305 and 4.3 questions

[stano]

Daughter is looking for a 2WD short or long box to take to college. She is thinking of about 82 or so to 87 and 88 to 91 ???

What year did 700R4 come out?
Did 4L60 start in 1991?

She is thinking of a "drive down the road, with good gas milage. She is thinking of a 305 with a 700 and maybe 3.42 gears also a 4.3 V6 with 700 and 3.42.

Does any one have a bad or good report on these two trucks. I have allways had at least a 350, so I have hardly any knowledge on 305 or 4.3 if they give good gas milage and driveablity for Iowa (mostly flat)

thank you stano
87 K5

 

[pauly383]

I will always want bigger , but my 305 gets good gas mileage , pulls my heavy truck everywhere , and just plain won't die . I also have a 700r4 and 3.73's with 33's .

It may not be a glamorous motor , but if you bought her a clean truck with one , and did a tune up , it wouldn't be real bad at all

 

[JIMMY76]

Imo 305 And 4.3 About The Same In Power 4.3 Has Better Mmpg My Wife Has A 2005 Silverado With The 4.3 Pretty Decent Mpg About 22 Or 23 On The Highway I Dont Think The 305 Could Touch That I Haul My Atv In The Bed Plenty Of Power I Would Go With The V6 Over The 305 Anyday

 

[big83chevy4x4]

the 700r4 came out in 82, stay away from these untill 84, late 84 were upgraded, but still had problems. the 700r4 was again upgraded in 87 and called the 4L60, its just GMs new way of naming trannys. the last year for the 700r4 (4L60) was 92, 93 and up were 4L60E.

my dad has a 85 blazer with a manual (nonoverdrive) with a 305 and 3.08 and he gets about 20 mpg. we also have 2 vehicles with 4.3 vortecs, a safari minivan and a 96 s10 blazer, both get about 18-20 mpg.

 

[k20]

In 87 the v8s went tbi (I think that was the same yr the v6's did too, but I may be mistaken), they will get a little better mileage than the carb, will start easier, and generally be less cold natured (although every chevy I have ever seen is cold natured).

Old bodystyle is only up to 87, unless you get a suburban, blazer, or crew cab 1 ton, then it went through 91. TBI injection stayed through 93 or 94 I believe.