Holy Grail of 4.3L info

[markmitchinnh]

OK tahnk you for the great info. My van came with front & rear heat and AC - to keep that I would either need to go 4.3 or have someone custom make the tubes that run across the engine for the V8. I spoke to a guy recently about the tubes and he quoted me $150 for the ac tube as its aluminum and has to be sealed. The heater tube he said he would have to see when its all together. Now that may persuade me to go back to a V6.

[markmitchinnh]

OK today I found a 1995 4.3 from an astro van with 80,000 miles on it for $300.00 all I would have to do is swap to the TBI intake manifold and drop it in my van. So it looks like that's whats gonna happen. I will find and build a hot rod when I get to California and just keep my Astro RS to enjoy with the family on long drives and camping.

[doyoulikeithere]

Nice, try to get the 1995 exhaust mani's and Y-Pipe too !!

[markinnh]

So if I read this right then a set of 89 heads will bolt on and work on lets say a 98 block? as long as I use the same year intake as the heads right? I am now in California and sold my V8 to get my van smog legal so I have a 89 4.3 but it has a spun bearing but I found many newer vortec 4.3's at the local pick n pull so instead of swapping PCM's and wiring I would like to do just a head and intake swap to get smogged. Anyone done this?