Impressions on the 4.3L V6

kwOH · April 10, 2019

I thought I'd rekindle this thread to share an experience I had yesterday. I was picking up my travel trailer after having it serviced at the RV dealer approximately 80 miles south. There is hilly terrain and a mountain pass separating this dealership and my home. I had just hooked up my trailer ready to leave for home when I received a call that my wife needed to get emergency medical attention. Thankfully we have family close by to help out but needless to say my motivation was high to get home quickly. (nothing life altering but still a worry) The dust from yesterday has settled and I thought I'd add a little more of a plug for GM's non-V8 engines. The GVWR of my new travel trailer is rated at the maximum tow limit of my truck. (7K lbs.) Pulling my unloaded trailer (approx.. 4K lbs.) I made this 80 km trip in "record" time" and not once did I want or have the need for more power. Driving aggressively as I did burns more gas but a tuned 6.2 on steroids wouldn't have got me home a minute sooner! ;-)

Glad everything went ok for you.

I went from a 2007 Sierra Denali CC with a 6.2, to a 2014 Silverado RCSB with the 4.3, all though the Denali was nice, 8 mpg’s was not. I do no towing, very little hauling, and basically only needed an in-town daily driver, I went with the 4.3 2wd and have no regrets, I get 500 miles out of a full tank, all city driving. Also I don’t run premium gas like I had to in the Denali.

Doublebase · April 12, 2019

Well I drive my first 4.3 yesterday, not bad, I did think the power difference was somewhat noticeable but in all honesty I found the drivetrain to be smoother than the 5.3 because it dodnt go into V4 mode nearly as much and the transmission wasn't always kind of hunting back and forth. I wish my 5.3 was like that, instead it's always switching into V4 and the tranmssion is always dropping into a lower gear. I mean when I'm really on it the thing drives great but it always wants to go into V4.

I really was shocked how infrequently the 4.3 goes into V4 (compared to the 5.3). I can see why people tune the V4 out on the 5.3's; I'm not ready to do that but after driving the V6 I can see a tune in my future.

cbxeric · April 22, 2019

I went from a 2000 sierra 2500 4x4 with the 6.0l engine with 220000 miles on it to a new 2014 Double cab 4x4 SLE v6, I now have 58000 miles on it. My new truck hauls as much and tows as much as my old truck could. I've had 1900 pounds of limestone rock in the box and done many trips to the lumber store. I've averaged 19 mpg and've never felt short of power. I've travelled up the Coquihalla Hwy (see Highway Through Hell) where there's some impressive hills, the temperature gauge rose a little on the big hills with cruise set at 80mph but dropped as soon as I reached the summit and let up on the gas. I love my 4.3, I hate the transmission programming! It must be where I live but the transmission likes to shift into 6th as soon as possible and doesn't like to shift down on the small hills around my place. Possible issues? there's a strange intermittent knock under light acceleration which has me worried, I can also hear some loud ticking in the engine bay when idling, again comes and goes. The noises haven't caused any drivability issues and I've reported it to the dealer who can't find anything wrong. With that being said I would buy another one for sure.

The Coquihalla Hwy is no fun in the winter time but it's a great drive in the summer.

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Donstar · May 13, 2019

On ‎2019‎-‎04‎-‎21 at 11:08 PM, cbxeric said:

The Coquihalla Hwy is no fun in the winter time but it's a great drive in the summer.

"Highway thru Hell" is a great show. I use to drive the Coq quite often and it certainly can be ugly in the winter! (The Malahat can also not be so pretty in the winter!) My 4.3 has pulled my travel trailer several times from Nanaimo to Sidney and does it with ease! The first thing that came to mind with your knock concern was fuel choice. I haven't experienced knocking and I always use "top tier" designated gas and usually fill with mid-grade. However, once we exceeded $1.50 per litre, I use regular! I'd also keep my dealer posted with your concerns. Their inability to find anything wrong may simply be there way of buying time!.

cbxeric · July 7, 2019

I noticed that whenever I started the truck I heard a squeak coming from the driveline, whenever i accelerated I heard a squeak too, If i blipped the throttle in my driveway it would squeak. so in February Just before my warranty expired I took it to the dealer to get an oil change and I asked them to check it out (as well as the knocking that i've already discussed). So left the truck overnight so it was cold for them to road test the next morning. So no knocking was heard and I was told the squeak was the exhaust flapper valve, A couple of years ago I had the complete exhaust system changed under warranty because of a bad vibration when AFM kicked in, i think the valve was seized. this time around I was told a new exhaust was going to cost me $800 just to have the same issue.. no thanks. I went to Canadian Tire and bought a hose clamp, got under my truck and clamped the valve open. what a difference!! a tiny bit throatier, noticeably better throttler response, and doesn't seem to lose as much speed cruising up the hills. You may not notice this in the V8 trucks but i don't think the V6 likes that valve. I also haven't noticed any extra vibration or noise when the AFM engages. I'm started using 91 octane again to see what happens (wallets lighter) I was averaging 12.3 litres/100km over the last 20k . I also put two bottles of injector cleaner through two tanks of gas. We'll see.

Edited July 7, 2019 by cbxeric
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Grumpy Bear · July 7, 2019

97,500 trouble free miles now on the clock. Outside consumables, oil, filters (including VLOM screen) and so on. I recently replaced the OEM wiper blades. The motor itself, I change oil and drive it. How reliable is that?

I continue to be impressed with it's V-8 like performance and its I-4 fuel economy.

mookdoc6 · July 8, 2019

On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 7:27 AM, Grumpy Bear said:

97,500 trouble free miles now on the clock. Outside consumables, oil, filters (including VLOM screen) and so on. I recently replaced the OEM wiper blades. The motor itself, I change oil and drive it. How reliable is that?

I continue to be impressed with it's V-8 like performance and its I-4 fuel economy.

Dang, Gumps! I thought I would have caught you by now? I have 88K although I did loose a AC compressor? That has been all out of my pocket other than the usual.

Grumpy Bear · July 9, 2019

10 hours ago, mookdoc6 said:

Dang, Gumps! I thought I would have caught you by now? I have 88K although I did loose a AC compressor? That has been all out of my pocket other than the usual.

You are doing fine. I have a year head start on you. .

AC compressor. Don't use mine much. Living where you do that would change.