I wouldn't count on it. I don't know what the V6's get mpg wise but I get around 12mpg with my V8 if I drive it easy and in the 10's if I drive it like I like too and it seems like people say the V6's don't really get any better gas milage.


As for the transmission I don't know much about the ligheter duty transmission behind the V6 but for the 46RE thats behind the V8's it just has a lot of common issues. It's pieces inside that don't hold up. I've heard of some failing from heat but most of them seem to be from one of the many issues these transmissions have. You can't fix that without a rebuild and getting parts from a place like APS or similar that are better and fix these issues.

There is also a check ball in one of the lines that seems to like to go and not let the fluid get to the transmission. I'd probably put a nice B&M or similar cooler on there and remove that check ball. I've just heard you need to let it warm up in Neutral if you do that for a few minutes. It's supposed to not move according to 1 or 2 people I've seen on here if you don't. I've never had that but it's supposed to drain the Torque Converter of fluid or something like that.


As others said I wouldn't even think about the V6. IMO these trucks are pretty slow and underpowered and thats with my 5.9L V8 I can't even imagine how bad a V6 would be.

 

Can you give me a link to a good transmission cooler? What would I be looking at paying for one?

 

Here's a decent one:

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku

 

http://www.jegs.com/p/B%26M/758370/10002/-1

 

I have a 99 V6 with the manual. And it runs fine for me. It will even break the tires loose. The gas milage is not that great. But i got it for a good price so i jumped on it. I did a tune up on it when i got it. Has 78000 on it. Had no problems since i got it. Who ever had it before me took the Cat off and did a crap job when the put the straight pipe in and i need to replace it.



[IMG]local://upfiles/60870/D8A406845AFD4493BF7D4F516BB0BF31.jpg[/IMG]

 

in your original thread you asked what to expect for mileage...
Get a tranny cooler, the one with plates, not tubular. you can find them for $50-100
Get a tranny gauge temp kit. $40-80 normal operating range from what I was told was 150-190*F. over 210 is bad. some gauges will show you the temp range in colors like a tach.
Get the tranny serviced (new fluid and filter, get the bands adjusted) -$90-110
check the front bearings, they go around 100k
look for rust on the drivers and passenger side along the bottom (if your roads are salted in the winter)
Other than that, I don't know what the other typical issues are known with the V6.

Fora beater work truck sounds like itsdecent.