Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine.
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Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/5/2006 2:26:53 PM
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DavidBoone
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Do they all have the vortec or just some. How many horses are coming thru the engine. I was guessing around 200-230. Just traded in my 00 Vette and already miss my horsepower. But hey, no more watching where i drive to miss bottoming out,4x4 full steam ahead.
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/5/2006 2:59:22 PM
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Dory
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hahah... its a HUGE difference to go from a Vette to a truck, I had a Trans Am and went to a truck... but after a short while your appreciation changes. at least MINE did. hope ya have good luck with it...
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/5/2006 4:02:45 PM
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DavidBoone
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Yeah, the Vette was really fast(too fast for anyone under 25). The repair cost were slowly popping up and tires for the car cost $400 a piece for the fronts and $450 for the backs. Also had 80,000 miles on the engine so I decided to get out while the gettins good at $18,500. 2 days later went to as dealer 15 miles away and he had a 1997 blazer 4x4 that was traded in the day I sold my car. It had not even been cleaned and had cedar chips? in the rear cargo bay. I asked how much and he said fixed or unfixed. Told me about the ac not working and i said unfixed. Bought the blazer with only 74,500 miles for the super low(to me anyway) price of $3,600 in cash(including tax and license). So far so good with the first 250 miles on my blazer. Also the stock Bose sound sytem in my Vette was just minutely louder than that stock in the Blazer. A very pleasant surprise.
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/5/2006 4:08:15 PM
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Dory
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thats not too bad and plus you have so much cash left over that fixing the a/c shouldnt be that big of a dent for you. but i think definitely a smart move. well welcome aboard and hope that you'll stick around! :)
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/5/2006 4:24:35 PM
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DavidBoone
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Gonna be doing some mods soon. Will post pics when i get thru. 
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/6/2006 9:04:54 AM
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Hanr3
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Nice upgrade. 
In answer to your question. All 4.3L V6 engines are Vortec. Have been since '86. The most desireable version, Third Generation, came out in '96.
Welcome to the site. You could always drop a V8 in your Blazer. Guys do it all the time.
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don't have that problem."
-President Ronald Reagan
'87 S10-Blazer - SOLD
'93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done.
'00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 12:14:25 AM
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Hanr3
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Well, then let me shed some light for you.
Light lol
Many people are talking about Vortec heads these days. While the Vortec head is a very powerful and inexpensive production head there is some confusion as to exactly what makes a head the Vortec head. This article will explain the Vortec head and give you picture comparisons so the next swap meet you will know for sure your buying a set of 'Vortec' heads!
A Little History
The Vortec name first appeared on 4.3L V-6 engines in 1986.These engines were the first to use a new "Vortex technology" designed to create a vortex (powerful swirl like a tornado) inside the combustion chamber. The Idea behind this is to create a more even and well mixed air/fuel charge that both generates more power and is more efficient. Over the years this Vortex technology has changed and improved to develop many new changes in the GM power train division. In today's world 'Vortec' Means power and here is where the confusion starts. There are literally thousands of cylinder heads that have been made with the vortex technology since 86 and many people refer to 87 and later small block heads as 'Vortec' heads. While this is a half truth the heads that GM sells under the Vortec name and the ones everybody is buzzing about did not exist until 1996.
You'll have to read the rest of the article at the link posted above.
TBI or CPI is just the fuel injection method.
GM didn't advertise the Vortec heads like they do today. Just becuase it doesn't ahve the word vortec on the engine, doesn't mean it doesn't ahve Vortec heads. Once GM realized that Vortec was a selling point, it started advertising it, and placing it on the engines. In that regards, yep, '92 or so is when the word Vortec first appeared on the engine. However, the engine was a Vortec since '86 in the fullsize trucks. All S10 truck 4.3L V6 engines are votec engines.
< Message edited by Hanr3 -- 6/8/2006 12:19:33 AM >
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don't have that problem."
-President Ronald Reagan
'87 S10-Blazer - SOLD
'93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done.
'00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 7:54:01 AM
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SniperX13
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so why the big difference in HP?
