How to Make a Chevrolet 4.3 Have Horsepower

by Jen Davis

All engines have a certain amount of horsepower when they roll off the assembly line. However, the amount of power an engine exhibits can decrease due to time, age and poor maintenance, or increase due to the addition of aftermarket performance modifications. The amount of horsepower will vary by the type of modification, the quality of the part and the expense that goes into it. In general, the most expensive modifications will add the most horsepower. If you want to add horsepower to a Chevrolet 4.3 liter V6 engine, there are several things you can do.

Step 1

Use higher-quality fuel in your vehicle. Good quality, high-octane gas provides better power and burns more effectively than cheaper, lower-octane fuels. You can expect to get slightly more horsepower from your 4.3 liter six-cylinder engine if you run 93 octane in it rather than 87.

Step 2

Upgrade your spark plugs to those designed for more effective cranking and performance. Spark plugs will not make a huge difference in performance, but certain types of plugs are designed to provide additional horsepower.

Step 3

Add a performance air filter to your vehicle. The increased air flow provided by a new or washable air filter allows the engine to "breathe" more efficiently, which can provide an increase in power.

Step 4

Install a performance chip. Performance chips work by fine-tuning your engine's electronic fuel delivery system in conjunction with the powertrain control module, creating additional horsepower and increasing engine performance. There are a variety of different performance chips available for the Chevrolet 4.3 engine.

Step 5

Upgrade your vehicle's exhaust system. An aftermarket exhaust will allow emissions gases to exit the car's exhaust system more efficiently. In turn, this allows the engine to burn more fuel and draw more air through more efficiently.

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