55Willy
3/4 ton status
out of a 98 crew cab. how do they do with 5K hanging behind em???
CK5
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towing with a 454 vortec
- Thread starter 55Willy
- Start date
from everything I have read, the 454 is great to tow with. You won't be accelerating up to 80mph up a steep grade like a $45,000 desiel truck will, but you'll definitely get to the trail head. The guy who owned my carb'd-454-powered tow rig before me used to haul a big camper AND 6,000 of trailer with it, no problem. Only downside is that she drinks gas. 
j
j
cant say i have a 454 vortec. but i have a 350 and my opinon is the thing sucks. my old tbi had more guts in my opinon. but thats just my fellings.
From what i've noticed about TBI's to Vortecs, it seems you need more pedal with the Vortec than a TBI. I have both TBI and Vortec 454's, and I've only towed with the Vortec, it does fine. I'm not a foot to the floor kinda driver, and I've towed my car back from Colorado doing 70-75 on a trailor and I never had a problem. On my TBI, its seems that you can give it a little gas, and it will get you up to speed, wihtout having to let off and on again. With the Vortec, you give it some gas to take off, then alittle more to get up to speed, little more to maintain, etc. It's not bad by any means, just different and takes some getting used to. Your gonna suck gas no matter what your driving if your towing something, and you don't buy a truck for gas mileage. That's what i tell everyone when they call about my truck that is for sale. "Oh, it sounds like a great deal, but what motor is it?? 454?? Oh, nevermind". What the hell are you asking about buying a 2500HD for then, jacka$$!!!!
i_4x4
1/2 ton status
7.4 Vortec
I have a '97 w/ 145k. Works well, My trailer & K5 7700 lbs. It will pull Eishenhower Tunnel (Colorado) 7% grade at 60-65. It averages 10 mpg when towing in the Mtn. We run to Moab 80+. Would get better if I slowed down but that would cut into wheelin time. Later Ed.
I have a '97 w/ 145k. Works well, My trailer & K5 7700 lbs. It will pull Eishenhower Tunnel (Colorado) 7% grade at 60-65. It averages 10 mpg when towing in the Mtn. We run to Moab 80+. Would get better if I slowed down but that would cut into wheelin time. Later Ed.
Seventy4Blazer
3/4 ton status
ehh, i hated mine. mine was a 96 454 vortec with a small cam, true dualls and some intake/header work. it did good, but with about 7k behind it it was only good for the flats. i had the 4l80e and 4.10 gears. that year truck they offered 4.10 and 4.56
Grant
Grant
If it is a manual shift unplug the speedo from the tranny, it always helped mine pull better (don't ask me why or how.) I had a 00' one ton single wheel with a 350 Vortec and pulled a 36' extra wide cattle trailer all over the place loaded to the gills (the empty trailer probably weighed 5K lbs + 20-25K lbs. worth of cattle) It did great considering the fact that it had a 350 in it.
We have both a Vortec 350 and a Vortec 454 here on the ranch. The 350 is in a Suburban with a 4l60E and the 454 is in a C30 with a 5spd manual.
The 350 pulls darned good for what it is, better than my '85 stock 350 ever could and rivals our second 454 pickup that is a '76. Our Vortec 454 truck is fairly strong. It pulls well and produces a lot of low end torque. The 454 has come a long way when I compare our '98 C30 to our '76 C30.
If I couldn't find a 6.5TD truck I'd take a Vortec 454.
The 350 pulls darned good for what it is, better than my '85 stock 350 ever could and rivals our second 454 pickup that is a '76. Our Vortec 454 truck is fairly strong. It pulls well and produces a lot of low end torque. The 454 has come a long way when I compare our '98 C30 to our '76 C30.
If I couldn't find a 6.5TD truck I'd take a Vortec 454.
Butch
1/2 ton status
I have a 98 2500 with vortec 454 and I think it pulls just fine. Prior to the 00 and up diesels with the torque wars I could outpull any of the old diesels. With the cost difference in diesel and gas right not it takes a lot to justify the diesel. The way I add it up 175,000 miles is about the break even point.
