1989 K3500 8.1 Liter

[BrokenBlazerDave]

Thanks Eric. The 454 mounts bolted to the 8.1L. When you remove the stock 8.1L mounts there are bosses for the old style clam shell mounts. I used the stock 454 mounts and the metric bolts from the 8.1 mounts. My other block was not this rusty. I did sand blast the holes and run a thread chaser through them. They are metric thread also. Doing this put my engine in the factory spot. I have good access to my oil pressure sensor and good clearance between my electric fans and water pump.

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[BrokenBlazerDave]

I have the stock fuel tank and stock sending unit. I used a fuel pump from a 1995 Chevrolet Astro van. They have a similar steel style of sending unit where the fuel pump is removable not a plastic module. That pump is rated at a max of 85PSI and 35 GPH. I think I would have to be wide open for a long time to run out of fuel. Compared to the stock 8.1L pump this pump is better (according to NAPA online specs). I put braided -AN line front to back for better flow also. What ever tank and sending unit fits your Tahoe will probably work. The 350 trucks in that year had CFI which ran a minimum of 50ish PSI. The sending unit for your truck looks like it is a plastic one. They are a bit of a pain to take apart an change the pump. I would try it first before I got worried about it.

 

[BrokenBlazerDave]

Really nice work @BrokenBlazerDave! I bet that 8.1 really pulls now, over the 454.

It definitely works well. Better mileage and more power.

 

[BrokenBlazerDave]

I updated and installed my CTS2. I took the truck for a drive today and it worked well. All it did was show me data. I didn't use the performance meter or anything. It was a bit expensive to be just gauges but I do not really have any other space for stand alone gauges. It will read codes and clear them which will be handy when I am away from home and my scan tools.

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[Jermaine Smith]

Hows the truck doing?

 

[Redneckgeriatric]

Thanks. The car was faster. The only change was the weather. Every year a bunch of friends and I rent the track. This year the date was late. We were worried about the weather but it ended up being perfect. There was a little bit of sun off and on to keep the track warmish. The temperature was about 13 Celsius or 55 Fahrenheit. Every other year it has been full sun and 35 Celsius or 95 Fahrenheit. I think humidity was a big factor also. The dense air was great. I was car 5/5N. They didn't have much for Tech so they didn't add an "N" until they realized I had nitrous. The one time slip has my best time and the other has my best reaction time. I was still using a 100HP shot of nitrous. Same 20 year old engine. I really wanted to hit it with a 250HP shot but the track officials would have had a heart attack. I still don't have a cage.

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.001? as close to perfect as it gets! and with a 1.48 60 footer. the race was over in 1.481 seconds! how much that car weigh?

 

[BrokenBlazerDave]

The truck is doing good. It is put away for the winter now. It was working good when I put it away. I have been doing some research on going to disc brakes on the rear. Still finding some different opinions on whether or not bolt on caliper brackets will fit. I have brackets that are labelled 73-87 14 bolt. Other spots say retained drums are the same bracket. My 1989 has press through studs retaining the drums so I might take it apart and see for myself if they fit. My only concern for clearance is the distance to the leaf springs compared to a 73-87 single wheel. I think the calipers would clear but getting the caliper bolts out might be the issue. The local wrecking yard gave me a 10.5" 14 bolt out of a 2002 3/4 ton. If all else fails I will strip the brackets off of it and try to get a set of CutBros adapter mounts. I have also been reading some posts on a NBS master cylinder swap. I will hopefully make some time over the winter when the shop slows down. I will add some pictures of what has been keeping me busy/distracted from more work on the 1989.

The white short box is another vehicle I thought I needed.
The ****** looking car is another Impala for drag racing. It will hopefully get a turbo 4.8L.
The cut out of the Chevy truck is a fire pit off of my plasma table and I have been making Christmas gifts like crazy.

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[BrokenBlazerDave]

.001? as close to perfect as it gets! and with a 1.48 60 footer. the race was over in 1.481 seconds! how much that car weigh?

My car is about 3600 pounds with out me in it. There was a delay at the start line with an oil spill I think and I got talking to the starting line official. I was asking him if he had a car. He said he did not but liked to play a game with the track ATV to try and cut the best light against the other officials. I told him I would try with my car and that is what I got. Totally **** luck, I think my best reaction time to that point was .005 and that was only once. They do not let me race anyone unless the other driver wants to. I still don't have a cage. The track doesn't want any troubles if I had an accident. Which I understand fully.

 

[Jermaine Smith]

3600 lbs is pretty light for a box chevy

 

[Crookedaxle]

This is my trailer and car behind my 1999 C3500 6.5T last year before the dragstrip. This was while my 1989

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K3500 was disabled.

That's one helluva vintage two tone on that old boat!