94 Pathy Gary Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 (edited) I was talking to a friend about building up a 3.5 litre engine to drop in my Pathfinder today and he mentioned that he put a 4.3 litre Vortec crate engine in his old GMC Jimmy about 16,000 kilometres (10,000 miles ago) but the body just went for a crappe on him.... I can get what's left of his Jimmy, including the tranny, harnesses and ECU, for pretty cheap. Only problem is that it's a 2WD model so I will have to come up with a way to mate the resultant mess to my Nissan transfer case. I'm thinking that a Vortec would make a nice mill and I feel confident that I could do the swap (all the plumbing will be a bit*h, but that's life) almost as easy as dropping in a 3.5.... Anybody here ever give this one a go? Anybody thinking "Why stop with a 4.3? If you're gonna drop in a Bow-Tie mill, then make it a small-block V-8!" ? Cheers! Gary Edited August 4, 2005 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 room and be ready to be hazed to death because you mentioned small block chevy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Bah, it's a fine idea. You just have to work out the details of fuel injection, performance mods and wiring and it's all good. A nice 4.3 would be a great motor in a Pathy, I think. You can get an adapter from Advance Adapters to bolt the Chevy tranny to your Nissan t-case and that's it. Kinda spendy, though...$800 last time I looked. At least there's no messing with driveshafts or suspension work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLApathy Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 but do you think a small block would fit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Without a sawzall, sledge hammer and welder, NO! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 (edited) No? Hmmmmm.... I guess those engine mounts designed to shoe-horn Chevy and Ford V8s into Nissans are useless then? (I ain't saying it'll be easy though....) Cheers! Gary Edited August 4, 2005 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 (edited) There is a white 2 door pathy in the states the has a chev in it. 350 from memory, not to sure. I did notice that his SAS wasn't conected and the pics never showed the engine bay. I could never find any info on it either. I have just had a look to see if I could find it. No luck as yet. I did find this though. I used to be member 50. http://www.nissanpathfinders.com/CLUB_toc.htm Ahh, the good old days. If I find the pic I will post it. Someone here must know about it. Found it. http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/v8Path.htm http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/PathfinderSAS3.htm http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/PathfinderSAS4.htm I was wrong. The engine bay awaits. http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/pthpndr7.htm http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/pthpndr8.htm Edited August 4, 2005 by Vsicks Pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Well.. I had a 4.3 Vortec in my '92 S-10.. and I would say the available room is similar... but a bit of firewall fab would be in order... and like 88 said.. AA have everything you'd need to mate up to the Chevy stuff. I sold my beloved S-10 with 210,000 miles on the motor, and she still ran like new. Good luck! love to see a Pathy with the 4.3... I juiced mine to 210hp. (came stock with 183hp) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Slow down people, I didn't say a SB chevy couldn't fit, I just said it wouldn't slip right in and it would need some creative mods. Hell you could put a viper V10 in if you wanted. Have have time, skill and $ ready though... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 True. A SBC fits, but needs a LOT of custom work to make it run and drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 AMEN :bow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 (edited) http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/pthpndr8.htm See? TONS of room, and I bet the sparkplugs are easier to change! I was just talking to a GM company guy and he recommended I have a look at the "Northstar" V8 used in the Cadillac line. Guys, I think the hardest part of this mod is going to be making up my mind! Cheers! Gary Edited August 4, 2005 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 http://www.aggressiveoffroad.com/pthpndr8.htm See? TONS of room, and I bet the sparkplugs are easier to change! I was just talking to a GM company guy and he recommended I have a look at the "Northstar" V8 used in the Cadillac line. Guys, I think the hardest part of this mod is going to be making up my mind! Cheers! Gary Whats weird is he has put his aircon compressor in and has got no room for the condenser. Perhaps he will use it as an air pump/compressor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 I agree with 88, that a 4.3 would be a fine swap for a Pathy. if I could I would.. this is also something I have wanted to do to my Yota as well. As for a SB... B and 88 are right, LOTS of work but possible. (As shown in the pic) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Whats weird is he has put his aircon compressor in and has got no room for the condenser. Perhaps he will use it as an air pump/compressor? That is a very good possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 *sniffles n wonders if Dave would miss the sand rail motor*? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmgar99 Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 My old neighbor Randy builds Vortec V6's and Northstar V8's for sand rails....he converts them to alcohol and added blowers amungst (sp?) other things....750-800HP! His shop is in Oceanside California.....I'll get the company name next time I visit my parents..They live next to him.... The reason I say this is he has access to a lot of customizers and parts.....He's help a guy squueze one of the V6's into a Bug Videos Click on the Video For Kris Lauffer...and watch the Red Bug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 8, 2005 Author Share Posted August 8, 2005 kmgar99, That info would be awesome, thanks. I imagine he'll know a couple fo things about building a Vortec, not to mention whether or not there's something REALLY BAD about dropping one in a Pathfinder. Cheers! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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