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Any 4.3 Swaps here?

B

Boss Cherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Riverside Calif.
I have tried several times to search for any post on a 4.3 liter S10/Bravada engine swap and have had no success. I find it hard to believe that no one has done this! If anyone knows of any post please forward them to me. I am going to remove the Boss motor I have in my 1985 XJ. I cannot smog it anymore and I have a buyer for the Bronco drive train. Since all the XJ Chevy 2.8 wiring is still intact in the XJ, I want to use the 4.3 because it's simple and powerful. I will use the O.D. trans as well and possibly the t-case as a dblr for the 205 I have. I will then take it to a referee for smog! Thanks in advance for any info on post here or any where else!
 
A 3.4L GM is plug n pray. More power, probably better economy, etc. There is at least one person on CF,yeah I know what most people think. But seems to be a decent swap. I think username is 4.3L XJ or something like that.
But, honestly if you are going to go through all that. Why not a 4.0L or a V8 swap?
 
its been done, yes. all you need is the engine harness and computer from the donor plus any related smog equipment, talk to the smog ref *before* you do the swap. they are very helpful when you actually try to do it the legal way instead of sneaking around.
 
i dont have specific swap info for you, but as far as the mechanical swap, it's the about the same as a V8 swap and will use alot of the same parts. search installing a 350 in your XJ and follow the same guidelines.
 
I've seen a few guys do it. They don't seem to have any better power or economy than a 4.0, so most guys just sell their POS and buy a 4 liter jeep.
 
why the f would you put a 4bt in? It weighs 800 pounds and is rated to 105 horsepower. With a TON of time and money you can get 250 out of it.

But for that same money you could just buy a tow rig.
 
cal said:
why the f would you put a 4bt in? It weighs 800 pounds and is rated to 105 horsepower. With a TON of time and money you can get 250 out of it.

But for that same money you could just buy a tow rig.
Click to expand...

I agree with cal on this
 
There is a reason the S-10 guys swap the 4.3L for a 5.7L. The wiring between the v6 tbi and v8 tbi is basically the same so why not upgrade to the v-8?

granted the TBI motors are not all that powerfull.
 
thatxjguy said:
I would absolutely go to a V8 if you're going to do all that work. Hell, maybe even a 4bt.
Click to expand...

id love a 4.3 if the jeep ever came with one. HP and torque ratings are only arbitrarily better. but my buddies SAS blazer sounds darn good, a sound our inlines can never reproduce. with that said, the work of swapping one could yield a V8. considering a healthy 5.3/trans/wiring harness can be had around here for ~$500, its an easy choice (your experience may vary).


FWIW, a 4bt is a heavy turd. its good for nothing more than claiming your jeep has a diesel.
 
Walker:
That is what's in it now the Bogus Boss 289 351 heads Chevy 202 valves roller cam & rockers. I have a complete drive train sitting in my garage. It's a 96 5.0 AOD with a 1356 that I can make a dblr out of the t-case with but I just thought that the 4.3 and the 2.8's came in the S10's and the 2.8 came in the 85 xj's and they should share the some characteristics and sensors making it an easy swap! That's why I was going the 4.3 route and not the 96 roller 302!
Hooper:
No as in the post I cannot get it smoged anymore and It's getting tired and hot. It was bored originally 60 over!
Grimm:
That's the whole point to make Johnny Law happy!
Thatxjguy:
BT4 was my thought even the Benz but those power plants are pricey and heavy, great torque but compared to my free complete S10/Bravada 4.3 or $500.00 Ford the diesels are no price match!

I will look at the Chevy V8 swaps for the info to swap the 4.3, but is I go V8 I will just use the Ford I have. Thanks for the comments and suggestions!
 
Last edited:
VAhasnoWAVES said:
id love a 4.3 if the jeep ever came with one. HP and torque ratings are only arbitrarily better. but my buddies SAS blazer sounds darn good, a sound our inlines can never reproduce.
Click to expand...

Get your ass on an airplane and I'll have made a liar out of you.

You put the right cam in a 4.0/stroker and the 4.3 has nothing on its sound... (or its power, for that matter)
 
cal said:
Get your ass on an airplane and I'll have made a liar out of you.

You put the right cam in a 4.0/stroker and the 4.3 has nothing on its sound... (or its power, for that matter)
Click to expand...

X2.

David Bricker / SYR - LAX
 
cal said:
Get your ass on an airplane and I'll have made a liar out of you.

You put the right cam in a 4.0/stroker and the 4.3 has nothing on its sound... (or its power, for that matter)
Click to expand...

is stock for stock a more fair comparison? ive seen too many strokers fail due to the flat tappet design to want one. and at the end of the day i wouldnt be able to sleep if i put an entire roller assembly into our little inlines.



but ill take you up on a plane ticket if your buying.
 
flat tappet cam failures have nothing to do with strokers, since the stock 4.0 has the same design. with any modern flat tappet motor, you need to run a zinc additive after a rebuild. that includes a stock 4.0, and a stock 4.3 chevy. you don't see failures on our current 4.0's with modern oil only because of how long the cam's have tempered..


And just for the hell of it, i ran flights out here against my frequent flier miles. You *almost* got a free trip to goatfest (SoCal's event at the Hammers), but it didnt fly..
 
The reality of it is that building a stroked 4.0 is pretty pricey compared to having drive trains sitting around. I know the AW4 is a good trans but i believe the 700R4 has the lowest 1st gear. There is no denying the stock drive train is not proven but there are alot of 4.3's in Wrangled and CJ's for a reason, they work! I just wish I could keep the Boss do a short block and still smog it.
 
The 200,000 to 400,000 miles people are getting out of 4.0's isnt enough?
 
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