2a 4.3l 4l60e 4 Speed Auto Short As Poss And Cheap As Possible

I am more of a lurker than one to post my build but posting this to give back. 1946 2A that bought 23 years ago that my amazing wifey agreed to but as our 1 year anniversary gift. Had 225 and fiberglass body. We modded a few times to what i call the holy grail - D44's, T18, D18 Terra Low, Warn full float, ARB/Spool. Loved that set up for 15 years. Updating for improved driveability and not wanting to spend a grand on cylinder head work it needed and i broke the t case gear set twice in last few years - the nut on trans output came loose and started the issue which seemed to travel to the a joining gear a year later. And there aint no more terra low gears laying around per terra low so if i break again i gotta a do something. And living at 10,000 feet and taking the heep to lower and higher up to 13,000 an injected motor is so nice. Since it has fiberglass body i willing to do pretty much anything to it and it gets wheeled fairly hard.

This is on the cheep and as my neighbor calls it, beergineering or kengineering depending on the moment. I am Ken. And some 'hell **** fire" that will work ideas and fun. Using a 1999 GMC S10 as the donor for engine, trans, wiring and a bunch other i scavenged off it. This is my second 4.3 conversion. First was Astro donor to our 72 Commando that is daily driver and wheeler for 10 years with the 4.3. Not going to be high end or high cost - i hope. but it will have some goodies.

Hoping for some feedback and ideas so share away and be brutal but not disrespectful to anyone posting please. I do not understand the reason for so much of that on many sites and like this group for not having that culture.

need help with how best to upload pics.

 

the before

 

Go into the pics on your phone and reduce the size to below 1 MB.

 

the donor. saw it at the scene and knew the tow company. ended up $10 ahead after scrapping it and i got the eng, trans, wiring, ecm, d shafts and a bunch more. Driver walked away with broken wrist i was told. Wifey freaked a bit when tow truck dropped it in the driveway. What will the neighbors think! I was able to see if could get running and check it over before having to pay for it. The in tank fuel pump was destroyed, all broken in pieces and wires ripped out from all the fuel sloshing. cut hole in floor with metal saw and swapped in a spare pump i had and seemed to run well. 150k on it.

 

really want to keep this short and proportional stretch by spreading it in 3 areas - hood, door, rear wheelwell. On paper a 9 inch frame stretch, axles are already pushed out, grille and radiator moved forward. Neighbor told me he has a sawzall but cannot cut straight but does have a grinder, so i hired him. Cut frame just behind front from leaf hanger, and since more is better, cut the rear in half to widen. Ended up adding 10 inches to length and 7 inch width to match my leaf spring width and allow for larger t case and exhaust routing. The frame i believe is the original 46 and was from the Midwest but was not rusted. Used 2x4x.125 tube cut with a old Carolina 10 inch bandsaw to lengthen and widen in one. The bandsaw gets a lot of use and well worth the $200 i paid. I place it 2nd on the list to have behind a torch. Using a Lincoln MP210 inverter welder that is ok but if had the money would have bought the Miller version. Paid $900 for it 10 years ago. Takes up a lot less space then the full size 250 amp Lincoln i had previously and i hardly see a change to my electric bill when do big projects. Frame has 1/2 twist from left front to right rear and passenger rail length is 1/4 inch longer than driver side and has about 6 cracks in it mostly right at the end of boxed sections and where cage was mounted. This thing has been wheeled pretty hard and winched hard so not surprised and do not think it is anything bad. Besides I wonder what everyone ends up with when the weld a frame up considering distortion. Drivetrain is 99 4.3l, 4L60E 4 speed OD trans, np 241 tcase $100 C list, added JB conversions shortest sye $400 they make. It shortened the t case 9 inches. I moved grille to 1/2 from the winch motor, cut headlight buckets to be able to move radiator forward about 3 inches leaving 2 inch space for trans and power steering cooler. Engine is just mocked in location, not mounted yet. Next step is to set axles in place, confirm clearance for front d shaft, steering shaft, exhaust, and engine height. Frame is sitting level at ride height ( i believe as i swear i took that measurement prior to tear down but cannot find it so going off pics).

 

thanks for pic help. What else i need to check prior to mounting engine?
Years ago i added swinging pedals and master cyl to this thing and never thought to check hood clearance. Welll, had to notch hood for the mc when i installed the hood - dah!. Probably going to have to bump the hood for the air inlet. setting pan at 18 inches from ground. This 4.3 is taller than the 225.
i cut out all the cross members. Front i relying on the winch mount and will have skid plate cradle tied to frame from oil pan to rear of t case.
Anyone know of a 2wd or other oil pan i could use on this 99 4.3 to reduce engine height? The oil sump is way deep and i have plenty of clearance since axle is pushed forward.

 

I wish that wasn't a balance shaft motor. you could gain a few inches with a short water pump and accessories but the balance shaft timing set interferes. The oil pan is just a matter of getting a steel v8 pan and shortening it. The extra transmission mounts on the oil pan are in place of the one lost at the balance shaft. weld some tabs on the steel pan with your oil pan skid. I have heard of those aluminum oil pans cracking if it takes a hit.
The 4.3 was built with a fairly heavy duty oil cooling system. You can pull the thermostatic sandwich plate (if it has one, most did) and put the filter adapter directly on the engine block to save some room.

