Anyone have any experience with the new ecotec3 4.3 v6 they put in the new chevy trucks? Thinking bout purchasing one but cant find any first hand experience advice.

The 4.3 has been around for a long long time...1990 at least. If memory serves me, it's nothing more than an old GM 350 (5.7) with the rear two cylinders lopped off. I don't know anything about the new technology that they're putting into it, but it's been a solid motor over the years.

Well I got a 2009 f250 6.4 diesel and just cant justify having it any more and there claiming itll get 24mpg hwy and tow 7200lbs. The only thing I pull is a 16ft trailer with my sidexside and thats bout all. I also like to lift it and didnt know if that v6 having 310ftlbs and 290hp would be enough to power to have 35in tires and still pull

As with any vehicle, if you put bigger tires your going to lose pulling capability due to now not having the correct gearing to tires size ratio. I assume this truck will come with something in the 32 inch tire size, going to a 35 inch tire without rehearing will decrease performance and fuel economy. To regear is not hard but very costly on IFS trucks. Tuners and other performance parts will help make up for the difference, but it won't fix the problem, it's simply a band aid.

So if I was to lift it and run 35s and just change the gears to a 340 or what ever is overed id be ok? Most id be pulling would be bout 4500lbs and thats at the max. I dont have any cows or horses any more so the only pulling ill do is under 5000lb.

Putting 35's on the current chevrolet V8 with 3.73's kills power and fuel economy so I can only imagine it would be worse on the V6. If you are willing to lift/ regear/ throw some 35's on a vehicle then spend the money up front and get a v8.

I have the 4.8 in my 07 gmc, it's lifted with 35's and I pull a 16 ft trailer with my ranger crew on it. Will pull ok, but it will suck the fuel. I wish I had my 5.3 back

Back in '91 I briefly had a GMC 1500 extended cab with a 4.3 and a manual 5 speed tranny. It had 3.73 gears. I pulled a 4 horse trailer with no more than 2 horses for short distances. Sometimes I'd run a few cows from Buda to the auction in Lockhart. That's about 30 miles of back roads. It barely managed. I cannot imagine pulling anything at highway speeds. But keep in mind that '91 motor probably only had 160hp, if that.

If you're going to lift it and put on bigger tires and still tow, I'd swap gears to around a 4.56:1 ratio. That'll cost you around $2000. Or you could just pony up and get a V8 for about the same difference.

Tuners, intake and exhaust might give a few extra ponies at the extreme top end of the rpm range (5000-6000 rpm), but who tows at those rpms? Nobody. That 4.3 is turning over 300hp. There's not much more tuning one can do to squeeze anymore power out of it. You'd have to install hardware, such as a turbo or supercharger to get any usable power out of it.

Well I brought this question up cause my buddy is a salesman and he is trying to sell me a loaded 4x4 chevy 1500 but it has the 4.3 v6. The out the door price is more than $10k below there asking price. Just wondering if it was a good little motor to do what I what I do now. Kinda one of those deals the price is definitely right but is the truck right?

have a 2000 Silverado 4.3L that has 386K and runs fine. Has been very dependable. Changed the oil every 3K, basic TLC maintenance, and you will be more than happy with the engine.

Well if I decide not to lift it and just do a leveling kit and run a mud tire a size bigger do yall think itll be fine

The V6 and V8 EcoTec 3 motors are completely new designs in the 14' trucks. They only kept the displacement the same. I have a 14' Silverado 4X4 CrewCab short bed with the 5.3 V8 and it will do everything I need it to do. I looked at the same truck as mine with the 4.3 an it got around just fine. The price difference was like $3000 so I went ahead and got the V8 it was a no brainer. I'm not opposed to a V6. I had a 96' K1500 Reg. Cab short bed, 5-speed, 4X4 that I wished to this day I never would have gotten rid of. It had the best sounding pipes on a 6 cylinder I have ever heard! Would set car alarms off like nobody's business! Man was that truck fun.

