with auto 4x4. I wanted a real truck(ford with manual tranny and t-case)but good deals on decent looking trucks are hard to find 'round here in the used vehichle market. Anyone familiar with these trucks? i cant find any websites or forums for them. How is the power to weight ratio? Is this combo doggy or will it get out of it's own way? I would be using this truck for mild slow to moderate speed whellin on sandy roads and shallow muds.

how about gas mileage? thanks.

 

The people I know who have say they have plenty of power but suck gas. Watch for blown intake gaskets that allows coolant into the oil and it causes engine failure if not caught very early.

 

osbornk nailed it. 4.3's got lots of power, intake gasket's a worry (needs to be changed every 50-75K miles). Manual tranny's preferred over an Automatic- they were on the fragile side as well.

 

By 93 they had most of the kinks worked out. They still use that same engine today in the s10 and full size line. They were decent trucks, and CAN get 20+mpg. It's all in how you drive it.

 

Yeah, I forgot bout the automatic transmissions. If it has high miles, the question is not if the transmission has been rebuilt or replaced, but when.

 

Thanks yall. I get 2o mpg with my mom's 4.9 F-150 so 20 in 4.3 shouldnt be hard. Are the auto trannies gutless or can they move that little truck around alright? I wont be doin' much heavy duty wheeling so I dont think i'll kill it too easy.


thanks again yall!

 

The 4.3's got plenty of power- that was the strongest selling point on the truck. Gas mileage should be high-teens in town, low 20's on the road.

The Northwest Chapter of FTE
we don't get lost,
we just get found

 

I have one friend who bought a new Blazer (2002) and got in town mileage of 12 and another friend who has an FBI issued Blazer work vehicle (he carries a lot of stuff) and he swears it burns more gas than his 350 4X4 Suburban.

 

Can't answer what the reasons for that would be- but it's certainly not normal. That sounds like a service situation and pulling codes to see why.

 

youve got a 4.3L backed by a 4L60E tranny. I dont know about the transfer case or if you have a ZR2 (off road package). The 4.3Ls are great motors, they make 190Hp and 230 or 250lb-ft.

My dads 98 ZR2 gets about 15-16 in town and about 19-20 on the highway. The best part of the truck is the highway millage didnt change much (18mpg) when we towed about 2,000lbs acrost Washington.