We already told you about the fact that GM’s new 4.3 liter EcoTec3 V6 engine — the standard powerplant for the 2014 Silverado and 2014 Sierra — has the most torque of all base V6 engines found in full-size pickup trucks. We then delved further into the subject matter and compared the new six-banger’s output to that of the competition, and even some of GM’s other engines. This is what we came away with:
GM 4.3L V6 EcoTec3 vs Competition
GM's new 4.3L V6 Ecotec3 engine vs. the competition. Note: Camaro power figures used for 3.6L LFX.| ENGINE | HP | +/- HP VS NEW GM 4.3L | TQ | +/- TQ VS. NEW GM 4.3L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW GM 4.3L V6 ECOTEC3 | 285 | N/A | 305 | N/A |
| FORD 3.7L V6 | 302 | -17 | 278 | +27 |
| RAM 3.6L V6 | 305 | -20 | 269 | +36 |
| TOYOTA 4.0L V6 | 270 | +15 | 278 | +27 |
| OUTGOING GM 4.8L V8 VORTEC L20 | 302 | -17 | 305 | 0 |
| DISCONTINUED GM 4.3L V6 VORTEC L35 OR LU3 | 195 | +90 | 260 | +45 |
| CURRENT GM 3.6L V6 LFX | 323 | -38 | 278 | +27 |
Comments
It has similar numbers as a 10 year old 5.3 liter. The 2002 is 285 and 325. This will be an excellent entry level truck engine.
It does sound like it will be a great engine for 99% of what half tons get used for, Joe G. Certainly more capable than the outgoing 4.3. If it’s as bulletproof, and can match the competition’s fuel economy, it will be a definite winner.
What did the pump (down low on the driver’s side) on this and one of the other new V8s turn out to be anyhow?
I would be interested in knowing what the fuel economy ratings are for this engine compared to the competition. Been hearing a lot of negative feedback on the Ford Ecoboost truck when under a load.
Owen — GM has yet to release the fuel economy numbers for this new 4.3. We’ll publish them here on GM Authority as soon as we find out what they are 🙂
I have mixed emotions here.
This is a very good engine and has good numbers. It will be cheaper to make vs. other types they could have offered.
On the other hand it is not a very exciting engine and how many people will really reach out for it like they have the Ecoboost even at a higher price.
Ford sold a hell of a lot of the Turbo V6 engines on market excitement along as they were only a little better power and MPG wise.
In todays market it is more than just about numbers as people today like to buy technology and new gadgets. People want products they can get excited about. Sensible shoes are always smart to buy but everyone wants the crazy shoes because they stand out.
If GM could only find a way to make this a more exiting package for marketing.
Scott, this engine is not intended to compete with the Ecoboost. It is a base model engine and competes very well against the Ford and Dodge on paper. And I disagree that there is no excitement with this engine. I have been waiting a while for GM to combine the proven pushrod engines with direct injection, and when I see a torque number over 300 lb-ft in a naturally aspirated V6, my eyes light up. The engine arguably has more technology baked into it than either the Ford or Dodge DOCH engines. Pushrods do not mean low tech.
That’s DOHC, oops. Typing too fast.
Scott, I agree. Nothing buzz worthy. They will have to market it based entirely on torque numbers. Mathematically superior in that regard, but hardly exciting. Hopefully it will also have superior fuel economy.
The real issue is todays market is not just based on numbers only it takes a full package of numbers and excitement for marketing.
This engine is much like the new truck where it is pretty much all new but still looks and feels a lot like the old one.
Scott — I agree about the “complete” approach to making a truck (or any kind of product, really)… but don’t see why you think the 4.3 “still looks and feels a lot like the old one.”
Not to mention that the K2XX vehicles are new from the ground up (styling is very subjective), the outgoing GMT900-based trucks were real last-gen products. The new trucks and their powerplants represent an entirely different way of thinking that doesn’t follow “the leader” (Ford, used loosely) into using boosted and N/A car engines in trucks. Just in that alone, the trucks draw a new path and represent a value-add for the customer.
Damn, Scott, you are reading my mind today lol.
Scott, ok here your off your rocker, have you ever driven a truck… This engine is very exciting for truck owners…
What most people don’t realize is that torque is what makes an engine feel powerful, especially at lower rpms. People like to brag about horsepower but I bet if you drive this 4.3 back to back against a 3.7L ford or a 3.6L dodge its going to feel more powerful. I’ve driven the gm 3.6 in a camaro it’s a sweet engine but gutless off the line. Definitely wouldn’t want it in a big pickup. I think the 4.3 and the 5.3 are spot on for a truck. Can’t wait to see what the 6.2 has.
Ok folks here are the cards on the table.
Yaba – Yes I regularly drive a Full Size present gen Chevy Truck.
