Hi All, I have a recently ventilated 4.3 V-6 in my Blazer. I have found a very good 96-98 engine and am not sure if there are any differences. My heads are good and need to buy an oil pan. I had recently upgraded the Fuel Inj. and engine never ran so good. I guess it's true that they always run best before they blow!! Anybody have any ideas? Thanks

 

The 96 to 98 are the same engines as the 99. Will be a bolt right in job. Why would you need to buy an oil pan? Is the engine you bought a 2wd and your truck is a 4wd or visa verse? Make sure that you use the type of pan which came on your original engine. Use your original pick up tube or buy the same type for your original engine. If you are planning on beating the engine where there will be a lot of vibration I would recommend tack welding the tube onto the oil pump. Just good insurance. Steel pans are the same (2wd or 4 wd). The pumps are the same. To make the pump pick up oil instantly I always pack the oil pump housing with Vaseline. Also, while you have the new engine out it is a lot easier and cheap insurance to install a new intake manifold gasket since these are well known as engine killers. I always recommend that when you have the pan off pull a rod cap and plasti-gage the clearance, since it is a used motor. If it is at the top of the clearance, and the throws look good, since the motor is out you can always get .001 or .002 oversized bearings to get the clearance back into better spec. You might need to call around to get these bearings since not all parts stores carry them. I just get mine through a machine shop.

I know this is a lot of information for what you asked but I personally do not like to pull an engine back out or work on it unnecessarily inside the truck.

Hope that this helps.

 

70camaroman, You are the man! I was pretty sure but as they are listed differently I wanted to make sure. I need a pan because (remember) mine is ventilated (2 Rods) on both sides of the Alum. pan. I figured it best to have the same as OE. The engine I am getting is out of a 2wd. I have every intention of checking this motor thoroughly and maybe even change the cam. I will use much of my original pieces including Intake and update FI. As an old racer, the Oil pump pickup tack is something you do just because the pan is off. Thank again!

 

If you ever want to find out easily what parts interchange just do as I do and go to Autozone.com and register (easy) then enter both vehicles as your own. Go to the part you want to check then just swap vehicles on the pull down at the top. This will either show a different or the same part numbers.