L05 VS L31 or 95 VS 96+ Tahoe

[GSRAGTOP]

Hey Gang,

New member hear. I currently have a 1993 Chevy Blazer (full size) with the L05 TBI 350 V8. This is a great motor, and I have owned at least a half dozen of them over the years. From my experience they are fairly bulet proof as long as you are doing your oil changes, tune ups, ect.

Any way I just had baby about 9 months ago, and while the blazer is a second vechical used bascally for towing cars (with a tow dolly) the car seat thing is getting very old. Especially because I have to install the seat every time we want to used the truck and that back seat does not make life easy. So i am now in search of a Tahoe or Yukon. Now hear is my question, I love the L05, I know the L05 and I respect the L05. However limiting my self to one year of a vechical line is proveing difficult. I must admit that the extra power from the Vortec L31 would be nice, but I have questions about reliability. It seems like they blow intake gaskets, head gaskets, develop valve taps (from bad lifters), and lower end knocks MUCH more often then the old L05. This is based on feedback, and just checking out the local cars for sale ads. Almost all of the trucks I see that "need work" are the 96+ modles, PLUS its seems people pay a premium for the 1995 trucks.

Can any one give me any insight into this? Are the L31's unreliable?? should they be on my list??

I really dont want to spend very much, and with gas prices going thrugh the roof the prices seem to be falling very quickly.


Thanks

 

[Mike97]

I have a 94 Silverado with the L05, and a 97 Tahoe with the L31. There is very little power difference between the two. The pickup has an intake, headers, and exhaust, and the Tahoe has a high flow exhaust but no headers or intake. The Tahoe seems to have a little bit better pull, but there's really not a lot of difference.

As far as reliability goes, my 97 Tahoe has 132,000 miles on it. I have yet to experience any of the problems you mentioned, but I expect that I eventually will. I used to own a 97 Silverado a few years back. At about 125,000 miles it developed the intake manifold leak. I was able to almost completely stop the leak by RTV'ing the corner intake manifold bolts.

I think if I had my choice to do over again, I would've bought a 95. I prefer the updated interiors to the older ones, and it would have the TB engine.

 

[GMCYukalade]

I've got a 99 L31.. and a 97 L31.. the 99 has about 127,000 - the 97 has over 214,000 neither have those problems u mentioned - alto the 97 has developed the po470 prob.. which will be fixed soon

--edit--

And currently the 97 is for-sale

 

[clean95]

i have a 95 tbi LOVE IT! awesome truck i started car shopping for a newer/ more efficient car and let my friend barrow my truck wow MISSED it.... and i haven't had any real problems well wait i take that back..... tranny at 200k and rear diff at 211 witch thankfully is getting rebuilt tomorrow so i can driver my hoe again! but no problems that u stated good solid trucks... i have a few friends with 96's and newer and they have had a few problems u listed not bad.... 95 was the last year for that motor so it was the best!

 

[General Stalin]

Meh, the 87 - 95 engines kinda blew. The heads were no good, and the stock throttle body setup didn't help. The OLDER 350's, and the 96+ 350 BOTH had better power. Don't get me wrong, I love my truck's engine and the power is totally there... but the heads that were on the older carbureted models made a little more power, and the vortec heads and MPFI made more power. The TBI heads had this primative swirled intake port design that choked at higher-end power. Decent low-end torque, but fairly norrow powerband I guess you could say.