2000 Tahoe 5.3 towing

[Tyler Williams]

I have a 2000 Tahoe 5.3 with 288k miles. I often use it to pull a 24’ pontoon. The truck struggles going up hills bad. What can I do to help her out? A new motor possibly?

 

[swathdiver]

I have a 2000 Tahoe 5.3 with 288k miles. I often use it to pull a 24’ pontoon. The truck struggles going up hills bad. What can I do to help her out? A new motor possibly?

More cubic inches or forced induction or why not start with gearing? What gears are in it?

 

[Chris2144]

Start out with normal things like plugs clean tb filters. Do a compression check to see how healthy it is. +1 on gears and tire size. A tune can also do a lot of good. If the engine is healthy and every thing is in good order a cam will really wake that 5.3 up.

Make sure your rig is up to the challenge of slowing down that boat going down the hill as well

 

[SnowDrifter]

I'd also add that you only have so much room to improve here towing with this rig. It's designed for an occasional tow. 4 speed transmission and a 5.3 just isn't a great combo if you plan on hauling stuff all the time. If you need to move stuff regularly, I reckon it would be worth your time and money to get a more appropriate vehicle for it.

Now as far as actually addressing your question: could you clarify what you mean by struggles? Revs to the moon and doesn't have the power? Doesn't downshift? Not enough torque in the 3.5k range?

Last trailer I pulled was a car hauler that by the math was about 5.4 to 5.5k plus maybe a other 550lbs between myself, passenger, and cargo in the truck. Never weighed it. That felt more or less at the limit of what this vehicle could reasonably do. It could maintain 60 up a 7 percent grade but the trans had to be in second and engine was revving pretty high. Ease off and let the thing shift to third and it just couldn't maintain speed period. Ended up settling on 50mph in second. Flat ground I left in third otherwise the coolant would sit at like 216 in 4th. Water pump wasn't quite spinning fast enough at 15-1600rpm. Third dropped it to 206-208

I hope that helps to frame a set of expectations for what the tahoes can / can't do

 

[Tyler Williams]

More cubic inches or forced induction or why not start with gearing? What gears are in it?

3.73

 

[Tyler Williams]

Would a 6 liter swap be worth it?

 

[swathdiver]

Would a 6 liter swap be worth it?

You've got the gearing. Looking at a 2002 brochure, your LM7 makes 285 HP @ 5200 RPMs and 325 FTLBS of Torque @ 4000 RPMs. The LQ4 in the same year produced 300 HP @ 4400 RPMs and 360 FTLBS of torque @ 4000 RPMs. So yeah, the six liter would be nice. Note that while the larger engine only makes 15 more horsepower, it does so 800 rpms lower.

These are the guys that have done it and know more than I: @Tonyrodz @Rocket Man

 

[Tyler Williams]

You've got the gearing. Looking at a 2002 brochure, your LM7 makes 285 HP @ 5200 RPMs and 325 FTLBS of Torque @ 4000 RPMs. The LQ4 in the same year produced 300 HP @ 4400 RPMs and 360 FTLBS of torque @ 4000 RPMs. So yeah, the six liter would be nice. Note that while the larger engine only makes 15 more horsepower, it does so 800 rpms lower.

These are the guys that have done it and know more than I: @Tonyrodz @Rocket Man

Have you ever heard of Fraser engines? If so are they trust worthy?

 

[swathdiver]

Have you ever heard of Fraser engines? If so are they trust worthy?

No, don't recall that name.

 

[Tyler Williams]

No, don't recall that name.

I’ve heard bad things that’s why I asked lol. What about jasper?