes beat the MPG of the V6. But, with performance mods you are not after MPG... The V8 sound through a good exhaust will make it worth it. V6 just does not have the same sweet sound.
 
if you dont need a ton of power, stick with the 4.3L. The 5 speed/2wd combo really helps out with performance (I think I read elsewhere you are 5spd 2wd, correct?) I have read that you need to keep the cat in a 4.3L, or else you lose low end torque. I guess it is all in the backpressure. change your fuel filter, that always helps with your fuel pressure. otherwise, all of the above is great advice as usual.

I like your plan of saving up for a v-8 truck. if yours isnt rusty or tore up, send me a PM when its upgrade time. 5spd 2wds are allways welcome at our farm!
 
GM Guy said:
if you dont need a ton of power, stick with the 4.3L. The 5 speed/2wd combo really helps out with performance (I think I read elsewhere you are 5spd 2wd, correct?) I have read that you need to keep the cat in a 4.3L, or else you lose low end torque. I guess it is all in the backpressure. change your fuel filter, that always helps with your fuel pressure. otherwise, all of the above is great advice as usual.

I like your plan of saving up for a v-8 truck. if yours isnt rusty or tore up, send me a PM when its upgrade time. 5spd 2wds are allways welcome at our farm!
Click to expand...

Ya its a pretty good truck, gets up good for a v6 (bein a reg. cab and a shortbed helps too :) ) Should keep me goin awhile. Great first vehicle. When I do upgrade Ill probably go for a 70s or 80s Ford
 
TruckDude94 said:
Ya its a pretty good truck, gets up good for a v6 (bein a reg. cab and a shortbed helps too :) ) Should keep me goin awhile. Great first vehicle. When I do upgrade Ill probably go for a 70s or 80s Ford
Click to expand...

please tell me it will have a 300 inline. the only good ford IMHO is powered by either a 300 inline or 7.3L Navistar, hooked to a ZF 5speed. otherwise, no good in my opinion.
 
GM Guy said:
the only good ford IMHO is powered by either a 300 inline hooked to a ZF 5speed.
Click to expand...
Well here's one of those right here. My son's truck the day he bought it in Scottsdale, Az. A '93 I believe. Sharp truck and he took good care of it. I gotta tell you though, we drove it straight through to Illinois with a U-Haul trailer several years later (about 5-6k lbs total) and that thing was a DOG. I do believe it had some 4.10:1 or thereabouts differentials though. That wasn't a fun 35 hr part of my life...
 
Best easy mod on the 4.3L: There's a big restrictor in the throttle body. Remove the screws from it, fill the holes with some JB weld and have fun. Really improves throttle response and bottom end.

It's not backpressure you want from the cat, it's the velocity in the pipe. If you remove/gut the cat, you don't get enough scavenging, the exhaust exits too quickly, and doesn't help pull the rest out and suck more air in during valve overlap.
 
Dad's 05 LLY said:
Best easy mod on the 4.3L: There's a big restrictor in the throttle body. Remove the screws from it, fill the holes with some JB weld and have fun. Really improves throttle response and bottom end.

It's not backpressure you want from the cat, it's the velocity in the pipe. If you remove/gut the cat, you don't get enough scavenging, the exhaust exits too quickly, and doesn't help pull the rest out and suck more air in during valve overlap.
Click to expand...

The problem is the exhaust exits too slowly, so it doesn't create "vacuum" behind it, which is the aforementioned scavenging. Too big of an exhaust or zero restriction reduces the heat and the velocity of the gas. Only made worse, when changing to different pipe sizes for the manifolds, y-pipe, muffler and tailpipes like some trucks do (no offense). Expanding pipe size anywhere in the exhaust is gonna create room for the gas to expand, cool and become slightly more turbulent.

Not exactly something that will make a huge difference with a street vehicle and to the seat of the pants-o-meter, but I wanted to add my $0.02 :D
 
Thanks for the clarification. Either way, when it comes to exhaust, bigger isn't always better, especially on an N/A vehicle.
 
THe later model vortec engines (96+) were fairly high compression compared to the older TBI motors. Which can benefit from a larger exhaust if tuned properly to capitalize. I know of guys running 2.5" pipe on 1.5L Honda motors, but they are running high compression and tuning to actually gain power from it.

So a 3" single exhaust with an off road y-pipe or a 5.7 vortec y-pipe from a 2500 truck of the same vintage. This should improve flow over just a cat back and will leave plenty of room for any future mods you plan. Just throwing on a catback with a stock exhaust before it, only lowers exhaust velocity and will affect power.
 
Best easy mod on the 4.3L: There's a big restrictor in the throttle body. Remove the screws from it, fill the holes with some JB weld and have fun. Really improves throttle response and bottom end.
Click to expand...

Did something similar. Got a blade from eBay, but the idle hole was way to big. Went to take out the blade on the original throttle body, but stripped one of the screws in the process :mad5: So I ran over to the local junkyard and picked up a throttle body from a 1999 Suburban. Turns out the blade on it has such a small restrictor that I just put the whole thing in and got the same effect. :thumbsup:
 
TruckDude94 said:
Did something similar. Got a blade from eBay, but the idle hole was way to big. Went to take out the blade on the original throttle body, but stripped one of the screws in the process :mad5: So I ran over to the local junkyard and picked up a throttle body from a 1999 Suburban. Turns out the blade on it has such a small restrictor that I just put the whole thing in and got the same effect. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I hear the bore on the 5.7L Vortecs TB was a little larger and is considered an upgrade over the stock TB.

This is only what i heard, i could never find enough CSFI trucks to yank TBs off of to verify amd swap into my old 98.
 
Hey I do have a suggestion to make a bit more power mercruiser makes a 4.3 multiport injection system that will bolt right up to your 4.3 vortec
 
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