Okay, I know this is a diesel crowd, but I'll throw this out anyway... Looking at a new 3/4 ton, and with the rebates thinking the 8.1 might be worth 5K less dollars. Anyone have any trailering experience, especially fuel mileage examples?? Or is the smaller V-8 gas potent enough?
Posted 2005-04-01 6:41 PM (#23329 - in reply to #23328) Subject: RE: 8.1 GM
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
I have the 8.1L
It'll pass everything except a gas station. Fuel is fuel. You need energy to haul 15,000 pounds around at 65+ MPH. I get about 10 miles per gallon. Diesel vs Gas aside... you can buy a lot of fuel for $5k and maintenance costs. I don't use the big dually as a run around town car.
The biggest and best reason to get the 8.1 vs the 6.0 is the Allison transmission.
Posted 2005-04-01 6:50 PM (#23330 - in reply to #23328) Subject: RE: 8.1 GM
Expert
Posts: 2689
It depends;
partly on what you want to pull with it,
partly on how impatient you get if you can't pass everything in sight,
partly on how expensive gas gets,
partly on whether diesel fuel prices climb slower than gas,
mostly on YOU.
Personally I'd go for the smaller engine, especially if it had to also be a daily driver. I'd tolerate being a bit underpowered when haulin' hossies, they don't like jack-rabbit starts anyway.
Posted 2005-04-01 7:04 PM (#23331 - in reply to #23328) Subject: RE: 8.1 GM
Location: Illinois
I pull a 3 horse gooseneck with the 6.0L gas and it does quite well. I might not want to tow through the mountains with it or it would have to work pretty hard, but otherwise it does great. I agree that the Allison trans would be better since I don't like the way mine will downshift going up hill. It just tends to be to harsh. Towing around 65 I get about 10-11 mpg.
Posted 2005-04-02 1:38 AM (#23335 - in reply to #23328) Subject: RE: 8.1 GM
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
I got a 8.1 in a 2001 3500 4x4 dooley w/4.10 gears. Not enough difference on the gas milage between the 6.0 and 8.1 to argue. 3.73 gears may get you 1 mpg better when not towing but will kill you when loaded. If I worked the truck every day I would gotten the DMAX, but for the most part the 496/allison does me just fine. Truck is 4 years old and has less than 40,000 miles, so it don't have to work hard very often, I'm well sastified with the bigblock, had to do it all over again I'd go the same route.
Posted 2005-04-02 2:16 AM (#23336 - in reply to #23328) Subject: RE: 8.1 GM
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1160 Location: Denver Colorado
The 8.1L hasn't sold well, mainly because of gas mileage as with the 6.8L V-10 from Ford. Though Ford has sold more V-10's in the RV chassis. The 8.1L hasn't been reported to be plagued with the "cold engine knock" piston slap at the same rate as the smaller Vortec GM engines. The icing in the cake though is the Allison tranny, that makes the 8.1L an easy choice for towing larger loads when comparing gas engines. I've always had a hard time finding the 8.1L. Amazing that large of engine and still push rod at a high red line rpm. The Allison keeps the 8.1L right in the torque band.
8.1 GM
