2001 1500 chevy silverado V6 woes
I just recently bought a 2001 chewy silver ado 1500 with a 4.3L V6 Vortex engine with a 4 speed automatic transmission. I am wondering if my truck has a problem or not. When I accelerate to get on the highway, my transmission shifts 4 times. When it shifts to the final gear and at 65 miles per hour, my RPM are at 1500. To accelerate on the highway quickly, I have to push the accelerator all the way down to have it downshift. The RPM only go to 2300 when it downshifts, and that is the maximum RPM at this speed. It is like the transmission has 5 speeds instead of four. I cannot accelerate quick at high speeds such as 65mph without flooring the gas pedal only to downshift and see my RPM ax at 2300 and creep to 70mph. This is really annoying. I have driven mostly cars. I had a 1999 grand am St with a 3.4L V6, and when I floored the gas pedal, the RPM rev to 5600 and that was at 65mph. At 65mph, the RPM on the grand Am were about 2100. I have had the same results with a 2000 Ford Taurus with a 3.0L V6 engine and a four speed automatic transmission. Am I comparing apples to oranges, or do I have a problem with my truck.
Any information will be very helpful.
Any information will be very helpful.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
mledtje "Chevy Silverado - Continued XVIII" Mar 8, 2001 12:14pm
auto. I don't have this problem. Is your truck
a regular cab with the 3.08 rearend? I would
take the truck back to the dealer and have them
check it out. Also try to test drive another truck
equipped like your's to verify if they all the same
problem.
Hans
Peter
I had the same problem and found that I was not actually flooring the accelerator because of the floor mat. It seems GM is playing a game here to increase gas mileage. I think the reason why is that the V-6 has almost as much usable torque and horsepower as the 4.8 V-8 and thus would use about as much gas. This is because the V-6 makes max torque and hp at much lower rpms. The problem is here that gas mileage is no different then the V-8 because the power output is similar at lower rpms. So GM messed with the transmission shift points to get better gas mileage. This hurts performance.
The only way I figured out how to undo this without reprogramming was to bend the gas pedal slightly up. This allows high rpm shifts with ease and I do not have to "punch it". It completely transformed this truck. The only worry is that if you bend the accelerator up too much it is possible to stress the linkage when flooring.
By the way, I have timed this truck 0 to 60 mph with a Gtech meter and it runs 9.4 secs. It spins the tires on take off. Reaches the top speed limiter with ease. It has excellent performance. The guys on here that measure with size have no idea how well this engine runs. I would buy this V-6 again.
My average gas mileage is about 17 mpg. That includes all off road driving, towing, and high speed driving.
i agree driving my moms blazer last friday i realized how much i take my 5.3 for granted. Man the 4.3 is underpowered. I think the old 4.3's (like whats in my dads 92 S-10) are much better. Seems to have more power and better acceleration.
Ryan
For the record, my 99 Blazer 4x4 4.3 V-6 is running 7.84 sec 0 to 60 without mods. I do use synthetic oil in engine and both diffs, but not sure this helps. I do not understand why there is a great difference between trucks. Some say their 4.3 V-6 is very fast and some say it is slow. I do know that the engine and transmission can adapt to the driving style. Shift feel is adaptive too. In other words, the engine and transmission learn who is driving and adjust accordingly. I guess it is possible if you always accelerate at or near the maximum rate (I do) the truck may end up with a faster 0 to 60 time. That would explain why someone who gets in moms Blazer feels it is slow because he may be driving under her profile for a short trip.
I am assuming that you are starting a flame war.
That being the case, let's start with your truck with the 4.3. You established that your "fast" truck has a 0-60 of 9.4 secs. The stock 5.3 will still blow the 4.3 into the weeds and so will the 4.8. Don't know what the purpose of you posting the 9.4 secs in the first place as I would find it embarrassing to say the least. Best you compare to a VW bus.
Secondly, your 99 blazer 4x4 running 7.84 secs is also a joke. You're trying to tell me that your truck with the auto tranny runs over 1.5 secs slower in 0-60 times. The weight difference between the two is only 300#s, would that account for a 1.5 secs difference? Take another shot at it. Please do try to make more sense.
Good luck on this one now.
So far I have been pleased with the performance.
I replaced a 91' model with the old TBI 350 and
let me tell you the V6 is equal to performance of the old TBI 350 plus I get 8 mpg better mileage
on the highway. Since GM puts these engines into
trucks to help offset the CAFE the regular cabs
usually have 3.08 RE which dampens performance.
Going to a 3.42 or better yet a 3.73 will help.
As far as cheap trucks let me say one thing, trucks should be cheap! Why pay $25k+ for something that 65%-75% is nothing more that a open
metal box?? Where is the technology in that?
Why pay $25k for an open box? It has to do with hauling and towing. Something the V6 wasn't designed to do. Where's the logic in buying a truck with an open box if it can't haul?
