SC vs Full Engine Build

[Joseph Garcia]

If you're a family man, if it's the family vehicle, the ONLY vehicular projects that get finished before duh misses starts flappin 'er gummz
involve a supercharger, or a crate engine. Engine builds take too dang long.
A 6.6L L8T, with the LT4's supercharger on it, that's da dream - and it'll get done quick enough that your significant will not be able to use the downtime against you.

YES!! SHE has to agree to the mods, even if presented in a way that somehow depicts 'NECESSITY' versus, 'Nice To Do'.

My dearly departed wife used to say to me, before a 'NECESSITY' project (she f**cking damn well knew me!!), "Good luck, and BTW, my vehicle is NOT available for you to run to the auto parts store." LOLOLOL

 

[Joseph Garcia]

honda are great for guys that want to learn to turn a wrench and dont want to spend a fortune.

i like your truck. your mod list is something im already studying

Your statement is probably true. BUT, I want to make clear that my auto wrenching skills were originally developed long before that, with my 1963 Ford Falcon Convertible with 4 on the floor that I purchased for $200. EVEERYTHING except for the transmission was replaced, at least once (the motor 3 times), during my ownership years, and I did the work. THAT is where I learned my wrenching skills. I have stories about that car that would fill books, but it got me anywhere that I needed to go at the time.

INCENTIVE: I was in Troy, NY (6 miles up the NYS's a** from Albany), and my girl was in Boston, 150 miles away. Need I say more??

Example: I had a head gasket failure, and I replaced it in a parking lot under their lights in a snow storm, because I had to be in Boston the next day.

 

[Bigburb3500]

mental note to self with that recommednation of "the dream"

but not my daily... i run around in a caddy xt5 sport and girlfriend has a porsche cayenne s i hooked her up with so we arent a two car family my any means. i pay all the bills she is not one to be insubordinate to my household leadership and she aint the mrs yet lol.

just got rid of an alfa romeo quadrafoglio this week that had been my toy car. the tahoe is replacing it

dont call me a fool. the stelvio was badass to the bone but kind of above my paygrade as far as working on it. 20k is like tires and brakes on that mfer

I had a Grand Cherokee SRT… I have tire hook ups and COST was $1800….

 

[palerider]

Is that all??? What did you do for the other 20 days?

hung up on p0101 code on the intake. threw the code...smoke tested and failed at the maf sensor...replaced the seals... passed....50 miles later....just threw it again. dang. on a stupid intake ffs

 

[palerider]

Is that all??? What did you do for the other 20 days?

waited for delivery lol

 

[Fless]

Your statement is probably true. BUT, I want to make clear that my auto wrenching skills were originally developed long before that, with my 1963 Ford Falcon Convertible with 4 on the floor that I purchased for $200. EVEERYTHING except for the transmission was replaced, at least once (the motor 3 times), during my ownership years, and I did the work. THAT is where I learned my wrenching skills. I have stories about that car that would fill books, but it got me anywhere that I needed to go at the time.

Which engine did it have, the 144cid, the 170cid, or the 260V8?

My first car was a 1964 Falcon with the 170cid and a 2-speed automatic tranny. It was a dog but it was an economical ride for a college kid. I once changed an exhaust manifold outside my dorm building (NIU - Dekalb, IL) for a friend's similar Falcon, in the cold and snow. Those 6cyl manifolds had a habit of cracking.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Which engine did it have, the 144cid, the 170cid, or the 260V8?

My first car was a 1964 Falcon with the 170cid and a 2-speed automatic tranny. It was a dog but it was an economical ride for a college kid. I once changed an exhaust manifold outside my dorm building (NIU - Dekalb, IL) for a friend's similar Falcon, in the cold and snow. Those 6cyl manifolds had a habit of cracking.

I WISH that I had the 260 V8, but alas, I had the 170 straight six. But, with the 4 speed transmission, it wasn't all that bad. Was never going to win a race, but it was still fun to drive.

Yes, the college parking lot was often my 'shop'.

