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Opinions on 8 Liter Chevy

R

RODGEinIL

Member
Hey all..
Just looking on opinions on what an 8.0(502?)cu.in. pickup gets for gas milage? I'm looking at a 2001 Chevy extended cab short box 4wd 3/4 ton with this motor and a Allison auto trans. Don't know rear axle ratio.. Thought about using it to pull a 25ft. gooseneck trailer for farm and tractor showing. Heard they are really thirsty!! Just wanted some opinions, weak points, whatever, Thanx in advance!!
 
You are talking about the 8.1L 496 cubic inch Vortec Chevy. Those put out around 340hp, and as you can imagine, they are very powerful with lots of torque. Probably the strongest gasoline towing engine there is to come in a pickup from the factory. Yes, you could expect to get around 10mpg with it empty.
 
I work with a guy who drives an "05 3/4 ton with 8100. (496cid) He claims 12 to 14 mpg highway. The only bad thing about the Allison trans is the cooler lines are notorious for leaks. The 8100 is also known for coolant leaking up the head bolts. Otherwise, good mechanically.
 
8.1 = 494 (a stroked 454, about another 3/8 inch arm IIRC) Very tough engine, great torque, reputation for using oil, about 12 mpg cruising, much less pulling a goose neck trailer.
Allison trans has been better than the average heavy duty pickup automatic. You want 4.10 gears for towing.
 
Well, for what it's worth, my next truck will have the 8.1 liter in it. I has going to go diesel, but have decided against diesel. To expensive for the little use my truck will actually see. My best friend has 3/4 ton 4x4 Chevy with the 6.0. Poor power and mileage. 10, 12 on it's very best day empty, and 8 pulling a 16ft trailer. My uncle has the same truck, but with an 8.1, and it has power like I can't believe. Makes the 6.0 look like a riding lawn mower compared to a farm tractor. He can pull twice the weight, with twice the ease, and have the same or even a touch better gas mileage. I know another fellow who hauls 15 1800lb round bales with a 1 ton dually 8.1 on a 25ft 24,000lb rated gooseneck trailer, and he just loves it. Hammer down and that load is moving promptly!
 
I"ve got the 8.1 in a 2001 K3500, 6 spd manual, 4.10 gears. It is a brute for power. I modified the air box to allow for freer flowing air intake, changed to synthetic motor oil, and am now getting around 14 mpg.empty. I bought it brand new, $5,000 less than the Duramax diesel, and with gasoline priced at about one half the price of diesel, I am convinced I made the right decision.
 
They no longer offer that engine. Very very strong but pretty thirsty, not really bad since it is a truck though. Haven't heard of too many problems. I'd personally opt for the diesel since I can't afford new and can probably find a diesel much easier. The 6.0L is actually rather strong and would probably be a better choice over the 8.1L but some of us just like to have the biggest there is!
 
We"ve got three in one ton 4wd dumps with 12" beds. Needless to say they get more than their fair share of hauling and pulling heavy loads. When we haul 7-8 yds of mulch they scale at 18-19k. They pull and run strong. Haven"t had any problems yet. Transmission is great too. I would still be buying that engine if they made them. Everything I"ve got that pulls a trailer everyday gets 8mpg, whether it be a 6.0, 8.1, 454 or 350vortec. And the 8.1 pulls the best. I"m always looking for a good used one, especially a 4wd, single wheel, white regular cab.
 
My wife has a 2004 Crewcab, 4X4, shortbed with the 8.1 and Allison. It has 35,000 miles on it now and gets 13MPG on daily driving if you can keep your foot off the loud pedal.

In 2004 we towed out to Canadaigua, NY grossing 18,000 and running about 70MPH most of the time. We got 9.2 MPG on the entire 1500 mile trip.

Pulling a 450 bushel wagon at harvest time at low speed it gets about 6 MPG.

It's a great truck and we have never regretted the big engine or the allison transmission.
 
I recently bought a 2003, 3500, 4wd extended cab longbed dually. On a trip from Denver, CO to El Paso texas with about 1200 lbs in the bed and doing approx. 65-70 mph we got 12.7. Empty between El Paso to Kerville, TX we got about the same. Heading home from Kerville with a cab-high load of 11" long oak firewood logs with a severe headwind I got 9.7. Mixed use, mainly highway some city I get about 11 empty.
Hope that helps.
 
Hello RODGEinIL,
The question mark 502? is what I am addressing.
8LT engine = 488.191 CU.IN.
8.1 Lt engine = 494.294 Cu.IN.
Guido.
 

:) I've got a 2004 3500 Silverado SRW 4x4 conventional cab 8 ft PU bed with the 8.1L engine and Allison trans. I tow a 7 ton 24 ft gooseneck trailer. I am satisfied with the truck, and don't do enough miles to justify a Duramax (under 10K miles per year) Gasoline consumption has averaged 10.5 MPG. This mileage is based on total miles traveled divided by total gallons used (since I bought the truck) with no consideration given to type of use (local, highway, towing, etc) The truck is at about 45,000 miles and about 1/3 of the way through it's second set of tires. I have had no maintenance problems with the truck, and would buy one again.
Dave 8)
 
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