2014-2018 Chevrolet 5.3L V8 Silverado 1500 Engine (L83 EcoTec3): Longevity, Problems, And Specs

Chevrolet has always made good engines. But the US buyers know very well that the bigger the engine displacement, the better the longevity. And today, we'll be speaking about the 5.3L V8 engine that powers Silverado 1500 as well as some other GM vehicles. We'll tell you about the 5.3 EcoTec3 engine that has the code L83 (not the Vortec one, please bear it in mind).

Chevy has two modern 5.3L engines - one of them belongs to the Vortec series and the second is a part of the small-block engine series (LS). We'll be talking about the second one. It's a cool engine and we actually don't know why it hasn't been used in a lot of different cars. We even think that this engine can hold the title of one of the best V8 engines made by Chevy.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2014-2020
• Average lifespan of L83:260,000-290,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:355-376 hp
• Fuel efficiency:bad
• Engine block material:aluminum
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:oil consumption, cooling system problems, head gasket failure, spark plugs fail prematurely.

What are the main features of the 5.3L V8 Silverado engine?

This engine is really good in terms of specs. The company didn't want to make the most powerful V8 engine but it wanted to build an engine that will last long. The main features of the 5.3L V8 L83 EcoTec3 are hard to describe in a short article, but we'll try to highlight just some important things we want you to know.

First of all, this is a cast aluminum engine - both head and cylinder block are made of this material. There are two versions - one has 355 horsepower, and the other one offers 380 horsepower. The torque range is 383 to 416 lb-ft. The direct injection reduces the fuel consumption and also allows to use E85 instead of more expensive premium fuel.

Here are some technical highlights that are important to know:

• Chevy introduced the so-called advanced combustion system with wonderful efficiency in this engine;
• the cylinder management allows the engine to work in four cylinders when the loads are minimal;
• variable valve timing is probably the most complicated technology in this engine;
• the EcoTec3 engines were built based on the experience GM had while building hundreds of trucks;
• the engine is reliable and can go a lot of miles if serviced properly, just maintain it according to requirements.

The engine is light and small and it could be used in many vehicles. That's why this is one of the most popular swap engines for project cars. It's quite powerful and it also has proven to be economical.

By the way, the 5.3L V8 Silverado engine is one of the most economical V8 engines on the market. In this vehicle, it can show 23 MPG on the highway and around 16 MPG in the city. And these are not just advert figures. For a vehicle like Silverado and the V8 engine, it's actually a great result.

Where have they used the EcoTec3 5.3L engine?

General Motors tends to use its good engines in a huge lineup of vehicles. They can take one successful engine and put it in a dozen of models under different brands with just some slight changes. But somehow the 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 wasn't used in a lot of vehicles.

It has only been used in such cars:

• Chevrolet Silverado;
• GMC Sierra;
• Chevrolet Tahoe;
• Chevrolet Suburban;
• GMC Yukon.

As you may know, a lot of these names indicate the same vehicles just under different brands. So, the 5.3L L83 EcoTec3 engine wasn't used in a lot of car models. Why? Just because it's a specialized engine that should be used in a certain range of cars. It was made for Silverado 1500, but it was then used in a couple of cars of the same size and weight.

Any longevity information?

We would say, this engine is a little less durable than the Vortec engine by GM. It can go up to 250,000 miles until you need to repair it. Well, we don't recommend repairing these engines when they already have gone 250,000 miles because you will probably buy a new EcoTec3 engine cheaper than you will repair the old one.

The longevity figure is just an average estimate, it shouldn't be taken for granted. Of course, engine longevity depends on many things.

For example:

• your EcoTec3 engine will go over 250,000 miles with just simple service and maintenance like it's required by the manufacturer;
• you can add another 50,000 miles if you change the oil and the oil filter more often than it's recommended;
• also, about 10% of longevity can be added by good fuel because all direct-injection engines will need high-quality gasoline to live longer;
• the most important thing is to avoid overloading your engine - never tow more than is allowed in the instruction;
• you can sharply reduce longevity if you overheat the engine, so better keep it in the low RPM range (up to 2500).

These are just some basic things you may do to improve (or reduce) the lifespan of your EcoTec3 engine. The 5.3-liter V8 engine will live long if you repair it at 200,000 miles. We mean the big repair with replacing the piston rings, valve seals, and some other parts. If you do this, you can add another 100,000 miles to your engine.

But still, there is a limit to lifespan and we believe it's somewhere between 250,000 and 300,000 miles. You should understand that your engine's longevity depends much on you.

What are the most common problems of the EcoTec3 5.3L V8?

Chevy engines are generally good and don't cause many problems. Nearly all small-block engines get a lot of good reviews from owners and never let them down. But they still have some problems like any other thing in the world. And now we are going to make a list of common problems that you should expect if you own the V8 5.3L engine.

We have to warn you that this list has been made up by studying reviews and talking to car mechanics. It doesn't mean that these problems will certainly all be in your engine. Just the 5.3L LS engines sometimes show them and bother their owners.

Here are the most common problems of the L83 EcoTec3:

1. Excessive oil consumption. First of all, you should know that these engines burn some oil even when they are new. But over time, they start consuming a lot of oil and even forming black smoke from the exhaust. This means you will need to add some oil regularly.
2. Low oil levels. Because of oil consumption and also oil leaks, these engines can work with a low oil level and you will not know about this because the oil indicator will only light up when it's a critical oil level.
3. Also, injection problems are quite bad. Direct injection can clog and lead to problems with fuel injection, idling, acceleration, and power. Servicing the fuel injection system is not that easy and not cheap.
4. Electronics problems. Well, it's hard to find a certain sensor that often malfunctions but you have to keep an eye on this. Numerous sensors can fail and lead to problems. But the engine still won't go to the limp mode and will go well.
5. Cylinder management system. This engine can turn off 4 cylinders when the engine load is not so high. But this system may lead to many minor problems. The worst thing is that repairing this system is actually expensive and hard.
6. Aluminum block problems. It's not about the material, but about the repair. You may know that nearly all V8 engines are made of cast iron and you can easily repair them even if the cylinder block is scratched. But with aluminum, it will not work out well.

Although we think this engine is reliable, it can't be repaired after big failures. This engine can be used until it's broken - then you better replace it with a swap option and keep on driving your Silverado.

If you want a reliable and powerful gasoline engine with wonderful torque and a good lifetime, the EcoTec3 5.3L V8 is one of the best options you can get. With this engine, you will economize on fuel, you will not need to visit repair shops very often and spend a lot of your time and money on maintenance.

Final words

Big engines are not bad at all in terms of longevity. They have a wonderful lifespan, they are great in terms of power and torque. Fuel consumption is higher than you may think but it's not a big deal when you are driving a reliable truck that can go anywhere with no problems. And still, the 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 has some problems you should consider. Our verdict - we can recommend this engine if you need an all-purpose option with relatively good gas mileage and long life.