The Chevy 8.1 Workhorse V8 Engine (Specs, Problems, Review)
Bigger is not always better. This large engine did not last very long. It was featured in a few truck models between 2001 and 2007. One reason may be that the engine came with too many problems to overcome. Or people just do not want large block engines anymore.
The engine was built mostly out of cast iron and had ratings of 340hp and 450lb-ft of torque, with the engines rated for 550hp and 690 lb-ft of torque. While it was powerful enough to tow just about anything you wanted to tow, the problems of gas mileage and other issues cut short its existence.
To learn more about this top engine, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about if you are shopping for a used truck having this motor under the hood. Take a few minutes to see how this information can help your purchase decision.
Chevy 8.1 Workhorse 101
Is The 8.1 Vortec a Good Engine?
According to one reviewer, this engine is very reliable and bulletproof. It was designed to last roughly 250,000 miles or more. It is said to be the last of a breed engine as it is the last of the Chevy big-block motors that powered many of their vehicles.
The major feature that many old car buffs liked about this motor is that it is based on their favorite motor, the 454 ci big block. The only difference Chevy or GM put into the 8.1 was a larger stroke.
This increase in the stroke also increased the displacement turning the motor into a very top model 8.1 liters. So according to those who have experience with this motor, it is a very good and very reliable engine to have under the hood.
There were flaws to this motor but those flaws were not so much performance-based as they were personal preference-based or part-based. For example:
-Iron block and heads, total engine weight is over 750 lbs.
-Older big block parts don’t fit on the 8.1 Vortec.
-Chevy LS parts don’t fit on the 8.1 Vortec.
-Limited production makes them more challenging to find than an LS.
The fact that we and others are still talking about this engine roughly 20 years later tells you that it was a very good engine. Its limited production and those other points stopped it from becoming more popular and cut its existence down.
What Vehicles Had The 8.1 Vortec Engine
The motor did indeed have a limited production run. It was not found in all GM or Chevy trucks. That was probably its downfall, along with some key problems that GM seemed to be unable to fix.
The vehicles that had this motor installed are the following ones:
-Chevrolet Silverado
-GMC Sierra 2500HD & 3500HD
-Chevrolet Suburban
-GMC Yukon XL 2500
-Chevrolet Express 2500 & 3500
-Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
-Chevrolet/GMC Kodiak
-Workhorse Class A motorhomes
-T-98 Kombat armored vehicles
-Malibu Boats
-MasterCraft Boats
Also, the desire for smaller more gas-efficient motors paved the way for this engine’s demise. This is too bad as it was a very reliable motor and gave you lots of towing options most other motors and trucks do not have.
Who Makes 8.1 Workhorse Engine?
It could be Chevy or it could be GM but since the latter owns the former, you can be safe by saying that GMN made this motor. The two brands are being used interchangeably when people talk about this engine.
The reason that the production of this motor was stopped was due to government environmental regulations. It is getting harder and harder for carmakers to make big block motors these days. Governments want emissions cut and they put regulations in place to meet that objective.
GM phased out all of its big-block lineups a decade or so ago and the 8.1 Vortec was the last one to leave their lineup. To cut costs when building this motor, GM went to an all-iron construction. This construction material also boosted the strength of the engine.
Originally, GM built this motor as a diesel alternative. There are parts of the country where buying diesel fuel is non-existent and when available, very expensive. GM wanted a gas-powered motor to meet the needs of those customers in those areas.
The 8.1 Vortec was offered as an upgrade to the GM 6.0 Liter LQ motor.
Chevy 8.1 Workhorse Specs
This motor does come with some impressive specs. Here are just a few of them to start this section off right:
-Cylinder Block: 90-degree, cast-iron construction
-Cylinder Head: Cast-iron construction
-Valvetrain: Cam-in-block with pushrod, 2v/cylinder
-Bore: 4.250in
-Stroke: 4.370in
-Horsepower: 320hp – 340hp
-Torque: 440lb-ft – 455lb-ft
-Compression Ratio: 9.1:1
Other specs include a firing order of 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3, a 6 1/2 quart engine oil capacity, naturally aspirated with a fuel system of Sequential multi-port fuel injection, and used regular unleaded 87 octane gas.
The maximum speed on the trucks, SUVs, and vans only reached 5000 RPM. This motor was paired with an Allison transmission, which even FORD agrees is probably the best in the world.
The fuel mileage was down though. You were lucky to get approx. 8 mpg unloaded and only 5 when towing up to 7500 to 10,000pounds. Although you may get 14 mpg on the highway when empty.
The towing capacity will depend on the type of model the engine comes in. It has been said that the upper limit is 10,400 pounds. Check the manual to see how much the engine or truck is rated to tow.
The manual should also give you the cargo weight capacity as well.
What Gas Mileage Does a Chevy 8.1 Get?
It is not very good news. The usual factors will apply, driving habits, road conditions, weather conditions, weight in the vehicle, and how much you are towing. These will all play a factor as will driving in the city or the highway.
Another factor will be the type of vehicle the engine was placed in. Some people reported a low of 5 mpg when towing and 8-9 when empty. Others have said they have reached 14 mpg when empty and driving on the highway
Other owners reported different figures depending on their speed at the time and the type of road they were on. It was rare to see anyone report over 10 mpg for the 8.1 engine. Most were in the 6 to 7 mpg range.
This is one of the problems this engine could not overcome. It just got low gas mileage no matter if it was empty or towing a heavy trailer. This low fuel efficiency rating is one reason why GM stopped production. It was not getting the numbers it needed to keep it in existence.
Travel trailer owners wanted to get more mpg than this engine was offering so they were going to smaller motors that still had enough power to tow their trailers.
How Much HP Can an 8.1 Vortec Handle?
