8.1 liter truck a unicorn?

[guest hs]

I have looked and looked and it seems this is a very difficult truck to find

 

[TPC]

I think it was like only 15% of us bought one.
W/Allison BTW.

 

[guest hs]

Had a gmc duel rear wheel with 8.1 and Allison I think it was an 05

 

[Rbcconst]

I have looked and looked and it seems this is a very difficult truck to find

I had one. Great truck but talk about a thirsty bitch. Like 10mpg average and around 7mpg towing or like 6mpg towing in the wind.


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[Sharp Shooter]

I had one. Great truck but talk about a thirsty bitch. Like 10mpg average and around 7mpg towing or like 6mpg towing in the wind.


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Yep!

When I bought mine, I had to order it because there were only 2 in the entire state with long beds and they weren't the color or interiors I wanted. Diesels were plentiful.

 

[c_land]

They are hard to find. I’ve been eying this one. https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/grover-beach-2004-chevy-silverado-x/7029838785.html

 

[02HoWaRd26]

I have looked and looked and it seems this is a very difficult truck to find

You’ve got to look in the right place....



you need to start checking the salvage yard.

 

[guest hs]

They are hard to find. I’ve been eying this one. https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/grover-beach-2004-chevy-silverado-x/7029838785.html

Nice but looks like a grandpa truck. I want a short bed 4 door 4 wheel drive

 

[guest hs]

I

You’ve got to look in the right place....



you need to start checking the salvage yard.

I do t want a junk yard one I want a nice one

 

[bagged97taco]

Love my dads 8.1 dually. Yes gas mileage sucks. But it will pull anything

 

[DrunkenSailor]

My dad had an 8.1 suburban. Thing was thirsty as hell. Damn nice truck though.

 

[monkeyswrench]

They must be a bit on the rare side. Neighbor sold his last summer. A fellow flew out from San Diego, bought it and drove home. Clean truck, but I didn't think they were commanding that kind of money or were that desirable.

 

[TPC]

Same fuel burn as my dads Tundra.

 

[mjc]

I have had mine for 10 years so been great yes gas mileage sux but just keeps on running.

 

[185EZ]

Did someone say rare?
I have 8.1 with the allison
I'll trade you even up on a pontoon
I know I'll be on the losing end but I'll take a hit for an RDP member

 

[guest hs]

Did someone say rare?
I have 8.1 with the allison
I'll trade you even up on a pontoon
I know I'll be on the losing end but I'll take a hit for an RDP member
View attachment 828361

As much as I like your truck I don’t like it as much as my new pontoons

 

[Mcob25rg]

I had a 03 4wd 4 dr short bed. NEVER saw better than 9 mph- drive it easy/hard, empty or pulling 7,000#, but it towed AWESOME

 

[DRYHEAT]

I had one. Great truck but talk about a thirsty bitch. Like 10mpg average and around 7mpg towing or like 6mpg towing in the wind.


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I’d be tickled to death if my old carbureted 454 crew cab duly got 10 miles to the gallon.

 

[Starloans]

I think it was an 02. 10 MPG Pass everything but a gas station. That was 10 MPG towing OR NOT. Pissed me off cause couldn't get from Escondido to Havasu on a tank of gas. Bought a oil burner in 06 then diesel went to $5 a gal not long after that. Typical for my luck. Good truck didn't have any probs with it.

 

[mjc]

View attachment 828359
I have had mine for 10 years so been great yes gas mileage sux but just keeps on running.

If I want to keep mine long term I have been considering a Cummins conversion

 

[2FORCEFULL]

I like everyones honesty,... eye brows raised when guys tell me they get 13 mpg with their rv with an 8.1

 

[DRYHEAT]

I like everyones honesty,... eye brows raised when guys tell me they get 13 mpg with their rv with an 8.1

I think the only people that tell you that are probably the people trying to sell you one.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I like everyones honesty,... eye brows raised when guys tell me they get 13 mpg with their rv with an 8.1

My truck is a 2006 with the 6 speed. I think the earlier models were 5 speeds. It did get 13 mpg before I leveled it and went to the larger all terrain tires.

