is the 4.3 vortec junk update: bought the truck.

[spaceman]

i sold my tacoma, finally.
i am looking at a used sierra, its auto 4x4, but it has the 4.3 vortec.
i dont tow anything but a light boat
the sierra is fairly mint.
my friend doesnt think much of this engine, but is it enough for a home depot/trash hauler/everyday truck?
obviously, i know the fuel econ isnt great and id prefer the 5.3 or even the 4.8 but would it deal break you on a truck?

update and rant below.

 

[boomhower]

It would be a deal breaker for me. Full size truck with a V6? No thank you. The gas mileage is still going to suck so you may as well get a more powerful motor in it.

 

[rdp6]

The 4.3 is pretty good in the S-10. I had one (98), wife has one (97), in-laws have one (96), all are still running great. I don't know how it is in the larger pickup, but it is easily more than enough for the S-10, even when the bed is overloaded (moving day). Father in law used to haul a week of supplies for two and his (14'?) Sylvan boat 700 miles to from Akron to Cleveland every year. He got a Sierra with the 5.3 after he couldn't take the rust in 04 and still mentions that he wishes he still had the S-10 sans rust. He just didn't care for the Colorado.

 

[JJ650]

The 4.3 itself is a good motor. It's a shaker though. It's torquey and does great in the S10 and Blazers. I'm not so sure on the full size tho.
I also had the 4.3 in my '98 s10. It never gave me any issues and always ran strong.

 

[swtethan]

i had a 1995 gmc sonoma (gmc version of s-10) with the 4.3 ran great, If i were you I would get the v8 for a full size truck

 

[vi edit]

Pass. Milage is no different than the V8 and it's a gutless wonder in a full size.

I know. My Dad has one and I hate driving it when I need to use a truck.

 

[Bignate603]

It's not a bad engine, I actually know some people that swap them into older jeeps, it's just that its small for that vehicle.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Good engine, but wrong one (too small) for a full-size truck.

 

[Vette73]

It will do what you want.

The 4.3L is basicly a 350 V8 motor with 2 less Cyls. No it doe snot have thed full power but does get a little better MPG and will do light work that you listed just fine.

My dad got rid of his 3/4 ton Dieasl truck and got a 1/2ton GMC with a 4.3L and beats the snot out of it and it has over 150k on it now.


So just kepp up with ALL maintaince and you should be fine.

 

[Chunkee]

5.3 FTW

 

[joutlaw]

Agreed on most points in the post. I had a TBI 4.3 V6 in a 94 S-10 that was a 2WD RCSB 5-speed. It was a lot of motor for that truck. I woulnd't want it in a full size although it does produce it's peak torque at the lower RPM range versus the new LS based motors... 4.8,5.3,6.0 etc.

Get the 5.3 in a fullsize if you can. It's an excellent motor that will yield better real world gas mileage than the 4.3 V6 in the same truck.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Solid engine (my experience is with the marine version used by MerCruiser). It's reliable and durable, but as others have said a V6 in a full-size pickup doesn't make the most sense because the mileage improvement isn't usually big enough to justify the difference in towing ease.

For a light boat and everyday use, the 4.3 would be sufficient, so don't let it be a deal-breaker. Still, I'd prefer a V8 if that were an option.

ZV

 

[PricklyPete]

I don't have a lot of experience with them..but the few people I have known with it in their S-10 have been pretty happy with it. That bieng said...I don't think I would be happy with it in a large truck. You'd probably end up getting better gas mileage with the 4.8. My wife's dad has a bare-bones Sierra with teh 4.8 and he easily gets in the 20's on long highway trips (2WD).

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
It will do what you want.

The 4.3L is basically a 350 V8 motor with 2 less Cyls. No it does not have the full power but does get a little better MPG and will do light work that you listed just fine.

My dad got rid of his 3/4 ton Diesel truck and got a 1/2ton GMC with a 4.3L and beats the snot out of it and it has over 150k on it now.


So just keep up with ALL maintenance and you should be fine.

This.

Keeping in mind the HP it takes to churn the drive train on an automatic 4X4...

 

[SparkyJJO]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
It will do what you want.

The 4.3L is basically a 350 V8 motor with 2 less Cyls. No it does not have the full power but does get a little better MPG and will do light work that you listed just fine.

