GM Tow Truck Question(s)

[RedDog]

Does anyone know anything about the GM 5.3 liter? I looked at a used 2001 Surburban today. Drove great and had a lot more acceleration than my current 1999 Surburban with a 5.7 liter (350cid). Any thoughts on how the 5.3 is for towing and mileage?

I also drove a Yukon XL with an 8.1 liter. Talk about power!

Don't know which I want or may just keep what I have. Any opinions would be appreciated.

Oh - second consideration. This will spend more time as an urchin / soccer team / groceries hauler than boat hauler. It will be Donzi Deb's prime driver unless we do a vehicle swap.

[Sagbay32]

I currently have a 5.3 in my '03 Avalanche. The only thing I have towed is a utilty trailer with 1000 lbs in it and I did not feel it back there. The power is great and the mileage is fair (15 to 17 in town with your foot in it). I have a friend with the 8.1 and he wishes he had opted for the 5.3 due to extremely poor mileage. I just put 10k on it and have had zero problems thus far.

Mike

[ToonaFish]

One word: Tow/Haul Mode.

Okay, it's more like three, but you won't believe the difference it makes, especially when trailering around town. But that's not the engine, which is pretty much agreed upon to be a delight. Only real issues I remember from 99 to 01, were tire vibration and wind noise... and that was mostly in the half ton, regular cab trucks. Some Suburbans like to snack on brakes, but that's pretty much a GM thing that hasn't changed through the years... just be aware of it, especially with four wheel disks. If any of my brain cells are left, I'm thinking that the '01 has 25 more horsies than your 350... but it feels like much more than that.

The design of the new body style was heavily influenced by female focus groups... addressed in this generation were ease of entry, improved visibility, and much more than basic creature comforts... ask the dealership to let Deb borrow one for an afternoon to run errands... you won't be getting her out of it easily!

Bunches,

Celene 'bowtied'

[Donzigo]

I bought a 2002 Yukon GMC 2 weeks ago. It gets 16/18 on the road, if you keep it under 65 to 70. Great ride. Onething to expect. It has a slight knock upon cranking it for the first minute or so. Others owners I know have agreed.

[BUIZILLA]

I have had four 5.3's. The only one that had the knock was my 2001 Tahoe. There was a piston slap issue, that I thought was corrected sometime in the '02 model year. I know GM bought a few back.... I still have a 99 Z71 that tows a 28' twin outboard on a tri axle trailer most every weekend. I have towed my 32' Intrepid around town with it with no issues. Peak torque on the 5.3 is about 4200, whereas the Vortec was about 3600. Peak on the TBI engine was about 3200. 5.3's LOVE gears, they really need 4.10's to be happy, but you can only spec those gears with a 4wd option. Towing with a 3.42 geared 5.3 would be a no-no in my book. My brother has a Z71 with 4.10's and it is night/day difference over 3.73's.

I know one thing for sure, my new V8 Touareg outpulls/handles any Suburban/Tahoe I have ever owned except my '93 454/Whipple 2500 'Burb. I have been over 100mph towing the Minx with the VW, and over 90 pulling the Criterion with it, and it is rock solid.

Hope this helps...

J :sombrero:

[Donzigo]

Buizilla, Great post.

a. Toona Fish, in a much earlier post somewhere, said that tow vehicles should have the G80 transmission gear. I checked it out, when I bought the 2002 Yukon, and sure enough, the salesman knew about it and said let's look in the glove box at the specs. It was, indeed a G80. What does that mean?

b. Other owners have said that Mobil One or my choice of synthetic oils would calm the knocking on statrt-up. Any problem in changing to synthetic, if a regular oil has been used?

[gjohns6896]

Not to slam GM's products...I like them. However, my fiance and I drove the brand new Nissan Pathfinder Armada...WHAT A MACHINE! Can tow 9100lbs and is HUGE...very comfortable and more power than the 5.3L..it has a 5.6L afterall. Just thought I would suggest another alternative. And they are CHEAPER than a 'Burban or Tahoe...I am thinking base MSRP is somewhere in the $37K range...but top out just about $50K. A 'burb is over $40K to start...not a "good deal" by any means. And what a "unique" looking truck, too (the Armada).

Cheers,
George

[BUIZILLA]

Donzigo, the G80 option is for Limited Slip. GU6 is 3.42 gears. GT4 is 3.73 and GT5 is 4.10. Look on the glovebox sticker for your gear ratio. I used M1 15w50 in my Tahoe and Rotella 15w40 in the Z71

J :moped:

[Rootsy]

hmmm if you can come across one gnab the AUSTRALIAN EXPORT 5.3L... rated at a bit over 300 hp... different fuel / ignition calibration and off they go across the pond... they run pretty healthy...

and yeah that damned piston slap they had going on... not to mention low rpm load spark knock... friggin CRAP oxygenated 87 octane we have here in michigan... My F150 4.6L does the same thing (spark knock at low rpm load)... run 89 and it feels feels like you stabbed it in the ass with a cattle prod... not to mention picking up about 5 mpg...

we ran the 5.3 in my buddies silverado on ethanol when we were in iowa and talk about waking up... gotta love corn ;)

[mikev]

i have a 2001 with the 5.3 and 3.73 limited slip it runs great and pulls fine I have towed 6500 lbs and it pulled it fine. my boat and trailer total 4500 and its like it is not even back there. 70k so far with no problems.

[ToonaFish]

Yep, what Buiz said!

[RedDog]

No more input please - I think it is too late! I'm in Denver for the week and I think Donzi Deb did a proxy purchase of the 8.1L in my absence - i.e., I own it but I just haven't signed anything yet ;).

She liked the 5.3L because of LCD TVs and VCR in the back. She found the solution - the dealer is installing a DVD and LCD in the 8.3 - can you say roadtrip?

[Darrell]

RedDog;

You won't have any issues with towing, however do you have your own oil well, because the 8.1 is very powerful and likes the gas. I like the 6.0 Vortec
320 ponies and not quite as bad on gas.


Darrell

[RedDog]

Oh well. I am working a lot now in the gas pipeline industry. Too bad I can't get free samples :biggrin: