Jake is a founder of 8020 Media and has been creating automotive content online since 2017. He has been the lead writer for Chevy Trucks and has transformed it from the old and outdated site it was into what it is today. Jake creates a ton of GM related content for the 8020 Media YouTube channel and specializes in Duramax and Vortec information but has a wealth of knowledge across all GM cars and engines. Jake believes the L5P is the best diesel on the market today.
The 8.1L Vortec was considered the diesel-alternative in the Chevy line and was designed to be big enough to produce comparable power and towing capabilities to that of the diesels. These engines are known to be overbuilt, leading to nearly bulletproof reliability. The strong cast iron block and heads means that this engine can handle…
The P1174 engine fault code for Chevy and GMC vehicles reads “Fuel Trim Cylinder Balance Bank 1“. Additionally, you might see a P1175 code which represents the same problem but is related to Bank 2. But what does that mean and how do you fix it? A P1174 & P1175 trouble code means that your…
The 4.8 Vortec was the base engine option for Silverado and Sierra trucks for years, until it was eventually replaced with the 5.3L Vortec as the base motor. The 4.8L is actually just a smaller version of the 5.3L engine, with less stroke and less displacement. That engine is known for reliability which is great…
Gas mileage is notoriously poor on all trucks, not just Chevy’s and not just the 5.3 Vortec. Every smart alec’s response to “how do I improve my trucks gas mileage?” is “buy a Prius”. But for a lot of us, we need a truck either for work or for hauling things around. A smaller and…
LS, LT, and LTZ all represent different trim levels on Chevy and GMC trucks. Trim levels reflect the engine, interior, electronic, and other exterior design features that a specific truck model has. Chevy is known for having an extensive line of trim levels that can vary from year to year and truck to truck. Different…
The 6.0 Vortec was one of the most reliable V8’s produced as part of the Vortec engine family. The engine is overbuilt, predominantly for its use in HD trucks. The reliability and longevity of the engine is a big reason it continued on in production through 2019, despite GM phasing out the Vortec engines in…
In 2005, GM began badging Silverado and Sierra trucks with a “VortecMAX” engine badge leading to a lot of questions around the difference between the standard 6.0L Vortec engine it used and the high output engine used in the trucks badged as VortecMAX. While the VortecMAX was predominantly a branding play by GM, it did…
The Vortec engine family was plagued by problems with oil consumption and AFM, leading to GM developing the new EcoTec3 engine family in 2014. However, the EcoTec3 engine family, including the 5.3L engine still suffer from AFM related problems. Additionally, the 5.3L engine specifically has common problems with carbon build-up, fuel injector failure, 4WD, fuel…
GM’s 5.3L Vortec engine suffers from common problems including: oil consumption caused by AFM, cracked cylinder heads, spark plug failure, intake manifold problems, and fuel pressure regulator failure. Despite these problems, the 5.3 Vortec is an extremely reliable engine. They are getting older nowadays, having been in production from 1999-2013, which means you’ll likely experience…
The 4.3 Vortec suffers from common problems such as ICV valve and TPS sensor failure, intake manifold leaks, distributor failure, port injection leaks, engine knock, and excessive oil consumption from AFM. In this article we are going to dive into each of the common problems in detail as well as discuss overall engine reliability of…
The brake lines in 1999-2007 GMT800 Silverado’s, Sierra’s, and Suburbans are very prone to rusting out and needing replacement. For individuals who live in “salt” states, where cities commonly salt the roads to prevent ice, the brake line rusting is even more common. In 2010, a class-action lawsuit was filed as rusted brake lines were…
The 2nd generation Silverado’s and GMC Sierra’s were produced from 2007 to 2013 under the GMT900 chassis code. These trucks all used engines from GM’s small-block V8 Vortec engine family, such as the 4.8L, 5.3L, and 6.2L. While all of these engines are known for their reliability, there are a number of common problems with…
Fits ’99-’18 Trucks & ’95-’20 SUVs
