GM 2.7 turbo vs 5.3 V8

**Harvestmoon** · 03-12-2023, 10:09 PM

Any half ton Chevy drivers out there make the switch from the 5.3L V8 to the 2.7L I4 turbo? We have the 2017 version of the 5.3L with 6-speed now, and it tows our 22MLE great. I hate to rock the boat, but we're shopping trucks and in the current market GM is really upcharging for the 5.3 V8 now. The 2022-23 engines are 5.3L V8 10-speed at 355HP and 383lb-ft and the 2.7L I4 8-speed at 310HP and 420lb-ft. The numbers seems good and there are plenty of youtube vids out there with guys pulling trailers up and down mountain grades and saying the 2.7 turbo is just as good as the V8. GM is also heavily promoting the 2.7 and says it's a capable tower (9000lb tow rating and 1900+ payload), while at the same time NOT offering the 2.7 combined with the max tow package. I like that the truck is lighter with the 2.7. Has anybody made the switch from V8 to 2.7 turbo and what has your real world experience been?

**pilotpip** · 03-13-2023, 02:34 PM

I'm a ford owner, so I can't give a direct comparison, but I'm a fan of the 3.5ecoboost. What GM is looking to do here is similar.

Where forced induction really shines while towing is the amount of low end torque it can produce. Where it doesn't shine, is heat. When you pressurize air, it heats up. In order to overcome that heat, you have to have a large intercooler. On the fords, that pretty much offsets any weight savings you have over the 5.0 coyote. I don't know how I'd feel about it in an inline 4. Without looking at the design I feel like you'd be generating a lot more heat in a smaller area and that could be problematic. One other place that may be an issue is compression braking. The ecoboost does have less of an effect there than the V8 does, and a smaller displacement 4 would see even less. Not as much of an issue with modern transmissions and their programming controlling downshifts in a tow/haul mode.

I've owned two eco boosts. A 13 and an 18. Where the 18 really blows the 13 away is the transmission. The 10 speed has a much lower first gear, and higher final overdrive. It pulls my rockwood amazingly well. It does a nice job downshifting under braking but some people freak out because that's about the only time it really gets revving.

**Ynot4me2** · 03-13-2023, 05:26 PM

Not really apples compared to apples but close. We tow our 22mle with a 2019 Ford 2.7EB. No issues but like mentioned above, you do loose a bit on engine breaking. We've been to the East Coast on high and long grades and no issue. Nervous at first but it worked out good. We traded a 2010 F150 with the 6 speec 5.4L. This 2.7EB 10speed really out performs it.