3.0 to 4.3

2wdmuddin' · Mar 9, 2008

i know this is probably a huge off the wall question and conversion, but what my idea is is to take a chevy 4.3l 262ci motor with the 4l60e auto tranny and shoving it into a ranger. im gonna keep my 3.0 in my ranger, but what i would like to know is if anyone has done this and what would be the best body style to do this to.

Wicked_Sludge · Mar 10, 2008

anything is possible with enough time and money...and the 4.3 is definitely a good motor for a swap.

dont let the die hard ford fans put you off about putting a chebby into a ford. theres a member on here whos god a sbc in his ranger...clean build.

Muddycowboy · Mar 10, 2008

built ford tough with chevy stuff lol

mhughes165 · Mar 10, 2008

im doing a project of this nature right now, chevy 4.3, sm465 married 205 and toyota rears, it will be a solid power plant and actually the motor damn near will bolt in, i had to use s-10 mounts for mine. physically it fits pretty well into the ranger engine bay, im using a s-10 rad, and custom making the hydraulkic line to continue using the ranger master.

when alls said and done itll be a bad ass rig, very good motor swap, and its something different(hence why im doing it)

Mutant Pony · Mar 13, 2008

On the rare occasion that a 4.3 actually run right, they run pretty good. If the intake gasket isn't leaking. If the spider isn't leaking. If the Fuel pressure regulator hasn't started leaking into the inside of the intake. If the Rocker arms haven't failed. If the distributor cap hasn't arked through on the inside. Other than that they have the same problems as any other motor.
The 4l60E has the highest failure rate of any trans built since '98. At least in this area.
Other than those things...

...It sounds like a total crap pile.

Will · Mar 13, 2008

Bullshit.

The 4.3 is a great motor and the 4L60E is a great tranny. Those 2 parts are about the only piece of an S10/15 worth owning. The rest of those vehicles are like driving in a shopping cart.

The 4.3 is a 90* motor so it's wider than a 4.0. You'll have similar fitment issues that you would have with a 5.0.

Wicked_Sludge · Mar 14, 2008

the 4.3 block is a 350 sans 2 cylinders...and noone in their right might (ford and dodge guys included) will deny that the 350 is a damn good motor.

this fact means that the aftermarket support for the 4.3 is immense...and it will already eat a 4.0 alive in stock form...so its a great base to start building.

bobbywalter · Mar 14, 2008

thats a cake swap.

and the 4.3 is an animal in the torque dept. the tranny isnt too bad to build. but you would have to be over 35 in tires to hurt it, unless you had 410 or taller gears.

if i had a low mile (under 120k) 4.3 complete to t case available and a 3.0 4x4 to put it in....i would do it. probably cost me @ 3-600 bux with new driveshafts and exaust.

2wdmuddin' · Mar 16, 2008

the motor came out of my 89 s1o blazer 4x4 and blew its the cam berings about 2 years ago and that was the only thing that was wrong with it so i rebuilt it from the ground up and put it back in the blazer and now it has about 20,000 miles on it and im thinkin about a bbc in the blazer and dont want the 4.3 to go to waste so i figure since my family has owned the blazer since new and i know everything about the motor why not keep using it.

funkingonutz · Mar 17, 2008

Mutant Pony said:
On the rare occasion that a 4.3 actually run right, they run pretty good. If the intake gasket isn't leaking. If the spider isn't leaking. If the Fuel pressure regulator hasn't started leaking into the inside of the intake. If the Rocker arms haven't failed. If the distributor cap hasn't arked through on the inside. Other than that they have the same problems as any other motor.
The 4l60E has the highest failure rate of any trans built since '98. At least in this area.
Other than those things...

...It sounds like a total crap pile.

thank you, i knew thier was at least one other Chevy hater here!!

Ford Ranger=Ford Motors Only!!

exbass94 · Mar 17, 2008

Mutant Pony said:
On the rare occasion that a 4.3 actually run right, they run pretty good. If the intake gasket isn't leaking. If the spider isn't leaking. If the Fuel pressure regulator hasn't started leaking into the inside of the intake. If the Rocker arms haven't failed. If the distributor cap hasn't arked through on the inside. Other than that they have the same problems as any other motor.
The 4l60E has the highest failure rate of any trans built since '98. At least in this area.
Other than those things...

...It sounds like a total crap pile.

+1 I've heard the same things about the 4.3. Total crap motor imo. I wouldn't do it.

3.0 to 4.3

2wdmuddin'

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Wicked_Sludge

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Muddycowboy

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mhughes165

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Mutant Pony

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Will

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Wicked_Sludge

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bobbywalter

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2wdmuddin'

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funkingonutz

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exbass94

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