This will depend on the type of application it was designed to work in. For example, the heavy-duty application was a very low 330 HP @ 4200 RPM. It also had a 450 lb-ft of torque at 3200 RPM.
But in other applications, the HP went up to 550 and 690 lb-ft of torque. Some applications took it to 610 HP. It all depends on where the engine was placed. As big as this motor was or is, its performance pales in comparison to the largest motor Chevy ever made.
The ZZ632/1000 was the largest that the company made and it was a naturally aspirated 632-cubic-inch V-8 that produces 1,004 horsepower and 876 lb-ft of torque motor. This was called a crate engine.
It is said that because the engine was made from cast iron for most of its part, it was hard to upgrade the 8.1 and get it to produce greater power. This is due to the fact that other big block parts do not fit on this motor.
That design shut down many opportunities to use performance-enhancing parts to boost the power. To offset that difficulty, GM or Chevy made some interesting 8.1 parts and Raylor Engineering seemed to be the only company that even tried to make new and better parts for this motor.
Upgrading this engine to get more power seemed like an uphill battle. Except for the kits that Raylor Engineering created for the 8.1. But the question is if the extra power was worth the expense. So far, no one has answered that question.
It seems that this company also made strokers and kits to help you get more power if you are just towing. Even after all these years, it may be worth checking out and seeing if those kits and parts are still available.
8.1 Workhorse Oil Capacity
With proper maintenance, the 8.1 is expected to last longer than 250,000 miles and regular maintenance includes timely oil changes. If you own a truck, etc., with this engine you can expect to put 6.5 quarts of oil in the oil tank.
Some owners have reported putting in 7 and not having any problems. Another owner stated that he put the recommended 6.5 quarts in and when he checked the dipstick, he said he still had room for another 1/2 quart.
There was a car magazine that stated that you should put an extra 1/2 quart into the oil tank. The reason it gave was that when you turned a corner, the engine did not swallow a bunch of air.
Don’t forget that the oil filter will take up about 1 quart of oil at any given time. So 7 seems to be a safe upper limit to go by. But put in the amount you think will provide you with the best performance. Just do not go too low or too high.
The recommended oil type varies among users. One site said the AC Delco GM OE dexos1 Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil was the one to use. However, different owners have different preferences. We have seen a few different brands and viscosities used.
Some of those alternatives were- Mobil1 10w-30 HM; Maxlife 10W-30 or 10W-40; Rotella synthetic 5w40 and so on. You should check your owner’s manual to make sure you put the right type of oil into its crankcase.
Some owners made their oil change routine every 6 months. But you can play that by ear as you may be using this engine for different purposes. Check your manual for when you should change the oil.
Common Workhorse 8.1 Engine Problems
There are about 6 common engine problems that keep re-occurring with this motor. Here is a list of them with a brief description:
1. Faulty Crankshaft Position Sensor- this is the most common and probably the one that causes the most frustration with 8.1 owners. What this part does is monitor the rotation and speed of the crankshaft.
This information is then relayed to the ECU which then uses it to control fuel injection and ignition timing. When the sensor goes bad, your engine’s performance can go down.
2. Intake Manifold Gasket Failure- this is not a great design but it performs like other gaskets for other engines. The big difference is that the 8.1 gasket will wear out faster than other engine models.
The signs that it is going bad on you are rough engine idle, a whistling sound coming from the engine compartment, slow acceleration, and a lack of power. You may also see P1174 or P1175 engine codes.
3. Lifter Tick- The lifters for this engine sit on the camshaft and are supposed to open and close the valves. During their operation, these parts can develop a tick. The source for that noise can be oil deposits, a bad lifter, or a bent pushrod.
On this engine, the first one is the most common source. A can of Marvel Mystery oil should solve the problem.
4. Spark Plug Failure- the 8.1 is known to burn oil and also to leave some oil just lying around the engine. When this happens, that burnt or unburnt oil fouls the plugs. This situation means the plugs will be damaged quicker than other motors’ plugs.
The spark plugs on this motor are supposed to be changed every 25,000 miles but it could be more frequent than that if your truck burns more oil.
5. Excessive Oil Consumption- the 8.1 uses a lot of oil and many owners find themselves adding an extra quart in between oil changes. While this does not happen to all owners it does happen to quite a few.
This action usually takes place around the 2500 to 5000-mile mark. It is just something to keep your eye on as the burnt oil can foul your plugs at the same time.
6. Gas Mileage- you are not going to get a lot with this engine. Most owners do not like the low figures they get when they drive the trucks with this engine in them. Those figures tend to be around 7 to 9 city and 12 to 14 mpg on the highway.
Expect lower if you are towing something.
Finding an 8.1 Workhorse Engine For Sale
Different engine businesses have these motors on sale without the truck. But they may not have the whole engine up for sale. One company is asking $1600 for just the core charge alone.
Another company has the engine and the Allison transmission for sale. It is supposed to have only 24,000 miles on it approx. They did not post a price for this combination. A third website is offering this motor under the hood.
This must be a dealer as those parts and engines are listed from Canada to North Carolina. Their prices range from $750 to $850. We are not listing any URLs as these options may not be close to you and engines sell quickly.
You should do your own search for this engine. That way you can look for used trucks, etc., that have this engine or just the motor by itself. There are many opportunities to buy one these days as not many people want a gas guzzler under the hood.
Some Final Words
In the end, GM made a very good, reliable, and durable motor. If it wasn’t that way, you would not find that many for sale, 15+ years later. They were designed to last for over 250,000 miles which tells you that there is a lot of strength in this engine model.
As for the common problems, you may be able to find one that has been fixed already since they seem to happen frequently. They are not hard fixes to deal with except for the low gas mileage. That problem seems to be there to stay.
