How fast (slow lol) is the 5.3L 2WD

[SierraHD17]

6 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

To be fair, Ford and Dodge didn't have engine options back then that were much different from what GM offered in half ton trucks. The 350's lifespan was downright impressive. The early 90s SVT Lightning 351 didn't really put up numbers too far from a 350!

The TBI 350 was 210 HP/ 300 Ft-Lb (increased in '96 when they brought out the Vortec) and the 351 Ford was 240 HP/ 340 Ft-Lb, but that was their *performance* engine with upgraded heads. It really wasn't that special! The lowly GM 350 could be had in just about anything. 30 HP isn't going to be that noticeable in a truck.

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And where did say the competition did lol.  This is a GM forum... I'm not going to use Magnum 360s or the LA variants or Fords Windsors as examples.  TBI... yuck lol. Those things were useless even when they were new lol.  It took until the LS release in 99 teucks before anything in GMs world became worth talking about.... or 97 in the Vette or 98 in the F body.  

[HeySkippyDog]

And where did say the competition did lol.  This is a GM forum... I'm not going to use Magnum 360s or the LA variants or Fords Windsors as examples.  TBI... yuck lol. Those things were useless even when they were new lol.  It took until the LS release in 99 before anything in GMs world became worth talking about.  

Hey now, I have fond memories of my TBI 350! [emoji41]

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[KARNUT]

Hey now, I have fond memories of my TBI 350! [emoji41]

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92 TPI with one rebuild. Anything can be made to run good.


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[SierraHD17]

9 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

Hey now, I have fond memories of my TBI 350!

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I have memories of more than one of them cratering on me... When the 350 in my low mile 90 K5 I bought 3 years ago smoked so bad it would fill a room in blue in a few seconds it hurt no feelings to toss it in the metal bin in favor of an LS3 haha.

[HeySkippyDog]

They're not up to today's task of highway driving. They're not quick enough, and the brakes were awful. Against everyone else with 4 way disc, you'd run the risk of a crash and you'd have no airbags if you had 94 or older.

But you are right. Things can be upgraded. The GM crate 350 is what I have planned for my 93, and I'll be ditching the TBI for a carburetor.



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[HeySkippyDog]

I have memories of more than one of them cratering on me... When the 350 in my low mile 90 K5 I bought 3 years ago smoked so bad it would fill a room in blue in a few seconds it hurt no feelings to toss it in the metal bin in favor of an LS3 haha.

It's 30 years old, man, cut it some slack! [emoji1787]

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[KARNUT]

That’s funny I’ve been driving my 92 two-three times a week for 8 years. The ac blowing, in the busiest stretch of roads in the county. There’s not too many trucks that stay with it to the speed limit.


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[SierraHD17]

7 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

It's 30 years old, man, cut it some slack!

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I killed my first one when it was only a few years old.  Puny 2 barrel tbi, GM's swirl port crap heads and a cam that was basically a round rod from factory made for no love here lol.

[HeySkippyDog]

That’s funny I’ve been driving my 92 two-three times a week for 8 years. The ac blowing, in the busiest stretch of roads in the county. There’s not too many trucks that stay with it to the speed limit.


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You're supercharged though. I'm talking bone stock TBI.

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[KARNUT]

You're supercharged though. I'm talking bone stock TBI.

 

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I install a TPI in a 65 GMC pickup. Transplanted the engine and transmission out a suburban along with the computer. Drove that around ten years. TPIs weren’t that bad. I was happy when they came out with the Vortec though.

 

 

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[HeySkippyDog]

I killed my first one when it was only a few years old.  Puny 2 barrel tbi, GM's swirl port crap heads and a cam that was basically a round rod from factory made for no love here lol.

What did you do? Run it with the oil plug out?

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[SierraHD17]

21 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

What did you do? Run it with the oil plug out?

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Drove it hard and used it... typical crappy old small block.  Those heaps were and still are an engine rebuilders best friend.  I just laugh at the money guys dump into them to make a whopping 450 hp... lol.

[HeySkippyDog]

I've had several cash offers appear anytime I roll the shell out of the garage.

Not for sale!

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[wforrest08]

3 hours ago, HeySkippyDog said:

The early 90s SVT Lightning 351 didn't really put up numbers too far from a 350

You mean the same truck that put like 2 car links on the ss454 in the quarter? 

 

And let’s not get started on the Syclone that was over 2 seconds quicker than either of these two with 2 less cylinders...

Which was faster than the base Vette which was a big no-no at GM and probably why it went away as fast as it did...

Also is quicker than any combo GM offered in the SSR if anyone wants to count that as a truck...

 

So what’s the point?

GM HAS NO INTEREST IN THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK MARKET ANYMORE  AND  HASN’T SINCE THE LAST CENTURY...

 

[HeySkippyDog]

You mean the same truck that put like 2 car links on the ss454 in the quarter? 
 
And let’s not get started on the Syclone that was over 2 seconds quicker than either of these two with 2 less cylinders...
Which was faster than the base Vette which was a big no-no at GM and probably why it went away as fast as it did...
Also is quicker than any combo GM offered in the SSR if anyone wants to count that as a truck...
 
So what’s the point?
GM HAS NO INTEREST IN THE PERFORMANCE TRUCK MARKET ANYMORE  AND  HASN’T SINCE THE LAST CENTURY...
 

The 454 TBI was choked down big time from the factory for emissions. Had they let that thing loose, it would've spanked that Lightning mercilessly. It was a marketing thing. They used their big block past to sell a C1500 for 7k more than what it would with a 350 for marginally more power.

My point is that the Lightning was no real prize even over a Silverado trim C1500 with a 350.

Chevy does not care about the factory hot rod truck market, you are right. It's why they never answered to Ford's Raptor.

Why?

Simple. GM trucks are primarily workhorses and that's what their customer base expects. Look around at all the big time commercial construction fleets. What are they driving?

Around here, they're in Chevys. It's a better truck. Haven't you wondered why Rams sell so cheaply compared to GM?

GM is testing the customer base with this new 4 cylinder turbo 1500. I expect that to be a flop. We want workhorses.

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