Preferred gas engines for 1 ton pickups

[soarkrebel1]

The Ford 6.8L V-10 would be my first choice but in the years you mentioned the tranny is not as heavy built as the Torque Shift tranny that went in the gas trucks as 2005 models and later.

The only option for a GM is the 8.1 with a Allison or maybe a 454 but the 6.0 is a dog. The main issue with the 454 again is the tranny.

As for Dodge they made a 7.0L V-10 for a few years around that time. They are few and far between but a good engine. I would also consider a 360. The 5.7 Hemi sounds impressive but has no place in a truck so stay away. The main issue with any Dodge is the tranny if its a auto.

Chris

The 6.0 is a dog???
You obviously haven't driven one!
I have one....a 2004 GMC 2500HD,Crew Cab,4x4 with a 6.0, 4.10 gears and it is not a dog!
I have been more than happy with it's performance for what I do with it and it runs far better than the V-10 Fords I have driven!
The only complaint which isn't really a complaint because anyone that buys a truck of this size can't expect......is gas mileage.
But 14 mpg on the highway at 70+ MPH in that size truck isn't really bad. I get a steady 13 MPG pulling a 20 foot trailer with a Kubota L3000DT, Woods BB60, another implement like a Box Blade or Disc and a Honda Foreman in the bed doing 75 MPH!!!!!! It will do the same with a Prowler 26 foot camper with slide out...

From this owners opinion the 6.0 is NOT a dog......I have been very happy with it....and like tonight I was pumping gas before heading the farm and saw Diesel at $2.75 a gallon and I was paying $2.33 a gallon for gas.

 

[FlaDon]

The 6.0 is a dog???
You obviously haven't driven one!
I have one....a 2004 GMC 2500HD,Crew Cab,4x4 with a 6.0, 4.10 gears and it is not a dog!
I have been more than happy with it's performance for what I do with it and it runs far better than the V-10 Fords I have driven!
The only complaint which isn't really a complaint because anyone that buys a truck of this size can't expect......is gas mileage.
But 14 mpg on the highway at 70+ MPH in that size truck isn't really bad. I get a steady 13 MPG pulling a 20 foot trailer with a Kubota L3000DT, Woods BB60, another implement like a Box Blade or Disc and a Honda Foreman in the bed doing 75 MPH!!!!!! It will do the same with a Prowler 26 foot camper with slide out...

From this owners opinion the 6.0 is NOT a dog......I have been very happy with it....and like tonight I was pumping gas before heading the farm and saw Diesel at $2.75 a gallon and I was paying $2.33 a gallon for gas.

Check with people who have identical setups between a 6.0 and an 8.1. You'll find people with like loads getting the same or nearly the same MPG and the 8.1 walking away from the 6.0. As quoted on another forum, same crappy mileage with none of the torque. The 6.0 has to get its HP rating by RPM, the 8.1 gets its by torque. The 8.1/Allison has a 4600 RPM tailshaft restriction But you really don't want to see what the speed is at that RPM. And you can get there in 4th gear with the 8.1.

 

[farmboy12]

The 6.0 is a dog???
You obviously haven't driven one!
I have one....a 2004 GMC 2500HD,Crew Cab,4x4 with a 6.0, 4.10 gears and it is not a dog!
I have been more than happy with it's performance for what I do with it and it runs far better than the V-10 Fords I have driven!
The only complaint which isn't really a complaint because anyone that buys a truck of this size can't expect......is gas mileage.
But 14 mpg on the highway at 70+ MPH in that size truck isn't really bad. I get a steady 13 MPG pulling a 20 foot trailer with a Kubota L3000DT, Woods BB60, another implement like a Box Blade or Disc and a Honda Foreman in the bed doing 75 MPH!!!!!! It will do the same with a Prowler 26 foot camper with slide out...

From this owners opinion the 6.0 is NOT a dog......I have been very happy with it....and like tonight I was pumping gas before heading the farm and saw Diesel at $2.75 a gallon and I was paying $2.33 a gallon for gas.

