anyone have any background on this engine? Until a week ago I didn't know it existed, and now I am the owner of an enigma :/ Even the dealership and auto parts guys are stumped? I need a firing order, which cylinder is #1 etc for a tune up...the manual had to be special ordered so I fly blind for 10-14 days...thanks!
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
Melanie-----
My condolences to you. The 229 V-6 was definitely an "oddball" engine. It was one in a series of V-6 engines which went from 200 cid to 229 cid and 264 cid. It's a 90 degree V-6 and it's based on the original small block V-8 engine. The 229 is, basically, a 305 V-8 with 2 cylinders "lopped off". The 264 is, basically, a 350 V-8 with 2 cylinders "lopped off".
The 264 (4.3L) V-6 is still in production. Mercifully, it will die a "peaceful death" very soon. It has been used in trucks for years, now. Later versions of it have balance shafts which early versions of this engine family (like your 229) lacked. Without balance shafts, a 90 degree V-6 engine is usually very rough.
Anyway, here's some info on your engine:
firing order= 1-6-5-4-3-2
number 1 cylinder= first (forward) cylinder on left (driver's side) bank
plug gap= .045"
ignition timing= 6 degrees BTDC
idle speed= uses C4 system; computer controls idle speed
horsepower= 110 SAE Net @ 4200 rpm
torque= 170 lb/ft @ 2000 rpmIn Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
Kneeling at Joe's feet...THANK YOU! I mean yeah, it stinks I have this in my precious Camaro, but gads THANKS! At least now the dang thing can fire correctly, and all told actually sounds decent if you exclude the exhaust leak Thing has nuts too bygolly lol. So much appreciated Joe, I am forever indebtedComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
Melanie----
No problem. I have a cousin that has one of these engines in a Camaro, too. His car has been "in storage" for a long time. The engine runs ok, but the rest of the car is in sad shape due to living its life in the northeast. He keeps it only because it was his first car and he's the original owner. It's kind of a "monument" at this point.
The V-6 engine derived from the small block V-8 was an early and desperate attempt by GM to come up with a V-6 engine for "fuel economy" purposes after the oil crisis of 1973. GM wasn't operating as a "combined entity" in those days as far as powerplants go----each of the car divisions still had "their own engines". So, Chevrolet decided that they'd come up with a V-6 by "lopping off" 2 cylinders of the V-8. At the same time, though, they came up with an all new, smaller 60 degree V-6 engine which they first used in the Chevrolet Citation. The "progeny" of that engine became a mainstay for GM as one of their bread-and-butter engines in 2.8L and 3.1L versions. It's also the basis for the "all-new" 3.4, 3.5, and soon-to-be 3.9L engines.
Later, as GM began "consolidating" engine and transmission efforts Corporate-wide, the 90 dgeree Chevrolet small block derivative engine was mostly dropped as far as passenger car use was concerned. Instead, for passenger cars GM chose to further develop and refine the 231 cid 90 degree V-6. This engine started life as the old Buick V-8 in the 60s. It turned out to be a far better choice for passenger cars, especially in its refined form. It's still in production today and for many years was GM's "premium" V-6. It's also one of the few "stock block" engines that ever raced at Indy.
The Chevrolet small block-derived V-6 engine, of which your 229 cid is the ancestor, in 4.3L displacement became a mainstay for trucks. It was used for many years as the top-of-the-line engine for S-10 pickups (those were not big enough to fit a V-8 engine in the engine compartment) and the base engine for CK-series pick-up trucks. They're still produced and used for that application today, but they're being rapidly phased out by the new 4.2L inline DOHC 6 cylinder and the derivative DOHC 5 cylinder. I think that 2005 or 2006 will be the last year for the old 4.3 V-6. So, your engine family will finally come to the end-of-the-line. However, this engine is also popular in marine applications, so I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see GM transfer production of it to Toluca, Mexico, where all Gen I small block V-8 engines are currently produced, and continue production for marine applications and service needs.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that while the 229 cid engine is a bit of an "oddball", the engine family of which it is part is definitely "mainstream". Plus, its relationship to the small block V-8 engine gives it further credibility. Performance parts for it are fairly easy to find and not very expensive. So, there is a lot that you can do with the basic engine. Or, due to its commonality with the small block V-8, a V-8 conversion is VERY easy (except as far as emissions regulations may be concerned).In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
there were "odd fire"and "even fire" versions of this V-6 engine and if you mixed the distributors you could go nuts trying to find out what was wrong. the "odd fire" had a std crank pin where the "even fire" had a offset crank pin. the even fire ones were a lot smootherComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
I have a 4.3 in an S-10 with 432,000 on it. Never been apart. A few tune ups and fairly regular oil changes is all that have ever been done to it. We have some new ones also and will keep buying them as long as they are available,they are bullit proof.
TomComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
Tom-----
The 4.3 is definitely a reliable engine and it's very stout. It's also quite powerful. The main problems with it are roughness and fuel economy. I've always found them to be pretty rough running and the fuel economy is no better than a 305 or, even, a 350 V-8.
Some of the later 4.3s have a balance shaft added and might be a lot smoother than earlier ones without this feature. It's pretty hard to make a 90 dgeree V-6 smooth without the addition of a balance shaft.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
clem-----
Are you referring to the 3.8L (Buick-derived) V-6 engine or the Chevrolet small block-derived V-6 engine? I was not aware that the Chevrolet small block engine was ever manufactured in odd/even fire versions, but it's possible that it was. The Buick-derived engine was definitely manufactured in both odd and even fire versions. That engine has been "massaged" heavily over the course of its 40 years, or so, of existence.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 1981 Chevy 229v6
1985 and newer chevy are true even fire engines. the early ones were not a true even fire. i was wrong about the crank pin as they were both offset but the 1985 and newer had much more off set for a true even fire engine. the race cranks used a common pin crank. we tried aluminum oil pans on the common pin crank engines but the vibration cracked the welds on the panComment
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