4.3L Vortec Peformance

[chevyman08]

There are a few cheap or free performance tricks for the 4.3L Vortec specifically the 98 and up version. Since the intake gaskets on the newer vortec engines are notorious for leaking, I recomend replacing them with the alluminum gaskets available at your local GM parts department. There a little more expensive but they last forever. While you have the intake off go ahead and gasket match the intake ports on the heads and intake. Next take off the plastic upper intake and smooth the port inlets on the lower intake, just take the raised part out and make a smooth entrance into the port. Then take to throttle body off, remove the baffle that is on the throttle blade, just use some needle nose pliers and rip it off. Fill the rivet holes with JB Weld or Quick Steel, but make sure you leave the big on in the middle because it helps with idle control. Next smooth the inlet of the throttle body just open it up a little, but don't port the throttle blade seat or you'll ruin the throttle body.

[Black Knight]

Descreening the Throttle Body, a Cold Air Intake, and exhaust are the best and easiest mods for a 4.3L. I did all of the above and I gained 6 mpg and a healthy amount of power in a 98 Sonoma.

[chevyman08]

thanks for the information Black Knight that has to be one of the coolest looking grand ams i've ever seen! So far on my truck i've added a round k&n air filter just after the MAF sensor, removed the screen from the mass air sensor, ported the trottle body+ removed the baffle and added a flowmaster delta 40 2 1/2 in/out muffler. The performance gains for these mods was huge and I only spent $50 for the muffler (used) and a friend gave me the k&n. I don't know how much it helped my gas milage (lead foot) but my truck will now light both rear tires up when i shift from first to second under heavy throttle.