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GM’s New 4.3L EcoTec3 V6 Offers Most In-Class Torque

General Motors announced today that the base engine in the 2014 Silverado and 2014 Sierra pickup trucks — the all-new 4.3L EcoTec V6 — has the most torque of any standard (read: base) V6 in the segment: the six-banger makes 305 lb.-ft. (413 Nm) and SAE-rated 285 horsepower (212 kW).

Torque, the turning force that generated off-the-line acceleration and delivers confident trailering performance, is a characteristic of a truck engine that is usually more desirable in trucks than horsepower. And the Silverados and Sierras equipped with the 4.3L V6 EcoTec3 will have trailering ratings of up to 7,200 pounds (3,266 kg) for a regular cab, short bed, four-wheel-drive model, which is 500 pounds more than the most capable Ford F-150 (with the 3.7L V6) and 700 pounds more than a Ram 1500 (with the 3.6L V6). No fuel economy numbers were released for the 4.3L Ecotec3 V6 yet, but GM did say that it will release estimates later.

The entire EcoTec3 engine family, including the 5.3L V8 (that will first be available at launch) as well as the 4.3L V6 and 6.2L V8 (that will be available later this year) has been designed specifically for the high trailering and hauling demands unique to truck buyers. The three engines will be mated to a proven and efficient six-speed automatic transmission (at least for the first year of availability).

In addition, the Ecotec3 engine family features three state-of-the-art technologies, including direct injection, active fuel management (cylinder deactivation), and continuously variable valve timing. These features have been proven and perfected through 6 million hours of computational analysis by engineers studying the combustion process, while a total of 10 million CPU hours were spent refining and making the most of the Silverado’s and Sierra’s EcoTec3 powerplants.

The best-in-class performance of the 4.3L EcoTec3 V6 joins that of the 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 — which also features best-in-class towing.

2014 Silverado and Sierra models with the 4.3L EcoTec3 V6 will go on sale later this year. The Silverado will have a suggested starting price of $24,585, while the Sierra will start at $25,085. Both prices include a destination charge of $995 but exclude tax, title, license and dealer fees.

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Comments

  1. Nice….

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  2. We had that old 4.3 Vortec in a 1998 ‘Rado farm truck with 4 auto. It just wouldn’t die, 350000km of abuse and all I can remember we replaced were the accessory belt, a rusted out brake line, and then the general brakes and routine items.
    It was a very solid engine, hopefully the new hightech 4.3 can match it’s legacy

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  3. That’s more horsepower than I thought it would have. Well done, GM!

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  4. Sounds solid! How about those MPG numbers now?

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  5. This v6 has the same HP and only 20 lb ft less torque than a 2000 v8 5.3. That is awesome! It out does the 2000 4.8 v8 all the way around. Guessing RPM will be higher but the power is there if you need it. Perfect engine for people like me that only pull a trailer every once and a while. Will prob pull better than my old 94 5.7. Can’t wait to see mpg numbers!!!

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  6. I’m not sure why gm didn’t use the 3.6 instead. It’s a good engine with similar power. I would have preferred them to spend the development money on a small diesel.

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    1. Because they wanted an engine suited for a truck, unlike Ford and Dodge. This has quite a bit more torque and it should be available at lower RPM’s making it a much better option for towing. For a farmer buying one for bumming around the farm, it will make it a much better tool for towing wagons, etc.

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      1. lol you beat me by a minute!

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    2. Different torque delivery across the rev-range, especially in the low end. I’m glad they didn’t do what Ford and Ram did by just modifying a car engine.

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  7. Why didn’t they consider the 3.6 v6. It gets better power numbers in the Cadillacs and camaro, why not use it here like Ram?

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    1. Read the comment(s) above. That question has been answered, twice.

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  8. I was close on predictions for power #’s this is outstanding to say the least! I wonder how mpgs will compare to the ram’s 25 mpg highway i bet they’re shooting for best in class or @ least matching it thats why they havent released fuel eco figures yet. Now I’m dying for those 6.2 #’s need those yesterday!!….just a thought I wonder what a pair of turbos with forged internals and 10-14lbs of boost would do for this magnificent air pump!!! (Hey a guy can dream)

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  9. Vt and Dave, are you serious… The 4.3 is a truck engine specific to trucks… The 3.6L is for cars it is a car engine, thats why its in cars…

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  10. News flash truck engines are about torque not horspower, if you want a car engine in your truck buy from the competition… GM makes truck engines for its trucks…

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  11. Alex do you have a torque comparison graph with the 3.6? I have this engine in my traverse and it tows like a champ. Based on my experience i still think gm’s money would be better spent on a diesel.

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  12. My sister has a Traverse and I had that thing up too 100 mph in nothing flat. Seems like that 3.6 has some get up and go. I think it would beat my 07 Silverado 5.3 0-60.

    But I bet we are all waiting for the numbers for the 6.2.

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    1. I don’t think some of you guys fully understand how torque works, and what torque fully is. And how having immediate, on demand, low end torque is important in a truck.

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      1. yes the 3.6 has less torque and would not have good pulling power off the line as the 4.3 does for trucks.

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  13. Vt, Curious what your towing with the traverse. Personaly I have not driven one or driven anything with a 3.6.

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  14. Not impressed, this bowtie fan. What is this – 1986? Ford has Ecoboost, Ram 1500 will soon have a diesel with diesel torque and 30mpg. GM, save the small block for the old timers but give us also something modern to get excited about in the engine bay.

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    1. actually it is exciting and it is new, the new LS 4.3 will out torque most any V/6 , or get get the 6.2 for real power

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      1. Are you kidding this thing make more horsepower and torque than some older v8’s. Bet the mpg will be right with the dodge or higher when it gets the new 9 speed trans they are developing.

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        1. I am talking today, not some obscure 9 speed that might happen in the future, just like the diesel that might happen some day. Both of those things, in 2013 (rather than 2018) would have blown the competition out of the water, but no. Ford and Ram came out with new stuff, GM seems to like the distant second place in the sales department.

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          1. You seam like an angry person just calm down and be patient GM can’t always have the best of everything. The v6 is second only to the dodge and it has more of the kind of power you need in a pickup. If you put pen to paper dodge will only save you 500 over 100k and that is if it gets the claimed mileage. That is nothing compared the purchase price. We have an old 2001 Chevy Malibu v6 3.0 EPA rating is under 30 and on a normal day without a tail wind at 75mph we got 35. Completely shocked me but looking around some report the same. EPA just gives an estimate would not be surprised if either did better or worse.

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  15. I’d like to put the new ECOTEC3 into my 92 S10 4.3 Blazer. I wonder if any aftermarket will develop a V6 supercharger system similar to what they have for the Camaro. Can we envision a Sy/Ty rebirth? Hmmm…

    Reply

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