Towing-5.7L vs 5.3L or 6.0L?

[puma]

Presently I tow a 28ft travel trailer with a '92 5.7TBI 1500 with 3.73's, trans cooler & temp gauge. I use a weight distribution hitch and the trailer has really good elec. brakes on both axles. The maximum the trailer ever weighs is 5800 lbs. O/D is off and RPM's are around 2500-2600 @ 60 MPH.

That said it does the job alright but is working pretty hard just on flat land especially if you add any wind and then the torque converter normally won't lock up. We all know that the 5.7L TBI is no power house but has a decent amount of torque.

So my question is that if I decide to upgrade to a NBS truck, I was considering finding one with a 5.3L in it. The 4.8L is definitely not on my list.

Or should I be looking at a 6.0L 2500 even though I've heard they're pretty thirsty and I only tow with 5% of all driving that I do.

Any opinions?

[bad2006z71]

well, the 5.3 tows ok but the power is higher in the rpm band, so the truck likes to rev higher. id go with a 2500 6.0 or if you can find one, a vortec max in the half ton trucks. i get about 12-13mpg with my 6.0.

good luck with your decision

[Stratosman]

6.0's can be pretty thirsty, but one other benefit of the 6.0 is the tranny that comes with it.

[bartonmd]

The Vortec 350 pulls MUCH better than your TBI 350 (completely different world!)... The 5.3L pulls a little better than the Vortec 350 (though, it's got to rev a little bit to do it, the power is there), and the 6.0 pulls 6500# like the 5.3 pulls 4000#...

Mike

[bad2006z71]

if you decide on a 5.3 try to find one with 4.10 gears. that will help alot, my 06 with 3.42's sucked badly.

and stay away from early year 5.3's, they were the weakest. go with something like a 03+ and then get a tune on it.

[terryk]

Definitely go for the 6.0L and 4.10 is you can. You get the 4L80E which can handle tons of abuse and keep working.

[smokinsilverado]

If you don't mind getting 11mpg get the 6.0 they tow great and you get a better trans.

If you still want to be able to get decent mileage and be able to tow then go with the 5.3l. They have plenty of power they just like to run at higher RPMs so you have to get used to towing like that. I have towed my 6000lb boat accross the country with my 5.3 and it works great.

[terryk]

If you don't mind getting 11mpg get the 6.0 they tow great and you get a better trans.

If you still want to be able to get decent mileage and be able to tow then go with the 5.3l. They have plenty of power they just like to run at higher RPMs so you have to get used to towing like that. I have towed my 6000lb boat accross the country with my 5.3 and it works great.

True, you don't buy one for fuel economy.

[smokinsilverado]

True, you don't buy one for fuel economy.

Yeah my buddy has a 6.0 and it tows like a champ it is just a thirsty motor. Hence the reason why it's a 05 and only has 23k miles on it. Definetly not good for DD

[rebelbowtie]

i DD mine. you get used to it. none of my trucks i have ever owned got good gas mileage. you dont buy any truck for gas mileage or ride comfort. people whining about 11mpg in a 1 ton truck really get under my skin. also people you complain there truck rides hard. its a truck. and the 6.0 IMO will out tow any small block gas motor. and even out tow some big blocks

[smokinsilverado]

i DD mine. you get used to it. none of my trucks i have ever owned got good gas mileage. you dont buy any truck for gas mileage or ride comfort. people whining about 11mpg in a 1 ton truck really get under my skin. also people you complain there truck rides hard. its a truck. and the 6.0 IMO will out tow any small block gas motor. and even out tow some big blocks

Oh yeah your right, trucks get bad gas mileage if you own one then you have to deal with it. If your going to DD a truck of any kind then you can't complain about mileage you just need to understand that's part of the cost of owning it.

[97chev1500]

I'd go with one with 6.0 in it.That 4L80E tranny will handle the towing alot better than the 4L60E behind the 5.3.My Dad has a 2006 2500 with the 6.0 for his work truck.When he first got it didnt have all that much umph to it.So he got a custom tune done and really woke it up.We have towed 8800lbs with it with no problems.

[rebelbowtie]

I'd go with one with 6.0 in it.That 4L80E tranny will handle the towing alot better than the 4L60E behind the 5.3.My Dad has a 2006 2500 with the 6.0 for his work truck.When he first got it didnt have all that much umph to it.So he got a custom tune done and really woke it up.We have towed 8800lbs with it with no problems.

it will tow more than that. i have had it right at the trucks limit according to GM owners manual when i towed a duece and a half cross country. i wont lie. getting it up to high way speeds had to run the motor up to bout 5k rpm but once i got cruising i could slip it into OD on flat ground and just cruise. the 6.0 is a really good work horse. its a shame GM is scrapping it so soon. i believe if they kept it in production it would become the new 'small block chevy'

[Koots]

I find that the 5.3 loves to rev more than older smallblocks, but talking about needing them to rev higher to tow is all about the incredibly intrusive torque management systems. Seems much more intrusive than the 96-98 vortec gen smallblocks engine management.

Take that away and i bet the 5.3L wouldn't be as bad as you think. I doubt the powerband wouldn't be much different and probably flatter, which is much better for towing.

But the 6.0L is a great motor. I think the 6L's in the 1500HD's and vortec max trucks only came with a 4L60E or 4L65E though. Gotta go for 2500 to get the good 4L80E tranny.

[rebelbowtie]

I find that the 5.3 loves to rev more than older smallblocks, but talking about needing them to rev higher to tow is all about the incredibly intrusive torque management systems. Seems much more intrusive than the 96-98 vortec gen smallblocks engine management.

Take that away and i bet the 5.3L wouldn't be as bad as you think. I doubt the powerband wouldn't be much different and probably flatter, which is much better for towing.

But the 6.0L is a great motor. I think the 6L's in the 1500HD's and vortec max trucks only came with a 4L60E or 4L65E though. Gotta go for 2500 to get the good 4L80E tranny.

1500HD is basically a 2500LD just different TREs and UCA i believe.

[bad2006z71]

1500hd had 3.73 gears, 14sf rear, lq4, and 4l80. crew cab only
1500 vortec max's had 4.10 gears, 14sf rear, lq9, and 4l70. ext and crew cab only

[rebelbowtie]

4L70???? what is that. dont you mean 4L65

[bad2006z71]

nope rpo code M70= 4l70e, i think they updated a few things in the 65e then renamed it the 70e. same for the NNBS vortec max's until the 6spd came out.

[rebelbowtie]

learn something every day

[93ChevyTBI]

the 6.0 is a really good work horse. its a shame GM is scrapping it so soon. i believe if they kept it in production it would become the new 'small block chevy'

what do you mean? are they gonna stop making it? first I've heard of it. Why? Go with something bigger or more fuel efficient?