GM 5.3 or 6.2

Having trouble deciding on whether to get a 5.3 or 6.2. Looking in the 2014 to 2018 version of the GM / Chevy - mainly because of the adjustable pedals. I tow a 21' bass boat. I know they will both tow it but I like to set the cruise on 80 or so and just go - most of my trips average 5 - 7 hours towing the boat, and 75% of the miles I drive my truck are with the boat. The 6.2 recommends the premium fuel. I have had two older (2011) 6.2 and they were great but I did not get good fuel mileage with them. Never owned a 5.3 but a couple of buddies have and they seem to struggle up a hill with a head wind. I would like a diesel but I don't feel its practical for the increased cost towing no more weight than I do.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't touch anything that requires premium fuel.

They have never “required” diesel fuel. They just won’t make quite their rated peak power without it.

I’d look at a Toyota turbo 6 cylinder or a Ford ecoboost.

I used to get 18-19 mpg towing my bass boat when I had my Ram ecodiesel. It was amazing towing small loads. Might be worth consideration.

The 5.3 is mostly gutless. And the 6.2 requires a higher trim package than I was interested in back when I was looking at them.

The ecoboost isn't a bad option. But they're not fuel efficient if you're running 80 mph with a boat.

I have had 2 with the 5.3. I had a 2016 GMC Sierra All Terrain that was a very nice truck and pulled my 20' Skeeter well.....as long as you werent going uphill or trying to pass. Then after a drunk driver decided I didnt need that truck anymore I bought a 2017 model of the same truck. Of course the performance was the same. Got tired of the lagging nature while towing and started looking around. Buddy of mine had a 2500 with the 6.2 and was not happy with it. Said he still felt like he had to put his foot into it more than should be necessary. I was very patient in the process and finally found a 2018 GMC 2500HD 4x4 with the Duramax and Allison at a price I was happy with. Bought it with 41k miles on it. Took about 8 months of shopping around before I found the right deal but man was it worth it! This thing pulls like a dream! The Duramax has nearly double the torque of the 6.2 gasser. I have almost 75K on it now and have no plans of getting rid of it anytime soon. If you can hold off and find the right deal, you wont be disappointed.

Thanks for the input - now I have people telling me to consider the little duramax.

I have a 2021 Silverado Z71/RST with the 6.2 and 10 speed. Loving this truck so far. Running empty on the interstate, I regularly get 20+ mpg at 75. It has gotten as good as 25 with a slight tail wind. I usually run 89 octane in it but will use 91 if I know I'm going to be towing bigger loads. I frequently pull 24' or 26' box trailers for my daughter's high school band and it pulls those great as well and that's when I'll use 91 fuel.

Split the difference and go with a 6L.

+1

I had 09 5.3 Z71 and yes it was a turd pulling my ZX20. My V6 4Runner isn't much worse at highway speeds at towing. Taking off the 4Runner is actually better but it is harder to maintain speed but not as much as you would think. Won't be getting a 5.3 ever again if I can help it.

Same for me 89 unless I'm towing, great mileage for that size engine.

Tend to agree. I had an F-150 with the 4.6 that towed better than my Chevy with the 5.3

It's a gutless turd.

I’ve heard the 5.3 in those year models is pretty weak. A ford ecoboost is a good option in that year range. 3.55 or 3.73 rear end will cruise in 6th gear in most cases, might downshift to 5th on a fairly steep hill with that load. They make max torque in the 2500 rpm range so you cruise at max torque.

They will be weak compared to an ecoboost but pretty sure 2014 was a year they got a 50 ish hp bump. If you keep it in an rpm range where it makes power it will tow fine sub 2000 is not where you want to be.

