My ultimate DD/Tow Rig

[Mac5005]

Heres the basics, 1993 2500 Suburban, 350 Tbi, 4l80E, 241. 190k on odometer.

Over the next few months while i am working on my Jeep, I am also going to be building my ultimate daily driver/tow rig for the jeep.

I am planning on swapping in a Stroked LS1 with a laptop tuneable standalone computer and fuel injection system. I am also going to run an older style distributor controlled by the computer instead of the DIS system used by current Gen. III engines. The engine would include all the bases, small cam, ported heads and intake, roller rockers, all the little things: nothing radical.

Behind the LS1, rebuild the current 4l80E that is in the suburban and get an aftermarket lockup converter to raise the stall speed to around 1800-2100 rpms. Build the tranny to handle everything i throw at it, including whatever i am towing.

Behind that, i would like to swap in a later model 205, hopefully one from behind a later 400, 465, or 700r, to make bolting it to the 4l80E alot cheaper and easier.

I have a chevy dana 60 /14ff combo i got out of an '86 CUCV, that i am going to swap in place of the ifs and 14sf, that is in the suburban currently. I am swapping these in because i think it is stupid to lift an ifs truck 6+ inches if i am going to drive it like i want to, everyday. The dana 60 is much stronger and more reliable.

I am going to first make the front axle swap using some 81-87 Rough Country 6inch leaf packs. Eventually trade these out for a 4 link and coils. I have used rough country leaves before and i love the way they ride, and they flex great offroad, especially under +6500lb vehicles. In the back, i am going to run some Rough country 6" lift leaf packs aswell.

My Goal is to have a reliable daily driver that i can tow my jeep as well as my car trailer with whatever on it. I am also going to use this suburban as my main recovery truck, that way my jeep can truly be my "toy".

I will be posting up pictures and updates of the build as soon as they happen, and post all the little things I do as well to make this "my ultimate DD/Tow Rig/Camping rig".

 

[YJJPWrangler87]

Clicking Subscribe now!...cool plans..can't wait to see it...are you gonna do it all at once or over a couple months/years.

Zack

 

[Mac5005]

Well, to be honest, i am in the middle of putting a tf727 in my wrangler behind the 4.7 stroker. I am going to run my np231 behind the 727, so i can keep my dana 30 and 8.8 until this summer when i swap in a 44/60 combo, and swap out the 231 for a d300.

I am hoping to have the engine, tranny, tcase, and axle swaps all done by Memorial Day, when i go camping and offroading in Western PA for 6 days. A group of about 30 people all meet up there for memorial day weekend, and surrounding days to camp and wheel. But this year, one of the guy's that lives in Pittsburgh, his wedding is May 11th and I hope to drive it up there for that.

 

[Mac5005]

A Rough Parts List of what I have:

-Iron Block 5.3L LS1 out of a 01 Suburban 68k miles
-LS6 intake, throttle body, fuel inj's and rails
-4L80E that needs rebuild but still works fine 190k miles
-Dana 60 out of 86 CUCV 4.56's open
-14 bolt FF out of same 4.56's Detroit

Rough of what I need:

-205 from 85 & up th400/465/700r to have the newer bolt pattern
-6" leaf packs for front & rear
-either F.A.S.T XFI standalone or Stock computer with Greddy Emanagment piggyback that is fully tuneable
-Converter for 4L80E with higher stall and retains Lockup
-I can make the driveshafts
-Summit Racing Series 185 16 x 10 Wheels
-36" or 37" Iroks, SSR's, Or Toyo M/T's
-Factory adapter for 205
-Wiring Harness for LS1 as well as Fuel Pump etc.
-Forged Stroker Crank for LS1 as well as forged Rotating Assembly, just in case later i decide to add Nitrous/Turbo/Supercharger



At the same time...I am doing ALL of this on the least budget possible, im a college student with a Part time job with bills to pay as well, so well see what happens.

I am also going to keep exact track of how much i spend on everything just so i know where i stand. out of the parts I have, i have spent $2750 on the Suburban, Axles, and LS1.

