6.0 vs. 8.1liter engine

GMCustomerService · March 7, 2013

Good luck with your purchase memory1! Feel free to contact me as well if you have any additional questions. Thank you.

Tricia, GM Customer Service.

memory1 · March 8, 2013

I am still thinking about the white one. I took it to my mechanic and he does a pretty thorough inspection and he did find some problems. The only major problem is the left front ball joint is out and will have to be replaced immediately. There are some minor problems. The spark plugs are the original plugs, never been changed so that is something that will need to be done pretty soon, it will need new tires shortly, the running lights do not work, which is something that I wouldn't be too worried about getting fixed. The rear doors are missing the panel reflectors, again not something I am too worried about. The button for the heated seats pops out when you shut the door, again not too worried about that. The battery is only 550 CCA when it should be 600 CCA but the battery is failry new. I don't know how big of deal the battery is. With all the electronic stuff, should I bother with replacing the battery or just keep using it until it goes bad?

It does have a few codes that are in history. Now nothing may ever come of these codes but something could come up and be a fairly expensive fix.

All these problems are typical of a 100,000 mile truck. I know all that sounds bad but other than that, it is a good truck. I will have to decide if I want to start putting money into it right away if I buy it. Tires are a $1000 bill, ball joint plus alignment is a $400 bill, I am not sure what spark plugs would cost. Battery would be another $100.

The way it sounds, the dealer will not budge on price or fix anything. He says they listed it on the web for less than they paid for it by mistake, he will honor the price just for me. I tend to believe him but I also know how dealers work and may just be saying that to make it sound like a good deal on my end.

I am thinking about selling my s-10 myself. The dealer is offering me $2500 with the problems it has but I think I could get $4,000 to $5,000 if I sell it myself even with the problems it has.

Edited March 8, 2013 by memory1

brainpause · March 9, 2013

Sounds like a lotta issues to me, but i didn't look at pictures or see a price.

memory1 · March 9, 2013

It's not as bad as it sounds. I will just have to start putting money into it as soon as I get it.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=47172&endYear=2007&modelCode1=CHEVC25&showcaseOwnerId=4672542&startYear=2000&makeCode1=CHEV&sellerTypes=b&numRecords=100&searchRadius=25&maxPrice=20000&bodyStyleCodes=TRUCKS&mmt=[CHEV[CHEVC25[]][]]&listingId=339595483&listingIndex=7&Log=0

The price in that ad says 15,866 but he had it listed for 14,900 when I looked at it so that is the price I would be paying. He says that was a mistake and he is losing money at that price. He says he paid 15,400 for it.

I think I am going to pass on this one. Now the maroon truck is back in the picture. When I first looked at the truck, they told me it was being sold to another lot, which it was because I seen it on there website and I talked to them about it and they said it wasn't up to their standards. They said it had some damage and didn't know anything else. This truck has been in an accident where it was hit in the rearend. It looks like everything is fixed but maybe there is frame damage, I don't know. Maybe that is why there has been four owners. So now it is back to the original dealer where I first looked at it.

I am going to talk to them about it again and see what the deal is and maybe try to get my mechanic to look at it.

Edited March 9, 2013 by memory1

kstruckcountry · March 9, 2013

Is it a salvage title?

memory1 · March 15, 2013

Well the white truck is sold but the maroon truck is back in the picture. I just don't know about this one. It has been through 4 owners, I would be the 5th, and has been in a wreck, just don't know how serious. And most likely is has been used to tow some heavy loads. Although I am not too concerned about that since that is what these trucks are made for. Before I would even make an offer, I would get it checked out by my mechanic.

I contacted the dealer it moved to and they said it was not up to their standards, whatever that means, so they sent it back. So now it is back to the dealer where I first looked at it.

A question about the rear axle ratio. Which is better, the 4.10 or the 3.73?

Edited March 15, 2013 by memory1

Chris · March 15, 2013

Both are good. 4.10 is better if you are going to be towing

memory1 · March 17, 2013

After doing alot of thinking, I am going to go with the 6.0 instead of the 8.1. I just don't think I will need the extra power of the 8.1 in my situation. Now if I was doing alot of over the road hauling, I would consider the 8.1 but since it is just going to be used on the farm, I think I will stick with the 6.0. I would like to have the Allison transmission but there are alot of things I would like to have, sometimes you just have to do without.

I found another truck in my area that has the 6.0, it is a 2003 and has only 73000 miles. According to the owner, it has never pulled any heavy loads. It does have the front end raised up to be level with the rearend. I hope to go look at it in the next day or so.

I appreciate everybody's help with this. I just hope to get a truck bought sometime soon. I have been looking for a good while.

