Door Interior Question

[TheCrazzyOne]

Ok ive been working on my 88 astro for awhile now, now that its warm again ive gotten back into it.. and I have a question about the intirior of the doors.

My dad has a new (not sure the year, around 98 I think) safari, and I realy like the inside door panels over what i have in mine, my question is are they about the same size so I could get some newer ones from a junk yard and put them in my 88. I realy like the built in woofer and tweeter design..


and a quick question about the engine, I was going to build up a 350 to put into it but becouse of gas prices Ive decided against it, im going to have my 4.3 torn down and built back up. what kind of modifications/changes can I make to the engine to gain some more power from it. I dont know enough about tbi to know what I can do.

Thanks in advance.
Mike C.

[Blue Bowtie]

Sorry, but I'm no help on the door inner panels. I had an '88 myself, and as I recall the door trim was fairly austere. My 2000 is a completely different design, and that may or may no fit up. The entire newer panel might attach (or be modified to attach) but unless the two parts were side-by-side, it may be difficult to answer.

As for building up the 262, without getting really pricey, you are pretty much stuck with the stock head castings. However, there are plenty of things you can do to improve peak power. All the parts, pieces, and odd bits are identical to a 350, so you can exchange pistons, rods, valves, rockers, springs, oil pump, timing set, and distributors just like the 350. Comp offers several performance cam grinds for both versions of the 262 V-6 (with or without balance shaft). They also offer most of their springs and Pro-Magnum rockers in sets of 12 specifically for the V-6. Manley has a wide selection of sizes and ± length valves to fit whatever modifications you might perform to the heads.

If you are concerned about fuel mileage (peak torque at lower RPM) but still want a bit more horsepower (increased torque at higher PM) you might want to do a shallow bowl porting of the heads, install 2.02/1.60 lightweight valves, improve the cam lobe profile, install rollers, screwed rocker studs, and better valve springs, and reprogram the ECM to compliment your work.

Performing a deep bowl porting and blending of the heads will likely increase runner volume to support higher power, but also lower intake velocity to rob you of some low RPM cylinder charging and torque. Just resize the valve seats, port the bowls shallow with a bowl hog to improve the bowl perimeter, and blend the bowls back into the runners. Then you can match the rest of the port flanges to eliminate any severe steps or misalignment common with the factory castings.

The TBI unit can be fitted with larger MAXI injectors to support more RPM or you can bolt on a larger TBI.

The cam alone will make a significant difference.

If you are getting into the rotating assembly, and intend to run the engine at higher RPM, balancing would be advisable. Any competent shop should be able to perform that for you.

You're not the only one interested in making the 262 a bit more potent:

[TheCrazzyOne]

Another question about another van I may be getting.
Its an 88 astro, its my step moms, been sitting for about 2 years now, fuel pump went out in it (thats what a local shop said) it started just randomly dieing and not starting from time to time, to just not runing anymore.

so we replaced the fuel pump, didint help, so we started looking for the problem ourself, wasnt getting any spark, so we proceded to replace ignition part after ignition part, including computer. still no spark, and no fuel..

heard about something else inside the van that after the fuel pump goes out will need to be replaced to get it runing again, but dont remember what it was, something in the fuel system that will basicly tell the computer not to give spark or fuel..

any help will be apreciated. want to get it and get it runing so I can finish my current van, then start working on that one.