More power and towing a 6K trailer? You bought a trans controller, might as well stuff in a 4L80E.
1998 Sierra with 383 Stroker...
- Thread starter Wheeler
- Start date
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Well I will see how the 4L60E does... IF I have one more issue things will change... & real fast!
This Wed the truck is going on the dyno to get tuned & make sure I have the Sniper set up correct. Once I get the #s I'll post them up!
This Wed the truck is going on the dyno to get tuned & make sure I have the Sniper set up correct. Once I get the #s I'll post them up!
Well another update.....
Truck made 250rwhp & 322rwtq.
I thought the numbers were low, but it worked amazing, so I was happy. I had the timing off, & they set er up... Like I said worked great....
UNTIL.........
I hooked up my camper, atv & gear... 6500lbs roughly... So this was second trip out... Hauled like a champ in 3rd gear with TC locked up.. I towed roughly 220miles... Then went for a 30 mile rip in the bush without camper & worked the same. Next day went to drive 60miles to the nearest town for supplies.. Well it was spitting & sputtering.. Missing for sure. Made it there & back. BARLEY... Put seafoam in the tank & methyl hydrate as I thought maybe water in the fuel... Wrong.. Pulled cap, & seen light rust spot from where water got in as I did hit some water holes.. So I think that for sure was my issue... Wrong.....
Leave truck parked & 9 days later we leaving the bush.. Truck fires up, & hauls beautiful for 30 miles.. Hit highway and BOOM misfire central......
Limp er home on highway at less than 40mile hour.. Take it back to dyno shop & tell them issue... UNREAL....... PLUG 6 & 8 plugged solid! Oh & used 2.5L oil for 300miles. Other plugs bad too. So they figure the valve guides or rings shot. So I call builder who is 250miles away... He blown away. Said he's built motors for over 35yrs never had any issues especially with a 383, valve guides new, valves done by hand etc... so he figured it was PCV valve or intake gasket. Well the PCV & under the Sniper like new! So we checked the Edelbrock Intake & they were loose. So I drove truck another 80 miles with new plugs & tightened down intake... still wet oil #6 plug. Called him & he said bring it down I will fix it. So that's what I did... He's had truck since last Sat at noon. I'll call him tomorrow to see what they have found/fixed.... He seems reputable as he's built motors which made records at Bonnyville Salt Flats... He was sold on an intake mani leak... I just have a hard time believing that..... We will see.....
OH rite.... It was my issue that I blew the tranny pump... & since the dyno tuned I gained MPG towing... went from 6 to 10! lol
Truck made 250rwhp & 322rwtq.
I thought the numbers were low, but it worked amazing, so I was happy. I had the timing off, & they set er up... Like I said worked great....
UNTIL.........
I hooked up my camper, atv & gear... 6500lbs roughly... So this was second trip out... Hauled like a champ in 3rd gear with TC locked up.. I towed roughly 220miles... Then went for a 30 mile rip in the bush without camper & worked the same. Next day went to drive 60miles to the nearest town for supplies.. Well it was spitting & sputtering.. Missing for sure. Made it there & back. BARLEY... Put seafoam in the tank & methyl hydrate as I thought maybe water in the fuel... Wrong.. Pulled cap, & seen light rust spot from where water got in as I did hit some water holes.. So I think that for sure was my issue... Wrong.....
Leave truck parked & 9 days later we leaving the bush.. Truck fires up, & hauls beautiful for 30 miles.. Hit highway and BOOM misfire central......
Limp er home on highway at less than 40mile hour.. Take it back to dyno shop & tell them issue... UNREAL....... PLUG 6 & 8 plugged solid! Oh & used 2.5L oil for 300miles. Other plugs bad too. So they figure the valve guides or rings shot. So I call builder who is 250miles away... He blown away. Said he's built motors for over 35yrs never had any issues especially with a 383, valve guides new, valves done by hand etc... so he figured it was PCV valve or intake gasket. Well the PCV & under the Sniper like new! So we checked the Edelbrock Intake & they were loose. So I drove truck another 80 miles with new plugs & tightened down intake... still wet oil #6 plug. Called him & he said bring it down I will fix it. So that's what I did... He's had truck since last Sat at noon. I'll call him tomorrow to see what they have found/fixed.... He seems reputable as he's built motors which made records at Bonnyville Salt Flats... He was sold on an intake mani leak... I just have a hard time believing that..... We will see.....
OH rite.... It was my issue that I blew the tranny pump... & since the dyno tuned I gained MPG towing... went from 6 to 10! lol
So the saga continues... last Friday nite I was about to hook up to the new camper.. boom tranny goes on the fritz.. EZ—TCU gives error code of battery... not seeing 12v or better. So I lost my long week end camp trip as the truck wouldn’t shift correctly. Narrowed it down to the unit itself. They will warranty it but I had to mail it to Mississippi & will take couple weeks. So in the mean time, I dropped another $900CND & am mobile again. This Friday I take off for a 10 day camp trip to the foothills. I hope to FAWK she holds up for once!!!!!!
XJPhoenix
OBS Enthusiast
Wow, sounds like you're having a rough time of what should be a fun truck! I really hope you're able to end up with a smooth-running machine soon.
