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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: oldjeep on November 24, 2008, 04:42:26 PM

Title: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 24, 2008, 04:42:26 PM
Looks like a 4.3L swap is in my future.  Parts accumulation has begun.  190HP/260 TQ sounds like a nicer place to be ;)
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: FourbangerYJ on November 24, 2008, 05:14:17 PM
 :stfu:  :roflol: HP and TQ are waaay over rated!  :nod:

What tranny?
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: aw12345 on November 24, 2008, 05:16:35 PM
I wheel with a guy that has a 4.3 and auto in his cj7 is an awesome rig. Has deaver modified springs in it.
He built the thing from a freeby burned out shell. 2 years and 20.000 dollars later he has an awesome Jeep and he wheels the snot out of it I thimnk it stayed immaculate for about 1 month. He loves the engine setup
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 24, 2008, 05:27:24 PM
:stfu:  :roflol: HP and TQ are waaay over rated!  :nod:

What tranny?

AW4  :eek:
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 24, 2008, 05:29:09 PM
I wheel with a guy that has a 4.3 and auto in his cj7 is an awesome rig. Has deaver modified springs in it.
He built the thing from a freeby burned out shell. 2 years and 20.000 dollars later he has an awesome Jeep and he wheels the snot out of it I thimnk it stayed immaculate for about 1 month. He loves the engine setup

One of my buddies runs a 4.3L in his CJ7 and it has always seemed to perform well.  Thought about a v8, but I used to shatter D44 shafts with a 225 Buick.  Don't think my D30 and 8.8 would survive long.  ;)
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: FourbangerYJ on November 24, 2008, 05:38:24 PM
One of my buddies runs a 4.3L in his CJ7 and it has always seemed to perform well.  Thought about a v8, but I used to shatter D44 shafts with a 225 Buick.  Don't think my D30 and 8.8 would survive long.  ;)

That's part of the problem when going to a bigger motor. Everything else down stream needs to be beefed up. :brick:

The 4.3 is a great little motor. Lots of upgrades avail if needed.

Is this a winter project?
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 24, 2008, 05:48:24 PM

Is this a winter project?

Not sure, depends on how quickly the parts accumulate.  I'm not taking anything apart until I've got everything for the swap.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: aw12345 on November 24, 2008, 05:49:48 PM
I think a 4.3 is a great swap, leaves ample room in the engine bay. a v8 causes cooling problems and a serious lack of room, not really a good trade off for the bit more power that you get compared to a good running 4.3
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: FourbangerYJ on November 24, 2008, 05:50:32 PM
Not sure, depends on how quickly the parts accumulate.  I'm not taking anything apart until I've got everything for the swap.

Don't hurry cause when you get it all put together  :ban: :lol:
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: jcsanders79 on November 24, 2008, 07:02:44 PM
Well since my current Jeep is the only 4 I've ever owned I consider this the darkside!  All I got to say is those AMC 360's were BA!!!
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: Jeffy on November 24, 2008, 08:36:30 PM
Don't hurry cause when you get it all put together  :ban: :lol:

I never banned Swink...

I'm not sure if I'd consider a 4.3L the Darkside though.  They're still rejected by those with V8's!  :lol:
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: FourbangerYJ on November 24, 2008, 08:41:06 PM
I never banned Swink...


I know I was just joking around. Speaking of Swink have you heard from him lately? It's been a long time. Last I heard he moved form N.D. to Oklahoma.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: jagular7 on November 24, 2008, 08:45:21 PM
With the 4.3 swap, you still plan to use a Jeep tranny, the AW4?  Would the GM tranny be better? They have 4-spOD autos and bolt right behind the engine. The 4.3 was in many GM trucks as well as the 4-spOD auto with a driver's drop NP231 behind it.  Though not a Jeep NP231, but a GM NP231 with slip yoke. There isn't much following for a SYE for them, but H&T should work. Or look at doubling or other options on the tcase?

You could look at adapting the Jeep tcase to the GM trans or Jeep trans/tcase to the GM engine.

How about a 3.9l Dodge V6 as an option? They are in the fullsize trucks as well as the Dakotas.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: Jeffy on November 24, 2008, 08:55:46 PM
I know I was just joking around. Speaking of Swink have you heard from him lately? It's been a long time. Last I heard he moved form N.D. to Oklahoma.
  He calls me up once in a while.  Most recently he bought Sam a Rustang.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: chardrc on November 24, 2008, 08:59:35 PM
Looks like a 4.3L swap is in my future.  Parts accumulation has begun.  190HP/260 TQ sounds like a nicer place to be ;)

good luck.. my DD is my future donor vehicle for my 4.3lswap... sure its only the tbi version but we paid $2400 for it 7 years ago so by now i consider that free parts when the body rusts beyond DDbility (about 4 or so years down the road)...