My dad got rid of his 3/4 ton Diesel truck and got a 1/2ton GMC with a 4.3L and beats the snot out of it and it has over 150k on it now.


So just keep up with ALL maintenance and you should be fine.

This.

Keeping in mind the HP it takes to churn the drive train on an automatic 4X4...

That's why you leave it in 2WD mode most of the time unless 4x4 is needed. That's what that cool little switch does

 

[sonoma1993]

I had a 99 gmc sonoma ext cab zq8 model. It came with the 4.3L Vortec V6 and the 4L60E automatic transmission. great engine, never had problems with it. It was a good strong motor for that size of a truck.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
It will do what you want.

The 4.3L is basically a 350 V8 motor with 2 less Cyls. No it does not have the full power but does get a little better MPG and will do light work that you listed just fine.

My dad got rid of his 3/4 ton Diesel truck and got a 1/2ton GMC with a 4.3L and beats the snot out of it and it has over 150k on it now.


So just keep up with ALL maintenance and you should be fine.

This.

Keeping in mind the HP it takes to churn the drive train on an automatic 4X4...

That's why you leave it in 2WD mode most of the time unless 4x4 is needed. That's what that cool little switch does

Unless you pull the front axles out, you're still turning them.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Had an 07 classic work truck with the 4.3L and a stick. It was gutless and you felt like grandma in her 67 caddy could beat you in a race, but it could pull a shit ton of cargo.
If you like to get on it sometimes this isn't the truck for you. You'll be getting on it all the time trying to get up to speed.

 

[Quiksilver]

It's a solid engine.
However, for a full size truck I wouldn't want it. It's better suited for light trucks(s10s and what not) and midsize suv's. I wouldn't want any V6 in a full size truck...

 

[spaceman]

well, i had the 300ci inline 6 in my f-150 i missed that truck
i ended up buying the gmc, i fell in love with it.
i hang out with rednecks and there was a big debate the other night on the vortec in a full size,
knowing what i use it for it is a suitable engine
the major plus here is getting rid of that tacoma.
which was in 6+ times for tsb related stuff ..i hated that truck after ahwhile
this one may act up but it was half the cost of my tacoma
i really want to buy a new ford f-150 but i couldnt justify the payment right now,
ill lyk how it goes


PS:I will never buy a Toyota truck again.I am so soured on them it isnt even funny.
i sold mine just when it turned 30k
mine was 4x4 and was babied...a glorified commuter vehicle like all my trucks are.
a commuter vehicle to throw trash/jon boat/tow my 14" footer.

heres the list of problems i had with my taco, which i purchased with 17k 2 years ago.

clutch pedal assembly 2x (covered by toyota) the clutch pedal is plastic(the actual pedal arm is made of plastic!)
2nd time the pedal assembly went, it knocked the clutcher master cyl out of line($103.00) minus labor
1.Heater died 1st winter, replaced by toyota free
3.leaf spring bushing all the way around, the sunofbitch was so squeaky it was embarrasing to drive.(toyota covered)
clutch squeak caused by something, local toyota wanted to drop the transmission(toyota half cost est $430) so they could locate the squeak, fixed myself by squirting a little lithium grease under the boot in the bell housing(tip from garage i do tech work for)
rust breaking out on all frame seams and surface rust rust underneath like crazy. i was under it with rustoleum trying to stem the tide.
mine was the 2005 4x4 rcab, stripped.
i was probably out of this vehilce a month in a total of not even 2 years, toyota informed me that these were small problems, i agree, but when its your wheels to get to work...there is no such thing as a small problem
(+ a quick google search will show most of the problems i had with my tacoma arent anomalies)
I purchased a jeep wrangler as a second vehicle because i trusted the truck so little after awhile.

i know i shouldnt paint all toyotas with the same brush, but in a truck i swear to god i wont touch one.
ive owned standard for 18 years, most of my vehicles have been manuals, ive never had the issues with any other manual, and had to replace only one clutch in 18 yrs.

on the bright side, everything was replaced that broke, and i got a premium for that badge reselling it.
i hope it treats the current owner better.

ps: tacoma gas mileage: wasnt that great i live in the mountains everything is a hill here.
it wass better than my ford with the inline 6, and the truck drove very nice, but it wasnt leaps and bounds better in real world feul economy.

