Info Needed: 2005 2500HD, 4WD, 8.1L gas

My dad if finally ready to get a new truck after driving his current '88 chevy. He's looking at an '05 2500HD, 4WD, ext. cab with a 8.1 gas, auto, short bed. I can't find any reviews on the 2500 model. What are the opinions of the engine? I did see some posts about oil consumption on '03 and '04 models so should this be a concern?

He does not want to go diesel since he'd have to get an '06 and that is $10k more than the '05 gas version.

Thanks for any insight.

-Stephen

Reply to
Stephen Beall
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Will this truck have the Allison tranny or the manual gearbox? The 8.1L is a tremendous powerplant (much better than either Ford or Dodge's V-10's) but as with any big gas motor he'd better be prepared to spend some serious coin on fuel. Starting in '06 the Allison tranny's will be 6-speed (as compared to the current 5-speed version) with a manual shift function. The 6th gear is actually a double overdrive designed to squeak out a few extra mpg while on the highway. My current 2500HD with the Duramax diesel and the 5-speed Allison gets 18.5 city and over 20 mpg on the highway. Something tells me your dad won't be getting nearly that kind of mpg with the big block gasser.

To the best of my knowlege there are no significant changes between the '04 and the '05 powerplants, only cosmetic ones to the body and a few minor refinements in programming.

Tell your dad that if he can wait the best time to buy is the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve (when the dealers are dying to get vehicles off the lot before the new year). I bought my '04 on December 30, 2003 and the price was just over $10,000 less than what was quoted to me the previous September for the exact same truck. That discount paid for the Duramax diesel and the Allison tranny, which is why I bought the truck in the first place.

Cheers - Jonathan

Reply to
Jonathan

It has the Allison.

-S

J> Will this truck have the Allison tranny or the manual gearbox? The 8.1L is

Reply to
Stephen Beall

Where did you come up with this? Or, is it just your opinion?

Was going to buy a 8.1L and even the dealer told me it was a gas hog. Tried anyway and could not find even one with a six speed. Was so frustrated I damned near bought a 6.0L automatic.

Al

Reply to
Big Al

Just ask around on this and other pertinent newsgroups and you will find people reporting about 12mpg for the 8.1L V-8. The great thing about that motor is that it'll get that mileage not matter what it's doing! The best mpg I've ever seen anyone post is around 14mpg empty on the highway for that motor, but I can't tell you if they had the Allison or the manual tranny.

As for it being better than either the Ford or Dodge V-10, a quick look at power output numbers is a pretty good indication. In addition, we have V-10's in our Ford Excursions in the Fire Department and they are underpowered gas guzzlers. So much so that we went to the Ford diesels instead of the V-10 on the most recent round of new trucks just to help us save a few $$ in fuel (plus diesel fuel is more prevalent in our department anyway so it's easier to fill up).

Cheers - Jonathan

Reply to
Jonathan

Underpowered. Interesting. The 2005 Ford V10 has more HP and torque than the

8.1L Chevy. That's according to their specs. I'd still rather have the big V8, but my reasons have more to do with living with it long term. Always have had good luck with the BBC.

Al

Reply to
Big Al

I'd LOVE to get 12 MPGs in my 8.1L!!! I have an '02 8.1L in a crew cab long box 4x4 and have never gotten over 11 MPG. My Dad's Ext Cab long box w/ the

8.1L 2WD has gotten just over 12 MPG a few times. We're guessing the 4WD components cause just enough extra drag to drop it down. I couldn't justify the extra cost of the diesel when diesel fuel was less than 87 oct.! Just don't drive enough miles/year. Now that is more than 87 oct. it'd really be tough to justify unless the truck was being used for towing all of the time or a ton of miles were being driven.

The mileage can be all over the place. It's been as low as 7 MPG when towing in mountains! In general, it does right around 9.5 - 10 MPG towing our fifth-wheel. It's a work horse. Yes, it can use about a quart of oil every

1K miles. This seems to be standard when doing heavy towing. No towing it might use 1 qt. in 3K miles.

