GM 4.8- good or bad?

Shift518 Automotive
1

My brother is looking for another truck and is looking at '07+ (new body)GM’s.

Seems like the only regular cab longbeds he’s finding have the 4.8 v8.

Is it a decent motor?

He doesnt want an extended cab or a shortbed and uses the truck for work. Not much heaving hauling other than occasionally hauling building materials and ladders (rack) and dump runs. Not much more than occasional towing of small trailers either.

Also it seems that the regular cabs all have crank windows. Is that the only way they came?

2

There a great motor , strong as hell . Has more power than a older 350 vortec and good gas mileage .

3

Good to know.
I told him to look for a 5.3 because I know theyre good but he cant seem to find one in a regular cab long bed.

4

this.

5

I have the 5.3 but I think the 4.8 is common in the work truck models or low model LS and SL

6

seems like theyre all work trucks. Dont they make a longbed Z71 anymore?

I remember 10-15 years ago 75% of trucks were regular cab longbeds but now theyre all extended or crew cabs. He doesnt want one of those.

7

4.8 and 5.3 are closely related, only different parts are the rods and crank. Same heads, bore, etc. In general, that is… there are a few 5.3’s that don’t fit the exact mold (LS4, H/O models).

Not a bad choice, IMO.

8

I just didnt want him to get stuck with something thats a turd like the old 305.

He doesnt want the ‘big v8’ for some reason but I cant find one for him anyway.

He’s got a 4.6 in his '01 F150 and I think its a bit of a dog so thats why I went with the 5.4.

9

It’d be tough to tell the difference between the 2, the 4.8 runs really well.

10

good to know.

11

HUGE difference between an 01 ford 4.6 (~230hp) and a chevy 4.8 (~270hp), plus the added torque… my roommate had a 2001 f150 2wd and even though it was a rcsb it was slow as hell and generally boring to drive… the golden years for chevy trucks were from 1999-2007(classic)… for the money, it really is hard to find a more dependable, comfortable truck with enough power to get out of it’s own way imho… they also generally get better mpg than similarly equipped ford trucks of the same year

12

i just turned 102,000 miles on mine. i havent had any major issues overall. the 4.8 seems to have plenty of power. ive had the 4 place enclosed on it with 4 sleds. 55mph its fine but over that obv it struggles… ive also had the 24foot enclosed trailer with my s10 in it and it hauls it just the same as the 4 place…i can get almost 500 miles per tank 23 gallons while doing 75-80mph too.

13

1500 W/Ts with 4.8s are good work trucks as long as it’s been taken care of. Like previously stated it’s probably the best bang for the buck for what your brother is looking to do IMO.

14

so are there no 1500 longbed 4x4’s with power windows?

15

power windows should have been one of the very few options available on a W/T. However like you already posted most of the sclb trucks are base model crank up windows.

16

yeah, it sure seems that way unfortunately.

I dont know why regular cab longbeds became the shit model all around. Fords are the same way and he wont even look at a Dodge.