Avalanche w/8.1 liter. Feels beefy

[BLOWN454]

So due to the snow over here at school and my truck still in pieces my grandparents told me to bring their 02 avalanche back for the 4wd so Ive been rolling in it for the past couple of weeks. Ive driven it off and on a couple of times the past few years but this is my first extended stay with it. Its a 3/4 ton with the 8.1 and I believe the 4L85E and 3.73s, only mod is a K&N intake. My question is why does it feel so ripped? Out of all the trucks Ive driven this one seems to really get in your face. It just feels stronger everywhere than my 454, but watching the speedos move they seem even. The only two times I can find for it in the 1/4 are over a half second slower than what my truck ran. Driving slow around town the whole truck feels spongy and super heavy, but give it the schtick and the throttle is like an on/off switch the whole truck just leaps up and moves. I heard the 5.3 half ton Avys are supposed to be quicker but my dad has an 01 2wd Silverado with the 5.3 and it feels quite strained compared to this. I can barely give it any throttle without it spinning or just taking off on me. Same thing while moving, any throttle makes it want to downshift and just run away. Maybe I am just hyping it up, but I almost get worn out trying to drive it civil without it jumping everywhere. What gives?

 

[Bigredmariner]

I had a 2001, 2500 Silverado with the 8.1 in it, that thing was a torque monster. I loved driving it, only thing I didn't like was the mpg's. Stout engines though.

 

[NMRam]

I had the 8.1/Allison combo in my last work truck, and it is a torque rich setup. They are low revving, though, and most of the power is lower in the power band, which is probably why it is slower in the 1/4. It rips off the line, but falls off as revs/speed builds.

 

[BLOWN454]

I had the 8.1/Allison combo in my last work truck, and it is a torque rich setup. They are low revving, though, and most of the power is lower in the power band, which is probably why it is slower in the 1/4. It rips off the line, but falls off as revs/speed builds.

It certainly does rip down low. I think I just get a greater sensation of going faster because it is so heavy and just sitting there its compressing the suspension quite a bit but once you hit it it picks itself up and moves it weight off the suspension. My buddy says that watching it move from outside its strange how much you can actually see it jump up compared to anything else we have seen. It does feel like it runs out further up in speeds, whereas in my truck the speedo keeps climbing much more steadily after 70. Same gearing and basically tranny though so who knows. It sure is fun to drive though

 

[buckshot85]

I had a 2001, 2500 Silverado with the 8.1 in it, that thing was a torque monster. I loved driving it, only thing I didn't like was the mpg's. Stout engines though.

we have a 2003 one at the farm. only gets like 10mpg though

 

[RebelThunder]

When I help my buddy on the farm I always bomb around in their '01 with the 8.1. It's a RCLB so it scoots pretty good. That thing isn't on its first rodeo though.

 

[NMRam]

I had a 2001, 2500 Silverado with the 8.1 in it, that thing was a torque monster. I loved driving it, only thing I didn't like was the mpg's. Stout engines though.

we have a 2003 one at the farm. only gets like 10mpg though

Yours does good, mine got 8-9 empty and 5-6 with a trailer. It did have a heavy service body on it though.

 

[Bigredmariner]

Yeah mine was in the single digits most of the time for fuel mileage. I had a 35 foot dual tandem gooseneck trailer and when I loaded up the dozer and went down the road it would sure suck the gas. Pulled like crazy with the Allison trans, I had no complaints about it just mileage. It had 4.10 rear gears though.

 

[PenguinLTZ]

I miss the hell out of mine. I love that engine

 

[La Bestia]

No clue on the rear end but one of our work trucks has the 8.1L with a 6 speed stick, that is a blast to drive but one of the foreman has it now so I don't get to drive it anymore. Depending how you drove it and how many tools you had on that one could get into the double digits sometimes but not very often.