WHAT?
i see gas mialge being better but other than that there is no comparison
Ryan
It is possible to carry the same load in a half ton pickup with a V6 as a half ton pickup with a V8 - that load would be, let me think, 1000 pounds. The difference would be how well the V6 handles the load, as compared to the V8 (acceleration up grades, on takeoff, etc.).This doesn't mean that the V6 can't possibly handle the load. I see new Silverado work trucks with V6 engines all over town with their tail dragging from a heavy load in the box, and/or a heavy trailer in tow. If I routinely hauled 1000 pounds I would not drive a V6 - I would drive my old 454.
Most of the time I see 1/2 ton pickups driving around with the box empty - so where's the logic in buying a pickup at all? Maybe the government will not allow V8s in full size pickups in the future without a "work permit"
Each to his or her own - just don't drink up all of the gas - leave some for my puny V6.
As far as Rayns dump statement, V6 = to V-8? My 200 hp V-6 is faster then my brother’s old 5.7 liter TBI truck. I think the old TBI 350s made something like 175 hp. So the V-6 has more power. In fact, if you go to www.gmpowertrain.com you will find that the 4.3 V-6 torque curve is only off a few hp and lb/feet from the 4.8 liter V-8 in the normal driving rpm range of 1000 rpms to 3000 rpms. For the record, my time of 9.4 secs 0 to 60 with my V-6 was done with only 2000 miles on the odometer. It may get slightly quicker as the Cand D truck did. I had my laptop hooked up to the OBD2 port during the runs and recorded the PCM data. I wish you guys that put down the V-6 were able to state a valid argument with actual data, but most of you cannot. I bet most of you have not even driven a Silverado with this engine.
I just put my first $50 tank full today in the V-6 Silverado! That hurt! The tank took 30.5 gals. I hate putting this much money in gas and only considered this truck because it had the V-6.
Most of the work trucks around here are V-6 too. The ones with the leather and V-8 are just wanabee Cadillacs.
My statement
I run 0-60 in 7.2 secs on a bad day. '00 rado xcab 5.3 with 3.73 and a couple of mods.
was to point out and compare the difference between a V6 and a V8 using the same methodology being the Gtech unit. You stated that the V6 has excellent performance. I don't agree and just pointed out with the 0-60 time that you posted.
Of course, you had to go on and start to name call and I replied in kind though I chose not to resort to your level of discussion.
And what of your posted 0-60 time for your Blazer? If it had a 5.3, I may believe your posted numbers....with the V6...no way.
Good luck on this one now.
I am assuming you are try to communicate the word "dumb". If so, at least type it right.
Good luck on this one too.
You mean Ryan? Me?
First off we are comapring the new V8's to the V6's not the old 5.7 liter like you are.
I have driven many of chevys 4.3 V-6s and the only thing which is better about them is the gas milage.
5.3 325ft/lbs torque 285 HP
4.3 260ft/lbs torque 200 HP
And these are comparable?
Ryan
-- Don
towed with both. Granted, the 350 has more torque
but pulling 3000lbs I really couldn't tell the difference. I never towed in overdrive with both
vehicles and the V6 gave me three miles per gallon
better fuel mileage (@ 70mph) when towing. So the
V6 can haul.
But comparing the 4.3 V6 to the 5.3 V8 is like comparing the 5.3 V8 to the 6.6 V8 Duramax.
I have towed 5000 lbs and the tow/haul mode really shines with the V-6. I towed in overdrive and was surprise tow/haul allowed it. I had to shift in to 3rd manually to avoid excess shifting in the mountains.
As far as my statement that the V-6 spins the tires do not read too much in to that. It was just to give more launch info. It is really not that difficult to spin the tires on a Reg cab 4wd pickup because so much of the weight is on the front. It really does hit the speed limiter very easy.
I got a $500 credit for the V-6 and did not have to pay $600 to $1200 more for a V-8 that uses more gas. It was a win win situation for me.
It seems that the poeple with the V-6 are more satisfied than the poeple with the V-8s think we should be.
I may have found out why some love their 4.3 Blazer and others find it under powered.
Many of you are aware of the constant problem of not starting my wife's Blazer has had. After the second starter burned out, the dealer found a TSB from June 00 about faulty crankshaft position sensors. Just for the heck of it, they replaced the one in the Blazer. (TSB applies to all earlier design engines.) It is a 20 minute job and a cheap part. The TSB stated that a faulty sensor would cause the computer to set an incorrect advance on the ignition.
The different was like night and day. The Blazer feels peppier and much more fun to drive. If you feel like the 4.3 Blazer is under powered, have your dealer look for this TSB. I'll get the copy from her Blaz tonight and post the number on my site at www.gearheadsanonymous.com in the Forums.
Peter