I can back up with what Samarui is saying; its the same in the Pacific NW. Even in our SAR group, all of our Chevy truck guys drive have the 5.3L and beyond.

However...the 4.3L is not a bad choice if you are just doing highway towing I think.

Just don't buy it.

It's too expensive and the plow screams "Used and Abused" even if it looks nice.

Posted by Agent Skelly I can back up with what Samarui is saying; its the same in the Pacific NW. Even in our SAR group, all of our Chevy truck guys drive have the 5.3L and beyond. However...the 4.3L is not a bad choice if you are just doing highway towing I think.

4.3? That's not even boat anchor worthy.

Posted by bandi 4.3? That's not even boat anchor worthy.

I meant 4.8L you strudel boy

But yes, the 4.3 is a werid choice in a Silverado. I think my AMC 242 has more power for less displacement!

Oh I wouldn't doubt that (I love the AMC 4.0)

The 4.3 was never balanced right since it's just a 350 with 2 cylinders lobbed off. And they STILL sell the pieces of crap!

Posted by bandi Oh I wouldn't doubt that (I love the AMC 4.0) The 4.3 was never balanced right since it's just a 350 with 2 cylinders lobbed off. And they STILL sell the pieces of crap!

I thought the 4.3 was a Vortec?

They had a 4.3 with a Vortec intake/injection system.

That setup was a disaster to say the least. At least the early ones.

Posted by bandi They had a 4.3 with a Vortec intake/injection system. That setup was a disaster to say the least. At least the early ones.

those idiotic fucking plastic lines inside the plenum THAT ALWAYS FUCKING CRACK AND LEAK AND FILL THE ENGINE WITH FUEL. Fucking 4.3L! The downside was that when they were in a 2wd S10/S15 with a manual transmission, they were a fun little truck.

Ah ok....so it was not a real Vortec engine per say.

Posted by Agent Skelly Ah ok....so it was not a real Vortec engine per say.

it was a vortec, just the early ones had some questionable designs.

Posted by Samurai it was a vortec, just the early ones had some questionable designs.

ah ok.

/me notes never make an engine made of play doh.

Posted by Agent Skelly ah ok. /me notes never make an engine made of play doh.

eat me.

Posted by Samurai eat me.

I will...just like PLAH DOH!

HI-OOOOOO!!!!

Posted by Samurai MAKE SURE IT IS THE 5.3L V8... THE 4.8L IS A FUCKING BOAT ANCHOR.

I'm going to totally agree with Sam on this...

I have a 2002 C1500 with the 5.3L VORTEC. The nice part is that since this truck came with the "Towing Package" it also came with a heat exchanger for the transmission fluid to help cool it. I think this made all the difference in the world in my truck.

I know two other people here in Mississippi with the C1500's with the 4.8L and no towing package... they both had to replace the torque converters in their transmissions.

So, yes, get the 5.3L and if possible make sure it came with the towing package from the factory so it has the transmission cooler.