# [SOLVED] Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?



## The1965Ghost

How many miles, on average, will the Chevrolet 4.3 Litre V6 go without necessarily babying it all the time, while doing fluid checks/changes, and the usual check-ups with maintenance? If anything goes bad, I can fix it myself on those things anyway. When I say without babying it all the time, I mean, not always just feathering the gas. Stomping it every once in awhile, opening the throttle, letting the RPMs go up there. I'll mark the thread as solved once the automotive guru's let me know. SABL, Wolfen? Anyone. I just wanna come up with a good answer, before I go out at check them out. I hear the 2.2 I4 that Chevy made was pretty much junk?


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## Basementgeek

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

I had a 96 3/4 ton Chevy van 4.3 and it got run pretty hard since the engine was really to small for a full size van. You had to put your foot in it many times a day.

When I left it had about 160 K and ran fine 

BG


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## SABL

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

Don't know about the 4.3L.....I had a 3.1L V6 in a '90 Lumina APV that survived 5 kids and went over 200K miles. A Gkid did it in.....pulled it out of park while mom went back into the house to get something. The car rolled backwards and took out about 30' of fence.....broke the glass out of one side and the rear liftgate, destroyed the side cargo door.....side mirror gone. At least the kids were OK.....

Different animal......my E350 has 247K miles. 5.8L V8 and it does get wound out frequently.....not afraid of "blowing the carbon out"......still purrs like a kitten.


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## Raylo

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

I had a 1994 S-10 pickup with the 4.3L CPI version and traded it in about 3 years ago with 120k miles. The engine itself seemed durable enough. Only engine troubles I had were leaking fuel pressure regulator and stuck EGR valve (twice). A bit of a PITA to deal with but relatively minor.


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## The1965Ghost

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*



SABL said:


> Don't know about the 4.3L.....I had a 3.1L V6 in a '90 Lumina APV that survived 5 kids and went over 200K miles. A Gkid did it in.....pulled it out of park while mom went back into the house to get something. The car rolled backwards and took out about 30' of fence.....broke the glass out of one side and the rear liftgate, destroyed the side cargo door.....side mirror gone. At least the kids were OK.....
> 
> Different animal......my E350 has 247K miles. 5.8L V8 and it does get wound out frequently.....not afraid of "blowing the carbon out"......still purrs like a kitten.


Ouch took out the whole side of that thing. Glad the kids weren't hurt. 3.1's aren't that bad, I don't think. Part of GM's reliable V6 line. I never looked at Ford's 5.8 yet.

Thanks everyone. I know it's a reliable engine '350 with last two cylinders chopped off' as they say, but I just wanted to check things out.


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## Amd_Man

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

I had a 1992 Safari with the 4.3 and when I sold it it had 386,000 Km or 239 849 miles and it still ran great.


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## SABL

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

The newer engines are far better than the old carbureted ones. I can't make a call on some of the newer engines, as some do have problems. I'm pushing more miles out of the FI engines whether it is TB or MPFI.......in my youth, to see a vehicle over 100K was rare. As a matter of fact, the odometer only went to 99,999 in those days......the manufactures knew the life expectancy of their product.


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## wolfen1086

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*

I had a 1989 Chevy S-10 Blazer with a 4.3 under the hood and it lasted 175000 before I sold it, not one mile was baby either, I pulled a 6 ton trailer with it, went off the tarmac with it all the time, and used it as a recovery vehicle form my Jeep when I buried it to the doors. the people I sold it to are STILL doing whatever they want with it, including beating the hell out of it going hunting 50 or so miles off the pavement. Mine wan a throttle body injection so I'd say oil and filter every 3K plugs cap and rotor every 6 months antifreeze once a year, belt when it shows cracks and fan clutch every 5 years,,, other than that have fun till it dies of old age.


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## The1965Ghost

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*



SABL said:


> The newer engines are far better than the old carbureted ones. I can't make a call on some of the newer engines, as some do have problems. I'm pushing more miles out of the FI engines whether it is TB or MPFI.......in my youth, to see a vehicle over 100K was rare. As a matter of fact, the odometer only went to 99,999 in those days......the manufactures knew the life expectancy of their product.


Wow, I didn't even know that. Have you heard about the Ford van that went over 1 million miles? I'm not sure if it is true or a hoax but wow. I think it's on youtube.

Thanks for the input everyone!


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## Amd_Man

*Re: Chevy's 4.3 L V6 Miles before retiring to junk yard?*



The1965Ghost said:


> Wow, I didn't even know that. Have you heard about the Ford van that went over 1 million miles? I'm not sure if it is true or a hoax but wow. I think it's on youtube.
> 
> Thanks for the input everyone!


Rusted out body no doubt.........:grin:


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