5.3 Engine on GM

Miguel1223 · December 11, 2016

Guys so how bad is the 5.3 engine on GM ? Hear some both good and bad.. what could be some simple upgrades to get more power out of it ?

Daryl LBZ · December 11, 2016

Which generation 5.3L we talking about here?

qwank · December 12, 2016

Not bad in the least

Miguel1223 · December 12, 2016

The new gen ones. I guess you can say 14' & up ?

StayInYourLayne · December 12, 2016

The new gen ones. I guess you can say 14' & up ?

I like mine. Do I wish I could have gotten a 6.2? Yeah but I got my truck with the 5.3 at such a good deal that I can't complain. If it's not in your budget for a 6.2 or you find a great deal on a 5.3, I would say get it.

newdude · December 12, 2016

Want an upgrade for the price of a tank of fuel? E85. Its 25+hp gain and 50+ torque just by switching to that. 2-3mpg loss but I'd say a loss worth it. Gotta make sure you get a flex fuel 5.3 though. 2014 it was standard, but for 2015+ they made flex fuel capability an option. Yellow gas cap = you can run E85. Black cap = No E85.

truckguy82 · December 12, 2016

Guys so how bad is the 5.3 engine on GM ? Hear some both good and bad.. what could be some simple upgrades to get more power out of it ?

5.3 is a great engine

6.2 is an incredible engine

KARNUT · December 12, 2016

I think the 5.3 is a great engine, you can use all grades of gas and save money. You can use E-85 and get within 40 HP of the 6.2. The 6.2 one grade only, that's why I when with the 5.3 in my 14 GMC. And the SLT upgrade was 12k more.

DaveHC · December 12, 2016

i had a 2000 model z71 with the morning knock it used oil but was still going at 232K when i sold it, my 17 5.3 is quite and smooth, does run better on mid grade than reg, not flex but hardly any stations carry it around here anyway, i drove a 6.2 and since they come with a higher geared rearend i didnt see a lot of difference in just driving now it may shine towing a heavy load but with the worse mpg and having to rum premium fuel and a 2500.00 up tick on the sticker price it wasn't a upgrade i needed

Dnt · December 13, 2016

i had a 2000 model z71 with the morning knock it used oil but was still going at 232K when i sold it, my 17 5.3 is quite and smooth, does run better on mid grade than reg, not flex but hardly any stations carry it around here anyway, i drove a 6.2 and since they come with a higher geared rearend i didnt see a lot of difference in just driving now it may shine towing a heavy load but with the worse mpg and having to rum premium fuel and a 2500.00 up tick on the sticker price it wasn't a upgrade i needed

Where does the misconception on the gas mileage come from? 2016 Denali 1500 6.2 8spd 25mpg "Come On Man"

I never got this good of mileage on my 2014 5.3 6spd!

slee3247 · December 13, 2016

Not sure where you're hearing bad stuff about these. my rcsb 5.3 is a low 5 second 0-60. These trucks are plenty powerful and reliable!

mookdoc6 · December 14, 2016

5.3 is a great engine

6.2 is an incredible engine

Pretty much sums it up! Are you towing and not looking for a ridiculous Double wide house pulling machine like 2500 HD Dura 2.0? Or just driving the OLD lady around and kids? This GenV 5.3 which I have is absolutely more than enough power I will ever need! It's a 200,000+ mile engine with shitty maintenance probably 400,000 with stellar maintenance? The 6.2 is all that and more! If you got the ching go blast the 6.2.....................just don't convince yourself that a dual turbo v-6 over at FERD will float your boat? It might for the first 50,000K good luck after that son!

Billy346 · December 14, 2016

It surprises me to hear people talk about the 5.3 as if it is a "slow" engine. I don't think many of those people drove trucks from back in the '80s and '90s where if your truck made 250 horsepower, it was a hot rod! Mine has plenty of power! Don't get me wrong, if you are looking for a truck that will perform like a Camaro SS, the 5.3 just isn't in that ballpark. But for a small block V8, it makes some impressive power!

That being said, the 6.2 must be an absolute beast in comparison. In my mind, it's like having to choose between a Corvette or a Corvette Z06. A normal corvette is fast, and a Z06 is faster, but neither car is "slow".

Silverado Steve · December 14, 2016

Love my 5.3, would get another one without any reservations.

Donstar · December 15, 2016

All three engine choices (4.3, 5.3 and 6.2) are powerful engines and will accomplish the tasks within the limits of the truck. The 5.3 is considerably more powerful than the base engine and has power to spare! What are your specific needs which you anticipate will exceed the capabilities of the 5.3? I am curious because I have been driving a 4X4 crew cab with a 4.3 for the past year and have yet to experience a lack of power or speed! If you just want to have the most available power, then starting with the 6.2 would be the best option, IMO.