97 Chevy 350 Vortec engine

[Brent]

I would appreciate if someone could give me their opinion on this motor. I am planning on buying 97 chevy silverado pickup with this engine and just wanted to hear what people think of this motor as far as for gas mileage and pulling a boat with this pickup and motor. Also, I would like to know if I could run an oil like Amsoil in the motor and wait longer between oil changes. I currently use Havoline 5w-30 oil and change oil every 3,000 miles. Thanks for the information.

[Wkndbum]

I have the same year Z71 with 85,000 mi. No problem with engine, pulls a Fisher DV 18. But! Transmission is another story, it was rebuilt at 14,500 mi & replaced at 45,000 mi. You might want to have the transmission checked out before buying the P/U.

[wheels]

I have the engine in a Z71 4x4. It now has about 53,000 miles on it. Pulls great, if your load is a little heavy, I'd keep in out of overdrive. That's a sure fire way to "smoke" these trannys. As far as the oil change, I can't help you. I've always thought a change every 3,000 miles was cheap insurance.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll love the truck. I sure like mine!

"Friends don't let friends fish for trout!"

[Box]

I have a 98 with same engine. Great engine for me. 78k on it, and only oil and gas, and on my second set of tires at about 72k.
I have 3.71 gears and 4x4. Change auto tranny fluid once every year or so.

I pull an 18' alum boat with 150hp. Pulls just fine, plenty of gitty-up. It also pulls Tahoes out of muddy/snowy ditches just fine ;)

About the best I ever got is 17.5 mpg.
Around town about 15-16 mpg.
4x4 in winter is about 14-15mpg.
Towing is about 12 mpg, or about 10.5-11 with Air on, going about 75.

My only complaint is that the little plastic swtiches for vents and mirrors are kinda brittle. I have broken 3 so far, but that is the only prob I have had with this truck.

-Box

[Coldsteel]

Hi, Great choice! I have a '96 Tahoe with the 5.7 Vortec. 50k, no problems. Change the trans fluid every spring. I run synthetic oil in the engine. I trailer a 21' Pursuit. Good luck!

[SnellTier]

I had that engine in my 96 Silverado and my buddy has it in his 98 Tahoe. For power ... it is fine. I pulled a boat, motor, trailer that, fully loaded, weighed about 2800 pounds or so. The truck pulled fine even when freeway traffic was OVER 85 mph (no kidding!!!! It was a tad scarey pulling my boat in traffic that fast ... but even the SLOW lane was going that fast!!) and that was with the "mileage" rear end, too. Passing power was unlimited ... sometimes I swear that truck did not know the boat was back there.

Acceleration was fine even pulling the boat. I got about 15.5 mpg on the freeway while towing it. Without the boat the engine loafed along at freeway speeds at about 1750 rpm and I got up to 20.5 mpg with my wife and I and my 2 BIG black labs plus hunting gear for a weekend.

ONE CAUTION -- both my engine and my buddy's engine had a propensity for clogging fuel injectors. It cost me $80 TWICE for having the injectors cleaned after the 36K warranty ran out (and, NO, this is not covered by the extended warranty which I did buy when I bought the truck new!). And I only put 65,000 miles on the truck before I traded it in, too, so this was a realy annoyance!! You want to put a can of fuel injector cleaner into the(FULL!!)gas tank each time you have the oil changed (which should be about every 3,000 miles) and you will be fine. After I started doing that, I had not problems nor has my buddy.

Other than that, I had no problems with the truck at all. In fact, I traded it in a year ago for the 2001 version of the truck (but I did upgrade to the Z71 OffRoad for the better limited-travel suspension ... my 1996 truck had "heavy duty" springs but wallowed a lot on my hunting trails and my Z71 does not wallow at all.

Good luck with your new/used truck!

[targa2]

I own a Dodge but heres some advice if you like Chevy. Forget about that little TOW button on your shifter.You can use it but TOW IN DRIVE ONLY. Plus if you tow a lot you might want to check the heavy service schedules for tranny changes. I was surprised to find that they recommend tranny fluid and filter change every 12,000 miles. Yah you heard me 12,000!!!Do your transfer case about every 20,000 as well. Trust me I learned this one the hard way. Have fun Z71.

[eyewitness]

First off, the 97' doesn't have the tow button on the shifter. Only late model 99's and up do. Second, the rear end gearing makes ALL the difference in how you use your overdrive, as well as having a tranny cooler package (which most factory tow packages come with). My 98' pulled like a dream in overdrive as long as I was at highway speeds of 65+, anything under and I left it in drive only. I put 60K on in two years with that truck and at least 10-12K of that was towing my 18ft rig. Changed the tranny fluid and filters at 40k and everything was tip top. The only thing the older chevs were a pain with was the rear axle seals. You have to have them done about every 25-35K depending on the truck. About $150.00 a pop. My new 5.3 outpulls the 350 hands down with that tow button. The purpose of the button is to maintain a higher tranny line pressure to the tranny to keep a more positive pressure on it when it is shifting or lugging. It has worked flawlessly as I'm sure others on this board who own them will attest to.