Hmmm...we have a '03 Chevy 6.0 4x4 ext. cab, long bed, with 3.73. And we're lucky to see 13mpg empty, and we have better mileage gears! We usually get 10 towing. And the thing just turned 90k, all of easy use and serviced often. We did go over the cap. on load (both towing and payload), but that was seldom done. Do you have any mods?


Kyle

 

[Diamondpilot]

Hmmm...we have a '03 Chevy 6.0 4x4 ext. cab, long bed, with 3.73. And we're lucky to see 13mpg empty, and we have better mileage gears! We usually get 10 towing. And the thing just turned 90k, all of easy use and serviced often. We did go over the cap. on load (both towing and payload), but that was seldom done. Do you have any mods?


Kyle

Yes, the 6.0 is a dog when compared to the 8.1 Both are decent engines but the 8.1 is hands down the better engine. Why GM screwed up something so simple and made the decision to keep the 6.0 over the 8.1 is a mystery. The only thing I can thank is the 8.1 was killed by the desire to sell the Dmax and the tree huggers.

As for driving one, yes I have. My neighbor had one that I had driven and so did my old college roommate. I was not impressed. There again its not a bad engine just not a class leading engine. The only current decent gas engine still being put in 3/4 and 1 tons is the Ford V-10.

Getting 13 mpg towing anything with a GM 6.0 is a dream. 8-10 is more realistic. If you are going by a dash monitor its simply a average over time. Heck a Dmax in the same truck can only do about 12 with the load you are talking about.

Chris

 

[soarkrebel1]

Hmmm...we have a '03 Chevy 6.0 4x4 ext. cab, long bed, with 3.73. And we're lucky to see 13mpg empty, and we have better mileage gears! We usually get 10 towing. And the thing just turned 90k, all of easy use and serviced often. We did go over the cap. on load (both towing and payload), but that was seldom done. Do you have any mods?


Kyle

I bought the truck with 30,000 miles on it. The previous owner had the computer tuned,Flowmaster exhaust and a K&N filter installed.
I wasn't excited about the flowmasters when I bought it and was going to change back to a stock exhaust. One of my Aircraft Techs works on the side at a GM dealer. And He told me that .....actually said the same thing Diamondpilot said...that it would be a dog!
He said the performance of the engine would decrease and it would be noticed.
He said that engine needs a more free flowing exhaust to much back pressure and it hates it. Now Tony said the 6.0 is actually one of the best kept secrets that GM has. Yes in stock form it has it's faults but with a little removal and replacement of some things it can be a awesome engine.
I can see where 3.73's would be terrible for towing with the truck. The 4.10's give me no issues. That's one of first things my son and I noticed. We used to pull this load with that old 1500!!!! The first time we pulled it with this truck on hills that old Blue would just struggle and I would turn into the hated tractor towing guy.......this thing would fly with no real work. I found myself passing everyone else in the double lane areas.
Yes the beast was pulling that up hill at 80 before I knew it. That's when I liked my purchase......

Oh and brakes ........what a life saver over half ton brakes!!!!!!!

Not to mention I drive across our pasture a lot. I decided against a F-250 when my neighbor buried his 4x4 CC. Snapped an axle in his little John Deere trying to get it out and had a wrecker to come pull it out.
I found out that wasn't the first time. He said the trucks are so heavy in the front end with that Navistar power stroke it gets stuck in the yard.
I thought the gas is much lighter in the front end and so far I have driven it like any other southern country boy with a 4 wheel drive and haven't gotten stuck yet...I say that with caution....

I have checked it both by mileage vs gas manual and the dash it still averages what I said.
But if anyone is buying a truck that weighs in at 3/4 of any set up with the dream of wonderful gas mileage then they need to rethink what they want.
Heck I have an older GMC 1500 Ext Cab with a 5.7 that doesn't get much better then this one.
New it got around 19 MPG and now with 285,000 on the original engine and xmsn it gets around 15.