Alex Yes Alex on paper the trucks are all new and have many good features but they look like an evolved old truck and present little excitement for anyone other than a Chevy fan. You can twist it all you like but each new truck is a game of one up mans ship but they all follow in most the same areas. Even it is all new it is harder to sell it if it look a lot like the older truck. In this case it is a truck so it will sell anyways. The question is how many sales will be not gained because of the conservative styling.
Breied – I drive daily a 2.0 Turbo engine. The engine has 290 HP and 315 FT LBS at 1800 RPM to 5400 RPM. It only uses a GM Turbo Tune and has little lag and more torque than it knows what to do with the front wheels. The RWD version in the Solstice with a standard shift got 340 FT LBS at the rear wheels.
Now I am not saying that I would want to see a 2.0 turbo in the truck but if they could do that with a 2.0 I feel they could have worked something out with the V6. The only down side is added cost but even at a $1100-1200 premium it has not done hurt sales as it was around 50% of all F150 sales.
I see this V6 even as good on paper as it is will get lost in the shuffle and mostly be left to the base trucks and fleet sales as most buyers will not be stimulated by it enough to for go the V8. Again not a bad thing but more of a could they have done even better with something that attracted real attention.
In years past what was on paper was enough today what is on paper is not enough. Just look at the newest survey in Car and Driver and see how far down GM is in perceived technology. We here know GM is one of the leaders in technology in the market to the point they have sold Transmissions to BMW and just inked a deal to sell Night Vision to Honda similar that will be in the 2015 Cadillac.
GM has an image issue yet with quality and technology post bail out and they need to work on it. People who drive imports too often see GM as inferior and just do not know the truth. When you revamp old engines and even if they are leading technology it still looks bad in perceived technology.
GM needs to not only make things better but make them be perceived as better in the public eye,
The least they could have done is played with the displacement so the appearance of the engine may have been different with a different liter size. Hell even a 4.7 or 4.8 would have helped.
If this engine does not so better than 2-3 MPG city over the small V8 it will not gain much in sales.
GM needs to close the whole deal not just spec’s on paper. The Turbo was not anything that much better than the V8 but yet the image made it a very profitable deal and it has gotten people into a V6 that would never considered it before. This will pay off as things get down sized in the half ton market.
Hey Scott, what I meant is that as a base V6 that’s not boosted the 4.3 is gonna be way more torquey than an ohc multivalve engine. I agree with you that boosted engines have a boatload of low end torque. I’ve driven a turbo 4 that will smoke the front tires pretty easily. The 3.5 ecoboost is also very torquey. A naturally aspirated 24v V6 goes like stink and sounds great once you rev the crap out of it but they all got nothing off the line which in my opinion is no good for a truck. Have a good one 🙂
CliffordtheBigRedDog, that pump you’re referring to gotta be the power steering pump, must have a remote reservoir.
They should market it directly against the Ecoboost especially if fuel economy turns out to be better. “More torque and better fuel economy than Ford’s Ecoboost.” If you can’t create your own hype, make the competition’s hype look silly.
Is it direct injection? Looks like that might just be the fuel pump. I sure would hope they wouldnt use a hydraulic power steering setup rather than electric. @Scott… Right on the money with the marketing issue. We all know that GM is got the nuts… but somebody needs to educate the very dumb general public on that.
Just thinking here, the 4.3 is actually a 5.7 with 2 cylinder missing and i don’t think gm makes a 5.7 any more, if you take a 6.2 and remove 2 cylinders it would be 4.7 and a lot more torque , wouldn’t that make more sense ?
Seems as though the issues of reliability, servicability, cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle, etc., have been left out of this discussion. What’ll be the perceived impression of this engine/truck combination to a guy who plans on driving it for years? For me at least the fact that it isn’t sporting a turbocharger, DOHC, etc. is a plus all in itself. It is hugely important to Chevy that the reliability reputation it’s trucks have earned not be jeaprodized by a lot of whizbangs that wind up costing customers money and annoyance. Happiness at the end of the ownership cycle is what gets customers into the repeat buyer column.
The fact a vehicle today having a turbo or DOHC does not mean it will run any less miles reliably.
This has not affected GM’s thinking on the Diesels. Note most of them are much more powerful and just if not more reliable in the long run.
Todays Turbos are not of the old T type school where they were not cooled properly. GM learned its lesson in the 80’s and so far has proven not to be repeating the days where the bearings would coke up at 35K miles.
USA#1, I’m sure you’re right it probably does have electric power steering. I was thinking old school there for a sec as that’s where the p/s pump is on the older models…
Scot and Bronc624,who are you trying to kid, the way you put down the GM truck, you are ford owners and a trolls, just here to start bull s–t . If you do own Chevy or GMC truck and than make negative comments about them, than GM does not need you as a customer .
“If you do own Chevy or GMC truck and than make negative comments about them, than GM does not need you as a customer”
So in your little head, GM should ignore the people who bought their products and those who raise concerns or have any criticism about something they’ve bought.
