1990 GMC S-15 a vortec motor?

[killergmctruck88]

my friend is saying his 1990 GMC S-15 truck with a 4.3L motor is a vortec is that true?

[Old77]

NO, that is not true unless he did a swap. If I'm not mistaken GM didn't put out the vortec motors until '96. I might be off by a year on this but a '90 for sure is NOT a vortec unless it's had a swap done at some point.

[Joe]

NO, that is not true unless he did a swap. If I'm not mistaken GM didn't put out the vortec motors until '96. I might be off by a year on this but a '90 for sure is NOT a vortec unless it's had a swap done at some point.

It is true. GM started using a Vortec V6 as far back as 1986 I believe

1996 was the first year they used a Vortec V8

[juliendogg]

Right. 86 was supposed to be the first year for a 4.3L vortec, but it wasn't used in any s10/s15's until 88 or something. 86 model year featured it in some passenger cars, and the astro van i believe.

J.

[Old77]

Well, I may stand corrected then:)

[TEE]

Yep...86.
My 91' S-10 was a Vortec :)

[1ugly88]

i had an 85 mid year pro-date monte with an 4.3 vortec.

[GreaseDog]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Vortec_engine

[edit] 4300
The Vortec 4300 is a 90° V6 truck engine, replacing the Chevrolet 250 in light trucks and 200/229 90 degree V6s in passenger cars (the 200 and 229 were known as the V6-90, both were shortened versions of the Small Block Chevrolet). It is based on the 350 in³ (5.7 L) Chevrolet small-block V8. The engine first appeared in 1985 with the throttle-body injected LB4 in passenger cars (light trucks and vans had carburetors until 1987). In 1991, the limited-edition GMC Syclone featured a 280 hp and 360 ft·lbf turbocharged/intercooled LB4 with the first use of multi-port fuel injection on a Vortec V6. The central-port injected L35 (Vin 'W') debuted in 1992, with better breathing for 200 hp (150 kW). Another CPI engine, the LF6, joined the rest in 1996, while the LB4 was retired after 1998. In 2002, GM introduced a new multi-port injected LU3 engine, and a LG3 variant appeared soon after. This engines origins date back to 1955, when the original Chevy small-block V-8 was introduced.

All Vortec 4300s use a cast iron block and heads and 101.60 mm (4.000") bore and 88.39 mm (3.48") stroke (bore and stroke dimensions the same as a 350). Connecting rods still measure 5.7" although the rod journal diameter is 2.25". They are OHV engines with two valves per cylinder and are produced in Tonawanda, New York and Romulus, Michigan. Power output of the new LU3/LG3 engines is 180-200 hp (134-150 kW) and 245-260 ft·lbf (332-353 N·m).

4300 applications:

1985-2005 Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari
1991-1993 GMC Syclone/GMC Typhoon
1988-1995 Chevrolet Blazer/GMC Jimmy
2001-2002 Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
1988-2003 Chevrolet S-10/GMC S-15
1994-2001 Oldsmobile Bravada
1985-1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo and El Camino
1985-1990 Chevrolet Impala and Caprice
LU3 applications:

Chevrolet Astro/GMC Safari (base models)
Chevrolet Blazer/GMC Jimmy
Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana (base models)
Chevrolet S-10/GMC Sonoma
Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra (base models)
GMC Envoy
Isuzu Hombre (optional)
Oldsmobile Bravada (base model)
LB4 applications:

1991 GMC Syclone
1992–1993 GMC Typhoon

[GreaseDog]

[Busted Knuckles]

They may be called Vortec, but they don't have the heart shaped chamber or other cylinder head attributes we now recognize as Vortec. I overhauled an '89 Astro van that had chambers just like the older stuff and the same goes for a '93 S-10 Blazer that had the big "VORTEC" label on the top of the intake. It also used intake bolt pattern like the other TBI engines. The true heart-shaped Vortec chamber didn't show up until 1996.

[g9m3c]

They may be called Vortec, but they don't have the heart shaped chamber or other cylinder head attributes we now recognize as Vortec. I overhauled an '89 Astro van that had chambers just like the older stuff and the same goes for a '93 S-10 Blazer that had the big "VORTEC" label on the top of the intake. It also used intake bolt pattern like the other TBI engines. The true heart-shaped Vortec chamber didn't show up until 1996.

My brother's 89 S-10 with a 4.3 doesn't appear anything like a newer Vortec. It's not MPFI like the newer Vortec's, it doesn't have Vortec written anywhere, it has the standard tbi unit, and the design of the chambers doesn't look anything like newer Vortec's. The 4.3 was introduced in 1985 wasn't it? So apparently, the 4.3 has always been considered a "Vortec" right? Why didn't they call the 350 a Vortec until '96 if it was basically the same identical design as the "Vortec" V6?

[FordeatinZ71]

yep, the 4.3 was always called a Vortec even though they didn't have the "special features" found in V8 Vortecs...

i was wondering if someone would use that commercial!
Josh

[GreaseDog]

i've always watched that site since way back when Mike Ervin was running it back in '00-'01. tons of good info there.

[FordeatinZ71]

Yea they do. I'm a sucker for the classic ads so I frequent sites that have 'em. Always been big into nostalgia!

[hornsfan10609]

Cool, I've got a Vortec Motor... Bitches

[TEE]

I stand corrected....I knew I was close :) lol