2.8 to 4.3 Engine Swap
 

Okay, I am brand new to this forum and so this has probably been asked, but here is the short and skinny...

I found an 86 S10 Blazer for $500, but it has the 2.8 V6. I am not very fond of that motor although I haven't had great experience with it. I doubt very much that will change.

However, I am VERY fond of the 4.3 having had 2 S-10's and one Astro with it. I doubt it would be very difficult to swap out the 2.8 for a 4.3. I would like to put in a newer 4.3 from say model years 96-newer. Preferably as new as possible. However, I know that these were all electronically controlled all the way down to the gauges.

So my question is, does anybody make electronic gauges that will fit into this particular model that will plug and play nicely with a newer 4.3? I am also thinking I would have to go with a newer 4l60E transmission instead of the 400r4 (I'm assuming that's what it has). This I'm sure will definitely add to my cost, so that could be a limiting factor.

Another option that I have thought of it to get try and find a 1st gen Vortec motor from around 1995 (I had one in my 95 S-10)or a high output Vortec that came in 1993-1995 Blazers. Those I think were still mostly mechanical and at least used a mechanical speedometer and such??

Any thoughts on this and suggestions I should try? I'm not in a hurry and in fact have yet to purchase this rig (I probably will, but need to take a look at first). If it runs well and doesn't have any major motor problem, I'll probably just run it as is until it craps and then do a swap, but just want to see what the process might involve first...

IMO... buy one with a 4.3... be cheaper in the end and won't have modifie/hacked wiring to get it in there...

My question for you is have you considered a 5.7 swap? You have 2.8 motor mounts which most adapter mounts are made to work with... Camaro manifolds typically work well if you don't want to spend on headers, just try and get the necessary wiring out of the junkyard donor.

As far as guages, perhaps an autometer guage in place of the stock cluster? Give it a google.