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 8:25:45 AM
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swartlkk
Posts: 14299
Joined: 5/1/2005
From: Waterloo, NY
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HP differences came from the evolution of the engine itself by way of different injection setups, intake manifold configurations, cam profiles, and more precise tuning along with the design changes in the heads, exhaust manifolds, etc...
To my knowledge any '96-'03 Vin W, RPO L35 in a s-series suv will have 190hp/250ftlbs...
< Message edited by swartlkk -- 6/8/2006 8:27:57 AM >
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Kyle-
2004 Rainier
1970 Chevelle - Resto
1974 K5 Blazer - Resto
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 10:09:47 AM
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DavidBoone
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Thanks for the input. Going to try to get my hp up around 275 or so.
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 10:23:50 AM
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swartlkk
Posts: 14299
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From: Waterloo, NY
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Here's a few articles:
4.3L Vortec + 1 Cam = 42 Extra Horsepower
&
Hotrod.com - The 3/4 350
But both are carb'd and no computer controls. With the modifications in the 2nd one, you would need some pretty decent tuning to get it to run that good with the factory injection & ignition controls. The cam should be a straight forward install and shouldn't require much tweaking if any.
< Message edited by swartlkk -- 6/8/2006 10:25:16 AM >
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Kyle-
2004 Rainier
1970 Chevelle - Resto
1974 K5 Blazer - Resto
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 1:04:18 PM
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swartlkk
Posts: 14299
Joined: 5/1/2005
From: Waterloo, NY
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Cams are cheap yes, but the installation is the killer with them. I am seriously considering picking up a new cam/lifter set and installing it in my Bravada while I have the intake off replacing the intake manifold gaskets. Only thing I need to look into is if the timing chain cover can come off without pulling off the oil pan (which requires pulling the motor on the SCFI motors with aluminum oil pans).
But yeah, the injection and mostlikely the cam is the difference between your '91 4.3L and the '94 4.3L. Instead of picking up a stock cam from a CPI motor, look into Comp Cams for an aftermarket cam kit. It will give you much better performance for your $$$.
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Kyle-
2004 Rainier
1970 Chevelle - Resto
1974 K5 Blazer - Resto
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/8/2006 4:13:25 PM
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SniperX13
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I'll have to look into that. What should I look for when looking at a cam replacement?
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RE: Do all 97 Blazers have the VORTEC engine. - 6/9/2006 12:46:56 AM
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Hanr3
Wheels & Tire Moderator
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I think your still misuderstanding what Vortec is. Vortec is the design of the heads. It is the way the air flows through them. As the years progressed, GM improved the air flow. This allows more air into and out of the combustion chamber. More air means you can add more fuel. More air and more fuel mixed together means you can get a bigger bang, more bang is more power.
Cam will control the power curve of an engine. You can get a cam that will be extremely powerfull off idle (towing), or one that will make the most power at higher rpms (racing), or get one that goes somewhere in between them (stock).
To confuse or clarify things just a tad bit more. GM has two versions of the 4.3L engines, one is the Vin W engine, and the other is the VIN Z engine. One is considered the high output engine and the other isn't. The HO (high output engine) creates more power. By more power that means more top end power, and less grunt off the line. You could think of a HO engine as a stock performance (racing) engine, and think of the regular engine as a towing engine, or work horse engine.
You have to think of an engine as a system. It is made up of numerous subsystems. Subsystems include cooling, fuel, timing, combustion, ignition, lubrication, air intake, air exhuast, etc... Each could be tweaked to run optimally, however they might not work as a unit well. Engineers have spent countless hours coming up with an engine that will perform well. This includes the aftermarket. You mentioned a new cam. Shop around, you can find a cam, or you can find a cam/pushrods/lifters as a kit designed to work as a team, and you can find a cam, pushrods, lifters, and intake as one kit. All designed to provide the best performance.
_____________________________
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The Marines don't have that problem."
-President Ronald Reagan
'87 S10-Blazer - SOLD
'93 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - Sons DD, engine swap is done.
'00 S10-Blazer 4x4x4 - My
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