 

[Rbcconst]

I like everyones honesty,... eye brows raised when guys tell me they get 13 mpg with their rv with an 8.1

Maybe heading east on the 10 to glamis with a 50mph whitewater tailwind.


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[Flying_Lavey]

An even rarer bird...... Find a 3/4 ton Avalanche with the 8.1..... they made them, but not many.

They are hard to find. I’ve been eying this one. https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/grover-beach-2004-chevy-silverado-x/7029838785.html

Careful of buying a 4x4 from the 5 cities area. A LOT of them spend a lot of time in the sand and have salt Air and water get all over and in it.

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[LowRiver2]

We had 10 05/06’s 2500’s with 8’ Pacific work bodies
They hauled the mail Code 3 but took forever to stop. They ate a quart of oil every 1k Miles.

Great truck otherwise.
All got auctioned for $2k as cab chassis’ with 150k miles

 

[77charger]

I like everyones honesty,... eye brows raised when guys tell me they get 13 mpg with their rv with an 8.1

Almost like the diesel guys who claim 25mpg and 18 towing. One who told me he got 25 empty i bet him he couldn't make from my house to river 250 miles I even said he could use 12 gallons bet was 500 bucks. He never took the bet but continued to say he hit 25 mpg.

 

[Fun Times]

Nice but looks like a grandpa truck. I want a short bed 4 door 4 wheel drive

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/threads/2001-8-1l-2500-hd-gmc-great-tow-vehicle.196881/ ?

 

[Riverryder]

Why? Why not get a diesel? 3 wheel trailer gas gulping truck?


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[Tpltrbl303]

I have an 04 w/ the 8.1/Allison package. I had the same truck w/ a diesel before. I don’t mind the mileage, it’s a towing beast


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[Nordie]

Almost like the diesel guys who claim 25mpg and 18 towing. One who told me he got 25 empty i bet him he couldn't make from my house to river 250 miles I even said he could use 12 gallons bet was 500 bucks. He never took the bet but continued to say he hit 25 mpg.

My old 02 gmc diesel on 35s, I saw 22mpg one time. I was driving the coast and ran about 68-70mph. Maybe sea level does help idk...

 

[Angler]

My 2002 8.1 would get 5 miles per gallon pulling my 40' toyhauler and also use a quart of oil every 250 miles while towing.. Talk about thirsty!

 

[J&k beer can]

Good info about these..
Looking at a suburban with 8.1 for launching boat.. just use around Havasu area and trips to mead..
Are the 6.0 any better with oil consumption??.

Got to love the stories about my diesel gets 25mpg...
I tell folks when they ask me that i bought it to pass u going up the hill towing boat...
Or say I got that once doing 50mph with a heavy tail wind....

 

[boatpi]

Clean 8.1 Suburban;
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/huntington-beach-2005-chevrolet/7039260408.html

Truck: https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/san-marcos-2001-chevy-2500hd81l-125k/7036708724.html

 

[BONER]

They're out there. Just have to keep an eye out.

 

[guest hs]

Prices are reasonable on these that were found. Probably because everyone wants a diesel. I found a real nice black gmc duels 59K miles but doesn’t say what engine. My guess is a 6.0 liter. To me that doesn’t seem like enough engine for this truck.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

View attachment 828442 Prices are reasonable on these that were found. Probably because everyone wants a diesel. I found a real nice black gmc duels 59K miles but doesn’t say what engine. My guess is a 6.0 liter. To me that doesn’t seem like enough engine for this truck.

2009 was last year for the 8.1.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Why? Why not get a diesel? 3 wheel trailer gas gulping truck?


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A diesel is 20-25k
Same truck with an 8.1 is under 10k.

10-15k buys a lot of gas.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

An even rarer bird...... Find a 3/4 ton Avalanche with the 8.1..... they made them, but not many.
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I bought one new in '05. Pulled my twin engine '29 Outlaw with no problem, 70 MPH up grades but would be taching out at 4K RPMs and sucking gas. It was a very nice truck, LT with heated seats, nav and all that. Had it for 5 years and put 40K miles on it mostly towing the boat and long trips.
Sold it to get a diesel because 12 MPG empty, 10 or less towing. The other big advantage of diesel for me is engine braking.

