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Is upgrade from 5.3 to 6.0 engine worth it?

W

WSKinVA

New Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2015
Messages
6
Hey Folks,

I have a2008 LT with 3.73 gears. We towed our new travel trailer for the third time, but a longertrip this weekend through the mountains in WV and KY. It did okay, for the most part, but on many of the longer hills i couldn't keep it from dropping to 40 or 45 miles per hour. The thing would search for a gear, blasting up to 4500rpm - something that is not sustainable if i want to keep this truck. Got 9mpg for the 850 mile trip.

The trailer is a cruiser RV F215WSK. 24ft, 4500 lbs empty, 5500 loaded. I do have the factory trans cooler a weight dist hitch and tekonsha brake controller.

So, my question is - is it a big enough jump to find an avy with the 6.0? I would be looking for an 09, but also looking at 08, and 07.

Would a 5.3 with the 6speed do any better?

Or, should I just avoid all of the doubts and go get a Silverado/Sierra 2500 HD?

Thanks!
 
I have the same veh as you with pretty much the same equipment. I had a 25' toy hauler, about 3,500# and loaded with a Harley Ultra Classic. Somewhere close to 4,500+#. Same problem as you especially in the mountains.  Rather than give up my '08 Avy which I drove off the dealer's show room floor in 08 and just rolled 36K miles, I added Air Lift air springs inside the rear coils, HD rear sway bar, 1.5" front lift and a Borla cat-back exh, K&N intake tube with a Magnuson Supercharger. Had the ECM & TCM reprogrammed and for a total of just under $6,000 (did the work myself) went from Dyno 250 rear wheel HP/266 Torque to 352 rear wheel HP/370 Torque.

Lot of money but a lot cheaper than a new 2500 which I would not benefit from most of the time. Depends on how often you tow but my Avy is local driving 90% of the time.  When not towing it is very cool to drive. When towing I get lousy mileage in the mountains but never a need for more power.
 
Assuming the rest of the AV is good I would follow above advice and look at a Supercharger vs. getting a new truck.


http://www.magnacharger.com/p-73-suburban-avalanche-tahoe-yukon-48l-53l-2007-2010-magnuson-supercharger.aspx
 
Supercharger is abit rich for my blood, but other mods are of interest. What performance chip setup has worked best? Doing that and intake and cat-back mods may be enough for my needs.

The truck is fine, an 2LT in ood shape.  I am willing to go another 1000 into performance mods. When you jump 6k, getting another truck is a better bet for me.

Thanks for the great ideas!
 
For $1000 you might be better off looking at a different cam, gears and a custom tune.

You really are going to get what you pay for here...

And still, even paying $4,000-$6,000 on a truck worth over $15,000 is not a bad deal...

Although I am wondering how pulling an engine and transmission and swapping them out for a new one (Assuming from junkyard) is going to be better or cheaper than getting a super charger... Last time I looked at a super charger they were about $4,000.

No way a chip, CAI and exhaust are going to do much for you... One thing to supposedly "feel" a difference... A whole different thing when your pulling a load through the mountains...

Unless they got real big in the newer trucks I would suggest getting a bigger aftermarket trans cooler...
 
Nothing will increase the factory tow ratings without buying a 2500.

 
Factory tow rating on this truck is 7200 lbs.  My trailer, loaded, is 5600lbs. I am not trying to increase the tow rating.

When i say "buy another truck" that means trade this one in on another one. I am in a position where i could get an 09 Avy 6.0 for about 5k difference, and a similar 2500HD for 6 to 8000, so spending a similar amount on a supercharger is not worth it in my book.

All i need is 10 to 20 bhp to get this one to perform acceptability. I should be able to coax that with the chip, exhaust, and intake improvements.

I also think my muffler may be contributing to my issue. This truck just turned 90,000 miles. A few weeks ago i put the hammer down to pass a car and it made a wild fluttering metallic sound out the rear (the exhaust sound). I wonder now if the guts of the muffler were rusted and broke loose, perhaps causing a blockage? I had a similar incident with a 72 GTO many years ago... First stop when i get home is the muffler shop.
 
Good luck whatever you decide.. 2500 is a good vehicle

Like I said, mine has all the mods and performance done, the body is in good shape and I just rolled 34K so it's a low miler.  My wife won't drive it (she has a Jeep wrangler) so I'm the only driver since it left the dealer in 08. Paid for, runs and looks very good, I'll keep it..  We also purchased a 31' C-class motor home last year for trips and we tow the motorcycle so I can't see too many miles added to the Avy over the next few years.

You might try a better flowing muffler since you have to change it anyway..
 
You say that you like the Avalanche right, Than get an Avalanche 2500 made from 2001 to 2006 in either 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive and get the pulling power and torque that you want and get the same gas milage that you are getting now with your 5.3 towing and you will be happier in the long run.  I did a search for Avalanche 2500's and there are two and four wheel drives from $6000. to $19,000. on auto trader and trust me when I say that you will be happier for I have one myself and tow 6200lbs trailer and at 70 mph get 9 miles to the gallon. Put the money towards the big block that you would the small block to gain the bhp you're looking for and you still have the Avalanche.      (y)
 
Think I found the answer. An upgrade that adds 30% to the torque and horsepower, doesn't hurt the fuel economy too bad, keeps the copilot in a comfortable ride and lets me keep the saddlebags and all the other storage I love about the Avy.... Made me say "Doh!" when she suggested it.  :E:
 
Re-gearing would help some.  You're running 3.73's now.
4.10 or 4.56 would help with towing.  No matter what...there's no replacement for displacement.  That's why I went with an 8.1L Avy 2500 to tow with. 



>:D
 
"There is no replacement for displacement"...

Precisely why I am going for a 6.2L powered Escalade EXT...  :)  2007 on up will provide the HP and torque increase the 08 Avy lacks, plus the 6 speed trans that will deliver more options for RPMs to MPH going up a hill.

The wife gets her AC/heated seats and I get the saddlebags and bed.

Done.
 
Be warned WSKinVA if you go EXT the bee ouch gets the same mileage as my 2500 plus it needs premium 91 octane fuel.
 
I also went the supercharger route.

The EXT is a good idea. I know a guy who tows a bigger boat than I do with no issue in his Escalade. I doubt that route is any cheaper than a blower though.
 
well... it may suck gas like crazy, and that gas may cost what diesel does, but it sure looks a hell of a lot prettier than a 2500, and a supercharger won't get momma those cooled and heated leather seats... :)  :laugh:
 
WSKinVA said:
well... it may suck gas like crazy, and that gas may cost what diesel does, but it sure looks a hell of a lot prettier than a 2500, and a supercharger won't get momma those cooled and heated leather seats... :)   :laugh:
Click to expand...
2500's are BEAUTIFUL, the hell you say .  :beating:  >:D
 
If you only knew :laugh:


But you are right they are pretty. >:D
 
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