Do 4.3 Engines Have a Tendency to Self-Destruct? Maybe!!

In this video I’m building a Volvo Penta 4.3L engine. I see a lot of 4.3 engines come through my shop, more than any other. I believe the reason is a combination of boaters using the wrong octane gas and a design feature (flaw maybe) of the 4.3L GM engine. Watch the video to learn more about what could destroy your engine.

I forgot to mention in the video why the V6 bearing is narrower than a V8 bearing. The V8 engines have connecting rods that share a journal on the crank. This allows the connecting rod ends and therefore the bearings to be wider. The reason V8s share a journal is the firings of the cylinders are 90 degrees apart and the V block halves are 90 degrees apart. The V6 being a 90 degree V block (copy of the V8 block) but with firings every 120 degrees meant the journals had to be split and separated by 30 degrees. The split journals now have to have meat (steal) between the split journals to prevent the rods from sliding off the journal. The extra meat required a narrower journal and therefore a narrower bearing than a V8 journal and bearing.

EnginesTendencySelf-Destruct?