# 4.3 V-6 chevy engine --any issues with it?????



## Twenty five ought six

I know squat about Chevy engines.  Looking at a full size PU with a 4.3 V-6

Are there any issues with this engine.

Truck will be used for a daily driver, and occasional  "guy stuff" -- hauling a load of firewood, towing small boat, and so on.


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## hoochfisher

they have a decent amount of power and are the better of the chevy 6 cylinders in my experiance.   

i have allways been told the 4.3 is just a 350 v8 thats missing two cylinders.


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## KDarsey

In my opinion it might be one of the best Chevy ever made. I have had 4 or 5 vehicles with them and no problems.


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## duckhunter6

i have a chevy silverado with 4.3 v6 in it.  im 19 years old so you know i've put it throw some heck, never gave me any huge problems, got good power, i love it and i dont think ima ever get rid of it


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## GoldDot40

What year model you looking at?

I agree, the 4.3L V6 was one of the very best engines GM ever produced. I have nothing bad to say about them. (And yes they have the same 4" piston diameter as a Chevy 350)

I can't say I would want one in a full size truck. As good as they are....they still don't have the torque/hp of a V8 in the same year model. The smaller engine just has to work a little harder to pull it's own weight. The harder it has to work....the more fuel it consumes. If you're not going to be hauling/pulling any more than you say you are....you'll probably be happy with a 4.3L equipped full size tuck.....until you drove one with a bigger engine.


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## back_woods

i have a 97 z-71 with the 4.3l in it and the truck is great i have never had a problem out of the truck it has enough power to pull anything small and its just all around a great truck


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## hoghunter74

I had a 91 s-10 with the 4.3  and drove it 25,000-30,000 miles a year.  Raced it at the drag strip until it had 169,000 miles on it.  Never had any problems with it.  Sold it to my cousin with the thought that if he sold it it would my option first to buy back.  Didn't happen.  He sold it that person drove and sold it that person drove it sold three times and repo'ed it and I found it at a used car dealer.  I bought it back with 370,000 4 1/2 years ago and been driving it back and forth to work everyday since.470,000 now and it has only had a fuel pump, rebuild original alternator, and one water pump installed, all after I sold it the first time.


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## copenhagen cowboy

4.3 is a very good motor, dont know if I would want it in a full size truck. I have a 89 astro van with the 4.3 it almost has 400,000 miles on it and it is still going strong. Also had one in a 90 s10 4x4 it would go anywhere you needed to go and never had a issue out of it. Great motor, maybe even for a full size if you dont plan on towing anything large with it.


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## trckdrvr

hoochfisher said:


> they have a decent amount of power and are the better of the chevy 6 cylinders in my experiance.
> 
> i have allways been told the 4.3 is just a 350 v8 thats missing two cylinders.



It almost is...If you divide the 350ci/5.7 v8 engine by it's 8 cylinders it is 0.71...and divide the 4.3 v6 by it's 6 cylinders it is 0.71...




As a side the 4.3v6 is also a great marine motor..i have a 4.3v6 in my ski boat and it is a really great motor.


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## cook

if only the transmission's were as good as the motors


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## Grub Master

It is a great motor, but not much additional mpg over an 8cly.  Plus resell will be less.


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## THREEJAYS

KDarsey said:


> In my opinion it might be one of the best Chevy ever made. I have had 4 or 5 vehicles with them and no problems.



me too.

I've got an 06 reg cab 4x4 and am happy w/the power for a full size truck.They did take the fan off the water pump and added electric fans and it helped w/power.


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## Redbow

My wife drove a GMC Sonoma for 11 years with no problems , it had a 4.3 in it ! Lots of power and not great but pretty good gas mileage !


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## ThaDuck

KDarsey said:


> In my opinion it might be one of the best Chevy ever made. I have had 4 or 5 vehicles with them and no problems.



I agree, great engine!


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## Dustin Pate

I have one in my 99 S-10 ZR2. I have had no trouble out of it. It does leave something to be desired while pulling but it isn't terrible. Hills are not its friend. I wouldn't get one in a full size truck but that is just me. Gas mileage is around 17-18 mpg and that is taken it easy. More like 14 if towing I would say.


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## insanehunter

it a great moter i tow a 17 ft fish and ski with no problems and it get 19-20 mpg around town


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## rayjay

We had one in a 95 Blazer. Pretty reliable. It did need the intake gaskets replaced which I have heard is a common problem. Also the EGR valve can get stuck open by carbon chunks but they make a screened gasket to fix that problem. The 95 Vortec has a FI problem where the 'spider' goes bad and uses excess fuel and causing a low speed misfire which screws up the cat.

I think it had app 170K when we sold it. It was the perfect motor for the Blazer. I would want a V8 for a full sized pickup.


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## Bigdipper

Got one in a 2006 single cab gmc Sierra (full size truck) and it does fine. Moms Honda accord slid into a ditch vertically and it pulled her right on out (2wd btw), pretty quick for a 6cyl and tows great


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## 440Mopar

bought mine in 1998 in highschool 96 gmc 4.3 five speed ext cab  still drive it 240000 same engine no rebuilds 60 psi oil press same tranny 5th clucth, never had any trouble with engine but been though alot of parts being a chevy" starters,alternators,fuel pumps"as for mpg still gets 23 it got about 27 new ,some say it won't pull as much ,they just don't know how to drive with a load


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## cook




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## Iam99x

The only "issue" I've ran into is setting the timing. The distributors are in the back near the firewall. You'll need a special tool (or homemade tool) to get to the bolts. Other than that, they are awesome.


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## kbswear

In 1993 when i was stationed at Ft. Lewis WA i was looking to buy a full size truck and a MUST have was a V8. There was a 1990 full size GMC Sierra on the lot and it had a 4.3. I told the salesman i wasnt going to buy a pick up with a v6. He said take it home over the weekend and tell me what you think. Heck, i didnt have anything to lose so i did. 

I was amazed at the power and tq this little engine had. It was a 5 speed and i put the truck through the ringer over that weekend just to make sure it could handle it....and it did. I went back and bought the truck the following Monday. This truck was my daily driver till 98. I pulled my boats with it and loaded the bed down several times with dirt or whatever needed hauling. I drove it cross country twice from Washington to Ga. I never had to do any repairs on the truck. It was a great p/u. I cant remember the exact mileage but it had over 200k when i traded it in. I wish i would have kept it. I also had a 94 Blazer with the same engine. Same thing...great truck. I wish i would have kept that old GMC>


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## MudDucker

My hunting bud has one in a pickup.  He uses it primarily to go back and forth to work.  He has been happy so far although he is not real sure that it gets a whole lot better mileage than the small v8 gets.


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## hammerz71

IMO along with the venerable old 4.0 I6 in the Jeeps, one of the most durable 6 cylinders ever made.  That said, I don't know if I'd want it in a full size pickup, you rarely get ANY better gas mileage because of the size of the vehicle it has to push as compared to getting a small V8 and I'd be very leary about towing with it...


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## MikeEast

I've known several of these motors over the years and nary a complaint ever. I've heard a LOT more whining about 305's and 350's.

But one of the very best all time 6's was the 300ci ford straight-6. Half a cubic inch shy of a 302 V8 and a ton more torque. I loved the motor in my 89 F150, but the rest of truck? Not so much.

Mike


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