DuraMax lover here. I had a 2017 HD2500 and it was a beast and would pull anything I wanted, only problem was when empty it would rattle your teeth even when lowering the air pressure in tires. The trips down the PINS were terribly on my wife and I and one trip about 22 miles down she yelled at me to stop and get rid of this tank because her neck was hurting from the rough ride. I purchased a 2020 1/2 ton GMC Sierra with the 3.0 Duramax and it is like driving a caddy. Going to the beach my best mileage has been 31 and and towing my 21 Triton it will be about 15mpg. Best move ever and if you get one make sure you get the multipro tailgate to get in the back. It's a back saver to get in with that step. I had a 2015 5.3 in a half ton and towing a 28ft RV was a joke around the hills by three rivers, thought i was gonna have to get out and help push. LOL

I've got a 15 with a 6.2. Would never own another 5.3. Average 18mpg not towing. I've never put more than 87 octane in it because computers yo.

^^^^^ Exactly

I agree. Love mine. Same amount of torque as the 5.3, but you get it immediately, not higher in the power band.

Gas is to expensive for the 6.2

3.0L duramax

I would read up on these motors and search for issues....I thought my 2021 AT4 would be invincible...and it was for 14,000 miles.

Ive got the 6.2 which is a beast of a motor - lifter banks are a real issue...I found this out two weeks ago as my truck failed on vacation...bent lifter rods and other problems...waited for my truck to be repaired in Colorado for a week...then picked it up and got 50 miles down the road to have the same thing happen again...limped it home and now having to have it fixed again. UGH.

Be careful and do your homework. When I asked both the dealer in Colorado and the Dealer here in Dallas if this was a common problems - they both see this "all the time". In their words - not mine.

That stinks. Sounds like the repair was not done correctly. I have two friends with new 6.2s that haven’t had a single problem and love their trucks.

So when I overstate a problem...I like to fix it. After further review by Sewell GMC (insanely good experience here-never been before) I learned that my problems were a simple fix due to an incomplete job in Colorado Springs....Spark Plugs never got tightened LOL - OMG I fought that thing all the way home LOL. I'm gonna keep it...Be crazy not to I guess...bought a month before prices went haywire - the same truck costs 20 grand more today so I need to give this a shot after cooling down!

Do Not get a GM truck with AFM or DFM. They are junk waiting to fail.

Had an '08 with 5.3 , AFM lifters collapsed and ate the camshaft. GM wouldn't own up to their bad lifters and they knew.

Dumb arse me thinking they had the lifter issue fixed by 2017, but no I had a AFM lifter collapse at 28K miles and luckily didn't damage the camshaft. Repaired under warranty.

Also had 3 fuel injectors fail too. Truck was out of bumper to bumper and fuel injectors aren't covered under the powertrain. Yet they are covered for Californians for up to 150K miles.

Now my entertainment touch screen has bit the dust at 36K miles.

No, I didn't buy a lemon. Just go on the GM forums and you will see what I'm talking about.

Did you here about the latest class action GM just lost due to oil consumption issues?

Chevy is building junk in my opinion. Correction GM is building junk.

I agree GM with AFM is among the least reliable of the big name trucks these days. Co-worker brought a brand new Tahoe and I was in it with her when it started making crazy noises. She pulled it over and had it towed to the dealer and had the lifters replaced. 5,000 miles on it.

Most reliable is a Ford 5.0, Ram 5.7, or Tundra 5.7. Ram's 8-speed transmission is the best trans in a half ton IMHO.

Chevy makes good trucks outside of AFM. My L5P Duramax is a powerful beast. The baby Duramax in half tons is pretty reliable. Just don't touch their AFM engines.

I went from 2016 Tacoma V6 to 2023 2500HD 6.6L gas, been getting 15mpg whether towing boat or not...forget about the boat behind me now.....has a little pep. Stayed away from the diesel...

I'm actually shopping a new 2500 HD Denali with the 6.6 gas. I know it don't have near the power as my F250 PS but I've driven nothing but F150's and F250's for the past 15 years and am getting board with them. Feel like every time I get a new truck its just like my old one. Time for a change.

