ok so i bought my jimmy from my brother in law and its a nice truck but the motor has well over 200+ miles on and i cant afford a new motor much less another car! i wanna kno will 4.3 heads like vortex fit on a 2.8l to beef it up a bit? the motor is sluggish it doesn't struggle it's just slow and i need to take it on the interstate and i am currently unable to! also id like to know what 2bbl rectangle carb is on the 2.8 and why does it only have 1 jet? tons of questions! please help! i kno this is a blazer forum but the blazer and s-15 jimmy are one in the same just two diffrent names forgive me but i just need some help!

 

The best option for you would be to look into a 3.4l V6 from like a Camaro or Firebird. They're the same engine block as your 2.8l essentially. I know theres a guy on here who has done it, I'm sure he'll chime in. Also, try googling 2.8 to 3.4 swap. I'm sure you'll find some good sites. Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

You have a Rochester 2SE or a E2SE (if you have a computer) carburetor. I've had my 84 Jimmy since 1986 (awaiting resurrection presently) and drove it all over the US with a bottom box full of tools and travelled many an Interstate with that little 2.8 screaming out about 125hp. Never had any problems with it.
No. The 4.3 Vortec heads won't fit. The two engines are like night and day. Sounds to me like you really need a good tune up and maybe a carb kit installed. Also if it doesn't kick down when you floor it the TV cable to the tranny might need adjustment. I know everyone on this forum hates these engines but I really have never had a problem with mine. Coast to coast and several points in between.
You also might check your exhaust system for blockage if the engine is that sluggish.

 

4.3 stuff will not fit. The 2.8 was designed from the ground up to be a v6 in all means where the 4.3 was just a rip off of the 350. There are very few parts that will interchange in the 60 degree and 90 degree engine familys.

On your 1985 you have the small valve heads. If you feel the need to swap to better heads you need to find heads off a 1986+ engine with fuel injection. They can be off a s-10 2.8, or a camaro/firebird 3.1 or 3.4 since they all use the same heads.

I'm one of the few fans of Most all rochester carbs but the ones that got put on s-series is so plagued with problems I really don't care for either of them. The few trucks I've had with factory carbs always got swapped out.

Not sure if I'm "the guy" or not but I'm in process of a 3.4 swap. Going from the 120ish rated HP 2.8 to something rated 160ish in factory form was good enough to justify looking for the engine to me. You can get the engine out of any 93-95 f-body and it bolts right where the 2.8 was.
more info on the swap
http://members.shaw.ca/betterthanyou...ine%20swap.htm

 

^Yep, you're the guy I was talking about.

 

yeah, wanna see tons of pics and hear about my headaches

http://www.s10planet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20952

 

if your 2.8 is really slow. like you said you cant even take it on the highway. see if your catalytic converter is clogged. my 85 when it was owned by my work was the same way. at about 50mph it would take like 1 second or more to go up a mph. cut the cat out and it was like putting a turbo on the engine.

 

i live in Arkansas so we do not currently have a smog check around here my cat. has been taken out and my muffler has a huge dent in the side of it like some one stomped on the side of it. what carb is there that i can swap this piece of crap out with and not possibly have to swap the intake? thank you all for helping me! i got tons of questions but you guys remember i need well have to go cheap as possible new motor swap is awhile off i just need a big power boost! thank you guys!

 

ive had a few issues with these carbs where the lock for the secondaries never unlock. see if when you floor it the secondaries on the carb open. every 2.8 i ever owned had issues with this. i think they are supposed to stay locked with the engine cold but eventually come off when it warms up. i usually just ziptie the dang thing unlocked.

 

Ive got an 85 s15 2.8 e2se carb that squirts gas from the top of the accelerator pump.Without replacing the carb how can this be fixed and what causes it?Any help will be appreciated