Which intake for Balance shaft vortec engine/Balance shaft removal?

[CatriderF7]

So Im in the middle of an engine swap. the boat is a 1990 with a non balance shaft, non vortec 4.3. I bought a used 1993 Vortec 4.3L With balance shaft in it. The old 1990 intake doesnt fit it because it has a bulge that hits the balance shaft and keeps the intake an inch or two too high. So I ordered an intake off of a Vortec engine and the bump on the bottom of the intake is much smaller. (it looked flush in the pics on ebay) but its still too much and this one also hits the balance shaft.​

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So what intake do I need to buy to not have this problem? Is just removing the balance shaft an option if I switch over the timing chain setup from the non balance shaft engine?

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I had another post mentioning this but dont feel like trying to find it, and I think it started off as a different topic anyway.

I have a 1993, Balance shaft 4.3L to put in my boat. Problem is the original engine is a non balance shaft engine. And my intake off of that engine doesn't fit with the balance shaft. Is it possible to eliminate the balance shaft in my new engine so as it use the old mercruiser intake? I tried buying a newer style intake off ebay but it still doesn't clear the shaft. Only other option I see is to buy an edlebrock intake which is like $300. I paid $250 for the engine and am not willing to spend $300 on just an intake. So what I want to do is combine these 2 engines, using the old timing set. is this possible? I haven't taken them apart to see if everything will swap out easily or not. I also believe Ill have to plug the oil passage for the shaft after removing it but that wont be a problem as long as everything else swaps out easily​

 

[CatriderF7]

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[CatriderF7]

No Title

Trying to upload pics but as always its being difficult. Every time Ive posted anything on here in the past month I get a message saying "Error" my post wasnt able to process or something to that effect.

 

[Jas0n]

Check out the Edelbrock 2114. Eagle also makes one p/n 6104.

 

[CatriderF7]

Anyone have anything to input here?

 

[Bondo]

I had another post mentioning this but dont feel like trying to find it, and I think it started off as a different topic anyway.

I have a 1993, Balance shaft 4.3L to put in my boat. Problem is the original engine is a non balance shaft engine. And my intake off of that engine doesn't fit with the balance shaft. Is it possible to eliminate the balance shaft in my new engine so as it use the old mercruiser intake? I tried buying a newer style intake off ebay but it still doesn't clear the shaft. Only other option I see is to buy an edlebrock intake which is like $300. I paid $250 for the engine and am not willing to spend $300 on just an intake. So what I want to do is combine these 2 engines, using the old timing set. is this possible? I haven't taken them apart to see if everything will swap out easily or not. I also believe Ill have to plug the oil passage for the shaft after removing it but that wont be a problem as long as everything else swaps out easily

Ayuh,.... I ain't tried it,.... You can be the 1st,..... Document it for others,......

 

[thumpar]

Anyone have anything to input here?

You don't feel like doing the searching yourself and are too cheap to do it right. Those things don't mix well with boats.

 

[CatriderF7]

Ayuh,.... I ain't tried it,.... You can be the 1st,..... Document it for others,......

I plan to work on it tomorrow, we"ll see what happens. Ill take pictures as I go

 

[CatriderF7]

Well I lied about taking pics. Phone was dead when I started working on it. But I did remove the gear that runs the balance shaft so as to make the balance shaft not rotate anymore and with that gear off I was able to turn the balance shaft in a certain way so that the weights are at their lowest point. And I was able to beat the heat shield (that goes up and over the balance shaft) down in the middle with a small sledge hammer and make enough room for the newer vortec manifold to sit and bolt down. With the original intake, which has a much larger bump on the underside, I would've had to remove the balance shaft altogether

 

[CatriderF7]

Well I lied about taking pics. Phone was dead when I started working on it. But I did remove the gear that runs the balance shaft so as to make the balance shaft not rotate anymore and with that gear off I was able to turn the balance shaft in a certain way so that the weights are at their lowest point. And I was able to beat the heat shield (that goes up and over the balance shaft) down in the middle with a small sledge hammer and make enough room for the newer vortec manifold to sit and bolt down. With the original intake, which has a much larger bump on the underside, I would've had to remove the balance shaft altogether

 

[jimmy wise]

why do i feel this is gonna end poorly

 

[bruceb58]

I will do it for you

 

[bruceb58]

Personally, I wouldn't be doing what you are doing and just get the correct intake manifold.

You also don't have a Vortec. Vortec didn't come out until 1996 or so.

 

[thumpar]

The balance shaft came around before the vortec did so a vortec intake should fit with balance shaft just fine.

 

[bruceb58]

The balance shaft came around before the vortec did so a vortec intake should fit with balance shaft just fine.

He is trying to use his original no balance shaft intake with a balance shaft engine.

OP is very confused on Vortec and non Vortec engines. He doesn't have a Vortec engine or a Vortec manifold.

Here is his original thread:
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engin...-vortec-engine EDIT - This link is going to loop back to this one since the topics were merged. GA_B.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

GM has been calling the 4.3 v6 engines VORTEC since the mid 80's.
But what everybody now considers a vortec engine would be the CPI and SCPI engine.
I believe these started showing up in 1992.

 

[bruceb58]

GM has been calling the 4.3 v6 engines VORTEC since the mid 80's.
But what everybody now considers a vortec engine would be the CPI engine.
I believe these started showing up in 1992.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_90°_V6_engine

Major design changes to the 4.3L V6 for the 1996 model year. Like other small block Chevrolet V8s, the 4.3L engine received redesigned heads which had improved airflow and combustion efficiency. These heads are referred to as Vortec heads.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Like I said.

 

[bruceb58]

OK...How about this...Vortec heads did not come out until 1996.

http://www.michiganmotorz.com/marine...s-c-31_51.html
Notice that starting in 1996 the engines are designated as Vortec.

When someone says they are switching to Vortec heads, it has to be 1996 or later.

http://www.chevymania.com/tech/vortec.htm

heads that GM sells under the Vortec name and the ones everybody is buzzing about did not exist until 1996.

 

[GA_Boater]

Took the liberty to merge both topics. I had no trouble finding the first topic.