Not a direct bolt up. 225 has a BOP bellhousing pattern, 4.3 has a standard Chevy pattern. You can use a $55 adaptor plate to make it work.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...ang=-1&catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&categoryId=21015&searchItemId=74967&CT=999

 

You'll also have to mess with the motor mounts

 

A Buick 231 is a direct bolt in, anything bigger and you will need the brackets as stated above. V8s are known for big cooling nightmares in the Jeepsters. Not enough room to run a good fan, hood louvering, etc.
The 225 is great engine and a torque monster, if you can learn to work the odd fire.
Check out the Jeepster/Commando club of America and the American Jeepster Club. Both have forums simliar to these and all they talk is Jeepster/ Commando.

 

try asking over here...............http://www.jeepstercommandoclub.com/

 

Check out www.novakconversions.com they've got a large knowledge base.
Their motor mounts work real well.

 

are the later year fuel injection 231's direct bolt in? How complicated is that swap?

 

are the later year fuel injection 231's direct bolt in? How complicated is that swap?

Nope. Fuel injected 3.8L's are FWD motors, and have a different bellhousing pattern.

 

A Buick 231 is a direct bolt in, anything bigger and you will need the brackets as stated above. V8s are known for big cooling nightmares in the Jeepsters. Not enough room to run a good fan, hood louvering, etc.

There is also the GM 4.1L 250ci V6.I'm pretty sure it can be had with the BOP bellhousing.

OlyWa

 

Nope. Fuel injected 3.8L's are FWD motors, and have a different bellhousing pattern.

what about the last few years of the camaro? different bellhousing pattern?

 

what about the last few years of the camaro? different bellhousing pattern?

That's a chevy 3.8 (229) - different motor.

 

are the later year fuel injection 231's direct bolt in? How complicated is that swap?

Use the adapter plate mentioned above and go with the 4.3, I've seen them (adapter plates) as cheap as $25 on ebay, they're all of an 1/8" thick, when they're in there you can't even see them, I run one on my buick show car (700r4) and have yet to have one person point it out, no loss of strength either, my car is a easy 390hp and I've thrashed it at the strip with no problems at all.

 

I came across someone on that commando forum that has done it with that plate. Now all i need is someone who has wired a TBI 4.3 in to a jeepster or early cj-5 to get some more info on it. The guy on the commando board used a really expensive howell kit and multi port injection so i need to find a write up on splicing in a TBI into that early jeep harness.

Any oppinions on these 4.3 swaps? Up till now I've stuck with the jeep straight six's so this v6 will be a bit different for me. Oppinions welcome, oh and here is a pic of the commando I just bought.

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/4196/commando7as.jpg

 

1970 Jeepster Command Engine Swap to a 4.8

Just purchased a 1970 Commando for my son. Then I came across a low milage 2006 4.8. Could use any help to what I will need to swap over. I want to use the th400 trans that is in the jeepster. I need a computer and harness, engine mounts and what else? What can be stripped off the engine and what stays.

 

The 4.3 TBI is a good swap if you are not into horsepower that much. With bigger tires and the parasitic loss of the turbo 400 , the 160 hp TBI engine may feel a little sluggish on grades on the highway if street driven much, and will probably only feel just a bit more powerful than the stock v 6. If you want to buy a harness you can get them for about $300 for TBI, and they are largely self contained between the computer and the engine sensors, so there are only a few wires to hook up such as battey to the computer, the fuel pump relay, etc. You will also need a fuel pump with the correct pressure for the tbi. There is a huge amount of information on tbi swaps and it doesn't make that much difference what vehicle they are going into in terms of the wiring.

I was going to swap a 4.3 into my 71 commando, but decided to go with a 5.3 since I will be running one tons and 42's. I never cared that much about horsepower either but felt the 4.3 would struggle with all this weight and the tires. I have got a fully rebuilt 225 and a Dana 20 with Terra low gears, a tbi fuel pump and a few other things I won't need so whichever route you go let me know if you need some parts and I might have something useful.

 

Great info Steve.

When you swaped in the 5.3, are you still running the factory th400?

 

I was originally going to run a 4.3, and an Atlas 5.0 transfer case, so I bought a turbo 350 to avoid the increased power loss through the turbo 400 and because the TH 350 adapts easily to an Atlas and bolts to the 4.3. Then my plans changed a little along the way and I wound up going with 42's, but had already bought the atlas and th 350, so I stuck with them. I actually would prefer a TH 400 now with a v8 and 42's, but it's too much trouble and expense to change right now.

I am not exactly doing a conventional engine swap, but I am instead building a new frame, and installing the new drivetrain, axles, and suspension into it and then at the end will be swapping parts of the body on the new frame. This way I can keep wheeling while I am building!

 

Hey guys I'm trying to find a company that sells v8 conversion headers for a Jeepster c101 can you help me or am I building a set?

 

What engine? Mark