Happy With GMC 4.8

[Maverick]

Pleasantly surprised with the extended cargo from GMC/Chevy. Not sure if one can believe the computer....but this motor is getting more than decent mileage, along with adequate power. Checking manual calculations on mpg, tells me the computer is pretty darn close.

Feathering the gas on grades, has this vehicle obtaining around 19 mpg, with 500 loaded pounds or less. She groans a little (and begs for the 6.0) at 1500 pounds or more, but still performs great, with limited driving effort.

Took a wee bit of time to get accustomed to the gearing....but it's matched up very well with the motor. Set the cruise at 55 for the long grade out of Atlanta, and it never bothered to kick down at 1500 rpm. That was impressive.

Can't say "former Ford man" just yet, but this vehicle seems a great choice for first time owner. Got hung up with the ice storm in Memphis couple days ago, and it took 7 hours to cover 80 miles. (kid you not) but the GMC proved nimble a foot, and willing to run, once we cleared the ice.

Great company, good van, and a half arse driver = two outta three ain't bad.

 

[scottm4211]

It's a good engine. Much better than the Ford 4.6.

 

[KickStarter6]

It's a good engine. Much better than the Ford 4.6.

That is such a true statement. The 4.8 is one Chevrolet's best engines imo

 

[asjssl]

My 06 4.8 was still going @ 700,000+

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[KickStarter6]

I have the 4.8 in my personal truck and I have hot rodded the crap out of it. Still going strong even after a few transmissions lol

 

[Maverick]

It's a good engine. Much better than the Ford 4.6.

Took your advice for purchase....and not looking back.

Nice thing about the GMC, it has one pleased enough to go ahead and add some extra's. Decided not to add the slow drain battery, it's not needed. Generator will run the air unit this summer, while the 750W inverter will charge the laptop just fine, going down the road.

Bidding on freight a plenty out there, and finally found a company with a "just run it baby" mentality, and income/miles has jumped 300%. We'll put a driver in this unit, soon as I have it up to snuff, and would not hesitate to purchase the second one as a GMC 3500, with high top and extended doors.

What's needed here for GMC....is a smaller lighter version of the CargoMax. Too bad one has to cut the top off and raise the back doors; when a uni-body of like design could be ideal. The only thing keeping the CargoMax from becoming the second vehicle is fuel mileage, and size.

 

[Maverick]

My 06 4.8 was still going @ 700,000+

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I'm running the Mobile 15000 Synthetic and hope to get in the 400,000 range at minimum. She sits at 45,000 right now. Since I drive pretty moderate, hope to hit your figures. That would be nice.

 

[Murraycroexp]

Love my 4.8 extended Express.
Bought it with 235,000 on it in August '12. Just turned over 435,000 this week.
Doesn't burn oil. Just a slight gasket leak that usually doesn't even hit the ground.
You don't need to HOPE to get 400K+.
Just stick to a good maintenance schedule and it WILL happen.
I badly want to add a high top on mine and extend the doors.
Did you have this done of was it already like that when you bought it?
I worry about my payload capacity if I add the roof though. My van, me, my gear with generator and remote tank weighs right at 6300#. Just scaled last week.
Have you scaled your high top van yet?
What year model is it?

 

[asjssl]

I'm running the Mobile 15000 Synthetic and hope to get in the 400,000 range at minimum. She sits at 45,000 right now. Since I drive pretty moderate, hope to hit your figures. That would be nice.

No problem getting 500-600,000..always use full synthetic... only problems that come up on 4.8 is lifter tick on pass side...no biggy...

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[Maverick]

Murraycroexp

I badly want to add a high top on mine and extend the doors.
Did you have this done of was it already like that when you bought it?

Found this one over on Staten Island. It already had the high top, and the big reason I gave asking price. They near have to sell it as a 2011 GMC 2500 Extended...so basically, the HT was free. (around 2500.00 if you go to do it yourself) It had 33,000 miles, but even with that, will probably not pay to install the extended doors on this one, but would do it for any future GM 3500.

I worry about my payload capacity if I add the roof though. My van, me, my gear with generator and remote tank weighs right at 6300#. Just scaled last week. Have you scaled your high top van yet?
What year model is it?

