Which has the upper hand? I'm looking at the number here and so far this is the results with the 1997-1999 trucks:
Dodge 3.9L Magnum (Dakota): 170 hp/225 ft lbs-
Ford 4.2L Essex (F-150): 202-210 hp/252 ft lbs
Chevy 4.3L Vortec (Blazer/S10): 170-200 hp/245-260 ft lbs
Also noticed that Dodge discontinued their Magnum V6 and name a new 3.7L PowerTech V6 rated at 210 hp/235 ft lbs. Taking your Ford bias out of the view, what do you think is the better V6?
Personally, I like Chevy's bigger engine, but its just a hair bigger and Ford is already producing more ponies/torque. Dodge lost the ball with their puny 3.9L. Even lost more when they downsized to the 3.7L PowerTech () in the current Dakotas. Although I can't say much for Ford discontinuing the entire Essex plant line
What do you think would win in a stock/stock 1/4 mile? I've never driven those other two engines, how do they feel on power/towing for light-duty trucks?
Other notes:
My friend just got a '95 Pontiac Firebird with a little 3.4L V6 and he wants to race and all thinking his car is fast but he is deathly afraid to open the hood and show me the engine and everytime I get a day off and offer him a free tank of gas if he wins, he still never goes. Hmm......
the chevy drives alot better then the rest of them
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My day begins when yours is about to end.
"Half the ability to get the job done is not being afraid to try. 90% of the time you wont it up any worse then it already is"
raptor my guess is that he will win! the wieght to power ration is in his favor! but take out the doubts race him!
Thats what I'm afraid of. But, when he cranks it up (he never does it when I'm around) it sounds like really really crappy. Like a old honda with a bad timing. I'd love to race him, but obviosuly he must be hiding something if $70 of free gas dosent woo him into flooring it. He just happens to live 2 mins from the best test strip in all of north Fla. 5+ mile striaght-away with barely any traffic at all (were talking about maybe 5-10 cars and hour) and no incline or descent in slope. Never seen or heard a cop go down it either. We use it a lot for test runs, racing, etc.
What's with you guys and these Chevy engines? Is it really that great?
My friend just got a '95 Pontiac Firebird with a little 3.4L V6 and he wants to race and all thinking his car is fast but he is deathly afraid to open the hood and show me the engine and everytime I get a day off and offer him a free tank of gas if he wins, he still never goes. Hmm......
I've owned a 95 Camaro and did some looking into that 3.4L....160HP/194TQ and it runs out of breath at 4500 RPMS. It hits the wall, period, because the heads and intake are so lousy. Actually, I owned the car with a blown intake manifold gasket...never did decide if I wanted another 3.4l or an LT1. Optispark...yuck.
~3500 LB cars with gutless engines give you a chance. Just take the tranny out of OD and keep the 4.2L revs up.
Racing a v6 F150 to me is like racing an old school bus.
Speaking of school buses... I got whipped by an automatic school bus the other day. Those new ones go like wicked fast. I wonder what the heck they are geared at?!
I'll take the Ford 4.2 for reliability. I have a friend with a 4.3 in a 03 S-10 crew cab, he's already done a major rebuild on extended warranty, both heads warped.
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2003 F150XL 4.2 short cab/bed 4x2 5 speed manual 3.55 LS
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) in the current Dakotas. Although I can't say much for Ford discontinuing the entire Essex plant line 
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