6.0 Power

bwinter1 · December 28, 2006

I have a 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 CC 5.3 stock with the exception of magnaflow duals. I only tow a small camper and small boat....both under 2000 lbs. A dealer in town has a great deal on a 2007 Chevy Silverado Classic 2500HD with a 6.0 and 4.10 gears. I know it isn't a race truck, but am I gonna be disapointed with the power?

I had planned on doing exhaust and an intake at minimum and possible a tuner...

He also has a 2006 Vortec Max CC for the same money....

Thanks in advance.

ZZ327 · December 28, 2006

go for the vortec max. PLENTY of POWER.

have you ever gotten a 2500 HD pickup to slide sideways a little? from a stoplight

MS3DALE · December 28, 2006

I agree with ZZ327,I'd go with the 1/2-ton crew-cab "VortecMax",More horsepower,more torque,and a better ride!

Scyry · December 28, 2006

go for the vortec max. PLENTY of POWER.

have you ever gotten a 2500 HD pickup to slide sideways a little? from a stoplight

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I have...

bwinter1 · December 29, 2006

well, the vortecmax is gone as of today, so we are back to the 2500HD....

I don't necessarily need to get sideways, just look good and run good.

Are there any mods under $2,000 aside from exhaust, intake and tuner?

Skipponator · December 29, 2006

I just traded in my standard 6.0L in for a 6.0L Max, and the Max is wayyyy more powerful, and better on fuel then my 2000 6.0L was. If you get the chance, get the Max!

Big Tool · December 29, 2006

I just traded in my standard 6.0L in for a 6.0L Max, and the Max is wayyyy more powerful, and better on fuel then my 2000 6.0L was. If you get the chance, get the Max!

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I said the same thing when i went from my 2000 gmc 3/4 ton to a 03 ss with the v-max, but after dirving both for a long time i have to say it's not so plain and simple, the ss had tons more high end horsepower, but the older one with the lq4 just seemed to have way better low end torque, but was not nearly as spirited as the ss at higher rpms. I also did some pulling with the both of them. Did a 2 hour trip pulling a ford ranger. Initially i hauled the truck to my grandpa's with the 3/4 ton and it did great, no down shifting, plenty of grunt. a few months later i went and brought the truck back same truck, same trailer, behind the ss, but it just seemed to struggle more, and spent more time down shifting. the vmax is definitely a more powerful motor, it just seems to have it's power in different places, which isn't where you want it if you're towing. And as far as going sideways in a 3/4 ton, believe me with the stock tires on it, on a rainy moring the old truck can break traction at 35-40 mph real easy. Not to mention leaving rubber every where you want to on a hot day. "it dosne't have a locking rear either" i also don't think they used as much tm on the older ones. Bottom line both are great vehicles, but i wouldn't completely write off the older lq4.

On a side note i still got the 00 3/4 and it's almost at 200,000 miles and still runs awesome, made an ass out of my dad's 05 avalanche pulling a little yamaha rhino. If you tow run from the 5.3 it is a weiner.

bwinter1 · December 29, 2006

What I do tow it seems like the 5.3 has a hard time pulling it. I use the tow/haul mode and it is always shifting, no matter what speed I am at.

I like the looks of the classics and found one that only needs a wheel upgrade. It has everything I want. I am interested in the ground clearance an hauling capabilites when I am hunting deep into the woods. I would put some larger tires on it. I have done minimal reasearch, but what sized tires will work, yet not completely diminish the 4.10 gears?

I know a lot of people upgrade to the 285's but what does that do to the low end grunt?

vxaxv17 · December 29, 2006

What I do tow it seems like the 5.3 has a hard time pulling it. I use the tow/haul mode and it is always shifting, no matter what speed I am at.

I like the looks of the classics and found one that only needs a wheel upgrade. It has everything I want. I am interested in the ground clearance an hauling capabilites when I am hunting deep into the woods. I would put some larger tires on it. I have done minimal reasearch, but what sized tires will work, yet not completely diminish the 4.10 gears?

I know a lot of people upgrade to the 285's but what does that do to the low end grunt?

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I have the 6.0L completely stock (as far as the engine goes) running 33's without too much noticable loss in power. I have the 4.10 gears. I'd say with 4.10 and the 6.0L you would be perfectly fine running 285's. You probably wont even notice any power loss all. I didnt when i was running 265s.

Superman TNT · December 29, 2006

What I do tow it seems like the 5.3 has a hard time pulling it. I use the tow/haul mode and it is always shifting, no matter what speed I am at.

I like the looks of the classics and found one that only needs a wheel upgrade. It has everything I want. I am interested in the ground clearance an hauling capabilites when I am hunting deep into the woods. I would put some larger tires on it. I have done minimal reasearch, but what sized tires will work, yet not completely diminish the 4.10 gears?