 

[braxton357]

Low budget plus heavy tow rig and you're wanting to use an ls1? I mean, I love the lsx series engines...but jesus this just screams big block something--another market that chevy definately has cornered. More torque for less money...wheres the problem?

 

[Mac5005]

I thought about using a big block, but i already have the ls1, and its about 150lbs lighter than a big block. and standard valve angle on big blocks are 23 degrees, like small blocks, while ls1 heads are 15 degrees. as well, my dad has an 01 2500 suburban with the 6.0 in it and i absolutely love the way it pulls. i also want the efficiency benefits of multiport fuel injection.

but braxton357 like you say, it does scream big block, and i do have a couple of caddy 500's, a 425 and a 472 laying around so well see...

whichever engine i decide on, i am going to run and tune it on an engine dyno, and i'll scan and post the results as they come...ive built an all out race 412 LS1 before and it made 539 hp and 516 ftlbs, so we'll see what kind of tricks i can pull out of a hat for this one.

P.S. Note to All, i love the objective criticism, it makes me look at other options, so keep the responses coming.

 

[Ricky B]

either way its gonna be bad ass, but I don't think you can top the coolness of the Z71 HD I got in progress

Nah I mean I think your plan is a pretty good one, I have a feeling you'll end up very satified with the Ls1, allthough you know i'm a fan of the big block cad . . . .

 

[Rich]

Low budget plus heavy tow rig and you're wanting to use an ls1? I mean, I love the lsx series engines...but jesus this just screams big block something--another market that chevy definately has cornered. More torque for less money...wheres the problem?

I thought about using a big block, but i already have the ls1, and its about 150lbs lighter than a big block.

150 lbs when you're talking about a Suburban with a 14bolt ?

Vortec 8100. THE gasoline tow rig motor. Massage that sucker instead of building a hot rod small block...

 

[RufusTheRam]

if you're dead set to build an LSx motor, at least start with a 6.0 block. waste of time/money to build the 5.3 for towing imo when there are better options.

 

[Ricky B]

btw: if that 14 bolt semi floater thats in the burb now is 6 lug, I call it when you pull it

 

[EasySteve]

Just a side note the 5.3 you keep referring to is not at LS1, there is a difference, the LS1 originated in 1997 in the Camaros and base Corvettes it is 346 cu in. and it never came in a truck platform (unless you've got a Gibbs Racing Silverado.) The 5.3L you keep referring to originated in '99 with the redsigned truck platform, most of these blocks from 99-03 ( 4.8L, 5.3L 6.0L 12551358) were cast Iron.

 

[rockmafia]

How do you put a disributor on any ls engine?

 

[BIGWOODY]

I can tell you from owning a buggy with an LS1 (a real 5.7 aluminum block one) the torque curve in that motor would suck for towing. It has the power band and torque curve comparable to a two stroke motor cycle. If you wanted to stay with a small block , I'd get a 6.0 and hop it up a bit. my .02

 

[BIGWOODY]

I am also going to run an older style distributor controlled by the computer instead of the DIS system used by current Gen. III engines. ".

is this possible? Never seen it done and can't say I understand the benefit of it. If you get the stock harness and computer reworked you can run all the stock stuff......jimsperformance.com he edited my computer and built my harness from a stock one.

 

[Blkvoodoo]

There is NO provision for a DIZZY on a gen 3 engine. no gear on the cam to drive one, and no hole in the block for it to mount.

Same with the Big Block 8100 ( which BTW is 496CID NOT 502)

I can't help but think you are confusing LT1 and LS1 ( LT1 Gen2 had the dizzy mounted on front of engine under water pump)

Many years ago, I did see a FRONT drive dizzy mount for a SBC, looked trick, was also told it was pretty troublesome. This was an aftermarket part of unknown origin.

 

[Cperry]

swap in a cummins better fuel economy and torque

 

[BigBody79]

what type of part time job do you have? are they hiring?

 

[Rich]

Many years ago, I did see a FRONT drive dizzy mount for a SBC, looked trick, was also told it was pretty troublesome. This was an aftermarket part of unknown origin.

I think it was Frankie Fountain that made a conversion for the LT1 to run a standard HEI dizzy.. I remember seeing on the PBB a year or 2 ago...

