94 4.3 Vortec Info needed - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

ech0sh4y · 11-02-2010, 09:24 AM

I'm looking to do an engine swap and I found a 94 4.3 "vortec" engine with 100,000 for $100. I've heard these are the shitty flowing heads and in '96 they redsigned the heads and flow much better. So my question, should I hold off and wait till i come acorss a '96 or newer engine or is the 94 still decent?

rebalracer · 11-02-2010, 09:32 AM

the 96 and newer are 205 hp and obd2 the 93 to 95 are 180 or 195 hp so i would hold out for the 96 and newer

ech0sh4y · 11-02-2010, 09:41 AM

Can you just swap out heads? or is the intake and internals different?

rebalracer · 11-02-2010, 09:48 AM

are you going efi or carb?

ech0sh4y · 11-02-2010, 09:54 AM

looking for efi - swapping into a 84 cj7

rebalracer · 11-02-2010, 10:36 AM

you can't use the 96 or newer efi on the older short block the cps tone ring will not fit on the old crank

ech0sh4y · 11-02-2010, 10:53 AM

alright thanks! i appreciate the info. I'll keep looking

knaffie · 11-10-2010, 04:47 PM

As long as you have the 1994 Vortec version, it will run strong. I've had them all. The 1996 isn't that much better than the 1994.

BowtieBoy · 11-11-2010, 09:15 AM

Sorry to hijack but I have a similar question. I've got a 94 tbi that needs replaced. Can I swap in a 96 or newer4.3? Will the tbi intake bolt to the newer heads?

knaffie · 11-11-2010, 09:23 AM

No, it will not. I tried it years ago. Vortec and non-vortec heads are completely different. The non-Vortec heads have the intake bolts angle, while the Vortec heads have them straight up and down. The Typhoon / Cyclone guys use to go through extensive machine work to get the Vortec heads on their non-Vortec motors, since its like a 50 HP upgrade on those turbo trucks.

BowtieBoy · 11-12-2010, 07:40 AM

But if the 94 is a vortec, will the tbi intake bolt to 96 and up heads? My valve covers say vortec and the intake bolts go straight into the head not angled

shatnr · 11-12-2010, 07:14 PM

94's are not actually vortecs even tho they say it all over them. tbi's 93 and previous and cpi's 93-95 are non vortec motors.

true vortecs have the plastic upper Pentium aswell.

knaffie · 11-13-2010, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shatnr

94's are not actually vortecs even tho they say it all over them. tbi's 93 and previous and cpi's 93-95 are non vortec motors.

true vortecs have the plastic upper Pentium aswell.

They've been using the Vortec name since something like 85, although it wasn't widely publicized until the CPI engine with Vortec on top of the engine. I got into an argument with a guy one time about it and got my ass handed to me. He had an old magazine ad from when they first put the 4.3 into the S10s that referred to it as a "Vortec" engine.

I don't know when you can "officially" start calling the 4.3 a Vortec. I suppose 96 would probably be it.

shatnr · 11-13-2010, 10:34 AM

Ill throw in some pics to add to the confusion.

These are true vortec heads. Look at the relationship between the intake Pentium bolts and the intake plane.

This is a non-vortec head. The bolts are at 90 degrees to the intake plane.

My motor, even says vortec on the top....is not a real vortec imo. Because it does not have the true vortec heads on it.

BowtieBoy · 11-14-2010, 01:05 PM

What Heads do the 94 cpi's have then? Same as the tbi heads?

11-02-2010, 09:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
ech0sh4y Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Member # 132437 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	94 4.3 Vortec Info needed I'm looking to do an engine swap and I found a 94 4.3 "vortec" engine with 100,000 for $100. I've heard these are the shitty flowing heads and in '96 they redsigned the heads and flow much better. So my question, should I hold off and wait till i come acorss a '96 or newer engine or is the 94 still decent?

11-10-2010, 04:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
knaffie Rock God Join Date: May 2005 Member # 48084 Location: I live in a van down by the river Posts: 2,081	As long as you have the 1994 Vortec version, it will run strong. I've had them all. The 1996 isn't that much better than the 1994. __________________ 2011 TTF buggy

11-11-2010, 09:23 AM	#10 (permalink)
knaffie Rock God Join Date: May 2005 Member # 48084 Location: I live in a van down by the river Posts: 2,081	No, it will not. I tried it years ago. Vortec and non-vortec heads are completely different. The non-Vortec heads have the intake bolts angle, while the Vortec heads have them straight up and down. The Typhoon / Cyclone guys use to go through extensive machine work to get the Vortec heads on their non-Vortec motors, since its like a 50 HP upgrade on those turbo trucks. __________________ 2011 TTF buggy

11-12-2010, 07:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
shatnr Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Member # 96330 Location: British Columbia Posts: 10	94's are not actually vortecs even tho they say it all over them. tbi's 93 and previous and cpi's 93-95 are non vortec motors. true vortecs have the plastic upper Pentium aswell. __________________ whatcha lookin at my gut fer?

11-13-2010, 10:34 AM	#14 (permalink)
shatnr Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Member # 96330 Location: British Columbia Posts: 10	Ill throw in some pics to add to the confusion. These are true vortec heads. Look at the relationship between the intake Pentium bolts and the intake plane. This is a non-vortec head. The bolts are at 90 degrees to the intake plane. My motor, even says vortec on the top....is not a real vortec imo. Because it does not have the true vortec heads on it. __________________ whatcha lookin at my gut fer?

11-02-2010, 09:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
rebalracer Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 14696 Location: back in Oregon soon Posts: 183	the 96 and newer are 205 hp and obd2 the 93 to 95 are 180 or 195 hp so i would hold out for the 96 and newer

11-02-2010, 09:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
ech0sh4y Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Member # 132437 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	Can you just swap out heads? or is the intake and internals different?

11-02-2010, 09:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
rebalracer Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 14696 Location: back in Oregon soon Posts: 183	are you going efi or carb?

11-02-2010, 09:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
ech0sh4y Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Member # 132437 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	looking for efi - swapping into a 84 cj7

11-02-2010, 10:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
rebalracer Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Member # 14696 Location: back in Oregon soon Posts: 183	you can't use the 96 or newer efi on the older short block the cps tone ring will not fit on the old crank

11-02-2010, 10:53 AM	#7 (permalink)
ech0sh4y Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Member # 132437 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	alright thanks! i appreciate the info. I'll keep looking

11-11-2010, 09:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
BowtieBoy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Member # 41809 Posts: 27	Sorry to hijack but I have a similar question. I've got a 94 tbi that needs replaced. Can I swap in a 96 or newer4.3? Will the tbi intake bolt to the newer heads?

11-12-2010, 07:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
BowtieBoy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Member # 41809 Posts: 27	But if the 94 is a vortec, will the tbi intake bolt to 96 and up heads? My valve covers say vortec and the intake bolts go straight into the head not angled

11-14-2010, 01:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
BowtieBoy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Member # 41809 Posts: 27	What Heads do the 94 cpi's have then? Same as the tbi heads?

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