[Erik]

The 350 engine is a great motor. Towing ability is great, plenty of power for most boats that are trailered. I have had them in a 90, 94, & 98 trucks as well as some cars. I don't care what the manufactures say, I think it has more power and torque than the new 327 (5.3) which I have now. However, transmissions in the 97 are a different story. I know several people in the auto repair, sales, and parts business that say that this transmission is prone to problems no matter if you pull in the Drive mode (like you should) or Over-drive (like you shouldn't). A friend of mine in sales bought and sold two of them and had to replace the transmissions in both within his 30 warranty period. The 96 and 98 transmissions are fine, but can't be used in the 97. GM changed it for the one year then went to something different again. Great motor, great truck, but I would shy away from a 97. Just an informed opinion.

[Mark]

I have the 97 Silverado, Z-71, pull a Triton 205, change oil every 3,000 miles, Make sure you keep the gas tank 1/2 to near full all the time, as much as possible. If you are running on 1/4 or lower most of the time you will put added wear on the fuel pump that is loaded in the gas tank, this is what the GM mechanic told me, and it will fail, and leave you stranded, believe me. Also rear seal on the transmission will leak, sometimes and place droppings on your boat hull and trailer. I had it replaced once and but it has started again. Other than that I love this truck and plan to keep it a long time.

[Steve]

Brent,
I have a 97 GMC W/Vortec. I love the power it has and the way it drives and rides but, I had to have a new factory rebuild (trans) last month. A friend of mine that has a shop installed it for me @$1500.00 total w/ 70,000 miles. Good for the parts people but bad for us. Don't let a salesman tell you no problem! show him all the post that people have left for you. Or have him talk to me! Good Luck. Steve

[John Stieben]

Brent,

Here is the truth and all anyone needs to know about the 350 vortec. I know have 225,000 miles on a 96 chev 1/2 ton, Z-71. Half of these miles are pulling either a 690, 620 Rangers on tandem trailers or my current 202TS Crestliner. It will get 12 mpg yet today pulling and 16 mpg without. I have replaced the alternator and two fuel pumps. You must have the 3.73 gears in the rear axle.

[4EYESONLY]

I have the 98 Z71 with the 350 and it pulls my 2025 lund just fine. In overdrive also unless you are driving in the gail force winds we have here in North Dakota. I see from the consensus that I wasn't the only one to have the tranny go out with 16000 miles and the seals to start dripping but I now have 72000 on it and I have no intentions of getting anything different...except maybe the duramax when they get all the flaws worked out of them..........

[TBO/MN]

After reading all the posts about the bad tranny, I must have the only good one. I have this engine in a 97 Suburban, with the tow package, overdrive and the same as everyone else. I have 87,000 miles on it, use Amsoil throughout, and change oil every 20,000 miles, filter every 10,000........no problems. I have replaced an alternator, front axle seals(leaked when it was new), and a fuel pump. Changed tires at 62,000 and it rides like you are floating on a cloud. I get 18 mph highway(not towing), 14 mph in town, and around 15 mph pulling my 1660 Pro V Lund. I pull in overdrive, like you shouldn't, and have never changed the tranny fluid. About the tranny...my brother is a diesel powertrain technician and he told me that the changing of the fluid in a GM transmission is sure death for it. He said leave the fluid in it until for ever, it will last a life time......well so far so good, 87,000 miles and hasn't slipped one iota.......go figure???

I would buy this truck over again, and have loved it since I bought it.

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[Brent]

thanks for the information for those that posted. The 97 silverado I was looking at had no transmission trouble and it had close to 50,000 on the truck but the guy told me that one time he heard a little noise when he shifted into drive but he said it was not a major problem even though the chevy dealer decided to put another driveshaft on anyway. if more people could give me information on the 97 silverado transmissions I would appreciate it.

[Walleye1]

I have a 97 with 55,000 on it with no trouble. Pull a boat and camper around 4000 miles a year.

[suzuki]

Never change the tranny fluid!! Interesting comment. That goes against everything I have ever heard. I would like to hear from more people on that topic.

