I need to buy a new truck.. I am looking at any type of Suburban that they make, including the Cadillac escalade.. i did see a truck with a 454.. but I am wondering how much difference there is between that and my 350.. any one have any ideas, comments, opinions.. true stories.. I am listening to the excellent advise that I always get here.
Old 454 throttle body or carbed if your lucky on a good tailwind and downhill 10, plus is it will pull anything… Buddy has the 8.0 in a Suburban and gets 12 fully loaded or empty…All depends on your needs, my 5.3 at 126K gets 18 hiway and 15 around town…
I got 12-13 on my 99 gmc 1 ton.
Those 454 Chev. engines were standard on motor homes back in the day, older ones had a problem with the exhaust manifolds cracking. I think that problem has long been fixed.
I think they are a good engine, but a real gas guzzler.Many uses even used in some high performance type machines.
Roger
10 mpg loaded or empty is the best you will ever get. If you’re thinking big block, go with the 496 8.1, better mileage. Go to diesel place forum, lots of GM info. I have an ’02 crew, 8 ft box, 8.1, Allison transmission, 4×4, 105,000 miles I may consider selling.
Good thing about those big block motors is that the only thing that will stop them is a gas station.
I have a GMC Crew with an 8.1 and an Allison. It will pull anything you put behind it. It gets 10mpg with a load or without. I have gotten 11.5 empty before , but very seldom. You cant buy that engine in a pickup any more so I am stuck with the old girl for a long time 
. Just have a quart of oil ready to dump in every 1200 miles . We also have a 2010 Silverado with a 5.3 and a 6 speed auto. The truck has amazing power and pulling ability compared to the older 5.3 . I have gotten over 20 mpg on trips before. ( figured with a pencil and paper , not the digital read out crap on the dash 
) …… I have had 454s previously and they too are a 10mpg getter
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I need to buy a new truck.. I am looking at any type of Suburban that they make, including the Cadillac escalade.. i did see a truck with a 454.. but I am wondering how much difference there is between that and my 350.. any one have any ideas, comments, opinions.. true stories.. I am listening to the excellent advise that I always get here.
Skip the Escalade unless you plan on only Pint size rear seat passengers or no passengers in the rear seat. 2-friends that have them dislike them. they take their mini-van when having more than 2-adults to go someplace.
Engine size & Gas vs Diesel for towing make the largest difference.
2-guys with 21′ Bass Boats and F350 full box 4-door. These are big rigs and the difference is the Jason got the newer model after dropping to the 7.4L diesel. Mike has the older model with the Big Diesel. Mike gets 18mpg trailing his boat while Jason tops out at 14mpg.
I have a 07 Grand Cherokee w/Hemi. Mileage averages 14mpg, tops out at 18mpg taking it easy on a road trip w/o towing. Towing my 16′ Aluminum back to 14mpg, Jeep doesn’t know the boat is there. Plus side is if you want to drive like Mario Andretti, this is the rig, even at 65mpg hit the gas and you’re set back in the seat and up to 90+ in a flash. 
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I have a GMC Crew with an 8.1 and an Allison. It will pull anything you put behind it. It gets 10mpg with a load or without. I have gotten 11.5 empty before , but very seldom.
You must have the 4.10 axle. I have the 3.73 and managed to get 16 when i’ve been really easy on the gas and cruise set at 65. City driving mpg is another story 
I don’t need a long distance tow vehicle.. I need a vehicle that I can ride in without hurting my knee ..something that I can drive to and from Milwaukee,. or may be a trip down south.. and some current trucks are out of the question.. i.e. my buddy bought a Chevy Avalance.. he claims, its the same interior of my Suburban.. wrong.. no place for foot room for a moose like me, and just driving the 5 miles one way into town and back in the passenger seat and my knee ached for over a week, and I mean severe pain.. why? because the door rest was so wide that it doesn’t allow my knee to move out wider.. in fact.. I am trying to buy an older Suburban type because I don’t want the divide between me and the passenger side.. my knee needs open instead of a ac vent and a divder with CD storage.. the avalanche passenger seat doesn’t go as far back as the drivers seat.. either.. heck if I could get “bench seats” like in a service vehicle, I would be in heaven.. those are my needs.. not wants. NEEDS..
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