Who would win in a drag race

Iceman · April 24, 2002

if these trucks were identical with the same gearing which one would win. i own a 5.3 and it hauls butt but i have no experience with the 5.4

2000 GMC Z71, 5.3L, Flowmaster, K&N FIPK, HPP III, Poweraid TBS, 3" body lift, 16x8 AR nitros, 285 BFG's

01z71 · April 24, 2002

Well, I would bet on the 5.3. Haven driven both the 5.3 just seems like it has a little more oomph.

IMHO.

gmcjoe · April 24, 2002

Even before any mods, I always pulled from the 5.4l Fords at the stoplights, many a 5.9l Ram too

Roofer · April 24, 2002

5.3!

Once you hit that sweet spot in the throttle it is all over from there. If you can get a rolling start, the 5.3 pulls ahead even further. This is all from what I have read on the forums. I have yet to race my buddie's '02 FX4, but it will happen soon. The Mopar 5.9 is no sweat. I have beaten them with a 600+ lb. ATV in my box, and that was a reg. cab Ram.

WhiteBeast · April 24, 2002

The 5.3 should win in identical trucks. Even though the 5.4 is OHC and the 5.3 is a "pushrod" motor it would still win due to its flatter torque curve and advantage in horsepower. Obviously the 5.3 should beat the 5.4 off the line just due to the fact that the 5.4's torque comes on at higher RPM's (even though it has higher torque numbers), and once off the line the 5.3 will do nothing but pull from the 5.4 as the 5.4 will run out of breath.

Shaners · April 25, 2002

The 5.4L in the Ford feels pretty quick when you gas it about 1/3 to 1/2 throttle. But ford did some neat programming in their throttle management that pretty much gives it all the gas at 1/2 throttle... from there on out there isn't a whole lot left, except the shifts are a little higher in the RPM band.

The 5.4L I had felt strong unladen, but when I towed it was a whole different story. When I put my foot into the gas to climb a hill, there was nothing left except a downshift!!!

carguru · April 25, 2002

5.3 should outrun the 5.4 with everything being equal.

Iceman · April 25, 2002

Thanks guys, those were my thoughts as well. the 5.3 will really fly when you floorboard it. i have raced a 5.4 but it was 2 wheel drive and we were dead even. i even have bigger tires than he did.

2000 GMC Z71, 5.3L, Flowmaster, K&N FIPK, HPP III, Poweraid TBS, 3" body lift, 16x8 AR nitros, 285 BFG's

HillHound · April 26, 2002

The 5.4L I had felt strong unladen, but when I towed it was a whole different story. When I put my foot into the gas to climb a hill, there was nothing left except a downshift!!!

What's funny is that if you go over to a Ford forum and read some of their engine posts, you'll hear the exact opposite!

They'll say that the 5.3 will outperfrom a 5.4 unloaded, but hook up a 3000lb trailer and the 5.3 becomes a dog while the 5.4 won't even notice the weight! I hear alot of truck owners (Ford and GM) talk about how the 5.3 has to shift too often when towing, but I don't see any problems. Mine doesn't shift any more often than any other 1/2 ton truck I've been in but I do have a 4.10 differential so that probably helps some.

MarkD · April 26, 2002

Wednesday, I ran a new 5.4 F-150 2wd reg cab and out ran him pretty bad from a roll.

When we came up to a light, I nodded thinking it was over. Light turned green and he was off! His rear bumper was even with my front bumper when I reacted. I was even with him when we had to slow for a light approx 1/10 of a mile later.

My only power mod at the time is a K&N FIPK.

GM-sucks · April 26, 2002

Edited due to stupid content

Hey genius,if you're going to troll do it somewhere else.If you want to bring up a heated discussion do it in the Bash forum otherwise just go away.-Frank

GM-sucks · April 26, 2002

Hey, I was just stating the truth, if you cant handle it then your just a d i c k!!!

Yes I am as in D I C K tator.This isn't a democracy,it's an internet message board and if you don't like it,well don't let the door hit you in the azz.Too bad you have all this time to post while you're junk is being worked on in the F*** service Department isn't it?Now be a good little b!tch and go get Daddy another beer.-Frank

silverado man · April 26, 2002

Now be a good little b!tch and go get Daddy another beer

LMFAO Your killing me here Frank.

vortec4800 · April 28, 2002

What about the 4.8L, I know it wouldn't be as powerful as the 5.3, but what could it compare to?

CityTruck · April 29, 2002

What's funny is that if you go over to a Ford forum and read some of their engine posts, you'll hear the exact opposite!

They'll say that the 5.3 will outperfrom a 5.4 unloaded, but hook up a 3000lb trailer and the 5.3 becomes a dog while the 5.4 won't even notice the weight! I hear alot of truck owners (Ford and GM) talk about how the 5.3 has to shift too often when towing, but I don't see any problems. Mine doesn't shift any more often than any other 1/2 ton truck I've been in but I do have a 4.10 differential so that probably helps some.

C&D did a road test a couple of months ago and the Ford 5.4 barely outran the Chevy 4.8... Until they put 1000lbs in each one and then the 4.8 outran the 5.4. You'd think with the extra torque of the 5.4 it would work the other way around, but this test showed otherwise. There's not much you can do wrong with a test like this. Run em, add 1000lbs and run em again. (by the way, the article was pretty much Pro-Dodge so it wasn't a Chevy biased test). I've hauled 1000lbs in mine (3.73's/5.3) a couple of times and it didn't break a sweat. No unusual shifting, no "dogging". I tried the tow/haul button but it seemed unnecessary to hold each gear that long when the engine wasn't working hard so I turned it back off. Of course, 1000lbs isn't much weight but that's all I have experience with so far. I would guess that when it get's down to stump pulling, the 5.3 and 5.4 are pretty equal.