Black Beauty :: 2011 GMC SLE (Garage entry)

[Fummins]

I've seen a few of those trucks with pretty high miles. Here's one that got put into the fleet and driven into the ground and it's still running the same engine!

[strawboss]

I've seen a few of those trucks with pretty high miles. Here's one that got put into the fleet and driven into the ground and it's still running the same engine!

Yeah, I made sure to get the 4.8 engine. It doesn't have the "AFM" (cylinder deactivation) that the 5.3 version has, much less prone to chewing up it's valve train.....

[7milesout]

My dad bought a 4.8L 2003 GMC Sierra new back in '02 or '03. I sort of questioned his decision back then. And he even somewhat complained that his 4.8L blew out the gas as much as a bigger engines. However, I own the truck now, and I'll say ... that engine just turned over 100k. And runs as smooth as butter. I just check the oil level yesterday because I thought it was near time to do an earl change. The earl looked REALLY clean and was absolutely right up at the top. I'll have to go check the records, it may not be as close to time to do an earl change as I thought.

And these days, the 4.8L is a very sought after engine. For Ed Zachery the reason strawboss mentioned ... no AFM. And they last. And they do use less fuel than the 5.3L, 6.0L and 8.1L. By a healthy percentage. Yet when the mpg is this low, 15% doesn't seem so significant. My average fuel economy in that truck since I retained possession of it is 16.8 mpg. It is slowly trending up as I learn the truck. It has a 3.73 rear diff ratio. I might due a bit better mpg with a lower ratio. But around town that ratio seems perfect. That and it uses el cheapo 87 octane.

Good luck with your Black Beauty. It's a very useful vehicle.

[Fummins]

We had the 4.8 in some 3/4 ton Savan vans. One had over 800k kms on it before it was totaled. There are 2 left in the fleet(with 700k and 780k kms) used as spares when the pos much newer Ford 1 tons require repairs.

[strawboss]

I'm just a sucker when it comes to small displacement V8s.
When I was in grade school we had a 67 Chev Belair with the 283 small block.

The rear fenders rotted away but it could sit for weeks in minus 20 degree weather and fire up with a quick turn of the key....