4.3l V6 W/ 5speed

[drumset5994]

How are you guys holding with the 5-speed?

 

I love my 4.3L V6 with the auto, but im always paranoid with the tranny blowing. I've only got 3.08's.

 

I think after im done with this truck, i wanna shoot for a 5-speed 4.3L (Work truck)

 

I bet they'd last forever.

[Wingnut]

Why are you paranoid about it going out?

 

Number one, it's not a common failure. Number two, if you go through life being paranoid about little things like transmissions, you're going to die of stress-related heart failure before your kids graduate high school.

 

I say drive it how you feel like driving it, and if it goes out...Well...It goes out. It's only a transmission and you're going to have a lot more of them before you die...Might as well worry about more important things...Like who gave you that haircut? Sheesh man, TIP THE BARBER BETTER AND THAT WON'T HAPPEN!

[mattro]

Why are you paranoid about it going out?

 

Number one, it's not a common failure. Number two, if you go through life being paranoid about little things like transmissions, you're going to die of stress-related heart failure before your kids graduate high school.

 

I say drive it how you feel like driving it, and if it goes out...Well...It goes out. It's only a transmission and you're going to have a lot more of them before you die...Might as well worry about more important things...Like who gave you that haircut? Sheesh man, TIP THE BARBER BETTER AND THAT WON'T HAPPEN!

 

Tranny had to be rebuilt on my '99 nbs 4.3L 5spd 4x4 regular cab. It depends alot on who drove it before you. I also rebuilt the rear end and i only have about 13k on it driven myself that is.(94k total) The transmission was some how stuck in reverse which ever gear i chose and when i wasnt punching the clutch with it in neutral it would stall. The rear end well the wheels moved about half way then locked up. Stupid G80 I hear it breaks easy

[s-ten]

Like other people said, it's all how you drive it. But being that the 4l60e was developed to withstand the 5.3, I seriously doubt that you will have much of a problem. There are people that easily put well over 100,000 miles on the 4l60e before they need to do a rebuilt.

[HyperBuzzin]

I have the 4.3Vortec w/5 speed and really like it.

 

Before this truck, I had a '93 Jimmy w/ 6cyl (2.8L I think?), automatic, as well as a Mazda Navajo w/ 6cyl (??L) automatic.

Maybe it's my driving, but both those trannies went out on me. I used them alot for hauling 2 and sometimes 3 dirtbikes.

The '93 Jimmy had the tranny rebuilt once, then, while heading to the New River Gorge area of WV, from the Pgh. area of PA, hauling 2 dirtbike and gear for a weekend ride, the tranny went out again (about a year after the supposed rebuild)

 

Before those two trucks, I had a Pontiac Sunbird, 4cyl 5speed. It hauled the same amount (2 and sometime 3 dirtbikes) and never had a problem (well, maybe up hills with the bikes on the back, but never with the tranny)

 

That's why I went with the 5speed on this truck. So far it's been great.

[Dougalicious]

I drive a 97 with the 4.3 and manny, and I've had a couple of problems with the transmission since I got it (used, so take with a grain of salt). I had a seal that had busted and was leaking fluid for a while (if I'm remembering this correctly), making it d**n near impossible to get into first gear. Recently I've had problems with the synchronizer and second gear; anytime I'm just cruisin' around town (anywhere from 35-60) and I go to make a turn at an intersection, if I don't play with it just right I end up either a) grinding like crazy or b) making sure I'm still going fast enough to come out of the turn in third.

[OUMike]

I'm one of many people on here with the original tranny and over 200k miles. Furthermore the tranny has NEVER been serviced in the six years (and 100k) I've owned the truck.

 

I never understood how it got such a bad rap. Granted, my tranny isn't really worked very hard. It's never really used to tow or haul anything except the trucks own weight.

[Nytemare]

well it "only'' holds 370 ft-lbs, I mean my 4.8 must be close to that...LOL

 

They way I see it...If you beat on it it will break. Burnouts, neutral drops, etc...its gonna blow.

 

Driving fast or taking off fast shouldn't hurt it. And in the end, if you blow it up, you can buy a TCI replacement that will hold 500+ ft-lbs for under 2G

[CDub01]

We have a '97 W/T 1500 with 4.3L vortec V6. We carry 1200-1500 lbs at least 2-3 times a week. Tranny has held up fine but the clutch has been replaced 3 times in the past 4 years... some of that can be the fault of drivers not knowing how to drive a stick though... Since we stopped letting dummies drive it the clutch has lasted.

 

Stick with the auto though man... the 4.3L isn't known for killing trannies like the 5.7L is.

[Cool Zr2]

Like other people said, it's all how you drive it. But being that the 4l60e was developed to withstand the 5.3, I seriously doubt that you will have much of a problem. There are people that easily put well over 100,000 miles on the 4l60e before they need to do a rebuilt.

 

Transmissions are built with different interior clutching for each motor and with different torque converters, the V-6 4l60-e trans will have a different part number than a 5.3 one.

[Cool Zr2]

Stick with the auto though man... the 4.3L isn't known for killing trannies like the 5.7L is.

 

How so?

[Cadha13]

Around 40k on my 4.3l 5 speed. My parents owned a 1989 GMC 4.3L 5 speed and broke a tie rod. Traded that in and got a 1993 Silveraldo 1500 with all the options with a 4.3L 5 speed and it gave out before 50k and rebuilt it.(traded that in for a 1998 Malibu then a 2000 Impala LS) I love the fuel economy on this truck, I got 27.7 MPG on a 50 mile trip from Los Lunas NM to Soccoro NM with A/C on. This truck is going all the way even with the god awful General tires. No brake wear to speak of but a squeek from the rear when getting out of the truck. I think I am parinoid about this and keep an eye on everything. I think this is the second best vehicle in my family for the past 30 years since the 1978 GMC Sierra plain jane (250 L6, 3 three speed manual no pwr anything) My dad still has that truck but last year put in a L69 305 v8 that gets 19-22 MPG in that truck. That 4.3L 5 speed will last forever and will be easy to work on like a 1978 GMC Sierra. Why did GM re-engineer such a simple truck. In case something did break, you know what it is at that time. Also I like the simpler way to check the clutch then on the 78 and elec. cooling fans. Also get the truck with drum brakes, less trouble and can stop 6000lbs. easy with downshifting. I hope this makes it easier.