You are aware that atitude is what GM exercised throughout the 70’s and 80’s, and was done so to the detriment of the company. aren’t you?
Chevyowner pal,
Just to inform you I am a life long owner of GM from a family of life long GM owners. I have rebuilt, raced and shown GM cars all my life. I have taken national awards for my Pontiac’s and plan to continue owning GM products.
I also have had a close relative that was a GM engineer for 35 plus years who taught me much about the product and what goes into it. He was there thought the golden years and worked with many of the big names at GM. To me they were hero’s to him they were just co workers.
I also have become friends with many well place GM people over the last 20 years due to the work I do and much of the history I have researched.
I have had stories printed in national publications on Prototype Pontiac parts.
I have worked in the performance aftermarket for years and before that with a company that worked with many the marketing departments and engineers of many Auto and Auto related companies.
Sorry I call em as I see em. I am not here to mash toes but some times the truth hurts but if I just nod and agree with the brain washed fan boys that would be pure BS.
It is like my Fiero. I have so many Fiero owners that declare it the one of the best sports cars of all time. Yes on their forum many will declare that all day. the truth is it is a fun car and I have loved my dearly but it is a very flawed car. I will not just play along with the main stream if I do not agree.
GM is my favorite company and while I love much of what they do they still make what I feel are mistakes. No one is perfect.
By working in the performance aftermarket I work with many customers and I see and hear first hand what they like and want. At times GM hits the mark and other times they miss it. Of late they hit more than they miss. But with that said I do think they did a good job on the new trucks and the 4.3 but I do feel they left a lot on the table that they could have gained more market share with.
I still think there is some kind of play coming where GM will try to get the public into the nearly as large Colorado to gain more MPG and make the 1/2 rated heavier to make it avoid the CAFE issues. There will be some games GM and the others may play as the trucks as they are will not make the needed numbers and drastic changes will be needed.
Ford right now is looking at tooling up a mostly aluminum truck right now. That is not going to be easy or cheap. But that is how desperate things are.
But anyways sorry If you can’t deal with all the reality out in the cruel world. To have a informed opinion you need to take the bad with the good. For GM to improve we need to be tough on them as in the past too many remained silent as they slid off the cliff. If more spoke up about the Aztek then we may have saved GM a lot of grief.
@Chevyownerslways, For those of us who post here often like myself and more recently Scott, we like the openess and good debate on GMA… While some people get their panties in a bunch over some comments I think we are learning to keep it civil and respectfull. I would ask you to do the same, remember most of us are GM fans and its usually easy to tell the trolls from the fanboys, Scott is one of us…
Scott, we appreciate your comments… keep the comming… I think we all look forward to discussing GM products and the future of GM…
Thanks. Those who love GM the most should not see them in rose color glasses. Praise them where they do well and critic where they fall short.
If they can’t make the GM lovers happy how are they going to bring conquest sales in.
There is a fight inside GM yet today of those of the new way as directed by Lutz and there are those of the old school who are still fighting to cheapen the door handles on the new Omega Cadillac. We need to support those who are right in GM and critic those who want to turn back to the old conservative ways.
If you love GM stand up for what you like and speak out where you are displeased. GM is watching today and they hear and see out comments and really do take them to heart..
The reality is they can not do all that we want or wish as they still have to run GM as a business and it is not possible to do all things all the time. Things are changing and they are headed in the right direction.
Chevyowneralways, I was brought up on nothing but GM vehicles. My grandfather and his brothers owned a small town GM dealership as a sideline (my grandfather eventually did sell them his interest). I am known among friends, coworkers and family as a rabid GM fan who will not consider anything else. I just want to see them do what’s right and it drives me nuts sometimes when it seems like they are going backwards. As Yaba said there is openness and debate on here, and that will include criticism.
I’m also a gm fan, we have to remember what happened in 08, things have changed a lot, seems backwards at times but i think its still positive, just new. you will see it in the long run.
“As Yaba said there is openness and debate on here, and that will include criticism.”
Exactly. There is nothing written anywhere that says a fan of GM must never consider or discuss with others the fumblings or shortcomings of the company and its products.
If we didn’t discuss GM’s faults, GMA would be nothing but endless posts by yes-men.
A serpentine belt and two other belts as well. Surprised that its going back to the future. Want to know whats going on here. Its just strange.
I want to apologize to all who i offended,from all the E-mail i received ,it made me fill like an outsider ,so i will make sure not to comment on this forum again. By the way at 66 i too know when Chevy makes a good product and i don’t look to the past ,i look at the present,the new Gm.
Chevy you do not need to apologize here but and you do not need to back off of posting. Forums are the place where we all exchange our ideas and thoughts good or bad on a topic and thrash them out.
