# 07 Chevy 4X4



## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

I havent posted on this forum yet but i will give it a shot. I have a 07 Chevy and i pull my sled a 22'' Gulf Coast the boat with all equipment weighs about 4000 lbs is what i am coming up with. The problem is i have this chevy with the 5.3 V8 and it wont pull my sled for its life. Just wondering if anyone else out there might have a problem like this with a new chevy. Also the deal is when pulling my sled i sometimes have to pull in 3rd gear and when i can pull in just drive it is so hard on the truck it shifts all over the place and when it does pan out on the rpms it runs about 2900 rpms @ 65 to 70 mph thats running in (drive).My gas mileage goes down to about 8.5 to a gallon where the truck with no load is 17 to 18.5... Any suggestions out there that i could maybe try doing to my rig...


Thanks

Greg


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## LIVIN (Oct 31, 2006)

I have been through several 5.3L 's in the past , but have only came close to the issues you are having at speeds above 65mph into a decent head wind. I noticed you have a t-top which is alot of drag, but towing 4-5k should not have such an effect.
I wonder what a K&N airfilter, and Power Programmer that allows you change shifting points while also adding HP do ?

Here are also few questions that might help us out: 


Transmission ratio ? 

Is it in 2 wheel drive ?

Truck and trailers tires inflated properly ?

Air Filter blocked ?

How many miles ? (If less than 5k then wait it out)

Fuel quality OK ?



Good luck and nice truck !


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

Tansmisson ratio- not sure i am offshore and not at home or i would say

Is the truck in 2 wheel or 4- 2 wheel of course.

Truck and trailer tires are inflated at the right psi- yes

Air filter should not be blocked but havent checked it yet never thought of that one.

how many miles on the truck- it has 17K on it

Fuel quality i run- 88 octane 

Here is the first fix i made i bought a 3/4 4X4 with 6.0 and 4.10 gears to use to pull my sled LOL and we wont talk about gas mileage.... But i also forgot to say on the 07 it has the fule managment 5.3L not sure if that makes any difference or not and it has 3.73 gears of course.


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## LIVIN (Oct 31, 2006)

You should have a 3.73 in the 1/2 ton ? The "fuel management" 5.3l might have something to do with it. Don't they drop cylinder's when on the highway or is it the city ?
I was going to recommend a new truck.....but I did not want to ripple your pond as the crew cab looked fairly new. Looks liked you "manned" up anyway and bought another. 
I don't even have to ask you about the fuel economy of your new 3/4, 6.0l with 4:10 as that is what I replaced earlier this year.


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

Yeah i broke down and got a 6.0 and we wont go there on the gas. But i still have the 1/2 ton 4x4 and yes 3.73 gears and might have to pull my sled sometimes with it. I am just couris if Chey is just making trucks so weak now that they wont pull like the old school trucks would or if i just got a bad apple..


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## Roby (Jul 12, 2005)

There is something wrong with your truck. I would check fuel filter and air filter first. I have an 04 Ford 5.4 and my brother has an 02 Chevy 5.3. Both trucks pull my 23 Gulfcoast with T-top with little effort and average around 10 mpg at 70 mph. We both take our tranny's out of overdrive and tach around 2800 to 3000 rpm at 70 mph. It is easier on your engine if you have the rpms up where the engine makes power when you are towing. You don't want to lug it in overdrive. It is kind of funny, your new Chevy looks more like my Ford than a chevy....(just had to throw that in).


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## Critter Catcher (Mar 25, 2005)

Roby hit the nail on the head. You need to take it out of overdrive. It will make a 2-3 mpg difference. I have experimented with this on several different trucks. Also holding it around 65 mph instead of 70 mph will help a little. Just to blow your mind I currently pull my 21ft Shoalwater Cat (comparable weight wise to your rig) with an 05 Ford Explorer with a 4.0L to Seadrift @ 65mph out of overdrive and get 10.3 mpg.


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

I never pull in over drive due to the fact of buring up a tansmission once... I pull in drive and it just shifts all over the place like it wont keep steady on the rpms. But i found myself dropping it down to 3rd and it pulls better but it hangs around 2800 to 3K rpms and i avg. 8 miles to the gallon. I would just think that a 5.3 V8 wouldnt have that hard of a time pulling a boat or drop my gas mileage that bad from 18.5 to 8 with my sled behind her....


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## Supergas (Nov 30, 2004)

*Tow Mode ????*

Do you use the "Tow" mode??? It will change the shift points so don't waste your money on a programmer.. most of them are "WOT" wide open throttle specs & don't really help when towing on a gas engine..

