Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

Just picked up a 98 s10 zr2. Just wondering what you think of the 4.3 engines with the vortec heads. I would like to stick with the v6 but possibly build it.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

The cranks are incorrectly cross drilled and tend to trash rod bearings. There is no fix for this except to listen for rap at cold startup + after oil changes, and when it sounds really bad yank the engine partially out so you can get the oilpan clear of the subframe and toss some rod bearings in that bitch.

They get the same mpg as the 350, but only make 3/4 the power.

I'd try to flip the truck for a profit is my $0.02. Nothing really wrong with those trucks... but there is definitely nothing right about them either.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

i bought it for a daily driver. i know it may be stupid because this truck has shity gas mileage. But i feel way to cramped in my eg that i used to commute. My dad has had a blazer and i have had one also. Both had high mileage and ran good. Never heard of the rod bearing mishap though.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

It's about like an F-series, those engines trash rod bearings at 150-170K like clockwork. The difference between a 4.3 and an F22/F23 is you can find an F-series cheap, and it is easy to swap.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

Ive had a 93 blazer for over a year now i get like 20 mpg in town and it has like 265,000 miles on it and i beat the ---- out of it. its the best $500 car ive owed.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

Hey Jd what do you think about the 6.0 vortec engine that came in the 03 yukons?

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

I'm very surprised Buk hasnt come in here yet.

I don't know ---- about reliability and all that but it has some balls, did some nice peely burnouts with my friends grandma's blazer w/ a 4.3L 4wd O0

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

My Business Law teacher swears by these engines, he says they're some of the best engines ever made.

I still swear by B and D series motors, and I think we can all agree on that. K series not so much. :4

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

what to do with gm 4.3's?

because a trash can won't hold that much ----:

http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/safety/dumpster2.jpg

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

my shop van is a 97 astro van with 438xxxkms on the origional 4.3 vortec and runs like a champ

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

No clue, or experience. I'm not big on heavy SUV, but one of my friends has been through a couple late 90's 350 powered Yukons and likes them a lot. Those had an annoying fuel pump failure problem, and they have minor PS system issues, but all in all they are really good trucks.

So, yeah, that's my opinion on some bullshit that has absolutely nothing to do with the question you asked. If you don't like it get fucked. ;)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

with regular maintnence a 4.3l will last well into the 300k mile range...

ive owned more than 5 of them all together and the only ---- i had break down is small ---- like starters 3 times 3 different trucks and a tstat 2 times on 2 different trucks but preventitive maintnence is the key, relatively all small and easy to work with ---- untill a heater core goes and even then its still easy to change its just that its a bitch to get to and youll be cursing alot

either way id sell the 98 and pick up a pre 93 truck or pre 94 jimmy/blazer

btw most people who bash 4.3l havent owned a s10 they may have ridden em but they havent owned one

some people call the s10's hit and miss trucks i call bs.. if you buy one that wasnt driven by some faggot ittl last forever but if you buy one thats been abused no ------- ---- its gonna be a pos

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

I have very few problems with the 6.0l at work. They all have piston slap but never seem to be bad enought to be a problem. The rear knock sensor likes to get water in it and fucks up which needs a intake mani removel, inner tie rods are weak and wear out fast, 4 o2 sensors to ---- up and they love to do that + the wiring to them. One of the least problemed engines to come in though :)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

And he keeps having to buy more. I rest my case.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

ive owned 5 of them because the trucks are easy to flip for mad profit ::)

1 of them was a parts car and ive only owned 1 at a time

there was one i bought for 100 bucks changed the heater core and flipped it for 1500 ::)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

boat manis bolt right up to :P

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

jesus christ it was a manifold off a industrial twin turbo 4.3l v6 generator ---- i wish i could find it again

go look up autotrader chevy astro/s10/blazer and gmc safari/s10/jimmy and sort by highest mileage first and look how manny 300k mile cars..

then list by price lowest first and look how manny cheap as ---- running trucks

it isnt the greatest car in the world but considering what you get for the money its a damn good bang for the buck..

jd is lame

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

does regular maintnence include engine rebuilds? They are too unbalanced to see 300,000 miles ;)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

so replacing starters, thermostats, heater cores, and complete exhaust systems, along with crank bearings, is preventive maitnence?

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

hey blame canada 8)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

before the starter goes out ittl do the clicking thing and even then itl last you another month or so
thermostats should be done preventative maintnence anyways along with the water pump
heater cores are a design flaw and even then its not a sure thing that ittl go out
---- when an exhaust goes out toss on a flowmaster and ittl never rot out 8)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

:P

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

it has a new water pump, heater core, tires, alternator, and is in excellent shape for a 98 with higher miles. it was never bashed on or raped by some punk kid. i am the third owner. The first being some old guy and the second guy was some middle aged fisherman. I think i will keep the zr2. Its the newest vehicle i have owned and its a 98.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

we had soo many zr2's frame crack around here that they flew a welder in to fix them and he was like WTF you just want me to weld up the cracks?? ?? ?? :-X. I know of two trucks that broke completly apart and he wouldn't touch those ones. GM refuses to say they have a problem though. :-X

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

you had piston slap problems on the 6.0L? I know theirs a TSB on this but i thought it was only for the 5.3L? the 6.0 is a good motor.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

yes 6.0l also. Like I said never bad enough for a problem though :)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

so they cracked with no abuse? Or was it after an accident. explain.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

I first heard of this from our electrical power companys lease trucks. Pavement driven around town reading meters on houses.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

:y

I got an 89 S10 for free with a 4.3L. long bed, not too rusty, 2wd. I had plans of making it into a dd/parts hauler. I pulled the engine to reseal it and clean it, it had about 1/2" of grease anywhere under the valve covers, and realized GM should not be allowed to be a manufacturer anymore.

Random mix of SAE and metric, some times within 1/2" of each other on the same component. None of the subframe nuts are welded on. Half the ---- is buried under other ----, so it's all hard to reach. I said ---- it, and gave it to some other kid, but told him I needed the wheels, axle and spindles back (possible locost project).

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

any factual evidence of this? possibly an
online article?

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

I am a ------- online article, you want me to make you a sandwhich while you wait for my search? ::)

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

first search result on yahoo for zr2 frame cracking. I suggest a good reading of it, I skimmed it looks juicey.

https://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=5289

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

+1

lol

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

most of the cracking happens before 90k. And mine has well over that amount of miles. I guess i got lucky.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

4.3l vortec is a great motor.

my dads boat has one in it.

i believe some of the boats has 275hp in it. the 2 bbl carbed ones are 235hp and the 4bbl are 275hp

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

yes, the 4.3 vortec high output has around 200 i believe.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

only problem so far is the passenger side carpet is getting wet when i wash it or drive in the rain. The floorpans are not rusted out neither are the rockers. Anyone know of where is most likely is?

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

is it fuel injected or carbd?

you should find a 4bbl intake manifold for it and a 4bbl carb and it'll make a lot more power

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

its fuel injected.

Re: Your opinions/thoughts/expieriences with the 4.3 vortec engine.
 

Johnny its a ------- 1998, why would it be carb'd