I've got options, and ideas, but no idea...

[dave_erald]

Hey everyone, need help on this. Got a 3/4 ton 4x4. Currently converted to 6.2 with turbo and standalone 4l80e and push button 4wd. Transmission is junk or close to junk now, engages tcc or something when warm at idle, bad valvebody or solenoids, and I'm not rebuilding a trans that has had the case welded back together. Won't even bother.

And I have a full tuned port intake setup for a small block chevy lying around not doing anything.

So I can mechanically put a number of different setups together, I have the know how and that doesn't scare me. I just can't decide what to do, keeping in mind that transmission options for a diesel are harder to find used, pressure plate for a manual is different and torque converter for diesel needs to be lower rpm lockup.

Option A : Swap just transmission, to a manual realizing everything has to change, need a donor truck to acquire all parts. Or turbo 400 and swap transfercase with it make everything the least bit electronic possible. New pump and injectors for 6.2 diesel.

Option B : Start over again. 350 vortec roller, aluminum heads, use the tpi injection and turbo 400, stick transfercase.

I'm partial to the turbo 400 as a I can build a stronger trans for cheaper, and partial to going back to gas and using the tuned port setup on a 355 with a torque profile cam and control it all with a 0411 pcm and 24x crank trigger setup.

HAS ANYONE DRIVEN ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO THIS SETUP?

Better ideas?

 

[great white]

If you're planning to put the old TPI setup on a votec engine, be aware that you need a very pricey lower intake to make it work.

Scoggin dickey used to sell one (https://sdparts.com/details/scoggin-dickey-parts-center/sd3816)

That what i used when I built one. I think edelbrock or weiand has one also, but I haven't looked into it in years.

Mine was an 89 ECLB K1500. I used a 700R4.

It ran out of breath starting at around 3,000 rpm and was pretty much all in by around 5,000. You could spin it higher, but it didn't give you much more. The runners were just too long to be efficient at those speeds.

It was a vortec headed 350 block run by a 411 PCM and converted to SPFI instead of MPFI. I started with a 7477 converted to MPFI, then converter to an EBL and finally to OBDII and a 411.

Great low end for a small block, sucked butt when you tried to wring it's scrawny neck. TPI has often been described as the best truck engine they never put in a truck. True words. It just falls flat in higher rpms. I woudl say it sucks pretty much everywhere compared to what you can put together for the same (or less) these days.

It's not really a driver at that point anymore either, it's a project truck. I wouldn't build another one when there are some many other engine options out there that will kick sand in the TPI's face without breaking a sweat. I've still got two full TPI setups and they will spend the rest of their days up on the wall in the garage as conversation pieces. Fun when they were contemporary, but long ago torpedoed amidships by engine setups like the LSx series which have the added firepower of bieng (more or less) dirt cheap these days.

If you're looking to just get a decent driver running again, my advice would be to source another 4L80E and drop it in.

For a project truck, I wouldn't even consider TPI anymore. LSx all the way....

i would also stay with a 4L80E if building a driver. Just as strong as a TH400 (essentially a TH400 with an overdrive section) but will give you better MPG on the highway. Especially if you've already spent the 500+ bucks on something like an optishift/USshift controller.

If it were me, I'd be looking for a 12V Cummins and a bellhousing adapter for that 4L80E, but that's just me.



However, if you have a decent 4L80E shift controller and want to get ride of it, I'd probably be interested......

 

[dave_erald]

Yeah I hadn't really wanted to give up overdrive, it wont ever see over 5000 rpm anyhow, and the wife might actually drive this truck once I work out some of the drivability bugs in it.

As for the motor I'd use a roller block put edelbrock aluminum heads a cam and put it together. This truck won't ever being pulling large trailers as I don't believe I'll ever have the need. Maybe it gets 10'000 kms a year if that. And I've always liked the sound of gas engines better.

Was it a lot of work to go 0411 and spfi and a big tuning headache or not that bad?

The 4l80e standalone is a factory tcm from a 6.5 mechanical van. That wasn't so hard to wire up actually, just finding wiring diagrams was a pain.

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[great white]

Yeah I hadn't really wanted to give up overdrive, it wont ever see over 5000 rpm anyhow, and the wife might actually drive this truck once I work out some of the drivability bugs in it.

As for the motor I'd use a roller block put edelbrock aluminum heads a cam and put it together. This truck won't ever being pulling large trailers as I don't believe I'll ever have the need. Maybe it gets 10'000 kms a year if that. And I've always liked the sound of gas engines better.

Was it a lot of work to go 0411 and spfi and a big tuning headache or not that bad?

The 4l80e standalone is a factory tcm from a 6.5 mechanical van. That wasn't so hard to wire up actually, just finding wiring diagrams was a pain.

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The OEM TCM isn't as easy as the aftermarket standalone ones, but can be made to work just as well. It's also "tuneable" with the right gear.

worth keeping IMHO...

 

[dave_erald]

The more I hum and ha about it the more I think building a replacement 4l80 for it would be simpler. Just sucks having that tpi unit sitting around not being used. Oh well maybe I can sell it.

Wonder if its worth tossing the electric shift t-case? I found a used Dana 300 twin stick for cheap and someone with a 203 range box and Dana 300 adapter he might part with. I can fix and work with electronic just partial to mechanical stuff. And the pass side drop will be handy when I do a sas kit in the future.

Thanks for the replies.

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