4.3s are just a great engine. Starkweatherr, if you want real torque and simplicity the 292 is the ticket. If you are going to pull ocassionally its still the way to go. A 250 is better on fuel and a diehard. Can be set up to put out some real HP. On a 2wd the 4.3 is an oustanding engine. Got good mileage with my 91 Bravada and my 91 S-10 Blazer. Had a 94 Bravada with the 4.3L H.O. and it was fast but used more fuel. It was good at first but something went out. The balance shaft makes it smooth like an 8. Some TBIs had them. I would love another 91-92 S-10 Blazer with the balance shaft again. The "vibration" that some talk about is because it is a large bore six in a V configuration with 9:1 compression ratio and the firing order also does this so it feels similar to the old Buick 225 V6. Perfectly normal. 4.3s are called the 300,000 mile motor by some. Those that got bad mileage is usually because the MAP sensor was bad or the O2 sensor or a plugged converter or some other sensor bad or a heavy foot. They went back to an updated TBI in 96 and got rid of the CPFI which had too many problems. The TBIs run forever! Also oxygenated gas will take away 3 mpg on the average. Thats what I lost on my 350 I have. That stuff is CRAP! Doesn't really help as we are told. They don't sell it over seas....just here in the States and in the winter here in Oregon up in Portland and part of the Rogue Valley only. Calif....all the time. A tid bit...there's someone in the midwest running an inline Chevy six, not sure which one, but from a lifetime Inliner member up north from me said some guy is turning the quarter mile in the 7s! Most 8s won't do that. Check out
www.t6racing.com Download the video. Very interesting. He's running 250 bored .030 over with dual quads and he is putting a 604 cam in the new one. Ran this one for 17 years without a rebuild. Good ole' American iron!
