Scottie,

So far I think it's only the 2.6L rigs that have been getting the 4.3L GM...

This isn't about "perfect reliability", it's about "capability", and "future usefullness".
Once you take any vehicle into a heavy off-road environment (like I do with mine), shop-time is a fact of life. Mostly it's preventative or upgrades.

This is not about which engine will be better throughout the life of a typical family hauler.

Don `87 Mitsu 2dr, Rubicon survivor, GModified.