 

[jerry455]

What ever you do, find out who can tune it first. Global B is not something everyone can unlock and tune. Superchargers work well on big, heavy trucks like these as they make a lot of low end torque over a large lopey cam. You need low end torque to move this weight. Once you have the power you are going to find the next weak link. Hennessy and maybe someone else is doing superchargers on new trucks but I don't know who is tuning it or how they are getting around it.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Don't forget to upgrade the tires / steering / suspension to be able to withstand and manage all that extra power -
but you already have experience with having an engine that's too powerful for the rest of the car ...

 

[91RS]

The supercharger doesn’t make these that fast. They are so heavy that the power doesn’t feel anything like it does in a car and they don’t have the suspension to plant it either. The SC is worth the money to me because it is so easy to install, doing a cam is just a massive amount of work for 30hp (different story if you’re going in there anyway because something failed).

 

[Dirty looks]

The supercharger doesn’t make these that fast. They are so heavy that the power doesn’t feel anything like it does in a car and they don’t have the suspension to plant it either. The SC is worth the money to me because it is so easy to install, doing a cam is just a massive amount of work for 30hp (different story if you’re going in there anyway because something failed).

I'm not sure if I agree that the suspension won't plant it. The link set up is far superior to leafs, zero axle wrap.
I'm not making massive power but it hooks like velcro.
On a roll in second at the hit the 2-1 shift comes very close to picking the front tires off. It's violent but isn't ot slipping.
Passenger reactions are hilarious

 

[Bigburb3500]

I'm not sure if I agree that the suspension won't plant it. The link set up is far superior to leafs, zero axle wrap.
I'm not making massive power but it hooks like velcro.
On a roll in second at the hit the 2-1 shift comes very close to picking the front tires off. It's violent but isn't ot slipping.
Passenger reactions are hilarious

4.11s do this too. My daughter’s reaction is always “AGAIN!”

… my wife’s… not so much

 

[91RS]

I'm not sure if I agree that the suspension won't plant it. The link set up is far superior to leafs, zero axle wrap.
I'm not making massive power but it hooks like velcro.
On a roll in second at the hit the 2-1 shift comes very close to picking the front tires off. It's violent but isn't ot slipping.
Passenger reactions are hilarious

I said in comparison to a car, not a pickup truck.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

4.11s do this too. My daughter’s reaction is always “AGAIN!”

… my wife’s… not so much

A SC AND 4.10 gears...... That is what I am about to find out.

 

[91RS]

That’s called 5mpg!

 

[Dirty looks]

That’s called 5mpg!

Ah, but the smiles per gallon are priceless..well, not priceless but I'm here for a good time not a long time.

 

[fozzi58]

Island Dragway Run

5.3 6L80
I have about $30k into her with all the mods (suspension, audio, wheels, etc)
Whipple 2.9 with upgraded intercooler pump
MightyMouse Xtreme catch can
Kooks stepped 1 7/8" stainless headers
offroad Y (catless)
Borla touring exhaust
Circle D triple disk 3k stall
Custom aluminum 1 piece driveshaft rated for 1k lbs/ft
OEM rear rebuilt with Yukon guts and Eaton Trutrac carrier & 4.11s
Atomic Fabrication poly motor mounts - 1" shorter
Tune (obviously)

The above run was done on the factory rear with the stock 3.08 gears and 24" wheels. She was running consistently between 14.01~14.2 at 98-99. My r/t was not so good. My best was a .699 which is pitiful, but like I said the last time I was at the track I was 20 with an 86 IROC.

The rear is now sporting 4.11s and have a set of 22's with low profile tires. I will eventually get a drag pack. I should easily be pulling down a 13.7 or better although I haven't been to the strip since I did the rear. This is a 2WD Burb.

I daily drive the truck plus auto cross it which is why i have like $7k+ in suspension.

I have done absolutely ZERO work to the motor and am only considering it now to get rid of the mechanical AFM components PLUS I am out of fuel. In order to make more power out of the 5.3 I need to upgrade the fuel system otherwise it will run lean. Need to replace the in tank pump, the cam with the 32% fuel lobe, the L86 high pressure fuel pump or the LT1 pump, plus injectors. without touching heads or changing the pully the tuner said I can easily get another 50hp out of the stock motor with fuel upgrades.