I think maybe the key to the 6.0 is aftermarket tuning......just like a F-250 or 350 with a Power Stroke.....add a tuner,exhaust and better intake system and they perform much better.

Plus I can go through a drive thru and even with flowmasters hear the person on the speaker and they can hear me as well.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Putting aftermarket stuff on changes the whole game. Its a good engine but like you said, in stock form its just adequate. Gearing makes all the difference int he world. My dad had a F-150 with 3.55 and I have had 6 F-150's since 1997 all with 3.73's and 4.10's in 1 and there is no comparison. My new Nissan Titan has 4.10's and its by far the best pulling gas truck I have driven with the exception of the big blocks and V-10 Ford. This Nissan will eat my F-150's lunch but pays with the 33's on it from the factory and the 4.10's. 15mpg highway is common but it averages 13mpg in town and 10.5mpg pulling 7,000# load and the 6 speed tranny allows it to scream up the hills at 2,500-3,500rpms.

I also own 2 Ford Powerstorke Diesels. A 2004 F-250 4x4 and a 2006 F-350 4x4 and both stink in the snow and mud. My Titan with the factory installed Detroit lockers and even my stock F-150's I had in the past up till last may were much better and my first choice when mud or snow was a possibility. We used the F-150 to pull out the F-250 a couple times till I learned. That said the PSD with air filter up grades, 4" exhaust, and Quadzilla chips make these trucks into towing monsters that get better MPG than any gas truck empty towing 16,000# loads. I can see high 23mpg in both on the highway and average 17mpg daily driving.

Chris

 

[soarkrebel1]

Chris as I think you know they all have faults but the after market industry makes them much better.
I researched and researched before I bought this one. I was determined to get a F-250. Didn't want a 04 or above because of all the stuff I read about the 6.0 PSD's. Which in 2004 the diesel quality in the U.S. was poor and had an effect on the injector life. It apperently has improved. I have a friend that his is on it's second xmsn and He swears He won't keep any past it's warranty. Not a bad idea if you can afford it.
The 7.3's were good engines....but another friend has one and He has to carry a Cam Position Sensor in the glove box because they go out at random.
Turbo issues in the 6.0's......fuel quality and they must be worked hard to keep them clean.
Trust me I wanted a F-250 or F-350.
I drove a bunch of Duramax's and the GM interior was much more comfortable to me then the Ford.
I really didn't like any of the new ones on the lot and to this day I still don't know what I would do if something happened to this truck.
My FIL has a 2009 Dodge 2500 with a Cummins. It seems to be a pulling truck and he loves it for pulling his 20 foot car hauler with his show cars all over the west.
But He rode in mine and commented on how much more comfortable it was over the Dodge.
Actually mine has more cab rumble at certain RPM's due the Flowmasters then his Cummins.
The Cummins in his has got to be the quietest Diesel I have ever rode in.

I am content with my beast and the mileage doesn't bother me.....I have a Honda Civic for mileage.....I have this for pulling and long trips.
The kids love the four doors and .......I just can't explain how much nicer it is going to Colorado from Arkansas in this over an Extended cab half ton.
I will be doing that trip about three times a year now..... family business stuff.
And in reality I fill up at the same areas as I did in the older GMC. I have been doing the Arkansas to Colorado thing for about 25 years......I really hate the trip to be honest......but hey I married a Colorado native with family there.....that is what this redneck gets for that....LOL

 

[matt_isserstedt]

Just another opinion as I run gas 1t. 1988 Chev "R" body crew cab (the old Custom Deluxe chassis 73-89) with 454 TBI. Nothing fancy and it has 206k on the clock.

But it keeps going. I paid $2500 for it a couple years back and probably have another $1000 in the truck in brakes, wiring, controller, gooseneck hitch, new fuel pumps, etc. New motor will be around $2000 this winter. Go figure up the cost of a diesel long block....scary....

