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The Chevrolet Silverado 8.1 was a large pickup truck that used a heavy-duty gasoline engine. The "8.1" referred to the total engine displacement of 8.1 liters. The company produced the high-performance 8.1-liter engine between 2001 and 2006. The Vortec 8.1 V-8 engine was optional and could be used with the standard five-speed manual or optional six-speed manual, four-speed automatic hydra-matic or five-speed automatic transmissions.
Engine Specifications and Design
The Chevrolet Silverado 8.1 featured a V-8 engine. The engine had a bore by stroke of 4.25 by 4.37 inches (107.95 by 111 mm). The compression ratio was a modest 9.1-to-1. The block and cylinder heads were made of cast iron, while the ignition system used platinum-tipped, low-resistance spark plugs. The fuel delivery system was sequential fuel injection and the valve-train was an overhead valve design. The recommended fuel was 87 octane gasoline and the truck used a three-way catalytic convertor as well as an exhaust gas recirculation, positive crankcase ventilation and evaporation collection system.
Engine Performance
The total piston displacement was a hefty 8,128 cubic centimeters, or 495 cubic inches. The engine created a substantial power output of 340 horsepower at 4,200 rpm while the maximum torque was 455 foot-pounds at 3,200 rpm. The truck featured a four-wheel-drive format and the fuel system was injection. According to Miles Cook on Edmunds InsideLine, the engine performance surpassed the competition: "The output of this engine exceeds that of either V10 offered by Ford and Dodge. Both the Dodge 8.0-liter pushrod V10 and Ford 6.8-liter overhead cam V10 produce 310 horsepower, with the Dodge churning out 450 foot-pounds of torque and the Ford rating 425."
Truck Equipment
The front suspension used a standard long- and short-arm independent suspension design with a torsion bar. The rear suspension featured a semi-elliptical two-stage multi-leaf spring-operated suspension system. The brakes used were four-wheel disc brakes with a four-wheel anti-lock braking system, hydro-boost brake-apply as well as power assisted. The front brakes were 12.80 by 1.5 inches and the rear brakes were 12.8 by 1.2 inches. The wheels used were eight-bolt 16 by 6.5-inch steel wheels. Optional wheels were chrome steel wheels with a chrome center cap. The tires on the Silverado 8.1 were LT245/75R16E.
