V10 is biggest pig ever

[Matt Nelson]

As a result of a business trip I have been on for the last week, I have had the opportunity to drive the v10 for the first time for an extended period of time. We needed a four wheel drive(Montana trip) where lots of snow/ice etc. was expected. In addition, we have six people and a lot of luggage. As a result, the excursion was the only true alternative. We picked up a 2001 with 2,300 miles.

After day 9 of the trip, I feel obligated to post my dissatisfaction. I went into this trip with a very open mind, hoping to see the v10 be the performer so many of you rave about. However, this thing is a pig. I have never seen an engine work so hard to try and hold 70mph up a grade. The mileage is worse than advertised. We drove a 186 mile stretch at 55 -60 mph, all freeway, and got 10.5 mpg(calculated the old fashioned way). Taking it up to 80 mph seemed to make no difference, it still gets about the same.

My overall impression was that if this thing can barely pull the 8000 pound excursion up the hill with us in it, how would it ever realistically pull a 10,000 pound trailer effeciently, and at what mpg??? 4????

I have no doubt that a PSD would walk away and leave this slug. I am looking forward to getting back in the F350. I think it is going to feel like a rocketship compared to this beast. This also solidifies to me that we made a good decision in purchasing the Suburban. Our 5.3 V8 would walk away from this thing too. The 8.1 Vortec I'm afraid would badly embarass this V10.

Hope I have not offended any of you, I am just trying to add my impressions.

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2000 Lariat 4x4 F350 Crew Cab SRW PSD Long Bed
Woodland Green/Harvest Gold ,Auto 3.73, TT, Stockland Sebring Canopy
2001 Suburban 1500 LT, 5.3 V8, all options

[NoMo]

Just so I understand, you loaded a new (not really broken-in) 4x4 Excursion (~8000 lbs) with 6 people (?? lbs) and "a lot" of luggage (?? lbs)- probably in high altitude- and it's a "pig". Perhaps you just got a "bad" one?

As a reminder, 3000 rpm in the Triton is like 1500 rpm in the PSD. Forget what you "think" you know about truck engines and just stick your foot in it! Bounce the tach off 5000 a couple of times... really! It won't hurt it a bit!

Finally, according to some of the RV guys, the GM 8.1 is getting around 8.5/12 and the 6.0 is getting around 10/14 (city/hwy). Put a load on them, and it drops from there! Since those are empty pickup #s, I wonder what those engines would get in a loaded (~ 10,000 lb) Suburban.

[Matt Nelson]

Gee, I never thought about taking it up to 5000 rpm, what an innovative idea. The problem is, I did take it to 5000 rpm, and nothing really happened, that is what I am complaining about. If it cant haul six people and some luggage, how is it suppose to pull a 10000 lb trailer??? I am trying to ask for honest reactions as to what I am missing about the V10, maybe the motor isnt broke in, but 2300 miles should be enough. Give me some opinions please.

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2000 Lariat 4x4 F350 Crew Cab SRW PSD Long Bed
Woodland Green/Harvest Gold ,Auto 3.73, TT, Stockland Sebring Canopy
2001 Suburban 1500 LT, 5.3 V8, all options

[Sport]

I've never been behind the wheel of an Excursion, but my Crew Cab does better on mileage. With me and 4 Boy Scouts, camping gear for a long weekend, pulling the troop trailer (3,500#) at 70 MPH, I get 11 MPG. 15MPG empty on the highway at 70 MPH. I'm pleased with my V-10. The truck hardly knows there's a trailer behind it. It will sometimes downshift into 3rd to maintain speed in the Texas Hill Country, pushing the rpm's a little over 3000, but it has never lost speed and I just leave it in cruise control. V-10 Auto, 3.73LS

[Brittonair]

My 99 V10 with 285's downshifts on a grade at 70 to climb it. I get 14.5 at 65-75 mph all over the east coast. Plenty of power. I also drive diesels so the power curve is noticeably different between them. Flat no big deal, but on a hill got to give it to the diesel. Just feels better.

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<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
99 F250 SD SC 4x4 Lariat V10 3.73 SRW A.R.E Hard cover, K&N, Trailmaster SSV's all around, Flowmaster duals, BFG 285's. Ahh!! Life is Good.[/list]

[jd250]

I think you said all your self.With the excursion coming in around 7400lbs and the suburban 5800lbs give or take a couple hundred pounds. That is alot more weight to move.What size of tranny did the excursion have.I have a f-250 with the v-10 and i know that the Chevy's 5.3 v-8 would not have a chance against the v-10. I pulled my 26ft camper{5000lbs} this fall, and got 9 mpg.Empty on the highway i get 14mpg and in the city 11-12mpg.One more thing the sticker in my back window says it all FORD FASTER THAN A HEART BEAT!!!!!!!

[NoMo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Matt Nelson:
Gee, I never thought about taking it up to 5000 rpm, what an innovative idea. The problem is, I did take it to 5000 rpm, and nothing really happened, that is what I am complaining about.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry if I insulted you. I wasn't trying. Just seems that a lot of PSD owners "forget" that it's OK in a gasser to go past 3000 rpms. Guess it didn't "click" about having the high-revving 5.3 in the 'burb'.

I've got 3600 miles on my truck and it's just started to "loosen" up. Economy & power are improving on what seems to be a weekly basis. So, 2300 miles may not be enough. I wouldn't judge an entire line of engines on a "rental" experience.


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2000 4x4 F250 XLT SuperCab SWB- V10, Automatic, 4.30LS, Offroad Pkg, Camper Pkg, OEM Hitch, Tape/CD Player, Remote Keyless Entry, Sliding Rear Window, Privacy Tint, Aluminum rims, 265/75R16 OWL tires, Line-X bedliner
NoMo's site

[dhahn]

I had a 2000 F250 CC 4x4 SB PSD that I recently traded for a 2001 EX V10.

