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They are obsolete. Drive a Duramax or strong LS engine and you will see why nobody needs the old big blocks anymore.
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LOL...true to a point, but the Dmax is terribly complex/expensive, and the LS engine in the HD series won't pull with the big block...my opinion, the 8.1L was *the best* bang for the buck for a no-nonsense HD/towing application. No, you won't have the unloaded fuel mileage of a Dmax (loaded they're nearly identical), but the 496 is 10x easier to maintain or diagnose than it's diesel counterpart. And, last I knew, the 8.1L carried the highest *legal* GVW in the 3500 chassis (before they axed the engine option)...
Not to mention the added initial cost, added maintenance costs, etc...don't get me wrong, we own 2 Dmax trucks and love them, but we also own 2 8.1L trucks...and I hated seeing the 8.1L option go.