I had an 04 chevy CC 2wd that I towed a couple of different boats with & experienced the same problems.. What GM has done is go to a shorter stroke engine to meet emission regs & they sacrificed the grunt torque of a longer stroke engine (350) These new engines make peak torque around 4000 RPM. If you tow, you must keep the revs up a bit to make it quit hunting for a gear...

I have a new 07 GMC CC 4WD with the VortecMax 6.0L and love it.. just make a trip from Victoria to Odessa & averged over 17 MPG at 75 to 80 MPH...

But I still have my 1998 3/4 Ton 4WD 454 Suburban to tow stuff with.... That puppy don't hunt for a gear, just grunts & gets it @ 10 MPG.

Good Luck,

Supergas


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## Critter Catcher (Mar 25, 2005)

Man, I don't know what to say about that. Maybe you do need to get you one of the older 5.3 that doesn't have all of the fuel management bs on it. I myself am looking for an 03-04 Z-71 CC so I can avoid some on the "new and improved technology".


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## curtis provenzano (Jul 15, 2007)

I Have 07 Avalanche 4x4 5.3 F/m . Pull A 20ft Bay Boat. Weight Should Be Same . Some Times 2 To 3 Hr Trips. No Problem. Could Do 90mph Or Plus. You Have A Problem.take It In, Should Be Warnty Work. I Have 3.73 's Also.


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## Tabasco (May 20, 2007)

I have the same truck pulling the same size boat ( 22' Pathfinder with a T-Top ) and the 5.3 is on the lame side...I sold my Duramax and bought the 2007 1/2 ton...For a daily driver it's great. For a vehical to pull with it hoovers... About 70 mph is all it going to do and it works pretty hard doing that...65 is better...mileage is 11-12 mpg on highway...


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## texxmark (Sep 8, 2004)

Looks like a POS truck to me J/K...Now that you have the 6.0 you might as well buy a bigger boat...Then a bigger truck...you are stuck in this constant cycle for life my friend. Can't wait to go out on your boat again.
Have a Merry Christmas Greg!


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## Fishin-Inc (May 27, 2004)

*somethings wrong*

I dumped my gas sucking chevy 6.0 gaser for the 5.3 and love the milage and swear haven't lost any power. But towing I get about 12 mpg.

I have the classic 07 2wd So I don't have that fuel mgmt bs 
and mine still looks like a chevy. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaa

Thanks for the beer a few weeks back.


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## thundertrout (Jun 22, 2006)

i have a a z-71 and always pull my 21ft mayek in drive.it's pulls very good when in drive and no huntn gears.forgot it's a 03 i found and will pull anything.


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## patfatdaddy (May 29, 2004)

I can solve your problem. Trade boats with me. I have a 14' aluminim boat that your truck would pull with no problem. I have a son with a dually with Duramax engine that said I can use it anytime.
PFD


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## 6.5 shooter dude (Jan 8, 2008)

patfatdaddy said:


> I can solve your problem. Trade boats with me. I have a 14' aluminim boat that your truck would pull with no problem. I have a son with a dually with Duramax engine that said I can use it anytime.
> PFD


 See if he will throw in the four wheeler on that deal and I'll trade you a fishing rod for it.


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## TrophyFish'n (May 5, 2005)

*Agree with Provenzano*

I agree with Provenzano, my 05 1500 silverado crew cab 2wheel drive with a 5.3L and 3.43 gear can pull a 23ft walk around cabin with twin outboards and 140 gals of fuel + ice and equip and 4 people at 80mph probably faster just really no need to go much faster than 70 to be honest. Power and torque is not a problem and I get about 10mpg hauling it. The locking differential is great as I don't need to spend 4k on the 4x4 package. Makes it a lot more reliable down the road. Just get a transmission flush once a year and run in 3rd gear while towing. Been a great truck.


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

well i would just like to say if anyone of you look to buy a new chevy. This fuel management deal now on the engine just really sucks. I would say try to demo the truck for the weekend and try pulling your boat and i bet you will find the same problem i am dealing with. It pulls it ok it just hunts for a gear the whole time and the rpms are high as $%#&. It wont get any better than 9.5 -10 max mpg. Thats pulling in 3rd at 65 max 70. And you can almost forget pulling in drive with OD off......


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## subsea78 (Sep 12, 2007)

patfatdaddy said:


> I can solve your problem. Trade boats with me. I have a 14' aluminim boat that your truck would pull with no problem. I have a son with a dually with Duramax engine that said I can use it anytime.
> PFD


I would trade you but you would want to bring it back so i will save you the trouble but thanks for the offer... LOL


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## gregr1971 (Oct 28, 2005)

i put 120,000 miles on a 6.0l, and pulled tons, never could pass up a gas station, but i loved it, now my heavy foot wife has it, and i have a cummins now, 500+ easily on a 35 gallon tank, I LOVE IT!!!


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