Cascade Crew

IROCDave · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:05 am Post subject: Possible engine donor dilema

My work will be replacing a couple of 2005 3/4 ton HD chevy trucks in a couple of weeks and I may be able to pick one up for a couple hundred bucks. The bodies are in good shape, paint color is refrigerator white, single cab, 2 wheel drive basic work truck. The trucks have been well maintaned and come with all service records.

I am trying to decide what to do with it. These are the options that come to mind.

1- pull the 6.0 litre and 4L80E transmission and start gearing up for an LS swap on my 87 IROC. Part the rest of the truck out.
2 - same as above but install it in the convertible.
3 - Pull the motor and transmission and sell the body as a roller.
4 - Park my current truck and drive the new old truck until something breaks. My truck gets 17 - 24 MPG, the 6.0 litre gets 12mpg.

What would you do?

aaron_sK · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:14 am Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

iansane · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:01 am Post subject:

I would pull a 6.0 with the intention of throwing it in the convertible. Yes, out of the box it probably makes about the same power as the genI in your car but you've worked so long on the t-ram'd setup and its finally starting to come together. I would at least like to see what it can do, the t-ram while an old design is just cool to look at and I haven't seen anyone do performance builds with them.

So...how many motor are avai...err...how many trucks are getting sold off? Very Happy

Alphius · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

iansane · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:03 am Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

Alphius · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

IROCDave · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:17 pm Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

IROCDave · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:25 pm Post subject:

Ian, you nailed what my plan WAS for both cars, but since the cam ate the distributor gear on my car this would be the next logical step. I just dont want to spend the time and money to pull that engine out again, pay for a rebuild, new 400.00 dollar cam and stuff a 355 back in and still have the same problems it had before that were not caused by cam gear.

It would still be cheaper to rebuild / stroke the SBC and work out the bugs, but doesnt everyone eventually go LSx?

IROCDave · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject:

What really bugs me about taking one of these trucks apart is that they still run strong and are in good usable condition.

I bought one last year for my dad as a birthday gift for 500.00. I repaired the instrument and radio lights (soldering in new LED's was actually fun), buffed it out, changed all of the fluids, filled the 35 gallon gas tank Shocked

, put a big red bow on it and handed the keys and title over to my dad with a Credence Clearwater Revival CD in the deck. It was awsome, but he wont give the CD back Mad

To this day he still tells me it has way to much HP and gets crappy fuel economy. 10 MPG with his commutes that consist of driving from Kirkland to Bothell a couple of times a week. The fuel economy is so bad he asked me to pay for a tuneup because his old PU got the same or better MPG. His old POS was a 74 that was completely rusted out but had a Target 350 replacement motor with only 120K on it. When I handed him the keys I made him hand over the title to his old truck. He had been "storing" it at my sisters place and she was tired of looking at it.
I sold it on CL for 200.00. My dad contacted the new owner and begged to get the tool rack back. The guy gave it to him, my dad spent a month cutting it apart and welding it back together with my MIG / grinders and die grinder. He then sold the rack that came on the truck for 200.00.

I had the truck for a couple of weeks and enjoyed driving it.

Just seems like a waste to part out something so new. Must be the 3rd gen genes?

aaron_sK · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:36 pm Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

Alphius · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject:

iansane · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:47 pm Post subject: Re: Possible engine donor dilema

aaron_sK · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:48 pm Post subject:

Yeah, the stupid ones do some crazy turbo six BS. Rolling Eyes

iansane · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:52 pm Post subject:

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:01 pm Post subject:

Did it eat the cam gear or distributor gear? Mine was chewing up distributor gears until I found one that worked.

Is a tough choice on rebuild vs LSx? It was even harder after I threw the rod but I liked the performance and was much cheaper to rebuild what I had.

Either way you go, good luck Dave. Hope it turns around for you. I went through a few years of frustration there myself.

-Schultzy

iansane · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:11 pm Post subject:

QwkTrip · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:23 pm Post subject:

I don't see how you can go wrong. The engine & trans core is worth more than the truck, not to mention the rear axle, engine harness & ECM, and scrap metal value of everything else.

My suggestion is buy both trucks. Drive them both and keep the better truck for yourself to drive. The other truck becomes the LSx donor. If you change your mind on one or both then just sell for profit. Use the money to fix your SBC.

blue89 · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:46 am Post subject:

Buy both, put an lsx with 4l80e in your car and drive the other one. Those trannys are fun. Then you could do paddle shift.

chevymad · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:15 am Post subject:

Only dilema I see is whether or not to buy both trucks.. and then if you'd sell one of them to crewbies or not.

As for the distributor gear, many people are having that issue and just replacing the gear and going with it. I'm not sure if you have a billet gear or a cast one on the cam, but if its billet the bronze gears are actually wear items and need to be replaced every couple of years. If its cast try a different brand of hypereutectic gear and go.

Do you have the oil filter bypass blocked or left open?

QwkTrip · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:24 am Post subject: