Preferred gas engines for 1 ton pickups

[FlaDon]

I had a 2000 Chevy 2500 HD with the 8.1 & Allison tranny. Talk about power! The ONLY thing wrong was a large # of them were "consuming" oil at at amazing rate, in my case 1.5-2 qts/800 miles. This started right from the start & was well documented by Chevy & the dealer. They took it back as a lemon. Forums at the time had a lot of people talking about the same issue & rumors were flying around that a huge batch of 6.0 pistons were installed in the 8.1 blocks in error & the trucks hit the streets before it was discovered.

Chevy decided to pull the heads @ 4,00 miles & the cylinders were scored worse than a lot of 100,00 mile junkers! They wouldn't go for a new long or short block, so I filed under NYS lemon Laws. Their lawyers took one look at the paper trail from Chevy & told them to take it back!

Mine burns a qt every 1000-1500 miles. Which is normal for that engine.

 

[SteadyEddie]

Carpenter383

I tend to agree with you, but I remember the frustration everyone on the truck forums were feeling, myself included. It was strange how every new description of the symptoms & timelines were almost identical.

That said I really liked everything else about that truck & was amazed with the Allison tranny. As much as I wanted to get away from the anticipated long term troubles since they only did a ring job & the consumption was worse than before, I was a little sad to turn it in. I can稚 imagine that the diesel package could have been much better from a towing standpoint, but I致e never driven one.

My feeling is any 8.1 GM still on the road didn稚 have whatever problem afflicted mine, and should be worth considering.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It seem like many GM cars burn oil. I have a Saturn and it burns oil. They said if it burned more than a QT every 800 miles they would re ring it. I had heard about the 8.1's burning oil and my dads Corvette has burnt oil since the day it was new. My grandfather has a Caddy with a Northstar V8 and it does it.

We had always been a Ford family but have since spread it around owning Chryslers, Honda's, Toyota's, Volvo's, Nissan's, and a few GM's. None of the others ever burnt, used, or dripped a drop except for the GM's. Seems they should be able to get it right if everyone else is? That said I still like the 8.1 but not necessarily the trucks its in.

Chris

 

[carpenter383]

Never heard the one about the wrong pistons but they are only 1/8" different in size. 101.6MM to 107.095MM. The real difference is in the stroke and as we all know any long stroke engine is a torque maker. That's why I love 383 strokers in boats. Same weight as a 5.7 but a good 125HP more at the prop shaft.

Chris

When you're talking about .005 thousandths clearance then an 1/8 in starts to sound like ALOT
The "383" part of my user name is in reference to the engine in my monte. 350 4 bolt block 6" h-beam rods with a forged 3.75" crank and light weight mahle forged pistons. Internally balanced so I can run a neutrally ballanced (non 400 sbc) harmonic balancer and flex plate.

 

[carpenter383]

I tend to be a GM guy, but I'm not at all one of those people who try to say a different maker is junk or is inferior to GM.
They all have there pro's and cons for sure. And if treated right any of them will most likley make a good vehicle.
It's funny about the burning oil thing because I've always critisized chrysler products (cars and mini-vans, not trucks) about being oil burners, it seems like every Chrysler car or minivan I get behind blows alot of blue smoke.
Again I'm not taking sides every company has good designs along with some questionable ones.

 

[Diamondpilot]

When you're talking about .005 thousandths clearance then an 1/8 in starts to sound like ALOT
The "383" part of my user name is in reference to the engine in my monte. 350 4 bolt block 6" h-beam rods with a forged 3.75" crank and light weight mahle forged pistons. Internally balanced so I can run a neutrally ballanced (non 400 sbc) harmonic balancer and flex plate.

Yes, you are right about .125 difference. That is a lot. Heck boring one .030 over is a big difference and the start to a great stroker.

I see you are from Indiana and saw your user name. I went to school with a gear head, Scott Carpenter, but I see you are not him. He had a Olds 442 and a few other GM's. Last time I saw him, 15 years ago, he was into Mustangs.

Never really noticed the Chyrslers burning oil except for the old K cars and the mini vans. My only one was a Hemi truck and it did not burn or use a drop. Glad, because it used enough gas. I could only afford one or the other.

Chris

 

[carpenter383]

Yes, you are right about .125 difference. That is a lot. Heck boring one .035 over is a big difference and the start to a great stroker.

I see you are from Indiana and saw your user name. I went to school with a gear head, Scott Carpenter, but I see you are not him. He had a Olds 444 and a few other GM's. Last time I saw him, 15 years ago, he was into Mustangs.

Chris

Yes' I'm about an hr south of indy. Good to see a fellow hoosier on here!
No I'm not Scott and I assume you meant a "442" olds

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yes' I'm about an hr south of indy. Good to see a fellow hoosier on here!
No I'm not Scott and I assume you meant a "442" olds

You are right. 442. I will go back and fix it.

I have friends south in North Vernon, Columbus, and Bloomfield. There are quite a few of us Hoosiers here.


Chris

 

[carpenter383]

You are right. 442. I will go back and fix it.

I have friends south in North Vernon, Columbus, and Bloomfield. There are quite a few of us Hoosiers here.


Chris

I'm near bloomington IN.

 

[FlaDon]

I'm near bloomington IN.

Been there and done that. About the only place back in the late 80s that had a hotel near Crane NWC. And a long drive in the middle of the night from Louisville.