4.3 vs 5.3

Manny254 · December 22, 2016

Are the 4.3 inferior to the 5.3 or does it just depend on what you plan on doing with it? I always hear why get a truck with a v6 some say its a waste. I know the v6 has come a long way from what they used to output. Is the power output a big difference between the two?

Andy Seibel · December 22, 2016

For daily driving, you'd be fine with a V-6. If you want to drag race or tow, you'll definitely notice the lack of power.

Most people don't really need a V-8, they just like more power. Same reason I wanted the 3600 V-6 in my grand am instead of the I-4.

Manny254 · December 22, 2016

Yea don't plan on racing at all more of just the usual things people do with trucks is haul and tow stuff. Would the 4.3 be a good start?

Andy Seibel · December 22, 2016

If you want to go to home depot and buy 6 bags of mulch- no problem.

small fishing boat- no problem.

1000 lbs of junk in bed, or large trailer, you will have harder time getting up to speed on the freeway and taking off from stop, but if you rarely do this stuff, you can handle it once in a while.

Camaro45th · December 22, 2016

I have the 4.3L. I am very pleased. I do wish that they could have tuned it for 300hp from the factory. I am running e85 for the extra boost in power. But I have to say, between pulling my friends boat out of the water into his trailer, was the most demanding thing I have done with it. I also pulled out bushes with the tow hooks. Worked like a champ. I couldn't justify spending the extra on the v8 per month for a truck I basically drive to the train station 5 days a week. It's amazing how expensive cars/ trucks have gotten. I have a 16 LT Allstar v6 and the sticker price is around $46,000.

Granted it's not a huge boat but it worked great

Grumpy Bear · December 22, 2016

I love my 4.3 Ecotec3 and the six speed in it pushing my RCSB. Things got more grunt than any old school 302 I ever drove. Frugal when driven so. I don't tow and I don't carry anything in it I wouldn't put in the trunk of a Bentley. I literally treat it like a car with a really big trunk. That said I'll drive my fathers truck with the lesser power iron 4.3 and four speed auto and find it a capable hauler and tow rig. Single cars or light (8N size) tractors on the flat bed. That sort of thing. A load of compost. Single horse trailer is fine too. And we never go more than about 400 miles.

More than that would have me rethinking this I guess.

Edited December 22, 2016 by Grumpy Bear

KARNUT · December 22, 2016

Unlike the 6.2 you can get the 5.3 across all trim levels. If you could save a ton between the two engines I'd bite. But in my case on12-31-13 I drove my Texas package GMC out the door for 29K. I had a ton of 5.7s and 5.3s that were under 300HP so the six would have been fine. There wasn't any savings to do it. Funny I went there to by a 13 6.2 Denali they had 25 left, I left with the 14 Texas package and 20K.

Manny254 · December 23, 2016

Camaro45

That's a good size boat being able to tow it. Just don't want to stress the truck out with more than it can handle. Since I just got it don't want it falling apart on me

Colossus · December 23, 2016

Eh. People were towing boats like that with the old 255 HP or less 5.7L trucks of yesteryears. And now a V-6 does it even better. No big deal.

Camaro45th · December 23, 2016

Camaro45

That's a good size boat being able to tow it. Just don't want to stress the truck out with more than it can handle. Since I just got it don't want it falling apart on me

Just as a reference point the boat is 21'. Would I plow with the truck, probably not. I wouldn't say the v8s are unnecessary because having more power is always better lol. If I used the truck more as a work truck or something to that effect, I would say your probably better off with the 5.3 at least there is no chance of disappointment lol.

Donstar · December 23, 2016

My truck with a 4.3 is rated to pull up to a 7000 lb. load. I would trade for a 3/4 ton if I planned to regularly pull such a heavy load because the engine wouldn't be my biggest concern! The 4.3 is a powerful engine and provides all of the speed and strength most will require from a 1/2 ton. It is not "inferior" to the 5.3 or 6.2. The V8's produce higher HP and torque and are popular options. There are many options I would choose over an engine with extra power. However, I do appreciate the popularity of extra muscle under the hood!

pickmeup · December 23, 2016

The v 6 will plow easily . that is why you have the transfer case with low range.

qwank · December 24, 2016

The 4.3L feels like a slug to me in anything bigger than a regular cab. Would have been a good engine for the Colorado though, I don't know why GM didn't use it in there.

Donstar · December 24, 2016

The 4.3L feels like a slug to me in anything bigger than a regular cab. Would have been a good engine for the Colorado though, I don't know why GM didn't use it in there.

I'm not sure what a slug drives like however I assume you have compared a lot of vehicles to come to this conclusion. My current truck is a cc 4x4 std. bed with the 4.3. I find it to be very responsive based on the truck and power train combinations I have owned. Where do you notice the lack of power?

qwank · December 24, 2016

I work at a dealer, I've driven every combination of Gm truck multiple times. I can always tell the v6s from the v8s just from driving them. The v6 just doesn't have the get up and go that the v8s have.