5.3 vs 6.0

[coombia21]

what is the difference between the 1500 hd and a 2500 besides the gears

[Down2Earth]

My dad has an 09 Chevy 2500 with the 6.0. He does a lot of pulling but empty gets 13. He's pretty upset with it in the gas mph. He says it seam as soon as you let off the gas it's like the engine is breaking. Plus he said the 25-26 gal fuel tank was about the dumbest thing he can think of on the truck. At the pump constantly.

[Archerysniper]

I sold my 2003 silverado with the 5.3 becase all I had it for was hunting and fishing and towing the boat with the 5.3 was just crazy I think my wife's buick could have pulled it better and it's not a huge boat a 1750 crestliner my Tahoe with the 5.7 pull's it and you don't even know it's behind you. The 5.3 would constantly down shift while pulling and I was lucky to get 10 mpg with it and it had the off road and towing package. I wish I would have kept my 96 with the 5.7 over the 5.3. But my next truck will be the 2006 duramax hd it dosen't matter if it's empty or pulling a house the fuel comsuption is almost the same and you can pull anything you want.

[Tyler23]

what is the difference between the 1500 hd and a 2500 besides the gears

from what ive seen there basically the same thing... if you still thinking about plowing depending on how much you plan on doing. i know people with plows on half ton pickups and they have no problems. i know a guy with a plow on a ford explore and it works for him. how much towing do you do?

[coombia21]

archerysniper was there a problem with your truck because my brother had a 2002 silverado and we towed that exact same boat and got anywhere from 13 to 15 and there wasnt any of unwanted down shifting

[iffwalleyes]

If you are planning to plow you want a 3/4 ton everything is beefier in the suspenstion and all those kind of parts. GM doesn't make the 8100 anymore to my knowledge you can find used one of course. I personally have owned a '02 1500 with a 5.3 and I averaged about 15 mpg plenty of power for most things but I wouldn't want a plow on it. Then I got a 02 duramax and that was a pretty good truck it had issues which was part of the reason I traded it but it had really good power and got around 17 mpg for the most part. I just traded for a 07 duramax and oh boy is this one sweet [PoorWordUsage] truck. It has so much power and it is fast. Hook that camper up and forget it is back there. My average fuel so far is about 19 too I love it. My dad has a 1500HD with the 6.0 and my company I work for has alot of 2500HD with 6.0 in them. I do not know of anything as that is mechanically bad with them. Awesome power and quick but the are thirsty. With dad's when pulling the boat to Canada I can typically average 12-13mpg. That is my experience with Chevys

[coombia21]

what does he average just driving around with his 1500 hd

[WingDing2]

I get 12 to 14 with my 03 1500HD around town depending on how I am driving it. I put a load on it and head down the hiway I get 12 It really sucked when gas was $4.00

[MNice]

Keep in mind some of the 5.3's had a terrible rear end for pulling. Many came with the 3.42 which I would guess would downshift badly. I have a 4.8 with the 3.73 gears and pulled a 1775 Pro-V without downshifting like you describe.

[fishorgolf]

Originally Posted By: coombia21

what is the difference between the 1500 hd and a 2500 besides the gears

from what ive seen there basically the same thing... if you still thinking about plowing depending on how much you plan on doing. i know people with plows on half ton pickups and they have no problems. i know a guy with a plow on a ford explore and it works for him. how much towing do you do?

"

"basically the same thing" Your kidding right? These are two completely different transmissions. The 1500 is a light duty trans made for towing light loads in non stress situations. The 2500 is a made for towing with fluid cooling etc.

[WingDing2]

Sorry fishorgolf the HD1500 and a 2500 have the same tranny if they have a 6.0 in them it's a 4L80E unless you can tell us different? 5.3 motor run a 4L60E tranny shallow or deep pan. Incidentally both tranny's have fluid cooling...

[Tinkhamtown]

Have a 2 WD 2005 Silverado WT with a 5.3 and I get 20 MPG. Pulls trailer with 3 ATVs, or 2 snowmobiles or fishing boat and miles drop to 17. I don't even know the trailer is back there, as there is plenty of power. Really like my truck.

[fishorgolf]

Sorry fishorgolf the HD1500 and a 2500 have the same tranny if they have a 6.0 in them it's a 4L80E unless you can tell us different? 5.3 motor run a 4L60E tranny shallow or deep pan. Incidentally both tranny's have fluid cooling...

Yes if they both have the 6.0L but this conversation was about the diff. between the 5.3L and the 6.0L. And the 5.3 does not have the same trans. as the 6.0L. Do you agree with that?

[WingDing2]

Yes I agree with that, but you made it sound as if you run a 5.3 for whatever reason, that you can't tow anything heavy. I think that's a little misleading and a 5.3 with a 4L60E with a deep pan can tow just about anything you can hook up to it.

[fishorgolf]

I am not saying you can not tow heavy loads with it just that there are much better options. I have a buddy who tows a 30' trailer with his and has not had any problems yet but he changes fluid every year and only does short flat land trips. (he is also going to buy my 3/4 ton when I upgrade next year) I also have been in a sub. that blew the trany pulling a decoy trailer into the wind on I29 south of Grand Forks at 2:00 am. not fun. and know of others that have had tranys blow towing with there 5.3's. So yes you can tow with the 5.3 but if someone asks as they did above what I would buy for towing I would have to tell them the 6.0 over the 5.3.

[overdalimit]

My 2 cents is as follows. My little bro has an 05 'burban with a 5.3 and he tows a 30 ft cougar lt with 4 kids a wife and 4 wiener dogs plus all the stuff she can stuff in the two rigs. He claims to be seeing 10 mpg heavy and 17 light. I on the other hand have an 01 HD 2500 with an 8.1/Allison and I am doing good if I see 12 mpg light and as low as 8 depending on the load. (used to pull a 30 ft cruiser 15,000 lbs plus), But the difference is that he is maxed out while I have power to spare! As they say "passes everything on the road but a gas station". The 8.1 is a brut no doubt about it. 345 H.P. 455 lbs torque

ODL

[Tyler23]

i agree with the 8.1. they basically have more power than most people will ever need. my cuz has a 8.1 it will walk all over a duramax. amazing power

[CrowRiverRat83]

i agree with the 8.1. they basically have more power than most people will ever need. my cuz has a 8.1 it will walk all over a duramax. amazing power

I doubt that. The HP numbers are about the same, but check out some torque numbers on a Duramaxx.

[Tyler23]

then why is it that when they lined them up and took off the 8.1 won?

[overdalimit]

I agree that the diesel has better torque numbers but for the difference in price I will stay with the 8.1 it definately does the job without excuses.

[Macgyver55]

Not to take away from the 8.1, and it may be "quicker" at least when empty, but try hooking up a 7 to 10 thousand pound trailer and see which one shines. Then look at the mileage. Both work great, but in different situations!

[overdalimit]

I agree that the diesel will get better mpg both empty or towing. I got 8 mpg towing a 30 ft boat but I had plenty of power with the 8.1 . I have owned many trucks and this is the only one that I really have been happy with. 89 f150 was a dog (that 302 had no power at all). Dodge ramcharger road like a buckboard and was a slug too with the 318. 98 ram 3/4 ton was better with the 360 fuel injection but still couldn't get out of its own way climbing the grade on 53 heading south out of Virginia with the camper on while towing my Tyee. The 8.1 chev can, without any problem, pass a class A motorhome with the camper on and the boat on the back. I said it before, that thing is a brut! this is going to be a one owner truck...ME.