1 thing ive learned from my dad is that planing can go on for ever.... we have a cj2a in our backyard and a front d44 and ford 9inch rear for it + a t18 and rebuilt 4.3l in our garage, + the stock suspension from our 06 Rubicon... and its been at that point for about 4 years now.... but i have a strong felling your swap / build will progress allot faster.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: Jeffy on November 24, 2008, 09:08:30 PM
With the 4.3 swap, you still plan to use a Jeep tranny, the AW4?  Would the GM tranny be better? They have 4-spOD autos and bolt right behind the engine. The 4.3 was in many GM trucks as well as the 4-spOD auto with a driver's drop NP231 behind it.  Though not a Jeep NP231, but a GM NP231 with slip yoke. There isn't much following for a SYE for them, but H&T should work. Or look at doubling or other options on the tcase?

You could look at adapting the Jeep tcase to the GM trans or Jeep trans/tcase to the GM engine.

How about a 3.9l Dodge V6 as an option? They are in the fullsize trucks as well as the Dakotas.

AW4's a robust transmission.  The normal transmission for a 4.3L Vortec would be either a 700R4 or a 4L60E.  They're 4-speeds so he wouldn't be gaining anything with then really.  Although 700's and 4L60's can be built to handle some huge HP.

There is a huge aftermarket for the 4.3L compared to the 3.9L Dodge.  Like the 2.5L to the 4.0L/4.2L the 4.3L is a 5.7L with two cylinders lopped off.  Probably the easiest to swap in is a pre-OBDII but stick with early to mid 90's.  If you go OBDII then you have to make sure you don't get one with an immobilizer.  My favorite was the 1992-2 GMC Syclone and Typhoon which ran a TPI Vortec with a turbocharger.  They were making 291-296hp.  Sub-5 second 0-60.

Although if you're going to go that route it would be better to go with a L05 swap and keep it stock.  I really like the L05's.  basic 5.7L V8.  Go with a TBI pre-vortec to keep it simple...
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 25, 2008, 05:01:40 AM
With the 4.3 swap, you still plan to use a Jeep tranny, the AW4?  Would the GM tranny be better? They have 4-spOD autos and bolt right behind the engine. The 4.3 was in many GM trucks as well as the 4-spOD auto with a driver's drop NP231 behind it.  Though not a Jeep NP231, but a GM NP231 with slip yoke. There isn't much following for a SYE for them, but H&T should work. Or look at doubling or other options on the tcase?
You could look at adapting the Jeep tcase to the GM trans or Jeep trans/tcase to the GM engine.
How about a 3.9l Dodge V6 as an option? They are in the fullsize trucks as well as the Dakotas.

Already have the AW4 and it's fully manual shifting with my thumb - no way to do that with the GM autos.

As for the 4.3L, they are cheap and plentiful with easy parts availability.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 25, 2008, 05:03:44 AM
AW4's a robust transmission.  The normal transmission for a 4.3L Vortec would be either a 700R4 or a 4L60E.  They're 4-speeds so he wouldn't be gaining anything with then really.  Although 700's and 4L60's can be built to handle some huge HP.

There is a huge aftermarket for the 4.3L compared to the 3.9L Dodge.  Like the 2.5L to the 4.0L/4.2L the 4.3L is a 5.7L with two cylinders lopped off.  Probably the easiest to swap in is a pre-OBDII but stick with early to mid 90's.  If you go OBDII then you have to make sure you don't get one with an immobilizer.  My favorite was the 1992-2 GMC Syclone and Typhoon which ran a TPI Vortec with a turbocharger.  They were making 291-296hp.  Sub-5 second 0-60.

Although if you're going to go that route it would be better to go with a L05 swap and keep it stock.  I really like the L05's.  basic 5.7L V8.  Go with a TBI pre-vortec to keep it simple...

I'm looking at the 94-95  W vin engine.  OBD1 and makes the best power of the available engines.  Pretty sure that is the same motor that Nutter runs in his.
Title: Re: Moving to the dark side
Post by: oldjeep on November 25, 2008, 05:32:06 AM
good luck.. my DD is my future donor vehicle for my 4.3lswap... sure its only the tbi version but we paid $2400 for it 7 years ago so by now i consider that free parts when the body rusts beyond DDbility (about 4 or so years down the road)...

1 thing ive learned from my dad is that planing can go on for ever.... we have a cj2a in our backyard and a front d44 and ford 9inch rear for it + a t18 and rebuilt 4.3l in our garage, + the stock suspension from our 06 Rubicon... and its been at that point for about 4 years now.... but i have a strong felling your swap / build will progress allot faster.

It'll take a while to accumulate the parts.  I'll probabally just buy a wrecked 94-95 Jimmy/Blazer/Bravada so I can remove the motor, computer and harness myself.  Then I'll need a conversion radiator, set of guages, motor mounts and the trans adapter.

I figure once all the parts are in the garage that it's about a 2 weekend job to get the majority of it done.