And thanks for keeping us updated!
And thanks for keeping us updated!
Well been a while since my last update...
Got the new tranny controller installed & the new one as a spare. Made out good on the 10 day bush camping trip in the foothills. I took the camper back out multiple times after that as well. SO overall I'm happy with the power output of the new motor, but NOT happy with the gearing....
The truck got a RC 4" suspension lift (which added weight!) & I upgraded the stock 265" tires with 285" tires... (stock 16" rims). By increasing the tire hight, I turned my 3.73 gears effectively to a 3.60 gear ratio. I used the online calculator to figure that out. I can haul the new travel trailer ok, but she could defiantly use a bump up in gearing! On the flats it's "ok" but any slight grade or incline & it's a dog...
Oh rite, I had the tranny shop remove & replace the stock tranny cooler with a huge cooler. Temps dropped considerably!!!!!!
I've decided from all my research that I'm going with a set of 4.56 gears.
As far as the oil leak that I've had from day 1.. got that fixed under warranty with my builder. It was the rear main seal. They pulled the tranny, checked the crank to make sure it was true, & tossed a GM Rear Main Seal on. I drove the truck about 300kms home & no more drip. She's parked for the winter, so hopefully that was it.
Only other issue I'm having is cold weather starts with the Holley Sniper. It's a real ***** to start. Once running & warmed up, it will fire instantly... I've got to go thru the settings as per the tuning manual & make see what I can adjust. But at least I don't drive it in the winter, so I don't have to worry too much about this issue...
Got the new tranny controller installed & the new one as a spare. Made out good on the 10 day bush camping trip in the foothills. I took the camper back out multiple times after that as well. SO overall I'm happy with the power output of the new motor, but NOT happy with the gearing....
The truck got a RC 4" suspension lift (which added weight!) & I upgraded the stock 265" tires with 285" tires... (stock 16" rims). By increasing the tire hight, I turned my 3.73 gears effectively to a 3.60 gear ratio. I used the online calculator to figure that out. I can haul the new travel trailer ok, but she could defiantly use a bump up in gearing! On the flats it's "ok" but any slight grade or incline & it's a dog...
Oh rite, I had the tranny shop remove & replace the stock tranny cooler with a huge cooler. Temps dropped considerably!!!!!!
I've decided from all my research that I'm going with a set of 4.56 gears.
As far as the oil leak that I've had from day 1.. got that fixed under warranty with my builder. It was the rear main seal. They pulled the tranny, checked the crank to make sure it was true, & tossed a GM Rear Main Seal on. I drove the truck about 300kms home & no more drip. She's parked for the winter, so hopefully that was it.
Only other issue I'm having is cold weather starts with the Holley Sniper. It's a real ***** to start. Once running & warmed up, it will fire instantly... I've got to go thru the settings as per the tuning manual & make see what I can adjust. But at least I don't drive it in the winter, so I don't have to worry too much about this issue...
Well latest update....
I have made a couple other posts... I've installed 4.56 gears, 1 5/8 long tube headers, & new wheels... 295/70/17 Firestone MT2s on Fuel Shok Gun Metal Rims. I found a shop to better tune my Holley Sniper EFI... There lies a HUGE ISSUE.... My truck is in the shop "trying to get tuned" or "fixed more than I get to drive it. It has had major lean spikes, fouls plugs (found out I had wrong heat range) & I had a bad fuel pump. New one is 340L/HR. But I'm still not happy with the fuel/efi system. NOTHING but issue.....
SO, after talking with the shop who is baffled too, I am installing a new Edlebrock AVS2 650 carb, & MSD Dizzy with mechanical & vacuum advance. The sniper efi & hyperspark dizzy are going...
OH... and that oil leak that was fixed last fall under warranty (i was told they replaced rear main) is back.... So that will be fixed again by the new shop who is installing the carb....
I have made a couple other posts... I've installed 4.56 gears, 1 5/8 long tube headers, & new wheels... 295/70/17 Firestone MT2s on Fuel Shok Gun Metal Rims. I found a shop to better tune my Holley Sniper EFI... There lies a HUGE ISSUE.... My truck is in the shop "trying to get tuned" or "fixed more than I get to drive it. It has had major lean spikes, fouls plugs (found out I had wrong heat range) & I had a bad fuel pump. New one is 340L/HR. But I'm still not happy with the fuel/efi system. NOTHING but issue.....
SO, after talking with the shop who is baffled too, I am installing a new Edlebrock AVS2 650 carb, & MSD Dizzy with mechanical & vacuum advance. The sniper efi & hyperspark dizzy are going...
OH... and that oil leak that was fixed last fall under warranty (i was told they replaced rear main) is back.... So that will be fixed again by the new shop who is installing the carb....
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Madscientist
I'm Awesome
I bet it really woke up with the 4.56 gears. I have them myself. Here in lies the fun of a project vechicle. There is always going to be down time but when its done, sure you will have more tinkering along the way, but then it will be worth the wait every time you drive it with a new mod done! Life is too short to drive boring cars!
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AuroraGirl
I'm Awesome
Hi there. Near eau Claire. Hbu?
Yea, about 45 mins west of Eau Claire. What is Hbu?
