Should I buy it if it has a 4.3?
 

I've been looking around for a good truck. I'm not thinking of turning it into a cruiser or anything, just a good solid truck for getting from A to B, that is reliable, and isn't too rusty. I found a nice '87 Chevy 4x4 with a pretty good body, but it has a 4.3 in it. The motor is pretty new (has 12000 miles). What's the word on the 4.3? Power? Reliability? Are there some performance parts? Any help would be appreciated.

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Dream: '68 C-10 Custom with a 396 and a 700R4
Current Reality: '68 C-10, 250, 3 speed, parts in two garages, but lots of hope.

4.3 have always been good engines. Powerful, reliable and have a few performance mods available through GM and others. Your truck should be around 200 or so hp, and you should be able to get a K&N filter, maybe put a cam in it and some aluminum heads and headers for it. They are basically a 350 with two cylinders cut off. We have one in our '94 GMC Jimmy and it has always been very dependable and powerful. I would get that truck if it will do what you want it to.

I think that you will enjoy this motor. I had a chevy astro van with a 4.3 and it towed 9000 lbs across the united states with no problems. Its very good for basic transportation.

The 4.3 is a tough and long lasting motor. You should be able to get 200xxx miles out of it, at least. They are pretty powerful in a S10, and should be able to move the fullsize truck with no problems.

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Lucas

"Another proud owner of one of the coolest trucks ever built"

drop_shift@hotmail.com

My Daily-Driver: '72 Chevy LWB Custom/10. Rebuilt 350, roughly 300 HP thanks to a 204/214 duration cam, Edelbrock Performer intake and 1406 carb, headers, and 40 seires Flowmaster mufflers. Ochre with a white top. Lots of fun :).

Is this 4.3 the early vortec with the Central Port Injection, or is it the Z code with a throttle body? The Vortecs with the CPI were pretty much troublesome.
I am not too happy with mine, but it wouldn't stop me from buying a truck...an 350 is just about a bolt in.

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'69 G.M.C. 350/350. Trying to clean up the left over damage from the Dope-Smokin-Old-Man
I've been dubbed the Longhorn Freak/Fanatic/Expert, I just hope I can live up to it.
FINALLY got the HORNIAC...a '70 one ton Longhorn with a Pontiac 350/350 and lots of 'personality'. Check out The Longhorn Webite.
If you need a pic posted, E-mail me at longhornmail@yahoo.com
Andy, in Columbus Ohio

My 1989 s-10 blazer has a 4.3 and I just turned over 170,000 I got it with 50,000 in 97 and have had hardly minimum problems with it!

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72 chevy super, long box, 402 big block (2,000 miles on rebuild 2wd orange and white.
84 k10 4x4 crate 350 with 330 hp

Longhornmail, Those CPI are easy to fix. We just replaced ours and runs like new.

4.3's = same bore & stroke as a 350. CPI wasn't available AS AN OPTION until 92. the first year or two of production they had a Q-jet on them. great little engnes , VERY small difference between it and a 305 as far as power goes , but gets better fuel mileage. sound sweet with good duals too.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. DAVE

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with all the rocks that I turn over I should be finding more than slugs!

My 91 S10 Blazer (2 wd) has 200K miles and running strong.

4.3 is the perfect answer for the S10 series/Astro van but somewhat under powered in a full size (still not bad though)... BUT a 4.3 in a full size truck with 4x4? we have a saying for trucks like this in the shop, Gutless wonders. No offense to folks who have these but if I were looking at a 4x4 fullsize? a 4.3 v6 is the last thing I would want to see under the hood. Stock (if I remember correctly) these engines produced 171hp with the tbi version. cpi didnt come out till later....

its a good engine but it will never be a hot rod

i think it would do fine for what you are looking for.Also is it auto or manual tranny?