The 6.2, especially with the new 10 speed, is a hoss, and will easily pull a 21' boat. We've had 2 6.2's and both were great motors - both in Denali SUV's. We had a 5.3 1/2 tom truck, and it did struggle with hills, and drank the gas while pulling (7 mpg). I know this is a 5.3 / 6.2 post, but I've heard great things about the little Duramax. I'm on my 4th 3/4 tom Duramax and love them. If I didn't need it for gooseneck hauling, I'd think about the small D-Max.

Chevy has been having issues with the new 6.6 gas.

The only ways to go gas on HD/SD trucks are the 6.2 and 7.3 ford motors. Both are tops in reliability, responsiveness, and towing capability.

Diesel is still the ticket in HD/SD. I think the duramax is probably the best motor of the big 3 but I just traded my issue-ridden 2019 duramax for a 2020 f-250 powerstroke and it's a beast of a truck. None of the issues my duramax had and also faster, smoother, better looking, and gets better mpg.

Towing as much as mentioned here and to run 80mph on top of that, which I get; jimo the gas motor of any brand and size is totally out of its element. 21' bassboat has a tandem Axle and at 80 mph that gas motor is not only tapped out the fuel its going to use and beating the pistons out of it, your better off either slow way down and still suffer fuel mileage or step up and buy the diesel powered truck.

After all the diesel was made for towing and better mileage doing so. What you are asking for here is an early death sentence for a 1/2 ton truck towing 80mph 5-7 hours. You want to run that speed and still be in full control towing you need the big truck and the big diesel.

You have a tall order here your asking for lol. Your in a hurry and like to crowd things this tight, you need the extra weight of the big truck and big diesel to control your tow. You ever tow with a diesel and work the big truck together with even as small a load as a 21' bassboat, you will immediately see the difference and never willingly want to move back to a gas motor or even a 1/2 ton truck.

Now to one up this, the 1 ton dually is made for this period. Yes not all of us want/need a dually, but this sort of towing with this speed and to keep things in check, the dually is crazy. I never wanted one but was the guy that spec out the trucks I ordered time after time 1 ton but single rear wheel.

Then I really fell into the crowd and bought my first dually, it was so much better for this task, it was like a slap in the face literally. Yes these dually trucks are a pita when parking in these ever increasingly smaller parking lots. Two extra tires and an even bigger running gear though, makes a huge difference doing said above.

Then there is the backing of the towed trailer, there is nothing going to compare to trying to back anything into a really difficult place than a dually. I would have never believed this either, but your backing abilities just increases ten fold once in the dually. More money, yes this sort of truck is not the bargain to pay for up front. You make your own choices and compromises here.

Cool story bro

Buying a modern 1 ton DRW to tow a bass boat would be idiotic. If people would quit expecting to tow at the same rpm they drive empty a lot of the “performance” problems would go by by. Put the truck in tow haul and drive it, it’s made so even people who don’t know what they are doing have success.

Personally I’d wake up a half hour earlier and slow down 10 mph. Diesels may get better mileage than gas trucks towing, but if your going to tow going 80 not much is going to do worth a carp.

Chevy is not having issues with the new 6.6 Liter Gas Engine. It it the 6.2 Liter / lifter issues.

Turn off the DOD.

Displacement On Demand.


When the ECU deactivates cylinders. It beats the hell out the motor.


Lifter issue solved.

Yukon has a 5.3 and pulls my bass boat ok, my Chevy p.u. has the 6.2 and pulls it great, also pulls a 30 foot 5th wheel. Regular unleaded in the 6.2 unless i'm pulling the camper. I've had GM trucks and SUV's for 45 years and the only major issues was a steering box on one truck $900 dollars and a fuel pump on a Tahoe $500, oh and yes I'm old. To answer your question just go with the 6.2 and I think it's $1800 more and now they offer them in the cheaper trim's.

I agree with you guys, my cousin has a Chevy with the 5.3 and he tows fine with his, gets ok mileage also. But he doesn't tow 80mph, that is the request of the OP. There lays the big quest.

