how much can a 2.8L tow?

[white00s10]

well, illbe looking to turn a 1988 GMC jimmy 4x4 into a tow rig. Currently its got a 700r4 and a 2.8L v6 (ugh) how much cna this engine pull,, and how good do you think its gonna be for a mud machine?

[firefighter]

not good. The 2.8L was marginal at best in a 2wd p/u and you got a 4x4 Blazer. It can barely do a good job of towing it's own but never mind anything behind it. Look for a 4.3L.

[white00s10]

damn :( well looks like ill be looking into swapping a 4.3l in there

[firefighter]

If you are gonna do a swap put a SBC in there being an '88 you have very little electronics to deal with. If you got the JTR manual you'll see in your case it can be realatively economical and kinda easy. Try going here..

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/index.html

[white00s10]

yeah but how good is it gonna be on gas, i want this to be a reliable tow rig/ daily driver i figured id just dump a newer 98+ 4.3L in there with some boltons

[firefighter]

Well the theory is the more power you got the less the motor has to work so theoreticly a 1000hp mp would get better mpg than a 100hp motor given the exact same conditions. But the problem with the theory is if you got 1000hp you are gonna use all of them. A mildly built 350 with a 700r4 or even better a 5 speed will get better mileage than a 4.3L. Also remember the transmission has more of an impact on mpg than fuel injection. Fuelinjection is more a benefit for drivability and idle, start up characteristics.

[Slacker1357]

Yeah, when I tried to climb a highly elevated hill... didn't do much. The truck did wonders in the snow though. great for late night early morning parking lots with a couple feet of snow or inches of ice :D

even I recommend putting a newer engine and trans in if you're gonna wheel it. the only other way is a complete overhaul with performance... but you can do that with a 4.3 or something else and have better.

Before the engine went, I was getting 14mpg (winter time) but avg. was 15-16 mpg no matter how I drove.

[T Man]

At the time I parked my 87 it was getting 20-22 mpg. Towing is iffy, I used to work for an outfitter, and didnt have problems towing a trailer with 8 or 10 canoes on it. Anything more it would have been a dog

[Slacker1357]

just for the record... the truck being mentioned is my old truck white00s10 is talking about buying. I'll try to hold it through the next week or two... but if I get a buyer by then it may be sold after the next two weeks. But don't worry, I currently don't have anyone else talking yet... kinda the standard courtesy warning I guess. It'll be here til I go over-seas in Mid January. then it'll be going to a junk yard

[lucy_blue_93]

i have a 93 s10 with the 2.8 out of a 88 blazer in it. i know for a fact it will pull 1600 pounds and wont feel it. it really depends on if u have a stick or auto and how you drive it. i would hook up to anything right now and wouldnt think about it twice.