 

[rockmafia]

I think it was Frankie Fountain that made a conversion for the LT1 to run a standard HEI dizzy.. I remember seeing on the PBB a year or 2 ago...

Dist on an lt1 is nothing new, ls1...thats a new one on me.

 

[Mac5005]

ok... There is a provision for mounting an hei distributor on and "LS" series engine, you mount a gear on the front of the cam, and this gear comes with a new front cover from GM Perf Parts...they designed this after unveiling their LSX block and their new Carbuerated 440/364 crate engine this year as well. I just refer to "LS1" when talking about my 5.3L LM4/LM7 engine that i have, because i wanted people to understand what i was talking about when discussing this engine. Throwing the LM4/LM7 term around is not always common knowledge but "LS1" is. Also, the iron 5.3 i have, i got for 250 bucks about 3 months ago. as well, this motor has the same stroke as the 6.0 LQ4 engine and the "LS1" 5.7, just with a smaller bore. The difference in the 5.3 heads and the 6.0 heads is the size of the chambers and valve size. I am going to port my 5.3 heads, and increase the intake vavle size to 2.00 from 1.89, the exhaust valves are the same between 5.3 and 6.0 engines, and then flow the heads and re-port the heads to make sure i have even flow through each port. I would swap in the 6.0 heads but the chambers on these heads are 10cc larger than my 5.3 heads which would reduce my comp ratio to around 9.0:1. But yall are correct there is no replacement for displacement, but i came accross this engine for a deal,so i am going to use what i have. If i dont use this LM4/LM7 5.3 then i am going to use either a 383 Gen I engine, or a Caddy big block.

 

[Mac5005]

I work getting rid of mold in residential crawl spaces for Air Quality Control. And we're not hiring now, but if we do, ill be glad to let you know.

Ricky : Its an Eight lug... my pops called and said he found one rear sump pan, and hes going to look through some boxes and shelves, as well as those two cars to see if there is another. Ill let you know.

Thanks for the info BigWoody about jimsperformance.com if i can get a set of stock coils for cheaper than i can do the Hei swap, them im going that route.

 

[Ricky B]

Ricky : Its an Eight lug... my pops called and said he found one rear sump pan, and hes going to look through some boxes and shelves, as well as those two cars to see if there is another. Ill let you know.

Preciate it man

 

[Blkvoodoo]

I think it was Frankie Fountain that made a conversion for the LT1 to run a standard HEI dizzy.. I remember seeing on the PBB a year or 2 ago...

The set up I saw was YEARS before the LT1 (Gen2 anyway)


Was a cast aluminum housing that replaced the timing cover and then mounted another dizzy drive gear to the cam gear.

was a rather unique set up, also required the use of a second dizzy housing/dummy shaft to drive the oil pump.

ok... There is a provision for mounting an hei distributor on and "LS" series engine, you mount a gear on the front of the cam, and this gear comes with a new front cover from GM Perf Parts...they designed this after unveiling their LSX block and their new Carbuerated 440/364 crate engine this year as well.

Wasn't aware there had been an adapter made, I stand corrected.

 

[Down&Dirty]

With the amount of time and effort this rig would take, I would run with a diesel and not look back. DD/towrig just screams a chipped diesel. Why build something that you will be lucky to get <10mpg unloaded. You have a plan and I will keep up with it if you keep the thread updated, but I would find a wreaked dodge and not look back with my money.

 

[Mac5005]

i definitely would swap in a Cummin's especially because personally i love diesels, especially the cummins, but i would need a completely different fuel system, transmission, and transfercase. the key to fuel mileage in any vehicle is efficiency, a compromise between power and reliability, good mesh of all parts including powerband, gear ratio, tire choice, transmission choice, and proper tuning. I know that it is hard to get mileage out of a gas powered 8500lb suburban. However with stock tuning, this suburban gets 18 mpg itself, and 15 mpg while towing, with an underpowered tbi 350. I am comfortable if i get between 10 and 15 mpg, especially since my 4runner gets 13mpg as it is already.

keep up the criticism, especially the constructive, it keeps me wondering about options.

Thanks guys :Rockon: