4.8l or 5.3l?

[bowtie454]

dont mean to sound dumb but what's that mean when yo usay there's no afm?

[latreille89]

Doesn't cut down to 4 cylinders.

[bowtie454]

oh ok not really worried about that, but what do you think putting 3.43 gears straight pipe exhaust, cold air intake, and a programmer do for my mileage on a 05 single cab 4.8l 2wd

[nickvrebel]

well either way he seems to be looking for a gmt-800 which they are all 4 speeds and wants the mileage. a 4.8 will do what he wants and the power between the 2 is close. gearing is what can kill mileage. a 3.73 or a 4.10 will suck the gas

 

actually, on my '03 4.8L truck I swapped gears from 3.42 to 3.73 and gained mpg for city driving and highway stayed flat. The extra gearing helped with the 4.8L lack of torque.

 

as for those saying "the 4.8L and the 5.3L are close in power and torque numbers" - you need to look at the rpm's that those numbers were being made at. The 4.8L puts out some great numbers.... at 5600-5800 rpm. What matters most in trucks is not peak numbers, it's POWER UNDER THE CURVE. To tow and move around a heavy truck you need the most power from off idle to about 3,000 rpms, this is why the 5.3L out shines the 4.8L.

 

now, again.... I'm not going to say the 4.8L can't do what he wants. It absolutely can. It WILL struggle with loads 5,000+ lbs, but it will do it. The mileage difference is insignificant to non-existent in real world driving.

[Volucris]

I have a 4.8 crew cab 4WD with a 3.73 rear end. It's fine for what I need it for. I tow maybe 3,000 pounds once or twice a year, go up rough 4WD roads, haul a lot of gear in the back. I got it because the price was right. If a 5.3 would have been close to the same, I would have gotten that. My one complaint is the low ground clearance chevy 4WD's have. I get 16-19 mpg.

[hockeypro1411]

Have you looked into a used Duramax?

[savillian]

Just got back from a 250 KM trip with my 2007 Classic 4.8L and 3.42's towing at least 6000lbs. No trouble whatsover, no struggling at all. Done many a trip with this truck and it's great. Dad has a 2006 with a 5.3L with nasty piston slap and lifter tick and a little oil usage, so I stayed away from the 5.3L in my new truck. Probably would have got another 4.8 if you could get the 6 speed with it. FWIW I would say 4.8L all the way, they seem to be the little engine that could and does!

[KMGZ400]

i personally dont understand how everyone says they tow 6000lb plus things with their 4.8's and they dont struggle... maybe the GMT900 4.8's are better?

 

i own a 2003 ECSB silverado 4.8/3.73 and even towing my trailer which weighs about 3200lbs loaded with gear and ATV's it struggles a lot.. when driving on the highway i dread hills and passing people.. thats why i drive my 5.3

[savillian]

Mine's a GMT800. Trust me, no problems. Only once did I wish I had a bigger motor, heading up a BIG hill with a 67 scout on the car hauler behind me.......It really wasn't bad just screamed the whole way up the hill in 2nd. Guess it depends on what you are hauling though. You'd think a 1998 Jimmy on the 2800 LB trailer would be a wind sail though, but that's what I had this weekend and cruised along at 110 Km/hr no problem!

[bowtie454]

savillian what are you getting city mileage?

[Chris]

well i have an 800 4.8 3.42 in florida where the gas wasnt horrid like it is here in california i got 17 mpg i did all city driving. in california i get 14-15

[yukon25008.1]

just get an 8.1... ; )

[savillian]

To be honest, I really don't know about the city. 1) I only really watch my mileage when going on long trips 2) I don't really do much "city" driving, back and forth to work a few Km's and then out to my dads 3 times a week but I would classify that last trip as more highway driving.

[bowtie454]

yea thats my problem... i do 95% of city driving i never really do long trips i mean im still a young kid i kinda have a lead foot is why im trying to get every mile to the gallon and still be able to tow my skiff and my honda rancher around. im just hoping i get better in the silverado then what i do in my nissan frontier (15mpg city)

[Chris]

well outside ca i got 16-17 city. i do pretty much all city. but my truck is also tuned. california gas sucks