Bow tie guys only.

4.8
5.3
6.0

And why?

Here's my checklist.

4wd because my once or twice a year oh shiite moments are once or twice to many.
Extended cab for the grand younguns.
Some limited towing, up to 56 colonies of bees on two way pallets. Rough allowance 100lbs per colony plus trailer.

Again bow tie only and not new. Some other sucker can pay for that privilege.

4.8 - for just everyday town driving, never hauling anything more than groceries or a box of junk to goodwill. Economical to drive.

5.3 - more of an everyday user work truck. Enough power to pass when you need to, load it up with lumber, tools or trapping equipment. Pull a boat or small camper seasonally. Milage so so depending on how you drive it.

6.0 - when you need to haul a 5th wheel, big boat, stock trailers loaded with bulls or an addition to your house around. Milage you don't pass up many fuel stations

5.7L 4WD with tow package...wait...that's Tundra...never mind...

Thanks, I know the 5.3 well as that's what's sitting in the yard (with a busted transmission ). Just wondering what the other two options get me.

BTW that 5.3 is in an '07 that I put 250k on. I'd hoped to reach 3 before replacing it on my time table.

Chevy 5.0, 5.3, 5.7 = different year configurations and cylinder spacing if I remember correctly.

I miss the days of 283,327, 350 cubic inch engines not this liter stuff.

Tell me about it. I read engine specs and my mind has to reference a small block before I can grasp it.

OK first as someone who did ranching and farming, there are pick ups, trucks and semis. You are asking about a pick up not a truck.

If you want a tow package they ride like lumber wagons which gets old. I doubt you are going to haul anything to ever strain an engine, like a gooseneck trailer, so the smaller engine would suffice. I would go the medium engine, if I was doing allot of interstate highway cruising, where you can drive 80 mph and the engines just purr.

There are a number of things wrong with the brand, and my number one problem is clearance. This will not affect you, but last winter we had plugged roads from snow, and these newer models looked like a blizzard bucking snow and blading the roads. It is really a poor design feature, but it also would be a problem in mud and dirt as things get ripped off.

If you need a 6.0, either hire it done or get a truck as there is not any reason to put that kind of strain on a vehicle which was not meant for that kind of load.

That is where I stop as if I go on, it would get into upgrades in GMC, Ford and Rams, but each have their repair problems in what breaks down in the worst possible snow bank.

i'm running a 2017 3/4 ton chevy Silverado ..on the highway I get 16mpg.12-13 if I don't hook up the 16ft trailer with a massey ferguson 35 tractor. empty its hard to run 55, it wants to go!. the 1/2 tons ride like a caddy!

I totally agree with everything that hangs down under trucks these days. Stupid waste to put stuff down there. Somehow those plastic air dams get ripped off mine.

Multiply liters by 61 to get cubic inches, divide cubic inches by 61 to get liters easy conversion. All three engines are good, just depends on what you're using it for. We've replaced a few LS engines in trucks due to siezed roller lifters; they squeak like a worn serpentine belt, but it's the lifter squeaking on the cam. Sends metal throughout the engine, we don't replace cam.and lifters, we replace whole engines. Coincidentally, we do a lot of hemi engines on Dodge chargers for the exact same reason; seized roller lifters. It's the same exact hemi they put in their trucks. Now that think of it, we've only done 2 Ford engines in the past two years....Just something to be aware of.

4.8 and 5.3 use the same block.

Different bore or stroke if a read right.

I have a 2003 Tahoe 4wd with 4.8, 199k miles.replaced .tires, brakes, battery and lights..pulls a 2 horse trailer, 25ft travel trailer, and 20ft boat just fine, gets 20mpg if I stay under 70 mph

Technician here myself. In my opinion a lot of this is brought on by people not using the correct oil as specified by the manufacturer. A lot of people are brand loyal, but that brand may not meet their engines required specifications.

Some people will run 10w-30 in a car that calls for 5w-20. We are going to see more engine failures especially now that 0w-20 is in wide use and I believe Honda is working on a 0w-16 oil.

Add to the fact not all 5w-30 is created equal. There are 5w-30 that is HTHS(high temp high shear) and 5w-30 that is LTLS(Low temp low shear).

Oh and throw in 7500-10,000 mile oil change intervals on engines that from new consume oil with people who never check their oil. We will be gainfully employed for years to come.

I've got an '05 1500 with the 4.8. Never had a problem with it. Little weak pulling an overweight trailer but that was expected.

Wouldn't a prious suit you better?

My dad had a 6.0 work truck, I have a 6.6. My dad drove my 6.6 and now has a 6.6 and no longer a 6.0. He was getting high single digits with his 6.0 and 3 yard trailer full of sand now he gets mid teens with the same trailer. I get 21 mpg empty on the freeway and 17 towing my jeep and trailer to wear I dear not take a my truck. So if you like diesels, or need to tow capacity or in my case diesel is just as much as unleaded And I like diesels, I would stay away from the 6.0 and get the 6.6 for towing. I would get 5.3 for just general use. I have owend a 4.8 and just found that if did not perform well and if it had to work it sucked fuel.

Here’s a heads up for older model Chevrolet’s. Had one sling a rod @150,000, and a buddy had a z-71 and a suburban do the same.

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussi...-with-no-apparent-leak-w-183k-2003-tahoe