I have a 1986 S-10 Blazer (134,000 original miles) with overdrive automatic trans. My 2.8 is getting tired. I was thinking of replacing it with a crate 2.8 or having the existing 2.8 rebuilt. My neighbor (a real gearhead, but more talk than action) recommended replacing the 2.8 with a 4.3. I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Is this feasible? Will a crate 4.3 fill the bill? Can I use the same trans (had it replaced in 1988 when the original trans died, dealer called it a Serta trans???). If I can use the trans with the 4.3?. Will it need some sort of adapter?
I'm sure there are other issues in doing a swap of this type, I just have no idea what they are.


Thank you.

 

Going from a 2.8L to a 4.3L would require a different transmission as the bellhousings are different between the 60 degree cylinder bank angle 2.8L and the 90 degree 4.3L (common with the small block v8's).

A much more common swap is to the 3.4L v6 (still 60 degree) that was found in the Camaro/Firebird at the time which was a pretty much direct swap.

If you were going to swap in a 90 degree engine, it would be almost the same hassle to go to a v8 as it would to go to the 4.3L v6.