If you think the new truck has no failings and the 4.3 is a great idea present your case.
Where you went wrong is trying to hang a title that is not called for just because you do not like our opinions. You do not know me and have no idea of my back ground, You have no concept of how GM I really am. Am I hard on GM…Damn Right I am at times. But many and most times I will stand in support of things they do and what they produce.
Right now is a pivotal time in GM history as they are making changed that were needed 40 years ago and they are still fighting a system that is still not perfect but is going in the right direction. Many of the things I say and post are not much different than many of the people think inside GM that I know. They are the ones bring the change and as you have seen of late most has been positive.
So please keep posting here we would like to hear your side of things. While we may not always agree we can debate the topic and we both may just learn something from it.
The other thing with GM you need to look to the past, present and future as all play a key part of fixing the issues and not revisiting the bad things from the past. Any good business leader will always learn an retain the past as there may have been bad but there also is a lot of good to draw from too.
If this engine can get 18mpg city and 25mpg highway with a 6-speed auto, in the silverado then Ithink GM has done a good job. Further, I still think that pusrods are more duable that DOHC engines.
More durable?
Prove it.
Both are pretty good and I sell an even amount of parts for both. Both can do 200,000 with proper service easily.
Not if it was an Import DOHC with rubber belts now I would agree.
Both engines have to meet GM durability testing and standards.
In fact the new DI engine share much of the same things as Piston oil cooling and in time the sodium valves used in my Turbo engine will be also used in the V8.
GM did a good job on all their engines it is just a matter of getting the public to understand and trust how good they all are.
Case in point is this, In the latest Car and Driver survey they asked “Most Technically astute Car Company by Group”
Last place was GM with 5%. This troubles me as They are one if not the most astute company out there. BMW was number one but Lets face it they go to many out side vendors for much of their work and even went to GM for a Tranny a few years ago. Honda is over GM but they just made a deal for Night Vision from GM. Ford the same as they are sharing the cost and supply of the new transmission GM is doing and Ford will tailor them to their needs. If GM was so backward then why are they the go to company for so many others.
But yet the public is memorized by the technology and marketing of it to them. GM needs to do a better job of exiting the public as even if you have a better product the public can still perceive it as poor if they just do not know.
This is where Ford hit a home run. The Ecoboost line is not as good as the Ecotec Turbo that was first. The new Cadillac TT will blow away the Fords V6 TT. But yet GM did little to market the Eco Turbo engines. I still get people that see the Turbo in my HHR and think I made my own SS as they never heard of it or have seen one. They are shock to know it came from GM that way.
On the other hand Ford during the time of the GM bail out advertised the DI Turbo engines like they invented it. People are shocked to know that GM had it first by several years.
I know they were short money then but I would like to see more effort to promote the new DI engines and why they are so much advanced and why. There is enough good new here for the non gear head to the full blow gear head to get something that will impress them.
The one are GM is still hurting in in Marketing and the whole sale changes in advertising agencies. Mark needs to get a handle on this and focus it.
It’s great to read all the comments and see the opinions of all the GM fans here. I think the main theme here is that we’re all passionate about cars and trucks and we all want to see GM do well. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with everything they do or agree with each other. I worked as a GM mechanic for ten years so I can tell you I’ve seen a lot of good and bad but i will always be a die hard GM fan. I think we’re right to challenge them to do the best they can, it will only benefit us all. I plan on replacing my 04 silverado crew next year with a new Denali so I’m looking forward to the release and the discussion/debate that’s sure to follow. I’d also like to replace my 01 WS6 with a new C7 Corvette but I guess that’ll have to wait a few years. Maybe a C8…..
My 2 cents is, they missed it on the new truck. I just can’t see trading up from my 2011 to the new one. I know an engineer would tell me it’s totally different, but IMO its a mid cycle refresh versus being something all new. They should have knocked my socks off and they did not!
I think tis new 4.3 should be agreat and competitve engine, its just to bad it is in such a oversized ugly as sin designed pick up. Come on General ,who designed these things? Some ex Ford F150 designer? Like you would think some architectural designer that penned apartment buildings did the design. Instead of following Ford and trying to one up them for size and styling, maybe you should designed something more slippery and lower and then the competition might have took your lead and started building trucks lower with less wasted sheet metal.Bigger is not better! You could achieve a hell of a lot better mileage if you weren’t interested in copying Big Ugly Blocks. You use to be the innovators but definitely not no more when it comes to trucks. Granted at least you build some great engines!
Should use the venerable 4.3 in the Colorado / Canyon!
Interesting article. It is quite unfortunate that over the last several years, the travel industry has had to deal with terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, bird flu virus, swine flu, along with the first ever real global recession. Through all this the industry has really proven to be solid, resilient plus dynamic, getting new approaches to deal with trouble. There are often fresh complications and opportunity to which the marketplace must again adapt and answer.