 

[TPC]

Change the o2 sensors at 100K. Wow what a difference in power and MPG.

 

[SCV2RVR]

I loved that truck. When I ordered it with the 8.1 the lady at the dealership asked if I was going to tow horses.

 

[outboard_256]

had a few at work and we would borrow them for trips. The worst part is the gas millage as people are saying. And its super easy to calculate because they only have like a 30 gallon tank and we could never get 300 miles out of a full tank. So we knew we were getting under 10mpg every time. Switched to diesels and we get ~500 miles to a tank. The time/stress looking for a trailer friendly gas stations on trips was worth it that extra cost for us. With the 8.1 you fill up twice as much because you are afraid of finding a gas station when your empty, so once it was under half a tank we were already looking for the next gas station.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Really? 95k miles. I have a Hypertech program, Gibson exhaust, Air raid intake, 4:10 gears.
It does ok even with the lift kit and over size tires but I always felt it should be more

Worth changing the up stream 02s

 

[Universal Elements]

Almost like the diesel guys who claim 25mpg and 18 towing. One who told me he got 25 empty i bet him he couldn't make from my house to river 250 miles I even said he could use 12 gallons bet was 500 bucks. He never took the bet but continued to say he hit 25 mpg.

Good info about these..
Looking at a suburban with 8.1 for launching boat.. just use around Havasu area and trips to mead..
Are the 6.0 any better with oil consumption??.

Got to love the stories about my diesel gets 25mpg...
I tell folks when they ask me that i bought it to pass u going up the hill towing boat...
Or say I got that once doing 50mph with a heavy tail wind....

2003 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 DRW with 410’s constantly gets 18 mpg. This trip had some tailwind got 20. On cruise control too. 285/75/17 tires.

 

[Riverryder]

2003 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 DRW with 410’s constantly gets 18 mpg. This trip had some tailwind got 20. On cruise control too. 285/75/17 tires.

View attachment 828513 View attachment 828514 View attachment 828515

But it’s a dodge...


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[Universal Elements]

But it’s a dodge...


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Its ok, I’ve got three Fords too. Two diesels and one V10. So, what’s the question...

 

[DRYHEAT]

had a few at work and we would borrow them for trips. The worst part is the gas millage as people are saying. And its super easy to calculate because they only have like a 30 gallon tank and we could never get 300 miles out of a full tank. So we knew we were getting under 10mpg every time. Switched to diesels and we get ~500 miles to a tank. The time/stress looking for a trailer friendly gas stations on trips was worth it that extra cost for us. With the 8.1 you fill up twice as much because you are afraid of finding a gas station when your empty, so once it was under half a tank we were already looking for the next gas station.

That’s why God created auxiliary gas tanks.
90 gallons gives me a decent cruising range

 

[El Chingon]

I have a 2004 Chevy 2500HD LT 2wd LB with the 8.1L and the Allison Tranny. 57k Miles. Original Owner. Yup about 8miles to the gallon with the wind at my back. Pulls my 29' Magic Wizard just great. Only driven to Havasu or the USC Tailgates.

 

[ka0tyk]

Lot of people gave me grief for getting a gasser. Turns out the 8.1 is a pretty stout reliable engine. A few I know with diesels are paying pretty high repairs for egrs etc and over $4/gal. I looked for years to find a diesel but most were really beat or wanted a fortune. Ended up just grabbing a gas and so far has been great.

Mines getting a turbo on it just need a few more parts.

 

[hallett21]

Lot of people gave me grief for getting a gasser. Turns out the 8.1 is a pretty stout reliable engine. A few I know with diesels are paying pretty high repairs for egrs etc and over $4/gal. I looked for years to find a diesel but most were really beat or wanted a fortune. Ended up just grabbing a gas and so far has been great.

Mines getting a turbo on it just need a few more parts.

View attachment 828622

I have zero need for your truck but damn do I want it lol


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