small turbo+5.3?

[abrasumente]

I scored a complete 170k mile 2001 5.3 with all accessories and wiring harness, pcm, etc for 600. Plan on tearing it down this weekend to see what kind of shape the internals are in. It turns over with a socket on the crank is about all I know about it besides mileage. I wanted to do an LQ4 swap into my burb, but pullouts for 6.0's around here are $1700+ for the same mileage, and I'd still have to go through it. I don't have time to go to the man mall to pull it myself with my work schedule, unfortunately. I am aware I can make more power with the larger displacement motor, but I'm not trying to make a race truck out of a brick, and I'm not working with a whole lot of money here- I have to buy parts a little at a time.

Here's my goals, in order of importance:

1) Reliability. I MUST be able to hoon on it, at will.

2) It must perform like a truck motor. I could care less if I can make a bajillion ft-lb of torque, if it's at 6000 rpm. I occasionally tow with it, but nothing crazy.

3) Cost. The toilet bowl injected 350 is roasted, so I have to do something. I wanted OBD2 capabilities on a tried-and-true platform. Originally I considered finding a 400 sbc and rebuilding the TBI system but I had yet to find a trustworthy 400 block for less than what I could get an LS for. I considered getting a TPI 5.7 from a Corvette, but I could also spend the same money and get into the LS.

I've read the stickies. I would LOVE a positive displacement supercharger. However, I'm not really interested in spending $6k on a Magnusson. Or $4k on a blower off an LSA. If there's a junkyard option I'm not aware of for a SC, I'd love to hear it- but is there any reason I couldn't use a smallish turbo to achieve my goals? Quick spool, fairly inexpensive (I can do just about everything but fabbing the exhaust piping)… I mean, I'd be happy with 325 ft-lb at the wheels.

Thoughts?

 

[Christian Steffen]

I think you'll have a ton of luck as long as you stay conservative. Through some extra ring gap at the motor, and keep the boost out of the double digits and it should be a fun truck. @RDF1 probably has some input.

Make sure you do something about your transmission.. (4l80 swap gets my vote).

Make sure your fuel system is up to the task.

Cruise on over to the sloppy mechanics wiki for a bunch of info. Check out Richard holdener on YouTube.

Turbos are a lot of fun in my opinion.

 

[RDF1]

Thanks for tagging me. I don't get on much anymore. Got too many projects going on.

Little background,
I had a 2004 LQ4/4L80E in my 2002 silverado 1500. Threw all that in there back in 2006.
Broke alot of 4L60E transmissions so went with the 4l80e and never looked back.

Stock 6.0 and a S475/83 turbo was all I had for a few years. Threw a turbo cam in there and daily drove it all over the place plus towed over double what the poor truck was rated for.
That combo had a little over 300,000 miles on it when a lifter took out the cam.
So pulled it apart and put that turbo on my 91 c1500 with a stock 5.3 with a turbo cam and now that setup is pushing 50k miles. So about 350,000 miles on that BW S475 turbo now.

The whole secret is this.
Quality turbo. No Chinese crap.
Quality wastegatne. No Chinese crap
Quality fuel pumps. Walbro or Deatchswerks
Good tune, good gas, and think this whole thing thru before spending your first penny.

I use to play at the drag strip with the truck. Low 12s on all terrian tires, stock 4l80e converter, 3.42 gears and simple setup.
I even outrun some cars on the interstate while I was pulling a trailer with stuff on it. (160 mph is not advised with a trailer)

For what you want to do, I wouldn't touch the rings or anything.
Pull the heads off, if the cylinders and pistons look good throw it back together and run it.

I daily drove mine and towed on 6-8 psi. But could turn it up to 16 psi easy with room to spare and have fun.

Another thing before beating on it is to check out a water/methanol kit. Just use -30* windsheild washer fluid. Keeps the IATs decent for towing.

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[RDF1]

I forgot to add something.
Cubic inches don't really matter. For the price difference between the 6.0 and 5.3s now I'd rather have the 5.3. Use that extra money on injectors or something.
I was towing stuff all over the south east. At 2000 rpms (70mph) it would chug on along like a diesel. Pull hills with a 8000# trailer and it would keep the TC locked in 4th and just make boost and whistle.
It really got decent mileage towing. Alot better than most.

When I was going on longer trips to Oklahoma and Texas (from mississippi) I could get 24-24.5mpg. This is with the LQ4/4L80E/3.42 gears/31" tire. It was all in a 2002 2wd extended cab silverado.
Towing a truck on a car hauler to Alabama and empty back I averaged 14mpg. It stayed in boost on the way over there pretty good bit but I was spraying WWF starting at 4psi so I kinda used that for some of my fuel I suppose. It was about 750 miles and I used 3 gallons of WWF.

I can help you tune it if you want.

I daily a turbo 5.3 now on 87 octane (not advisable, had to pull alot of timing and it's pretty weak) but if you use a 99-02 pcm I can show you how to do a "bad gas" tune with a single switch incase your towing and have to use 91 octane when your tuned for 93 octane.

