Has anyone swapped an 8.1 L into a GMT400?????????????????

[Eskimomann209]

Hmmmm

This is interesting

 

[thz71]

Ran by the salvage yard to look at the two 8100 they have, one is in a 01 3500 Savana van and the other is in a 01 silverado truck. The van has the high mount AC compressor so that one will work with the GMT400. The van came from a church that used the van to transport people to and from church (I called the church and talked with the person that drove the van). It was wrecked recently so the insurance comp got it and sold it to the salvage yard. The van has a digital dash so I can't validate the millage, the guy I spoke with at the church didn't know the exact millage but said it did have somewhere over 100000 on it, he also said they didn't have any issues with it mechanically and he didn't remember it using oil to any extent.

Need to verify that 0411 will work with this engine and check to make sure I can get the harness that I located on the net, if so I may pull the trigger on the 8.1.

Neal

Sounds like a good one

 

[FastOrange]

I had a 8.1 in my 2002 2500hd.

While the torque was amazing, I found the gas mileage to be absolutely horrible! My built 406 in my 78 gets way better mileage!

Plus 8.1s are really expensive to do any performance stuff to, they share basically nothing with any other engines! Even the valve covers (forgetting about the mounts for the coils) don't interchange!!

Almost all 8.1s burn oil, I have heard of one's with under 30,000 burning oil heavily.

Honestly, LS engine is way to go if you want newer, you can get the same power cheaper!

 

[someotherguy]

Almost all 8.1s burn oil, I have heard of one's with under 30,000 burning oil heavily.

The earlier years (2001-2003 or so) seem to be known for this. I haven't proven this myself but a member on 3500HD may have figured it out. I thought I posted this somewhere in this thread but I'm not sure. Anyway there's a vent tube on the underside of the intake, into the lifter valley. He found the older ones aim straight down, and a newer model had a bend in it. He bent the old one to mimic the new one, and once back together, no more oil consumption on the older model 8.1.

Richard

 

[Rusty Nail]

Dude. That would be BAD ASS.
I support this idea.
One of my old acquaintances had an older DUALLY 3500? with a vortex 8100 and Alison trans in it that was BOSS.
It wasn't Uber NBS, but it was a Vortex. I guess '99?
Maybe that will help cuz to swap in that 6 speed Alison would DOUBLE PWN .

Edit - that truck used a lot of oil.

 

[thz71]

Dude. That would be BAD ASS.
I support this idea.
One of my old acquaintances had an older DUALLY 3500? with a vortex 8100 and Alison trans in it that was BOSS.
It wasn't Uber NBS, but it was a Vortex. I guess '99?
Maybe that will help cuz to swap in that 6 speed Alison would DOUBLE PWN .

Edit - that truck used a lot of oil.

Um what? Lol. VORTEC! what do you think nbs means?