Why do people say the 5.3 Vortec is slow?

[mikeyss]

still gotta use premium fuel or E85

30% E85 and 70% 87octane will balance things out for MAX MPG and max POWER

this will be the cheapest way to fill it up and still have higher octane with MAX MPG

Are you sure? I'm definitely not being a smart ass here, but I haven't heard of doing this, and it seems interesting. In my L9H I only use premium or E85, I don't mix them. Even when I change from one or the other, I run the tank down to the low fuel warning and the fuel gauge needle is starting to dip below the empty line. The gas station that I get E85 at is 3 miles away from my house so I never worry about running totally out of gas.

 

[Fless]

As long as you have a Flex Fuel vehicle you can mix any combination of E85, E10, or ethanol-free gas.

 

[Ilikemtb999]

I went from a nnbs 6.0 Sierra with 357hp to a nnbs 5.3 Tahoe with 320hp and there’s a noticeable difference in power and acceleration even with the large weight difference. The Tahoe just seems like it falls on its face quickly where as the Sierra would downshift and pull hard.

I ordered some go faster parts for the Tahoe to hopefully get that feeling back.

 

[swathdiver]

still gotta use premium fuel or E85

30% E85 and 70% 87octane will balance things out for MAX MPG and max POWER

this will be the cheapest way to fill it up and still have higher octane with MAX MPG

If that kind of fuel is accessible where you are. I'm seeing E15 at some more stations but only eight in the county offer E85. Burning E85 delivers about 3 mpg less compared with 93 for city and highway. I also calculate GPH and it burns one half gallon more fuel per hour, 2.5 vs 2.0.

 

[OneofFew]

IDK what some of you guys are on about. I have driven all sorts of performance cars, trucks and everything in between in a 20 year career as a professional driver. For its weight, a Tahoe with the 5.3 is pretty darn nimble.

 

[S33k3r]

I went from a nnbs 6.0 Sierra with 357hp to a nnbs 5.3 Tahoe with 320hp and there’s a noticeable difference in power and acceleration even with the large weight difference. The Tahoe just seems like it falls on its face quickly where as the Sierra would downshift and pull hard.

I ordered some go faster parts for the Tahoe to hopefully get that feeling back.

I've always heard the adage that "horsepower sells cars but torque moves them." Might be interesting to look at the power curves of the 5.3 vs. the 6.0. That said, I am way too lazy to Google them at this point.

 

[S33k3r]

IDK what some of you guys are on about. I have driven all sorts of performance cars, trucks and everything in between in a 20 year career as a professional driver. For its weight, a Tahoe with the 5.3 is pretty darn nimble.

Yeah, that's pretty much where I am.

 

[swathdiver]

I've always heard the adage that "horsepower sells cars but torque moves them." Might be interesting to look at the power curves of the 5.3 vs. the 6.0. That said, I am way too lazy to Google them at this point.

Very similar curves, just more from the bigger motor.

 

[BG1988]

Are you sure? I'm definitely not being a smart ass here, but I haven't heard of doing this, and it seems interesting. In my L9H I only use premium or E85, I don't mix them. Even when I change from one or the other, I run the tank down to the low fuel warning and the fuel gauge needle is starting to dip below the empty line. The gas station that I get E85 at is 3 miles away from my house so I never worry about running totally out of gas.

this will keep the octane high 91 while being the cheapest price the $aveing at the pump as well

flex fuel is HIGHER octane hence being burned faster then say 87, flexfuel engines can output more power then the normal ones.


91 octane will be the best balance between gas mileage, power and costs /.. not if you are getting straight 91/93 which cost more.

this is only recommended if you have flexfuel don't do it on non flex fuel..


It's really bad when you keep switching between the two as the computer will keep needing to adjust for the fuels. that can rob fuel mileage

you can mix them E85 just means you can use upto e85 fuel. it can be E30 E50 etc..


to get the 91 octane it's 3 gallons of e85 for every 10 gallons of 87octane pumped

so every fill up it can save about 9-10$ over getting just 91octane



if you want 93 octane
8.75 gallons e85 to 17.25 gallons of 87 octane
about 53% e85 & 47% 87octane

 

[swathdiver]

It's really bad when you keep switching between the two as the computer will keep needing to adjust for the fuels.

FlexFuel vehicles are always checking the alcohol content and changing fuel tables, regardless of what's being burned for fuel.