I had an Ext Cab short box w/ the 6.0L first. It got about 12 MPG on average and dropped into the 8-9 MPG range towing. It did OK pulling the 5'r, but I wanted a bit more. The short box was the worst mistake I've ever made buying a vehicle!!! I was warned that a short box is next to useless, but did not listen. They were right!!! Go LONGGGGGG! Size DOES matter!!!

I know other people that drive both the Ford w/ V-10 and the Chevy 8.1L and MUCH prefer the 8.1L.

Reply to
K

GM has had a running battle of sorts with valve guide seals on some engines. A 496 is a big engine and in warmer weather I would not use

5w30 in it and that would help oil issues should one arise. My freind that recently bought a Dmax truck started out looking for a 8.1 powered truck but there was none to be found within 200 miles of here. We drove a used 03 8.1 power truck and it was a "blast" power wise. It might use a bit more fuel than the Dmax but it would run circles around it in daily driving power and responce wise. If you are going down the road with a 8.1 and jump on it, it takes off NOW and the Dmax thinks about it for a while and goes through a few gear changed while making up its mind and building boost but even then it does not take off the way the 8.1 does. As far as MPG with it I have heard from 10 MPG in town to 17 mpg hiway with about 12/14 about the norm. The 8.1 is based on the old "rat" block dating to the 60?s and it is a very sturdy and proven motor mechanically. If you supercharge one you can get some power and throttle responce out of it that deisel owners can only dream off. You may get more torque out od a diesel over a 500 RPM range but you can easily get 700 ftlbs of torque out of a 8.1 over a 3000 to 4000 RPM range if you supercharge it. Stock or supercharged the 8.1 is the last of the "beasts" The only other engine in its class is the old Dodge V10 truck engine torque and power wise.
Reply to
SnoMan

There are some great prices on trucks out there is you can still find a 05 model. A friend of mine bought a CC long box Dmax and after 5k miles he is getting about 14 to 15 city and 17 to 18 mpg hiway at 70 or so and if he takes it up to 80 or more it drops to 15 MPG or less. The mileage was not quite what he hoped for when he was justifying the extra cost of the truck (about 8K more than some gas ones he looked at) Gas trucks are still far cheaper to buy around here and since he bought his diesel he has paid 20 to 50 cents more a gallon for diesel than gas which nulls out some of its MPG gain. The double OD on the Ally it not that big of deal and does not add much in the real world other than advertising claims. I have driven several Dmax Alleys and

3rd to 4th there is a big jump at times compared to first three gears and it would be better server with another step in there instead on a small extra one on top which does nothing for your towing or power.
Reply to
SnoMan

towing

The type of tires you have play a big role in MPG too on a truck. If you have big agressive treads it will cost you in MPG. I have a 2000 K350 SRW with a 350/5.7 and a automatic. I get 16 to 17 on highway and about 12 MPG or a bit more in town in summer because I am big on A/C use. I never roll my windows down. In cooler seasons I get 13 to 13.5 mpg in town driving and I never checked Hiway MPG without A/C. I get

11 to 12 towing about 7500 lbs in the form of a loaded flat bed trailer on the hiway in dummer heat with A/C running. During winter I switch to agressive studded snow tires (it pushs snow too) and I lose 1 or 2 MPG when tires are on truck. I average between 9 and 10 MPG trancporting anf plowing with a heavy 8 foot Fisher plow and 2 to 3000 pounds of ballast and salt on board and it has never lacked power for this task and I rarely use low range too. I do not need a oil burner to do this and beside to have one is a big disaddvange because basically every diesel truck out there is over their front GAWR limit for front axle with the extra weight of the oil burner and the plow with GM being the worst followed by Ford and then Dodge. (until 03 Dodge had a lot of problem with 4x4 front axles in Cummins trucks and quietly upgraded/replaced the axle in 03 and jury is still out on it.
Reply to
SnoMan

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