4.3 Engine Life Expectancy

hanker · #1 07-04-2012, 01:04 PM

Hi,
I have a 97 S10 with a 4.3 engine and 154,000 mi on the odometer. It runs good, still passes emissions and has never been abused. I plan to keep the truck several more years. What is the average life on a well maintained engine?

Thanks in advance for any input

67Truckin · #2 07-05-2012, 07:49 AM

I had a customer with the 4.3 in an Astro van who had over 260,000 miles on it when he sold it. The only things I had ever done to the engine were oil changes and tune-ups.

**woody6725** · #3 07-06-2012, 09:07 AM

i have 2 right now that are in the 150,000 club that are still running strong and are daily drivers. my crashed 93 with 165,000 is in my back yard under a tarp (i've been slowly stealing parts off of it lol) but all i have to do is put a charged battery in it and it fires right up too. just gotta do the maintenance on them.

Timpvjr · #4 07-07-2012, 07:01 PM

My 2000 Sonoma 2WD 4.3l currently has 225,000 miles on it. Other than the fuel pump, intake gaskets, and water pumps, i havent done any major mechanical repairs to it.

I love my truck!

hanker · #5 07-12-2012, 10:22 PM

Thanks guys, I had a rear main seal leaking and as hard as that is to change in a 4X4 I was considering going with a new engine if it was near the end of it's lifetime. I'm a retired mechanic and generally do my own work. That job looked nasty enough to farm out. So for the first time in my life I hired someone to do a major repair on one of my vehicles. I had the rear main seal replaced, the front trans seal replaced, and the automatic trans serviced all at about half the cost of a new engine. If I can get at least 225,000 miles it will have been a good investment.

countryboy732 · #6 09-19-2012, 08:10 PM

My blazer has 354,000 on original engine and 1 transmission repair. Haven't touched a thing inside the engine. Still driving it to this day. 97 blazer.

suitcasejefferson · #7 10-16-2012, 11:19 AM

The 4.3 is a strong engine. I built one from the ground up for my '93, using many aftermarket parts. It is basically a 5.7 V8, and shares many of the specs. Many 5.7 parts fit it. Things like seals usually fail due to letting it sit around. I drive mine at least once a week, whether I actually need to or not. My theory is, if it is designed to move, then it should be moved.

**bonecrushins10** · #8 11-02-2012, 06:35 AM

I had abused my 99 4.3 with constant wot drags and it had 209k on before i pulled it out it sat for . Years i sold it to a guy for a 100 bucks he installed it ran great for . Weeks then it started to knock pshhh i think they are worth it

intake mainfold gaskets and a fuel pump are the only problems iv had