 

[spaceman]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Had an 07 classic work truck with the 4.3L and a stick. It was gutless and you felt like grandma in her 67 caddy could beat you in a race, but it could pull a shit ton of cargo.
If you like to get on it sometimes this isn't the truck for you. You'll be getting on it all the time trying to get up to speed.

im a slow driver, i dont commute on a freeway, i work in 3 buildings in the hills
i dont get on any vehicle i drive.i drive like grampa

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
It will do what you want.

The 4.3L is basically a 350 V8 motor with 2 less Cyls. No it does not have the full power but does get a little better MPG and will do light work that you listed just fine.

My dad got rid of his 3/4 ton Diesel truck and got a 1/2ton GMC with a 4.3L and beats the snot out of it and it has over 150k on it now.


So just keep up with ALL maintenance and you should be fine.

This.

Keeping in mind the HP it takes to churn the drive train on an automatic 4X4...

That's why you leave it in 2WD mode most of the time unless 4x4 is needed. That's what that cool little switch does

Unless you pull the front axles out, you're still turning them.

Not necessarily. Depending on the year, they are disengaged by vacuum. Still turning the differential, though.

You ARE, however, still pulling the extra weight of the front axle and transfer case. Plus, you're also turning the transfer case, so there IS some power loss there.

Regarding the 4.3:

Fantastic engine. As mentioned earlier, they are a small block with 2 cylinders chopped off. Lots of parts interchange with the small block.

In a full-sized truck? I'd personally prefer a V-8....BUT, the 4.3 will get the job done.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: spaceman
well, i had the 300ci inline 6 in my f-150 i missed that truck
i ended up buying the gmc, i fell in love with it.
i hang out with rednecks and there was a big debate the other night on the vortec in a full size,
knowing what i use it for it is a suitable engine
the major plus here is getting rid of that tacoma.
which was in 6+ times for tsb related stuff ..i hated that truck after ahwhile
this one may act up but it was half the cost of my tacoma
i really want to buy a new ford f-150 but i couldnt justify the payment right now,
ill lyk how it goes


PS:I will never buy a Toyota truck again.I am so soured on them it isnt even funny.
i sold mine just when it turned 30k
mine was 4x4 and was babied...a glorified commuter vehicle like all my trucks are.
a commuter vehicle to throw trash/jon boat/tow my 14" footer.

heres the list of problems i had with my taco, which i purchased with 17k 2 years ago.

clutch pedal assembly 2x (covered by toyota) the clutch pedal is plastic(the actual pedal arm is made of plastic!)
2nd time the pedal assembly went, it knocked the clutcher master cyl out of line($103.00) minus labor
1.Heater died 1st winter, replaced by toyota free
3.leaf spring bushing all the way around, the sunofbitch was so squeaky it was embarrasing to drive.(toyota covered)
clutch squeak caused by something, local toyota wanted to drop the transmission(toyota half cost est $430) so they could locate the squeak, fixed myself by squirting a little lithium grease under the boot in the bell housing(tip from garage i do tech work for)
rust breaking out on all frame seams and surface rust rust underneath like crazy. i was under it with rustoleum trying to stem the tide.
mine was the 2005 4x4 rcab, stripped.
i was probably out of this vehilce a month in a total of not even 2 years, toyota informed me that these were small problems, i agree, but when its your wheels to get to work...there is no such thing as a small problem
(+ a quick google search will show most of the problems i had with my tacoma arent anomalies)
I purchased a jeep wrangler as a second vehicle because i trusted the truck so little after awhile.

i know i shouldnt paint all toyotas with the same brush, but in a truck i swear to god i wont touch one.
ive owned standard for 18 years, most of my vehicles have been manuals, ive never had the issues with any other manual, and had to replace only one clutch in 18 yrs.

on the bright side, everything was replaced that broke, and i got a premium for that badge reselling it.
i hope it treats the current owner better.

ps: tacoma gas mileage: wasnt that great i live in the mountains everything is a hill here.
it wass better than my ford with the inline 6, and the truck drove very nice, but it wasnt leaps and bounds better in real world feul economy.

I don't think your experiences are an anomoly. And to hear that the 05 Taco's have rust problem kinda suprised me. I knew the 95-00 had it real bad and toyota was buying them back at a premium to get them off the road.
I'll never buy a toyota truck unless I find one that looks exactly like the one in back to the future.