Tell me if this is true. I was just told that a 2500HD is considered the same as a 3500 SRW and a 3500HD is considered a 4500. What are the differences between the 2500HD and the non HD 3500? I am talking years 2007 and earlier.

Edited March 17, 2013 by memory1

Chris · March 18, 2013

I don't think I've seen a 3500HD in the 99-07 body

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memory1 · March 18, 2013

I think he was just talking about 3500's in general, not necessarily from that time frame. I was just curious as to what the differences are between the 2500HD and the non HD 3500.

On the new truck I am looking at, the owner says that the buttons on the steering wheel that control the information on the cluster like MPG and other stuff like that do not work. The radio buttons work, just not the info buttons or whatever they are called. How big of a deal is it to fix that? If I decide to buy it, I may try to get him to fix it.

Edited March 18, 2013 by memory1

ATMINF · March 18, 2013

In the GMT 800 trucks the 2500 HD and the SRW 3500HD have the same frame, but the 3500 has a heavier spring pack and slightly different wheels from the factory.

FargoZ71 · March 18, 2013

For your needs a 6.0 with 3.73 or 4.10's would be fine, I would try find the 4.10's as its to be used as a farm truck, how far away is the cattle barn from your farm? And yes the allison is an amazing trans, but it's also more expensive to work on than the 4l80e, and the 4l80e for OP's uses is plenty stout.

memory1 · March 19, 2013

I figured the 6.0 with the 4l80e would be fine. But I am the kind of guy that would rather have the allison and the 8.1 and not need then need it and not have it. But I think in my situation right now, the 2500HD 6.0 will be more than enough truck.

The cattle barn is on the farm. We have holstein cows which are milked everyday.

Here is the truck I am looking at currently:

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3685343719.html

According to the owner, it has never pulled any heavy loads, he just pulled a boat with it. There are a couple minor issues like a few of the buttons on the steering wheel does not work. The radio buttons work, just not the info buttons. He said a mechanic told him he would have to replace the whole steering column to fix it. Honestly, I am not too worried about that. He also said there is an issue with the fuel pump. Sometimes when the truck is cold, it will not start. All he has to do is turn the key off and back on and it will start. He says the fuel pump is not making a good seal. Once it is warmed up, it usually doesn't do it. He says he will work with me on price.

I am going to take it to my mechanic and see what he says about it. With that low of miles, I am not too concerned. I know the front end has been raised and it has been realigned.

How do I find out what type of differential this has? I keep reading about SF and FF differentials. What is the difference and which one is better?

Edited March 19, 2013 by memory1

Chris · March 19, 2013

I like it

Full Float

The full-floating design is typically used in most 3/4 and 1-ton light trucks, medium duty trucks and heavy-duty trucks, as well as most agricultural applications, such as large tractors and combines. There are a few exceptions, such as many Land-Rover vehicles. A full-floating axle can be identified by a protruding hub to which the axle shaft flange is bolted. These axles can carry more weight than a semi-floating or non-floating axle assembly because the hubs have two bearings riding on a fixed spindle. The axle shafts themselves do not carry any weight; they serve only to transmit torque from the differential to the wheels. Full-floating axle shafts are retained by the aforementioned flange bolted to the hub, while the hub and bearings are retained on the spindle by a large nut.

Semi-Float

The semi-floating design carries the weight of the vehicle on the axle shaft itself; there is a single bearing at the end of the axle housing that carries the load from the axle and that the axle rotates through. This design is found under most 1/2 ton and lighter trucks and SUVs.

FargoZ71 · March 19, 2013

I figured the 6.0 with the 4l80e would be fine. But I am the kind of guy that would rather have the allison and the 8.1 and not need then need it and not have it. But I think in my situation right now, the 2500HD 6.0 will be more than enough truck.

The cattle barn is on the farm. We have holstein cows which are milked everyday.

Here is the truck I am looking at currently:

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/3685343719.html

According to the owner, it has never pulled any heavy loads, he just pulled a boat with it. There are a couple minor issues like a few of the buttons on the steering wheel does not work. The radio buttons work, just not the info buttons. He said a mechanic told him he would have to replace the whole steering column to fix it. Honestly, I am not too worried about that. He also said there is an issue with the fuel pump. Sometimes when the truck is cold, it will not start. All he has to do is turn the key off and back on and it will start. He says the fuel pump is not making a good seal. Once it is warmed up, it usually doesn't do it. He says he will work with me on price.

I am going to take it to my mechanic and see what he says about it. With that low of miles, I am not too concerned. I know the front end has been raised and it has been realigned.

How do I find out what type of differential this has? I keep reading about SF and FF differentials. What is the difference and which one is better?