[TREEGUY1958]

I JUST TRADED IN A 97 CHEVY EXPRESS 1500 VAN WITH THE 5.7 ENGINE,50,000 MILES ON IT.LOTS AND LOTS OF POWER,DIDNT TOW ALL THAT MUCH,SOMETIMES A BOAT OR A STUMPGRINDER.IT TOWED VERY WELL.HAD A TOWING PACKAGE AND DEALER SAID TO DO A TRANS FLUSH AT 50,000,HE SAID THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE.HAD NO#7 CYLINDER FOUL UP DUE BAD FUEL INJECTOR AT 18,000 MILES,NEW WATERPUMP IN AT 37,000,BATTERY AND POSITIVE CABLE REPLACED AT 23,000,FUEL TANK LEVEL SENSOR AT 48,000,THANK GOD I WASNT HUNTING OR FISHING WHEN THIS STUFF HAPPENED,BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO.NEVER PAID A PENNY FOR ANY OF THE WORK DUE TO EXTENDED WARRANTY.TRADED IT IN FOR A NEW TRAILBLAZER AND LOVE IT,NOW DO MY TOWING WITH A BEATER PICKUP THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL RUN FOREVER,I HOPE. GOOD LUCK WITH THE TRUCK.

[Willeye]

I have a 2000 Tahoe with the 350 in it with the towing package. I pull a 692 Ranger with it. I was told that as long as it doesn't shift in and our of gear on a regular basis that you should tow in overdrive. I would like to see a consensus on how many people tow in overdrive and how many tow in drive.

[EJ]

That's like saying I smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a days all my life and never had lung problems.

Transmission fluid will eventually break down just like any motor oil will. Not changing the fluid at the recommended intervals is just asking for trouble.

[Wkndbum]

I tow in overdrive on the hi-way, as long as I'm not in the hills or fighting the wind, where the transmission is constantly shifting in & out. In town or below 50mph, I use drive.

[TimnIowa]

Willeye
I had a 92,94,98 and now I have 2001 and I think they keep getting better, My 98 350 would pull my 620 as fast as I wanted to go. You get out in South Dakota you can be going 80 mph and still get passed. I learned at that speed you can pass everything but the gas stations. I have also learned, I just leave my in drive and don't mess with the OD. there are sometimes if the wind is at my back and I am on a level Hiway I might slip it up in OD but not very often. The other big thing I learned is trailer tires weren't made to travel that fast so I have slowed down and I still get there in time to fish>

[OLETOM]

Had a 92 and put on over 152,000 mile before selling it. Never had a problem with it. My uncle is a die hard chevy fan and said that if I were gonna buy one from a 92-97 be sure to drive it in drive. Where we are from there are allot of hills - Wisconsin, La Crosse - and when towing a boat around here if your in overdrive she tends to shift in and out pretty frequently. Thus I never had that rig in overdrive, only in drive and haven't had a problem with the transmission. replaced a drive shaft and front breaks was about it...Keep up on the maintenance, changeing the fluids. Mileage - 14-15 when pulling myy rig and 18 on the highway.

I now have a 2000 and love it as well.

Good luck.

[TBO/MN]

I really don't think the comparisons are at equal levels, and yet, through my 50 plus years on this earth, I have learned one rather large lesson. I don't tend to listen to what multinational oligopolies tell me that is good for me. I tend to listen to experience, and what has worked in the past. If I were selling transmission fluid to the automotive industry, I would push the fact that all transmission fluid should be changed at regular intervals, thus, I sell more transmission fluid. Multinational to multinational....I tend not to take this route of thinking.

I take the route that works for me, think of it as you will. Think of how many millions of automatic transmissions are on the road today, then look at the number that get changed regularly, I would guess it is a small percentage. Then think of the percentage of all the transmissions that need repair. Do you think it is as many repairs as the tire industry has, probably....but do you change the air in your tires???

This is the way I think, you may not, that makes us different. Isn't America great!!

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[Walteye]

I have '94 Silverado with the 350 engine, bought new and pull a Crestliner 1750 FishHawk with it. I change the oil every 3000 miles and the tranny fluid and filter every 50,000 miles,and have not had a problem yet. This truck is now pushing 190,000 miles, and runs smoother than my 2002 Ford F-150 with the 4.6 Triton V-8. The tranny fluid has yet to come out burnt or black on the Chevy, and shifts like it is brand new. I leave it in overdrive constantly, and think about putting it in drive sometimes, and do when I am climbing a lot of hills, up and down. I don't agree about keeping the trans fluid in forever, and changing it every spring seems a little excessive, but if it works for you and makes you happy, go with it.

[CarpetBagger]

One thing i noticed is none of these boats weigh much so ill just up the anny. 1994 1500 GMC Serria 4X4 350 Vortec pulls my 4500lb Bayliner trophy full tank of gas and loaded for bear on Erie. Id say it weights a good 5000# +!!

CB