anyone have opinions on the 4.8 vortec? is it worth the saved fuel?

how similar is it to the 5.3?

 

Same block different bore. Not a huge power difference either.

Now 4.8 to 6.0 is a HUGE difference.

 

Yeah my friend has the 6.0 and that motor is pretty much imo just a better 5.7, The 8.1 he was telling me had so much low end it was great!

TheBrettster, Have you heard about any of the problems with the 4.8 and 5.3 being garbage motors because of the cam problems at 70,000 miles? If i could i would take a 4.8 though. I like the idea of a small small-block V8

 

Far as I know the 5.3 is bulletproof as long as you keep up the general maintenance. Don't know much about the 4.8 however.

 

The 5.3 is a pretty good motor, knowing several people who have that motor in their vehicles. One even just turned over 100,000 with no major trouble at all with it. If it's the mileage you're after, personally I'd look at a mid to late 80's Chevy 5.0 with fuel injection over the 5.3. From personal experience driving a 2004 Avalanche with a 5.3, totally stock, it seems to love gas. Pretty good for power, but not one I'd recommend for fuel economy.

 

I am pretty sure most motors are bullet proof provided you keep them in the range of operation and regular maintenance

 

My buddy has a 2000 Silverado with the 5.3. 180k miles, 3 trannys, 2 rear ends. He beats the **** out of it but it keeps on running strong. One of our work trucks is an 01 with the 6.0 with 210k miles. Just blew the motor a few weeks ago. But it did big smokey burnouts until the day it died. It was the beater truck that everyone took when they were pissed off to blow off some steam. My aunt has an 04 Avalanche with the 5.3 and she told me she gets 25mpg on the highway. I've never had a run in with a 4.8 though. I wouldn't buy a truck with one in it. I would rather buy the 5.3, doesn't take much to get a good amount of hp out of them.

 

I'm rolling in an 06 Sierra w/ the 5.3, fun motor, and not driving conservatively, it's only .5mpg's worse than my Blazer was... If the truck were as light as my Blazer was, I'm sure I would have seen an improvement in gas mileage... Other than the LS9... the 5.3 is probably my favourite motor GM builds.

Oh, and the Avalanche loves gas like a fat kid loves cake because even by truck standards... it's the fat kid of the crowd, that thing's beastly heavy, I know for a fact my truck is faster than my buddy's avalanche, same motor, same year. (Don't ask how I know...)

Also, what year is your Blazer? I'd seriously consider getting an 07-08 GenIV Vortec, I don't think they had a seperate Transmission control module at this point (until 09 when the 6spd came out)... more power and you can get the AFM system... My dad's 07 is FAST and it's a crew cab. Passing on they hwy with that motor makes you giggle w/ 315hp and like 350lb-ft of torque.

 

Both will get about the same mpg just the 5.3 will be faster.

 

This is not true. Many people are finding out the 4.8 is faster in the top end then the 5.3

Same goes for the 6.0 vs 8.1, 8.1's a torque monster but requires a good chunk of change for them to be pretty quick.


I haven't heard ANYTHING bad about the cams, only thing is people complain about the noise from piston slap.