Heres the deal, i have an '89 1500 Cheyenne, and i am trying to pre-plan a cross country move. i plan to move from Columbus OH to Portland OR. Its a 2500 mile trip and although i believe in the reliability of my truck i have never used it for towing. my girlfriend and i are mobing together and we want to be in the same vehicle. the plan is to load my bed, load here car full and then tow her 2000 VW passat behind my truck all the way out there. is this gonna happen or am i gonna break down in indianapolis. i know mpg is gonna be horrible, it will still be cheaper than shipping one of the vehicles. if you dont think it will work do you think a 5.0/305 will work? should i go even higher? i have till september so i can find/build something different, but i wanted to know what everyone thought? i have a bumper hitch right now, but i hope to get a sturdy one for the tow. not sure yet if the car will be ona dolly or if it will be trailered. remember i gotta run through a little mountain range called the Rockies.

 

disregard, I replied in error.

 

How many miles are on the 4.3L? I'm not sure if I would embark on a trip that far, especially with the load you're wanting to carry, with a 4.3L. I had a 93 S-10 4x4 with a 4.3L and it was a real piece of crap! Valves are notorious for going out on 4.3L, and I speak from experience.When I finally got rid of the truck, I was running off of 5 cylinders. I would make sure the engine is in tip-top shape before you decide to travel that far. As far as upgrading to a 305ci, I wouldn't do it bro. The 305's had a great block, but the heads were crap. Not one of GM's best engines. Anyway, if you decided to upgrade, think about a crate 5.7L 350ci. It is a fantastic engine with adequate horsepower and torque to get the job done. Make sure you investigate all avenues of approach before making a final decision, because the last thing you want is to break down with your family with you. Especially in Nowhere, USA where mechanic fees can be quite pricy. I wish you the best of luck!!

 

My 4.3 towed a car on a dolly about 200 miles up less than steep hills. It was not that big of a deal, but I wasnt crossing the rockies or going 2500 miles... I think my truck could make it, but i dont know the condition of yours. Have you had any troubles with it latly? if so i would try to get EVERY LITTLE thing fixed before you went.

 

I agree! Ensure that everything is good to go! If you're not that familiar with engines, take to one of your local shops and asked one of the mechanics to take a look at it. Asked him if he thinks it is capable of making a long distance trip. Most times they will look it over for free, but I usually give them a 20 dollar tip or so. This is one of those scenarios where it is better to be safe than sorry. Again, good luck!

 

Yea for sure, because you would be real sorry stranded on the road in the cold winter...

 

You know, it would be bad enough to break down by yourself, but think about it with your wife with you. I can hear my wife now, "I told you so, I told you so..." That aspect alone is enough for me to not break down.

 

haha.. the classic "i told you so"... that gave me a good laugh