I know a lot of people upgrade to the 285's but what does that do to the low end grunt?

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I must be lost someplace . . . you're towing a very lite load . . are you saying the 5.3 can't handle that? 2,000lb is nothing. I had a 5.3 and towed a lot more than that with it. It yours can't deal with 2,000lb something is wrong with it.

I guess the 8.1 is no longer an option because if it was . . . I'd get that. I have friends with 6.0 and they get about the same gas milage I do, not much better, and I have the 8.1. When I tow my 2,500 snowmobile trailor with it . . . I have no clue that trailor is even there. I need to keep looking back just to make sure it is.

What is this "max" thing? Guess I'll have to go check out Chevy's home page and learn about that.

Big Tool · December 29, 2006

What I do tow it seems like the 5.3 has a hard time pulling it. I use the tow/haul mode and it is always shifting, no matter what speed I am at.

I like the looks of the classics and found one that only needs a wheel upgrade. It has everything I want. I am interested in the ground clearance an hauling capabilites when I am hunting deep into the woods. I would put some larger tires on it. I have done minimal reasearch, but what sized tires will work, yet not completely diminish the 4.10 gears?

I know a lot of people upgrade to the 285's but what does that do to the low end grunt?

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I must be lost someplace . . . you're towing a very lite load . . are you saying the 5.3 can't handle that? 2,000lb is nothing. I had a 5.3 and towed a lot more than that with it. It yours can't deal with 2,000lb something is wrong with it.

I guess the 8.1 is no longer an option because if it was . . . I'd get that. I have friends with 6.0 and they get about the same gas milage I do, not much better, and I have the 8.1. When I tow my 2,500 snowmobile trailor with it . . . I have no clue that trailor is even there. I need to keep looking back just to make sure it is.

What is this "max" thing? Guess I'll have to go check out Chevy's home page and learn about that.

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I know me and my dad have owned three different vehicles with the 5.3, all of which were avalanches which are heavy themselves, and none of them pulled worth a crap, I'm sure some people would say they pull great, but what one person would qualify as pulling good, may be horrible to the next guy. For christmas me and my dad got my mom a yamaha rhino which i'm sure dosen't weigh over 1,500lbs trailer included, and my dad's 05 avalanche was struggling bad to maintain 70 on the interstate. Same for my 04 avalanhe, i had a 04 avalanche and pulled a 20 ft ski boat, and it would only maintain about 65, without dogging the heck out of it. This is in Mississippi hills which are nothing. However my 00 sierra with the 6.0 will pull both of those loads with no problems at all, plenty of grunt, no downshifting.

GuyZ71 · December 29, 2006

I know me and my dad have owned three different vehicles with the 5.3, all of which were avalanches which are heavy themselves, and none of them pulled worth a crap, I'm sure some people would say they pull great, but what one person would qualify as pulling good, may be horrible to the next guy. For christmas me and my dad got my mom a yamaha rhino which i'm sure dosen't weigh over 1,500lbs trailer included, and my dad's 05 avalanche was struggling bad to maintain 70 on the interstate. Same for my 04 avalanhe, i had a 04 avalanche and pulled a 20 ft ski boat, and it would only maintain about 65, without dogging the heck out of it. This is in Mississippi hills which are nothing. However my 00 sierra with the 6.0 will pull both of those loads with no problems at all, plenty of grunt, no downshifting.

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You've got some kind of issue with your truck if you're struggling to pull a Rhino with an Avalanche. My cousin just bought a Rhino and I picked it up and delivered it to him and he lives about 25 miles away from the dealership. I did it with my 2.2L S-10 and I was doing 70 on the highway! When I had my 2000 Z71 with the 5.3 I pulled my Z28 on an 18' tandem axle steel trailer and it did fine. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't notice back there but the truck didn't struggle.

Z71Adrenaline · January 6, 2007

What gears were ya'll running with those 5.3s? We've had 3 Z71s with 5.3Ls and 3.73 gears and we've pulled dang near 10,000 lbs of hay with them no problem. It does slow you down, but nobody should be going 70 with 5 tons behind them if they don't have a CDL and 18 wheels!

Skipponator · January 6, 2007

I had 3.73s on my 2000 with 285 BFG A/Ts, pulled well like I said before, I havn't pulled anything with the Denali yet. With 156k on the 2000 I was only getting 10mpg max, anyone else get that? Why do the MAX 6.0L get much better?

mopig · January 20, 2007

One Reason the Vortech max is so much stronger is because of the transmission the 2500 has a 4L80e witch is a power robing pig. If you don't believe me drive a 1500 with a vortech 350 then drive a 2500 with a vortech 350 the 1500 will hall a@# and the 2500 is a worthless PIG even if you compare a extended cab 1500 to a regular cab 2500.