All in all, it's alot of fun. The whistle gets folks all the time.

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[abrasumente]

@RDF1 I like where your mind’s at, this is exactly what I was looking for. The wiper fluid idea is great- I’ve done stock rebuilds on motors before but this is the first time I’ve done anything with forced induction, so I appreciate the tips. I’m definitely down with keeping charge temps cool. I had also planned on doing an air-to-air intercooler. I don’t mind spending the coin to get to my goals, I just hope with being realistic and modest I can keep total cost under $3k.

I plan on going the YouTube route with learning how to tune- I’ve got a couple buddies that are into going stupid fast so I MIGHT be able to get the thing on a dyno, but my theme with the suburban is “built not bought” so whatever I can learn to do myself I’m willing to put time into. I would definitely appreciate any tips on tuning.

As far as turbo sizing is concerned, what would be recommended? Or would it be better to use BW’s turbo calculator and figure it out myself? I’m sure I can learn to use it, but it’s asking a whole bunch of questions that I don’t have answers to

 

[abrasumente]

I also see what y’all are getting at with a trans swap. I had asked a question in the trans forum about using my 95 4l60e and I’ve found some answers on my own, but nothing definite.

If I can get a 4wd 4l80e for a decent price I’ll make that swap too and be done, but they have the same problem as the lq4’s where I’m at (problem being they were cast using platinum) so I’m probably gonna run the 4l60e until it pukes

edit: unless I can find an nv4500. If I’m gonna upgrade to a more HD transmission I’d rather ditch the slushbox

 

[RDF1]

Usually going the cheap route ends up costing you more. I found that out the hard way.
Save up and do it right the first time.

I've put several of these kits on and I've been runnin one of his kits for years.

http://www.kbracing.net

Just look at the hp rating and give you a good idea as to what to expect.

I'd go for that billet S369 tho. Really efficient and will flow like a bigger turbo.

If you take your time you can find some deals if you have your money ready. I have bought 4l80E's for $200 before and they ran great with just a filter change and a new converter.
I've got a early 80E 4x4 with a xcase I got for $250 cause 3 of the bell housing ears are broke off.


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[RDF1]

If you use efi live I can fix you up with a tune. I've tuned several hundred trucks. And several of them were used for towing with a turbo.

I use water-air intercooler. In the summer I can disconnect the heater core from the engine and route the intercooler water to the heater core. Get the AC kicking and it will chill the air in the intercooler.
I was towing one summer and had the idea and it worked great. 100* ambient and IATS were in the mid-upper 50s. Plus spraying thr WWF in boost and the IATS never got to ambient.

I'll help ya where I can. I enjoy these kinda setups.

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[abrasumente]

@RDF1 Thanks, I appreciate the help. I don't mind saving up the cash- I've already been doing that. At some point, I'll have to drop the hammer though because I have a bad habit of saying "Well if I've already got THIS much saved, this other part isn't that much more expensive..." and then I'll be divorced because I'll have ten grand in a motor. I've already got close to four in the truck, and it still looks like a turd going down the road. It needed eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeverything when I got it! But I am going to keep my eyes peeled for deals.

I know the 60e won't last long behind a boosted motor, and I hate doing **** twice-just depends on if I find an 80e or an nv4500 first. It was always my plan for the 60e to be a stopgap until I find something better. What'll be the kicker is how long I can keep the 350 going- I suspect I have a leaking head gasket, and I'm not sinking anything into it. When I did hoses two years ago, I missed the hose coming off the intake behind the TBI unit, and it blew about a month ago chugging up a hill. It was hot outside, and it shot right up to 260. Hasn't really ran right since then. So, if the 350 shoots its wad, the 5.3 is gonna have to go in whether I've got the turbo yet or not. I have a company truck but they frown on after-hours driving, so I'd rather not abuse that luxury, and my wife isn't always around for me to drive her Lincoln.

I would definitely appreciate your help, it sounds like you know exactly what I'm looking for. I've been bit by the "doing things twice" bug already anyway- I just did my brakes along with the 14b sf swap, and I was hesitant about doing hydroboost, so I put in a stock MC... got roasted for that on here, the brakes still suck, and I just discovered the other day the MC I got from RockAuto is leaking (it's an AC Delco, I won't do junk parts-OEM or better for this dude) so I'm just gonna do the hydroboost conversion and be done. Hopefully THAT one won't leak!

Once I get these heads off this weekend, I'll post back in here. Thanks everyone for your help so far.

 

[RDF1]

Yea if your already there you might as well do hydroboost. It's well worth it.
I have hydroboost swap on all my trucks.

So you can run the 60e if you want. Just use the absolute lightest wastegate spring and make sure to keep 100% TM in the tune. And drive it smartly (is that a word?)
You could daily it as long as your just tryin to get by and don't beat on it.

To give you a rough idea with a efficient setup 6psi should net you 150 rwhp gain on 93 and be plenty safe.
I have learned to let the boost make your power and not timing. Get greedy with timing and your gonna hurt something.



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