You want to tow 80mph, heck I can even set the cruise on my dually and let it run the throttle and it runs up Ranger hill on I-20 going west and the truck doesn't come off the set speed more than 2mph, will not downshift and towing heavy. My bassboat, heck it would even know it's back there, matter of fact I don't tow my bassboat with my dually... If I was in a hurry, absolutely I would.

I have hauled stuff down south into the badlands of Texas, this would be heavy haul 35k and once south of I-20, I set the cruise well above 80mph and it was there for hours, only to stop to make road changes or slow through towns. Yes I was in a hurry. Heck I even have more than enough throttle left to make a pass of trucks and then the cruise resume the set speed.

Diesel dually will afford you this and can do this for 100's of thousands of miles. If you tow a lot the diesel dually is not only the way to go it's just down right a pleasure to do so in these trucks. As mentioned above though, slow down 10mph and these gas motors are going to be fine. Don't expect to pass everything on the 2 lane road with on coming traffic and your hair on fire lol.

Heck I don't let myself get in any hurry any longer, I tow my bassboat with my Toyota Tacoma 4.0, yes it's out of over drive and I just go fishing. It's jimo all this truck needs to tow, it gets pretty short you expect to run over 70mph, and doesn't fuel mileage good over 70mph lol. My little Tacoma is a great truck, I just don't expect it to do things it was not intended for. You need to recognize your abilities as well as the ability of your equipment.

There are some guys, that if they came over and got my dually and took off to the lake with boat in tow, they have no business towing 80mph, even with my dually. No I don't loan out my truck or my boat for that matter, just making my point of view here lol. We have to pick our own poison here fellows, and the OP here made a very specific request and to do so jimo, is going to need way more truck than the two choices he tacked up there.

Is any gas motor? I have thought about running premium in my Tundra when towing but I rarely run my tank below 1/4 so I would just be mixing with 87. Unless I am going to Buchanan my typical tow is 30 minutes to Tawakoni or Lavon. Next time I go to Buchanan I might try running premium. I ran a tank in my Tacoma pulling the boat home from LaFayette and did get better gas mileage but no noticeable increase in power.

The exact same thing happened to me about six months after I bought my truck in 15 on a vacation to Colorado. Left me stranded there for an extra week.

I love my dually, long bed, 2012 Ram and when I park it on a store lot. I park further out on the lot and take up 4 spaces. But diesel is the way I go. Had 5 Rams in 23 years. 1990, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2012. Had very few issues at all.

I've got a '18 Silv w/5.3 in it, and I tow a '78 Sea Ray 21'er with v8 and mercruise i/o (it's a lot of boat for its size) without any trouble. Put it in tow/haul, manual, hold it in 5th gear and drive on. It might struggle up a big hill, but generally it does just fine. With my 18' Xpress tin boat I forget it's back there. With the rig in question you'll have to find some common ground but it's doable. As said above, it's not going to tow anything significant just like it drives while empty.

It's amazing how anyone ever went fishing or towed anything before diesel pickups became mainstream.

I have the same truck Chevy 2018 5.3.. Why do you keep it in 5th gear when towing? Oh I also bought the range technology afm disabler and keep in in V8 mode when pulling my boat.

Can’t be done on the ‘22 refresh and up. Existing controllers on the market won’t work with them

No ‘22 refresh has DFM…and they even paid me $50 for the “inconvenience”

Actually only a few of the early ones had it deleted and it was just the computer controlling it. The rest of the components such as the lifters are there and it can still fail like the rest. You just got paid $50 to get less fuel economy

So tell me about these controllers that people PAY for….that is what you replied about, correct?

Early ones? You do realize the refresh was mid cycle right? The “early ones” were ltds

this is correct...my 6.2 crashed the lifters at 12,000 miles. Ugh that was frustrating but I do love the power.

Think you mean active fuel management

Lock out top gear and it wont deactivate cylinders.

I’ve had both 5.3 and 6.2. I would buy the 6.2. I run premium in the 6.2 but it actually gets better gas mileage and out performs the 5.3.