I had a 4.0 Tacoma with a supercharger, smaller pulley and long tube headers and a tune making about 385bhp and it pulled the boat right along and if I kept it below 70 it would get 10-12mpg.
The 18 gmc with the 6.2 pulls better, stops better and gets 15-16mpg at that same speed. Up to 25mpg empty.
I wish they'd throw a 6.2 with the 10spd trans in a Colorado that weighs 1000lbs less and you'd have a little rocket ship getting 28mpg.
The 4.6 or your current 4.8 should have no problem pulling any 21' bass boat, which they weigh less than 4K # with the proper rear gears and cooling package. Even if you are running 3.42, which I would not recommend for towing, with enough motor torque with proper cooling system, you shouldn't have any issues pulling it. I pull with a GMC 6.2L 425HP/ 455Tq 6 sp auto 3.73 gears, getting 15mpg towing, and I don't even notice the boat being there.Originally Posted by kevin wells
BTW, your current GM 4.8L is very close to the same specs as the one you are looking at.
I have never had a truck that really got any fuel mileage towing. It requires a certain amount of work to do it and no matter what you pull with it will get close to the same mileage. That being said I know a guy that pulls a 18 foot bass boat with an old Nissian 4 cylinder truck. Two wheel drive at that. So of course it will pull it but it will have to work harder to do so. It is a trade off between pulling ability and fuel mileage. If I bought another truck I would make sure it could pull whatever I want with little strain. Mainly because all my truck does is pull. But yes the smaller V-8 will pull any bass boat. If I have a choice though I would want the 5.7. Son has a 13 model he bought new and averages 16 . Can get 18 on highway if you don’t drove 70
rboren,
you seems to look at the old Nissan being a 2wd as a bad thing, but I am sure that was one of the leverages it had in pulling that little boat without the loss of the additional drivetrain of a 4wd that serves no purpose in pulling, unless you are on a surface that needs that additional traction. My favorite trucks to pull with was my '04 Avalanche Z66 5.3 with 3.73 rear 2wd., and my Silverado 3500HD 8.1 4.10 2wd to pull the heavier stuff in the 7+tons.
Ask yourself how many semi tractors your meet on the road that are 4wd? I can tell you for a fact than none of the once I owned were, and they pulled a 60 tons Rogers tri-axles.
how do you get that? I AVERAGE 10.1 mpg in my 5.7 supercharged tundra. Towing/not towing…it’s about the same.
I was more thinking that the possibility of having problems on a slick ramp. Jim’s old boat wasn’t a lightweight. He never had a problem though getting up a ramp. Manual transmission also. I did have to rebuild/renew his engine around 250,000 miles.I always cringed when he launched but not a problem! My point is you can pull a lot of things with just a small truck but it doesn’t inspire confidence to me in stopping and handling.. I pull with a truck I bought new in 2000 with a 5.3 and it gets the job done but it’s not going to pass anything pulling including a gas station .
Mainly by not hammering the throttle from a stop or accelerating to pass. Just ease into it. I coast up to red lights hoping to prevent stopping at the light. I cruise at 5mph over the limit up to 75.
Last edited by 06 SB; 06-23-2022 at 11:35 AM.
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
Man i must have had a strange one . My 2000 silverado 5.3 got 22 mpg on hwy and got 17 mpg pulling my boat ! sold it with 240k , should have kept it my Tundra dang sure not get anywhere near those mpg's !!!!
1988 Ranger 364V
150HP Merc Black Max
Kinda depends on the boat on how well it will do. in my opinion your already aware of what a similar engine that size is capable of. yes hills will be a problem keeping speed. And sounds like your expecting more from a similar sized engine?
Last edited by BMCD; 06-23-2022 at 08:22 AM.
Bryan McDonough
2023 Nitro Z21 XL
Nitro Team
I bought a 2005 Ford with the 4.6 thinking the smaller V8 would get better gas mileage. It didn't, especially when pulling. On some trips it actually got worse because it has to work a lot harder pulling the weight than a bigger motor would have.
This is my point. You can use almost anything available to pull with but it still takes a certain amount of work to pull whatever. Newest vehicles are more efficient than my old truck. So they will beat it with mileage and power. But, I had rather have stability and power when mainly using to pull than one that might save me a few dollars in fuel if I was just taking it out for a Sunday drive. If it is used more as a family vehicle then it is different. I,at one time, used an ElCamino to pull my boat when I was just happy I owned a vehicle. Basically just a Chevelle. It got the job done.
I had a 2000 sierra with the 4.8 .Pulled ok except on hills with a 520 in tow
4X4? If so that is exceptional. I get (and always have) gotten 16 combined mileage and the very best on a semi-flat road non-stop for 220 miles 19 mpg. 11-12 pulling in my area. That is with my Champion. Put my tractor behind it and 10 mpg is a good day. Mine does have 4.10-1 gearing though.
I can vouch for pulling a Ranger 520, pulled on a couple thousand miles with my 5.7 Tundra. I’d drop it into 5th set the cruise at 73, and try not to fall asleep on the interstate with my 5.7L Tundra. The adaptive cruise and 5.7 make for a nice easy ride. It tends to drop gears in 6th too much and gets the same mpg not lugging all the time in 5th. 4th is a direct 1-1 with 4.30 gears on my Tundra. It’ll take more than any bass boat to need that.
I can manage 14 mpg with my RT188 but the 520 at 70’ish knocks it down to 12. Get above 75 and it falls to 10 mpg.
Post 33 ---no not 4x4 on silverado. Yes 4x4 on the Tundra (4.7)
1988 Ranger 364V
150HP Merc Black Max
You be surprised how much difference a 6L-80 E trans with a 3.73 rear gears make for that 5.3L which now is putting out 315hp. My nephew has a 2016 and pulls his 28' RV without any issues, and has taken it to Vermont without any issues.I was more thinking that the possibility of having problems on a slick ramp. Jim’s old boat wasn’t a lightweight. He never had a problem though getting up a ramp. Manual transmission also. I did have to rebuild/renew his engine around 250,000 miles.
Learning the 'S' mode and manually dropping a gear or two, instead shifting with the throttle in 'D' will help your mileage.
We have two 4.8s at the farm,the 06 is around 270hp the 2012 is around 305hp if I remember correctly. I was told by my 21 year old son and my nephew that both work here that the 12 is a lot faster the 06..... the 12 runs on a steady diet of E85.
Find a 2018 or later F-150 with either the 2.7 or 3.5 Eco boost. It will probably have 3.55 gears and will do better and still get 20+ MPG when not towing.
3.55 gears are great all around for trucks, unless you need the 3.73 for heavier towing up a holler, and a must have for any Mustang GT prior to the S550 Coyote.
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