I had a chip in the PSD and I am very happy with the performance of the V10.

Off the line power is more than the PSD with the chip and I drive 75 miles each way to work on the NJ Turnpike and have never had a problem with power. At and average of 75-85 I get ~12 miles to the gallon, where I was getting ~15.5 with the PSD.

Dave

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2001 Excursion 4X4 V10, Auto, 3.73, Black, Cladding Removed

[robsd]

Why even bother . Same story. If Matt loved the v-10 he'd probably would not have posted at all(Matt if I'm wrong I'm wrong...consider myself flamed!!). He would have probably been banned from this site if he said "..WOW what a great engine!!! I'm trading my PSD for a gasser yall!!!". There's a strong following with the PSD and especially between the gassers in a same model truck. And that's OK. We repeat the same things over and over about how the gassers work fine.
Matt has his opinion and that's ok by me, too.

Matt, I think you missed Nomo's point that you didn't have an empty EX. Also the altitude will effect a PSD to. Which needs more air(thus fuel) to produce the heat needed to get up the mountains(I know you would have gotten 20mpg ).

Me, I like my V-10, it came in my truck and I saved $4000(remember $4,000 worth of gas, my average gas price of $1.30, my average gas mileage of 11, equals 33,846 miles worth of driving, about 3.3 years of my driving, not to mention 6qt oil changes and diesel running $1.45 at the same station).....to boot. I don't tow anything and it pulls me nicely up the flat hills of east Texas. I don't have to buy an AIC, triple gauges, turbo brake, new #8 injector(another $1000?). An if I pull off the highway for a quick pee I can just shut the engine off and run in. Oh well there's something wrong with me I guess. I'll buy a PSD the next time.

Rob

BTW Matt you let it slip about the 80mph and mpg thing. Everyone seems to say that you bring a PSD up in rpm's (ie 80mph) the fuel mileage goes down the tubes.

[SamC]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Matt Nelson:
I went into this trip with a very open mind, hoping to see the v10 be the performer so many of you rave about. However, this thing is a pig. I have never seen an engine work so hard to try and hold 70mph up a grade. The mileage is worse than advertised.

I have no doubt that a PSD would walk away and leave this slug. I am looking forward to getting back in the F350. I think it is going to feel like a rocketship compared to this beast. This also solidifies to me that we made a good decision in purchasing the Suburban. Our 5.3 V8 would walk away from this thing too. The 8.1 Vortec I'm afraid would badly embarass this V10.

Hope I have not offended any of you, I am just trying to add my impressions.

2001 Suburban 1500 LT, 5.3 V8, all options
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The signature says it all. Another GM owner comparing his little GM to an Excursion. They're not even in the same class. SamC


[This message has been edited by SamC (edited 01-31-2001).]

[F-250 Hoss]

Huh. Ain't that interesting.

I'd be willing to bet that if Matt loaded that Excursion and his Suburban up to where they both weighed the same and were pulling an equal load, he'd change his tune quite a bit (that is . . . if that little suburban is rated to carry that much weight). I don't think the Suburban would have a chance. Just my opinion of course.

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Gig 'Em!!

2000 Lariat F-250 4x4, SD, SC, SWB, V-10, 3.73LS, Auto

[This message has been edited by F-250 Hoss (edited 01-31-2001).]

[4x4]

true in a half ton....what about the 3/4 ton burb with the 6.0 or even the 8.1...i guess the 8.1 would be the correct equivalent..an excursion is atleast a 3/4 ton so to compare it to a 1/2 burb is like comparing a f150 to f350..

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99 F250 black CC SWB lariat 4x4, 4.10LS National Spring 5 inch lift 35's 2k1 chevy crew cab LT 4x4 SWB pics of both at www.picturetrail.com/4x4

[robsd]

4x4,
errr, you mean comparing an F-150 to an F-250. Isn't the 350 closer to a 1 ton? I always thought my SD is a 3/4 ton.

Rob

[Matt Nelson]

I would agree, weight difference in suburban to excursion is big reason for differnce in acceleration, but comparing excursion to 1500 suburban is not completely fair as explained in others posts above. Also, you would notice that I too have a ford f350, so saying I am only a chevy lover is wrong, I just think the suburban is a far better choice than excursion(without psd) given the luxury items on board(dash gauges, higher quality leather, onstar, etc, etc. etc.).
By the way, PSD is what made me almost buy the excursion.

Being a non loyalist to any make leaves me to the conclusion that Chevy Suburban 8.1 2500 and excursion are the more comparable, by the way, isnt the 2500 suburban rated to pull more than the excursion, 10500 vs 10000

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2000 Lariat 4x4 F350 Crew Cab SRW PSD Long Bed
Woodland Green/Harvest Gold ,Auto 3.73, TT, Stockland Sebring Canopy
2001 Suburban 1500 LT, 5.3 V8, all options

[F-250 Hoss]

Maybe so, maybe so, but you're the one that said your 5.8L 1500 suburban would leave the Excursion (I just read it again in your first post to be sure). I assumed that when you originally stated that your suburban would leave the Excursion, you were talking about your 1500 suburban. I definitely think a 2500 suburban with a bigger engine would be a different story. So, on that note, two equally loaded vehicles, one Excursion with the V-10 and one 2500 Burb with the 8.1 . . . hmmmmm . . . I haven't driven the 8.1 but I'd be tempted to say it would probably leave the Excursion.

Like you, I am not loyal to any brand (although I am very fond of the PSD). As far as suburban over excursion, I couldn't tell you. I've never driven either one nor have I seen their features.

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Gig 'Em!!

2000 Lariat F-250 4x4, SD, SC, SWB, V-10, 3.73LS, Auto