Yes you would need to regear but it won't cost $2k. It can be done for less than half that amount

This is true but you have to remember that he has IFS, not a solid front axel. There is a lot involved in switching gears in an IFS. The rear is easy. Plus the cost of quality gears will be somewhere around $600-$800 just for parts. First thing he needs to consider is if taller gears will fit in the differential.

If the truck comes with 32's with 3.73 and you go to 35's I would go at least 4.56 might even consider 4.88 but that depends on how much highway driving you do. My Jeep wrangler has the 6 cylinder, came with 29's and 3.55 gears, I now run 34's and will be going 4.88's soon. I don't do much highway driving, but even if I did it would keep the rpm's in the power band at around 65mph. Find out what percentage larger the tires are you want to run, then do the math to figure out what percentage more gear you will need, always found up if you fall between to gear sizes. Just my 2 cents

This will be my only truck for about a yr or so I plan on buying a a older diesel in a yr or 2. This will be just a nice truck to drive back an forth to work and to haul my sidexside. The only reason I plan on lifting it is cause the new chevys are so dang low even the 4x4 versions are reallt low I just want a better stance. Itll be driven up and down the hwy at hwy speeds. Ive never owned a truck with a v6 and didnt know if it would be a gutless truck or if itll get the job done. Like I said the out the door price is $10k cheaper than the asking price, but I dont want to have to be stuck with a truck that I will end up hating

Test drive one and make sure you get on the hwy for the test.

I wouldn't fully lift it, just leveling kit and maybe a 32-33" tire if you really wanted to go bigger.

Or just buy my truck in the classifieds and be done with it lol

I know he has IFS, I've got it in my truck that now has 4.56s. That's how I know the costs involved in regearing.

Jeeps are a different story though. Determining gear ratio in a wrangler goes beyond tire size and motor. It gets more complicated when you have an auto because depending on the auto the correct ratio is different.

Ive drove it down the hwy and it doesnt lack in power just running up amd down the road kinda fun to drive but I need to haul my trailer and teryx and see how it likes that. And z71dustin ive looked at your truck bout 15 times lol if I wasnt in need of trading off my truck off id already be at the bank. Im a little upside down on my f250 and the amount there giving me for it and the price of the new chevy just make it work to where the numbers are perfect but trying to figure out if the truck is going to be ideal

Have you taken your current truck by CarMax? They will give you a written offer that is good for 7 days or a certain number of miles. I got a quote from them a couple years ago and they were offering up to 5k more than other dealers were. They do not require you to buy a vehicle from them either.

I havent thought bout that... are they pretty easy to deal with?

Yes, they are very easy to deal with; I have sold cars to them in the past.

To your original question: I would get a V8 (and I would get 5.3), especially if you think about doing any kind of towing and installing bigger tires;

Well a big thank you to everyone. Ive came to the conclusion that a half ton v6 is just not going to cut for what im looking for. I am open to suggestions if yall have any. This f250 is my first ford and its safe to say itll be my last. Im kinda leaning towards a dodge gas 1500 or 2500 or a gm 1500 or 2500 gas. I do plan on lifting it like 4 to 6 inches depending on what truck I get. Mpg wise if I see 14mpg ill be happy.

I know you have a bad taste in your mouth from the F250, but you also have to realize you bought one of the biggest POS's ford ever made. GM and Dodge have turned out some real lemons no doubt, I guess you just haven't happened to own one.

From reviews the new powerstoke and ford 5.0 and ecoboost seem to have pretty rave reviews, I wouldn't rule them out without looking. You may get a better deal on your trade for customer loyalty???

Ive got some buddies that have the ecoboost and they say they are horrible in the real world. They are seeing mpgs around 13 to 17. There biggest complaint is when they are pulling they have to get into the high rpms to get any tourqe

If you buy any full size truck, lift it, and still get 14mpg then I want what you bought. My 2012 F150 Fx4 with factory sized mud tires and a 2 inch level gets 14.8.