Got torched a little on that one. I scaled at a delivery to plant in MS, and she weighed 300 more than I thought. I'm right at 6400 with no generator yet. This means the steal removed for HT, vs the fiberglass, is around 200 pounds. That's why I will not add the extend doors to the 2500....but would do it right now, on any 3500.

Plenty of freight for this van in current configuration. Phone rings constantly in good areas, and plenty enough in the bad. Even with 2100 capacity, this van runs constant, if we want it to.

BTW......2000 limit matches right up with the 2500 Model and 4.8. Would not want to be listed at 2800 capacity for this unit. We'll get the 3500 and 6.0 for that.

 

[greasytshirt]

I don't know if y'all read Hot Rod magazine, but they decided to do a test with a 5.3, and see how much turbo boost they could throw at it before it blew up. The engine was junkyard fresh, they reused the bearings and rings, did a couple of very minor modifications, and let her rip. The results? 1200 horsepower, with over 60 dyno pulls over a thousand horse.

A little while later, after some head scratching, they realized that this wasn't a 5.3 at all, but rather a 4.8. That's 4.09hp per cu/in.

Here's the article: Stock GM LS Engine - Big Bang Theory - Hot Rod Magazine

 

[Maverick]

greasytshirt

A little while later, after some head scratching, they realized that this wasn't a 5.3 at all, but rather a 4.8. That's 4.09hp per cu/in.

Know just enough about mechanics to slightly understand what took place here, and found nothing on the website which would indicate promotion of that motor. Neither has one person on this forum stepped up to announce the 4.8 as less than stellar. Thanks for posting, and won't hesitate to run this thing hard....but only when need be.

We'll keep it at around 2000 payload, add some nice extra's, and let her run.

 

[greasytshirt]

greasytshirt



Know just enough about mechanics to slightly understand what took place here, and found nothing on the website which would indicate promotion of that motor. Neither has one person on this forum stepped up to announce the 4.8 as less than stellar. Thanks for posting, and won't hesitate to run this thing hard....but only when need be.

We'll keep it at around 2000 payload, add some nice extra's, and let her run.

They are definitely promoting it now, lol.
The fact that the stock internals held up to over 4 times the amount of stress it was designed for, repeatedly, on used bearings and rings with a cylinder with a rust patch...well, sounds like GM has that platform pretty well developed.

 

[Moot]

Took a wee bit of time to get accustomed to the gearing....but it's matched up very well with the motor.

How do you like the 6 speed? What is the axle ratio?

 

[Moot]

...and would not hesitate to purchase the second one as a GMC 3500, with high top and extended doors.

Again, I would caution anyone contemplating going the extended rear door route on a GM to measure the width of the opening at the extensions.

What's needed here for GMC....is a smaller lighter version of the CargoMax.

There is one and it is called the Aerocell CW. It comes with a 10' or 12' body on a 135" chassis and now a 14' body on a 159' SRW chassis.

Fiberglass truck bodies

 

[Maverick]

How do you like the 6 speed? What is the axle ratio?

The automatic is geared near perfect, far as I can tell. Not real sure on the axle ratio. What are the choices. I know the place where I got the first oil change printed me out some specs.

 

[Maverick]

Moot. Again, I would caution anyone contemplating going the extended rear door route on a GM to measure the width of the opening at the extensions.

Your right, and I know you asked the question before. Would need addressing for sure....otherwise your just talking driver ease of entry. Not worth the approx 3 grand. Got the van, threw my stuff in, and started running, and have yet to measure the width. Had little luck in catching the door kit itself.....using search.

There is one and it is called the Aerocell CW. It comes with a 10' or 12' body on a 135" chassis and now a 14' body on a 159' SRW chassis.

Looked at those and the CW comes as more of a box truck. My choice (given the price) would be the SRW. That's one fine ride; looking at dimensions.

Fiberglass truck bodies

 

[KickStarter6]

One of those CW is pretty sweet looking. Rebody a wrecked van in a junk yard with a solid frame and drive train and you're set.

 

[Maverick]

One of those CW is pretty sweet looking. Rebody a wrecked van in a junk yard with a solid frame and drive train and you're set.

Love that SRW. GM really, really needs to get in the game here. Best gas engines on the market....yet they don't market them in the Unicell, per say?

I mean, even the GM gal I'm talking with is having a headache rounding up information. Good grief.

 

[KickStarter6]

GM is certainly falling far behind in the commercial department