Hehehe.... good stuff here. To those of you who were wondering, the only reason I would consider swapping in a 4.3 would be uniqueness. But from the looks of it you can hardly get more oomph out of the extra displacement. So it might not be practical or even feasible based on the info about the bell housing. I still think it would be cool though. It would be the only one that we know to exist! Plus it would stay true to the V6 design of the car, as opposed to throwing a 350 in there. I would talk to it and love it and play some Barry White for it, and it would go fast for me

Would it be possible to borrow some items off our 4.3 cousin? I mean, since its bigger, wouldnt it possible have a bigger throttle body and better designed upper intake? :?

Just a thought, seeing how i gotta ditch this plastic manifold crap soon. Just purchased a bonne a few weeks ago ( after many years being a ford guy ). I do love the car, but kinda wonder what GM was thinking when they thought plastic...

The 4.3'* have a completely different intake and tb set up on it....but maybe it could bolt up?? I don't know. Isn't a 4.3 a bored and stroked 3.8?? Or can't you bore and stroke a 3.8 to a 4.3? The 4.3'* aren't purely a truck motor....they are now kinda...but they used them in a few different cars. I know a 4.3 is a 5.7 chevy bore and stroke with 2 cylinder'* chopped off.

If you go for a 4.3 conversion in your Bonne, then I'll make a 383 stroker for mine....Like the one in my p/u truck

my bro has a 4.3 liter v8(diiferent engine) with about 100k miles in his 94 caprice.... and my car has better acceleration than his. mostly cause his car weighs more
so if ur going to a bigger engine for power u should probly think about a turbo or a supercharger to go with it unless ur going to go with quite a bit more displacement

Good facts... it really puts our motors in perspective when you see the lineup of stats like that. The 3800 can really be a beast if you want it to be (*grumbles about GM phasing it out of their new cars*).

This talk of swapping 4.3 parts to a 3.8 makes me jealous of the Ford guys. My buddy in the Thunderbird and Cougar Club of America is building up a 5.4 V8 for his T-bird, and those modular engines are fantastic for parts availability and upgrading. The Ford 5.4 is just a stroked version of their 4.6, so virtually every part except connecting rods and maybe the crank is interchangeable. It'* crazy! Wouldn't it be nice if there was another GM V6 that we could cannibalize for direct bolt-up parts?

Ya got a little to used to that

I had an 89 mustang with a turbo 2.3 with parts off tons of diff fords... A pinto, a svo, a turbocoupe, a xr4ti, a svo and a mustang gt... LOL Car was aged, the convertible top leaked, the heat sucked and have a son now so, was time to ditch that found on road dead automobile.

Anyways back to subject.
So if im understanding the 4.3 v6 correctly, its just an overbored 3.8. This might be something to look into come spring time fer me.. Sure would love to get some better heads.. Im up to being first to try this. Was one of the first to rice out a mustang. Everyone told me it couldnt be done, but yet i managed to do it, and do it rite i might add

And as fer the 4.3v8 yer not nuts, i have a buddy with on in a early 90'* caddy sedan... I do remember doing a tripple take at it when i first seen it!

I'll ask my buddy next time i see em, Its still the boxy version like an 88 bonneville, so cant be newer then 92 maybe... I have to guess maybe 89,90..

The 4.3 is not an overobred 3.8. In fact it has a larger bore/stroke, and the heads are different along with coolant passages.


Anyway, say you take a 4.3 out of a truck.... Why would you leave the tranny and rear axle see what im getting at?? YES!!!!!! MMMMMMMMM
RWD!!! (RIGHT WHEEL DRIVE)

Now THAT my friends would be unique!!! That would be a one of a kind bonnie, for now anyway hint hint....

you knowthe old saying "there is no replacement for displacement" But I would rather have a 3800. the Series II makes 240 hp, and the Series III makes 260 hp. If im going to do a swap its going to be a 3800 */C not a 4.3 Plus there is less headaches (PCM, Wiring, ect) with a 3800 swap as apposed to a 4.3

Im pretty sure a 4.3 with the same forced induction as a 3.8 would put out alot more TQ and HP. Id like to see a 4.3 SC RWD in a Bonnie with some fatter rear tires. IM sure it wouldnt take much other than a rear subframe to mount the axle to, and something to mount the transmission too. The engine brackets would be tough, but not too hard. Ability to a machine shop would make this a more possible job

I will look into this in a year or two.

Chances are i'll be the first to do this even if i take that long....