Vudujoose

So while doing the pricing for the 4.3 Vortec in my 95 4runner I was referred to Howell (by advance adapters) for the harness. I was quoted 500+ for the 96 year model and up 4.3 Vortec.

This seems very high.

I have done MANY swaps in the past including a 2JZGTTE in a "95" 240sx and the conversion harness was still only 300 dollars shipped...

Is this the average price I'm going to find?

Seems really high and monumentally stupid to pay when all you need is the ECM / Harness / Trans harness from the donor and then find a pinout (wire diagram for both systems) and splice.

I really just wanted a plug and play harness but for that money, I guess I'll do the work myself if there is no other choices.

mudsickness

I would say your 300 is right around what I paid years ago

Vudujoose

For the money that most companies are charging for a conversion harness, you can pick up a good used SDS stand alone fuel management system....

I have started looking at the diagrams and the ammount of work involved to get all of the factory bells and whistles to work with the Vortec is actually kind of meager. Even with the 4L60-E your looking at very little work.

I'm not saying Howelll and the other companies I have contacted are not quality products, but they are not made of pure platinum either...

james92toy

Some times painless has a $100.00 rebate . I used one about 6mo's ago . For a 1994 4.3 cpi harness after rebate it was $300. at summit.

Vudujoose

Good stuff man, I will look into painless, completely forgot about them!

Am I over reacting though or is 500 bux a bit much?

james92toy

I think $500 is alot even at $300 i was thinking "that's it " and it was nice . But $300 for some wires?

Do you need it now or can you finish up some other thing's and come back to it when you find a good deal? That's what i did.

james92toy

Try these guys

http://www.fuelinjection.com/engharn.html

Wow $760 at jegs for a painless

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...painless+60214

Vudujoose

We are just going to do it ourselves. My buddy (the guy who wires most of my stuff) is an electronics specialist for the Navy, he's qualified to work on F18's so I figure he's qualified to do my stuff =P

I don't need it now, I was just trying to get a rough estimate done.

I did want to ask you though, if you had it all to do over again would you have gotten a 96+ or are you happy with the CPI?

I have decided against using a Chevy trans for now (Its cheaper to pick up an R150/F and conversion parts than to convert to a NV3500) so there will be no wiring issues there.

Total so far I'm looking at around $2200 minus miscellaneous BS.

Engine to trans adapter, Mount kit, Headers, and clutch kit (I will make my own exhaust) from AA. (Canceled my order with NWOR)

Engine will come from a pick n pull 200 bux, rebuild will cost roughly 900 as long as there is no major machine work needed. Prolly just pick up a low mileage engine and hope it starts then pick up a short block and rebuild it for later.

Trans and conversion parts will also come from pick n pull, as well as the transfer case from the donor truck (mine is an automatic and chain driven and I'm not sure if the auto t/c will work because its a unique T/C from Toyota).

The miscellaneous radiator stuff will prolly be addressed with junkyard fans and a larger radiator from something that will work.

With extra block and rebuild (Forged eagle H beams, Federal Mogul Master rebuild kit with forged pro speed flat top pistons 9.1:1 Comp. will cost around $900 give or take depending on the block I get Tonawanda or Romulus.

I don't foresee spending over $2500 for the whole swap.

I think it's time to get to work!

james92toy

I did want to ask you though, if you had it all to do over again would you have gotten a 96+ or are you happy with the CPI?

We will see. I just finished my truck about 2 weeks ago. Have drove about 200 miles. Everything on my truck has been rebuilt. I'm running 35" tires , 4:88 gears , 4l60e . Engine runs really good.... But im only getting about 14 or 15 mpg and that's around town and freeway and no faster than 70mph. I went cpi because it has the most hp stock, and it's obd 1. I wanted to stay obd 1 living in california so it't easer to pass smog. I heard 96 up will get a little bit better but not by much. Not sure i would do again if a 3.4 gets alot better mileage , but i dont know what they get. But i'll tell you these 4.3 are soooo easy and fun to work on.

Vudujoose

I decided not to go with the 4.3 picking up an SBC instead. It's not that I don't want the 4.3 but the 350/327 w/e I end up getting will push the 36's much better (36x15.50's) and the get better mileage due to less stress on the engine while accelerating / highway speeds.

I was dead set on the 4.3 until Warren @ AA swayed me to the SBC (My dad kinda swayed me as well) and the more I think about it, the more I realize it's what I wanted from the get go I think.

Now the trick is finding something in decent condition, even if it's a TBI (Not going carbed for sure).

By the way that swap looks clean dude, I'd be proud to ride around in that rig!