As for suspension, I have a 2"\4" drop on the truck courtesy of Belltech 2" drop spindles and eibach coils out back. All the suspension links in the rear are Spohn components. Eibach sways F&R, DJM sway links F&R Eibach rear coils, and DJM relocation bracket for the lower trailing arms in the back. Bell tech adjustable shocks in the 4 corners. Front suspension are Mevotech boxed aluminum a arms u/L, poly bushings from a Silverado and custom sleeves. Again DJM links attach to the Eibach sway. The only component left from the factory are the front coils.

The Whipple is a blast to drive. With the 4.11s installed, its an absolute beast from a dig. Its a violent launch but with the 24s it actually grabs pretty good. If I had motor work done first instead of the SC, I don't think I would have such a dramatic increase in power for the $$$ spent. 60k miles later and I am itching to improve it but I don't need much more to keep those smiles per mile coming.

 

[Dirty looks]

A SC AND 4.10 gears...... That is what I am about to find out.

I currently have 3.73's. Soon to be 4 88's to match with 37" rubber.
Might have to try for a 4 wheel burn out on the stock rubber first..

 

[Dirty looks]

Island Dragway Run

5.3 6L80
I have about $30k into her with all the mods (suspension, audio, wheels, etc)
Whipple 2.9 with upgraded intercooler pump
MightyMouse Xtreme catch can
Kooks stepped 1 7/8" stainless headers
offroad Y (catless)
Borla touring exhaust
Circle D triple disk 3k stall
Custom aluminum 1 piece driveshaft rated for 1k lbs/ft
OEM rear rebuilt with Yukon guts and Eaton Trutrac carrier & 4.11s
Atomic Fabrication poly motor mounts - 1" shorter
Tune (obviously)

The above run was done on the factory rear with the stock 3.08 gears and 24" wheels. She was running consistently between 14.01~14.2 at 98-99. My r/t was not so good. My best was a .699 which is pitiful, but like I said the last time I was at the track I was 20 with an 86 IROC.

The rear is now sporting 4.11s and have a set of 22's with low profile tires. I will eventually get a drag pack. I should easily be pulling down a 13.7 or better although I haven't been to the strip since I did the rear. This is a 2WD Burb.

I daily drive the truck plus auto cross it which is why i have like $7k+ in suspension.

I have done absolutely ZERO work to the motor and am only considering it now to get rid of the mechanical AFM components PLUS I am out of fuel. In order to make more power out of the 5.3 I need to upgrade the fuel system otherwise it will run lean. Need to replace the in tank pump, the cam with the 32% fuel lobe, the L86 high pressure fuel pump or the LT1 pump, plus injectors. without touching heads or changing the pully the tuner said I can easily get another 50hp out of the stock motor with fuel upgrades.

As for suspension, I have a 2"\4" drop on the truck courtesy of Belltech 2" drop spindles and eibach coils out back. All the suspension links in the rear are Spohn components. Eibach sways F&R, DJM sway links F&R Eibach rear coils, and DJM relocation bracket for the lower trailing arms in the back. Bell tech adjustable shocks in the 4 corners. Front suspension are Mevotech boxed aluminum a arms u/L, poly bushings from a Silverado and custom sleeves. Again DJM links attach to the Eibach sway. The only component left from the factory are the front coils.

The Whipple is a blast to drive. With the 4.11s installed, its an absolute beast from a dig. Its a violent launch but with the 24s it actually grabs pretty good. If I had motor work done first instead of the SC, I don't think I would have such a dramatic increase in power for the $$$ spent. 60k miles later and I am itching to improve it but I don't need much more to keep those smiles per mile coming.

Do you have any dyno numbers on your beast?

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Ah, but the smiles per gallon are priceless..well, not priceless but I'm here for a good time not a long time.

That is SO very TRUE!

And, a Sunoco station near me is selling 94 octane gas at only 10 cents above 93 octane gas. Maybe, squeeze out a few more smiles per gallon?