4.3L Chevrolet

I just got a 06 Silverado reg cab with 4.3l What do you guys think about this motor? I heard it was similar to the old 350?

Thanks  

The 4.3 is essentially 3/4 of a 350 small-block. It's a decent motor. The older ones had a tendency to burn oil when they were cold, but I think the new ones should be a lot better. Definitely not a revver, but it's got good low & midrange torque, and is a good engine as long as you're not doing a lot of towing or hauling all the time.  

I've actually seen guys build the 4.3. I think Hot Rod did a tech story on building up the 4.3, and I think they got more than 300 horses out of it, all-motor.

All things being equal, if you were building a truck for power, you'd still be better off starting with a V-8, but you're not completely SOL if you have a 4.3.  

06 Silverado with a 4.3? Man that thing must be a dog. Didn't know they even offered that in that truck.

I have never been a fan of the 4.3.. but eh... to each his own. I know the Vortec ones had intake gasket failier problems, the pre-vortec ones were down on power, I mean it was a decent motor for the S-10 but in a fullsize?  
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'99 Ranger LT 4x4

www.dixonbrosracing.com

Hey Off-Road, don't be so hard on the guy! He's got what he's got. Shoot, I've only got a little 4-banger Mazda commuter. I know it's never going to be a Ferrari, unless I'm willing to spend Ferrari-level money on it. The 4.3 is a perfectly respectable engine, just like the old 4.9L Ford straight-six. I mean, if a guy was really determined, he could build it up like the Syclone/Typhoon motor. Those things were monsters!

However, for the amount of money you'd probably have to spend on the six to get it up to V-8 power levels, an engine swap starts making sense.  

As a former 4.3L owner (in a 94 S-10), I remember that thing would get up and go.  The only mods I ever did to that engine were to add a K&N filter and set the timing to run premium fuel.  Had over 110,000 miles on that engine.  One day I was third in line in a multi-vehicle crash.  Dodge Ram 2500 was ahead of me.  Drove that truck from Gastonia, NC to Charlotte with a bent radiator.  It made it without a hiccup.

I remember that Chevy also ran that motor in some off road races and it not only kept up but out ran more than a few V-8's as well.

I still miss that S-10.  

4.3's are cool... in S10's...  
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'99 Ranger LT 4x4

www.dixonbrosracing.com

This thread has managed to keep my attention.  I have heard reports of 4.3's making around 500 HP with blowers and a stroker crank.  Cam shafts were custom made.

Unfortunately there's just not that much info out there for V-6's.  Seems all performance mods go to either inline 4's or V-8's.

I do know that officially from GM the 4.3 L equipped with sequential port fuel injection makes 195 HP stock.

I say have it dyno'd, throw a couple of low budget mods such as a cotton type air filter (I'm trying to leave out name brands, don't want to cause any trouble with the site's sponsors), less restrictive exhaust, high performance plugs and wires, and let us know what kind of horsepower you pick up.

There ought to be plenty of room in the engine bay to work.