Power Nation has a few builds on a 4.3l
But what is the plan with the drivers idea transfercase and passenger side front diff?

 

Adapting the 4l60e to a D20 or D18 will reduce length greatly.

 

Thanks for stepping out of lurker status and taking the time to share. Subscribed.

 

https://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/adapters/transmission-to-transfer-case/4l60e-to/kit-4l62

If I had known about this adapter in 2020 I may have gone this route..

 

I have been running Buick v6s with a 400 turbo and a 20tc for 40 years now. Have built over a dozen flatfender Jeeps with that recipe. Back in the day they were basically free out of trucks, jeepsters and Wagoneers. I had a FC170 with a 4.3, 4l60 and a 208 on it that worked extremely well too. With traffic these days the way that it is a manual transmission is all but useless in a Jeep that will be driven regularly. With a cutout grill, radiator pushed all the way forward and a v-belt setup length should be doable.

 

Oil pan will have steel skid plate to frame from oil pan to end of t case. Thanks for heads up on oil cooler plate and filter direct to block. Did that on commando 4.3. This one has the remote oil filter mount too. You think retaining oil cooler system needed or worth the hassle? I have d shaft clearance to keep it. But added plumbing and reliability.
If I understand question on psgr diff to driver - I got this really nice ole Carolina girl of a bandsaw and will cut long tube to short tube length or close to and sleeve tube to short side for a drivers drop. Issue is I have to cut, notch into the factory d44 webbing on diff center section. Thinking about 1.25 inch into the webbing reinforcement. Anyone ever do this? Hold up to 35’s and a locker and skinny pedal? I thinking it will.

 

Went 241 for few reasons. I am going to miss my d18 2 stick terra low. That thing shifted and worked great until broke a gear. But a 4l60e trans case is offset to passenger side making a psgr drop t case difficult in a narrow frame and narrow front axle. Yeah could do pillow block on d shaft. But $1,000 is a lot for an adapter for old school noisy t case. $600 into my 241 to purchase and the Jb conversion sye and Offroad Designs Clock ring. And can get flatter belly with 241 and ok to flat tow.

 

My grille is fiberglass so did not have the metal shrouding. I mocked up engine trans t case axles tonight and will have a 21 inch Ctr u joint to Ctr joint rear drive shaft with 10” frame stretch and yj springs mounted as far back on frame as possible and 2” offset axle pin. Thought I was going to be 18”. Pondered cutting frame again and shorten 3” but a beer or two later and I good with it. Looks like will be 96” wheelbase. Will add pics when on computer. Really happy with widening rear frame to 36 outside dimension. Exhaust will be sooo much easier. And t case clears frame rail by inch or so. Have drivetrain centered in frame at mock up. Probably stay that way but sleeping on it.

 

Fuel tank help needed. Have space of maximum 12 “ front to rear 32” wide 12 ish tall space. It will be up through floor a bit and spare laying flat on top and then rear seat with no padding for height reasons. Want to use gm in tank pump. Anyone know of a tank with gm pump that will fit? Or resource for tank models/sizes? Was planning fab one either steel or aluminum or stainless but if off shelf available might go that route. Caic’s for 12x30x12 is 18 gallons.

 

I’m often surprised when I call Summit about how they can search for products quickly that I already spent an hour looking for. Like a fuel tank search by dimension only.

 

Grainger or McMaster might have that in the industrial tanks.

 

to get up to current status sharing some pics and how i doing it thus far. I am that guy that makes my brackets and most things other than buys off the shelf cause that's me. I think i save money and i my mind always thinking how i can make it better fit my needs. And stuff has gotten soo expensive these days.
I am using this build post to share my ideas so others can benefit or steer way clear of a crazy idea i had. If too detailed, tell me.
Rear suspension. Using same set up installed 10 years or so ago. 2 inch BDS YJ Springs sua with inverted u bolt system i made that moves axle back 2 inches from spring center for increased wheelbase while keep oal short. And climbing departure.
Prior remodel and initial install of YJ springs I did not have the spring mounts aligned as square and parallel as could have. This time i used my Stanely fat max laser level to shoot a center line down the frame marking center everywhere i could and measuring and squaring to outside of frame at intervals to see how i did marrying my rear frame to a not perfect slightly distorted front frame. Pulled a string along front and rear center marks for squaring off. Marked frame with dimension from center so i can adjust my hangers a bit at front to center the axle. Rear 2/3 is spot on 18 1/8 to each L, R rail the whole length. Front frame changes every 6 inches with the largest difference being slightly less than 1/4 inch and it varies at each location. I needed a consistent accurate matching location front to rear on the L and R rail - base reference for measurements. Finding a location on front frame was impossible. Front end of rails were not matching square, any hole that looked same L to R rail did not measure up, square, well to other reference. I think the factory used a 1/2 wide pencil to layout holes, body mounts etc and was not consistent L to R. Or it could be the severe use this thing has had including repeated heavy winching and some other front end loads. I ended up squaring off center line to rear frame just behind front spring rear hanger and making a reference mark on L and R rail that i am using for all measurements.

Some pics follow.

 

heavy front end loads for fun