The TBI gas sucks a lot of gas (however better than a carb) but I figure I pay at the pump or pay (sticker) price (etc). My rough calculations are a good 125k miles for a break even point and it might take the rest of my life to rack up that much towing mileage (39) so I figure I'll keep my cash in my wallet.

I'll take the old truck any day of the week as nobody's out to get an old "farm" truck for DOT violations, they don't even blink an eye 'cuz nobody but nobody could make any money running something that fuel inefficient. Its slow up the big hills but will still climb them all even loaded to 15k on the goose.

I think you do have to be mechanically inclined and enjoy various repair work projects if you buy into the generation of trucks I'm speaking of or even the next generation of C/K trucks. Something approaching 200k (gas) is going to be near the useful life of a lot of components and systems.

 

[FlaDon]

Just another opinion as I run gas 1t. 1988 Chev "R" body crew cab (the old Custom Deluxe chassis 73-89) with 454 TBI. Nothing fancy and it has 206k on the clock.

But it keeps going. I paid $2500 for it a couple years back and probably have another $1000 in the truck in brakes, wiring, controller, gooseneck hitch, new fuel pumps, etc. New motor will be around $2000 this winter. Go figure up the cost of a diesel long block....scary....

The TBI gas sucks a lot of gas (however better than a carb) but I figure I pay at the pump or pay (sticker) price (etc). My rough calculations are a good 125k miles for a break even point and it might take the rest of my life to rack up that much towing mileage (39) so I figure I'll keep my cash in my wallet.

I'll take the old truck any day of the week as nobody's out to get an old "farm" truck for DOT violations, they don't even blink an eye 'cuz nobody but nobody could make any money running something that fuel inefficient. Its slow up the big hills but will still climb them all even loaded to 15k on the goose.

I think you do have to be mechanically inclined and enjoy various repair work projects if you buy into the generation of trucks I'm speaking of or even the next generation of C/K trucks. Something approaching 200k (gas) is going to be near the useful life of a lot of components and systems.

Chevy stated in 2001 that the 8.1 was rated 250K miles before any internal failures. Same as the Duramax. As for the 454s, there's still alot of them running around and it was used in our Southwind Eagle 1 motorhome also. Never a problem with it other than it got real loud on hills when the cooling fan kicked in. But up the hill it went passing semis and other vehicles.

 

[Baranx4]

My new Nissan Titan has 4.10's and its by far the best pulling gas truck I have driven with the exception of the big blocks and V-10 Ford. This Nissan will eat my F-150's lunch but pays with the 33's on it from the factory and the 4.10's. 15mpg highway is common but it averages 13mpg in town and 10.5mpg pulling 7,000# load and the 6 speed tranny allows it to scream up the hills at 2,500-3,500rpms.

Chris

You must be lucky I used to have a titan but the it's mpg was terrible, I was very happy to trade it for a diesel. My titan had the optional 3.36 rears with the 5 speed auto. Nissan never put a 6 speed auto into the titan or 4.10's. The only rear ratios available are 2.94 and 3.36, and the factory locker only works in low range. However in 2011, you will be able to get a titan with a 6 speed but it will be powered by a hemi since it's going to be a rebadged dodge.

Now the titan I owned ran great and got average MPG till they started the ethanol blend, after that it was terrible. Plus when towing the rear springs are to light and can't handle much tongue weight without a heavy sag and fuel mpg when towing was really bad, partially my driving style, but it did have the power when pulling hills. With the rear sag when towing I sometimes felt like an ornithologist when using my headlights. However it did exactly what I bought it for, my needs changed and it no longer fit my purpose. Plus my rear axle slip light would come on for no reason which meant the rear was starting to go. They were known for rear failures and nissan never properly addressed the issue. An aluminium rear cover and synthetic fluid without any other changes doesn't address the problem. I think nissan got caught up in the towing wars with ford and GM. Factory rated towing at 9400lbs when using a weight distribution hitch.