2003 avalanche questions

[Missy Good Wench]

Missy here is a looking at getting an 03 Avalanche with the 8.1 moose motor.

I keep reading that the 2500 Avalanche 4x4 with the 8.1 came with the Allison 1000 tranny. ???????????????

I have found conflicting stories on this issue.

I had a few folks tell me that the 8.1 was not offered too, but test drove one, so I know they made them.

Whats the score here on these beasts ???????????????????

Missy

 

[Will L.]

Yep, good buddy of mine had one till end of last year. Towed pretty decent. He hates diesels so that was his dd and camper towing rig. He wiped out the rear end gears twice (bad rebuild maybe) otherwise nothing major. He never would tell me mpg- just said "shut up".

Iirc his was first one available in Nv. At dealership

 

[btfarm]

4L85 trans IIRC. Allison didn't fit that one. Just the HD trucks. I had an '03 2500HD 8.1/Allison. Uses about a qt of oil per 1000. 11-12 mpg most days. Plenty of torque.

 

[Will L.]

Allison was an option, I had to show him there was 2 tranny filters in his truck, he thought it was only the spin on. I always harassed him about the 6.5 in my hummer being better and he busted my chops over the better tranny.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

No ALLISON in the BURB or AVALANCHE with 8.1L. I believe the 8.1L is slightly detuned for the 4L85E trans VS the ALLISON one. The ALLISON could be adapted in, but the wiring wouldn't be fun to say the least.

 

[3500GMC]

Sub'd.. Always admired from afar the 496 3/4 ton Avalanche trucks.

 

[Missy Good Wench]

So the word is that the Ally was not available ????

I am thinking seriously about an Avy in the 03-04 vintage.

The Dmax rigs are just too Spendy for my budget, all except maybe a well beat 01, and I dont want a rig thats been thrashed.

The Avy's are many times used as a socker mom taxi car, and see only hwy miles.

I have owned 7.4 powered Burbs, and the qt in a thou thing is no biggy.
I stick the engine every fuel stop anyway.

Just keep hearing that the 2500 Avy with the 496 has the 1000 Aly.

Ads are full of this stuff.

Obviously the people are confused.

Even Wikipedia write ups on the Avy, list the tranny as an Allison.



Missy

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The AVALANCHE is nothing but a SUBURBAN with a SUV truck hybrid body on it. And the SUBURBAN didn't get an ALLISON, nor did the AVALANCHE. The ALLISON only came with the 2" body lift, and that was restricted to the 2500HD, 3500, and the later 3500HD's(the 3500HD from 01-about 03 was still a GMT455 and used the old style driveline).

 

[Will L.]

My friends came with it factory. It might have been rare but it had it. Maybe I am of by a year or something but I believe it was an 03.

I seriously thought about buying it from him but didn't want another project as he put 175,000 or so on it, and I already have something that gets bad mpg. The engine was getting low on power, and would need a long block to start with, so I let it go.

It had the 5 speed Allison not the 6 speed, 4wd, white paint w/grey trim,grey leather interior, power everything. It sat a bit high and had 31" or 33" tires.

I wish I could get ahold of him to get details for you Missy, but he resigned to the Navy & is in a nuke sub, so who knows when I'll hear from him next. Sorry.

 

[Mad Maxx]

I Owned an '03 1500 Av...but I still know them Inside & Out.

There was never an OE Allison in the 2500 Av, like was already said, only the 4L85E. From a Performance POV, the 4L85E can be Tuned more by a Programmer more than an Allison can, but for Brute Power & Strength, the Allison still Wins.

Get an '03 or Newer, so it'll have the Updated Interior. The '02 Interior is too Plain.

I know someone that had an 8.1 and they couldn't Kill it. Not that they Tried to, but this person isn't known for taking care of their Vehicles.

Only real problems you should have is the basic GM IFS stuff, and don't count on the Panels for the Bed being Water-Tight.