Not much tow in the tow rig

[Bart]

After selling the buggies and trailers I decided that I would just buy/build a rig that I would drive to a trail. Problem was I still have a boat so I looked for a cheaper, smaller truck. I got into a sweet little white 91 K2500 4x4 ext cab in excellent shape with a low mileage tbi 350 and a rebuilt 700r4. Inside of the bed looks almost new. It's great for driving around town and better for me on longer rides than the Jeep.

The problem is I'm used to towing with Ford Superduties and it's been a long time since I pulled with an early 90s 350. It's not bad around town and local but on the road OMG, it really sucks. Down to 40-45 on hills and the gas mileage is around 7mpg under load (I've only towed twice with it).

Here's my question. Should I live with what I have, sell it and add a couple grand to a better tow rig, but less town friendly, warm up the 350, or transplant a 454/TH400 into it?

 

[Shawn]

Are you kidding me???? Dump the pig if you tow you need the torque. I only drive my Cummins when I need to pull or have a rig in the shop. I will never go back to gas for towing.

 

[Shawn]

That may not have been what you wanted to hear...............

 

[Toad]

x2 dump the gasser now. Go back to a diesel.

 

[rholbrook]

Keep the 350 and spend a little to help it out. The payback on the diesel isn't there. The extra cost to purchase the diesel truck, extra cost of fuel and extra cost of oil changes. Tell me how these extra costs make you want to give up the Chev 350 for the few times a month you really would like to tow with diesel?

If you were towing all the time, by all means trade up. Swap out the cam, get some aluminum heads and open the exhaust. You'll spend $1,500 if you can do the work yourself and you'll pull some more ponies out of it and be just fine.

 

[Chevycrew]

That 210hp tbi 350 isnt worth warming up. Go vortec, or drop the gas idea.

 

[TJDukit]

That 210hp tbi 350 isnt worth warming up. Go vortec, or drop the gas idea.

X2 Vortec or Diesel. The only way I'd give up my 5.3 is for a Duramax.

 

[Coreshot]

Meh...I towed for many years with the same truck, only a '94. I went to Moab and Powell more times than you can count and just lived with it. I love that truck ( I still have it, waiting for a transplant). Of course, I had never owned a diesel before, so I didn't know how nice that would be.

My plan for the GMC is to transplant a non EFI motor and plumb it for propane. AZ has some sweet laws to try to get people to burn cleaner fuels, so the tax on vehicle propane is way low. You can buy it for like 1.50/gal. I plan to get that truck up and running and make it my DD and save the PS for hauling.

 

[STAG]

Of course, I had never owned a diesel before, so I didn't know how nice that would be.

Drive my duramax hooked up to my fifth wheel camp trailer and you'll be out shopping for a diesel the next day. To the OP, towing is SOOO much better with a diesel.

 

[Bart]

A little more information. When I had my diesels I was towing enclosed trailers 25 to 40k a year. I'm very familiar with towing with an oil burner. My situation now is I'll tow maybe 5 times a year. My son-in-law has a 2011 Duramax and will tow the boat to any out of town destination.

 

[brian r]

That 210hp tbi 350 isnt worth warming up. Go vortec, or drop the gas idea.

X3 think vortec,i have a 05 psd and i question wether or not towing four or five times a year justifies the yearly cost of owning one.

 

[Herzog]

It really is a night & day difference and it is the only reason I still have my 10 year old Cummins. Just wish I didn't daily drive it as much as I do.

 

[JaredMD]

Are you kidding me???? Dump the pig if you tow you need the torque. I only drive my Cummings when I need to pull or have a rig in the shop. I will never go back to gas for towing.

What's a Cummings?

 

[Shawn]

What's a Cummings?

Chocolate,

 

[Thardy]

I would keep what you have for now, save some money an see what the market does. I work in the oil industry and prices don't look to be getting better any time soon. I just went through the same thought process. I had the opportunity to buy a stroker at below trade-in value but decided to keep my payed off F-150 for the few times I pull the boat in the summer, the sleds in the winter, and twice a year I pull the Jeep, the gaser's got enough. Yes the diesel is nice to pull with, but its the extra cost to drive that changed my mind.

 

[DaveB]

I've got a 454 in the garage.

 

[Shawn]

I get it that diesel is big bucks these days and plan to pay $5.00 per gal this summer. But, I pull my fithwheel tandem to my 22 foot boat to Flaming Gorge and get 12+ mpg,s. One, I don't think a gasser will get 7 mpgs pulling the same load, that being said, a gasser is costing more per mile. If that makes sense.

Also, not pulling I'm getting 20 mpg,s with my dually. So it costs me $.50 extra per gallon, on a 20 gallon tank it is an additional $10.00 to fill and the benefits IMO are worth the extra cost.

Now Bart, if I was looking to keep the truck and wanted to (because I'm a power junky) increase torque and HP's, I would swap the motor. They may be too dirty for IM, but I love the Ram Jet 350 or 502.

 

[ricsrx]

I have an LS1 in the garage that I was going to use in my buggy.

 

[Rot Box]

5 times or so a year towing? Keep the truck you have now and give it a tune up If anything swap in a set of 4.10 gears they make enough difference to justify it with the TBI. Aside from a free flowing exhaust I wouldn't touch the motor just upgrade the transmission cooling (I prefer aftermarket coolers and temp gauges) and make the rest of the drivetrain healthy and reliable under that load. I have found the tbi motors work best if left mostly stock--for me it just isn't worth it cost wise to milk 20 or so hp out of it with hundreds of dollars "upgrades" when you could buy a cheap diesel. Not gospel--just my thoughts

A motor swap or anything along those lines isn't worth the cost--nickles and dimes or the headaches imo. If you need a different tow rig buy something else (big block V8 gas 1ton trucks are cheap these days!) and have a cool project to dump money and time into.

If you want more hp and better mileage look into an old Cummins, IDI or PSD. Diesel cost more per gallon but in my case a 91 F350 came with a 351W V8 a 460 or an IDI... Pretty sure diesel would have to cost nearly double for me to justify buying a 460. Well that's what I keep telling myself anyway LOL!

 

[Bart]

Appreciate all the comments and still thinking.