BenK wrote:
Lessmore wrote:
snip....
Or Ben...if you decide to keep your big block Suburban a big block Suburban...how about the GM Performance Catalogue HT502 V8... Rat motor...with 502 cubic inches, 406 hp @ 4200 rpm and 541 lb. ft. or torque @ 3200 rpm.
I recently picked up Chevy Performance catalogue from the local Chevy dealer...$ 5 USD...makes for great reading for a gearhead like me.
Of course cost of crate engines is something else again. :D
Going on the back burner for now...daughter just had a cancerous brain tumor removed and am supporting her. Removed and radiation treatment went well. Crossed fingers for a while
California has a smog test every other year and big blocks are labeled 'potential gross polluters', so anything I do, must pass smog.
Am okay with that, as a 71-year old and remember visiting Disneyland as a kid and not enjoying the brown sky and difficulty breathing
A mild cam, SS valves and maybe better tappet rollers and rocker/rollers to allow a bit more RPM, but most likely will just build or crate 7.4L from GM.
Will go with 5.38 diff's and a 0.7 GearVendors to get more HP from a standstill and still have a double OD with final an approx 2.6 final gear to the axles
Stock has 100% torque at about 1,600-1,800 RPMs, so with 5.38's, can pull just about anything I want to
Used to occasionally see 15.2 MPG with the 4.1's, so am hoping to see a bit better than that with a 42 gallon main fuel tank
4L80E has a few rated for +1,000 HP with a 3-year warranty at about the same price as a normal rebuilt unit, so if only using it at less than half that rating, it should last a long time. Plus an anal about fluid flush schedules and always use synthetics
Either or both, junk yard (newer than mine) front seats, or have the old ones rebuilt
Saw a rear turbo kit years ago and might look into that, but after the above. Throttle lag is okay, as am addicted to HP, so that will manage me and just for high altitude cruising
Wish your daughter well.
Sounds like great plans for your Suburban.
We had one 'Rat' motor in our family and that was a long time ago. Back in '69 my dad bought a new '69 Impala, 4 door HT with the 396, THM 400 and 12 bolt rear axle.
It was a nice car, however the 396 was possibly the lowest tune BB in that engine series history...from '65 to '70.
It was the L66, 2 barrel, 9 to 1 compression...regular gas, rated at 265 hp and 410 ft. lbs. of torque. My father had a 4 barrel once ('56 Ford Fairlane with 312/225 hp) and as he had lots of trouble with that 4 barrel...he swore off 4 barrels. The L66 used regular gas and he bought it to tow my parent's 24 foot trailer.
It had plenty of torque and was good at towing...but not a dragstrip terror.
One of our cars now, is a 2015 Impala LT (later style) with the 3.6 liter, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder V6, redline about 7000 rpm and a 6 speed auto. I like it a lot and have been impressed with it's acceleration and low rpm highway cruising. In Wyoming on the 80 mph interstate...it runs just under 2000 rpm @ 80 mph.
Sad to see GM drop it, as we had planned to trade it in on a new Impala...same equipment...in a year or so.
Now may look at either a Honda Accord Sport ( 2 liter turbo) or Nissan Maxima ( 3.5 liter V6)...as we like sedans and they don't look like they will be available anymore at GM.
I would say with your modifications planned with your Suburban...it looks to be useful, fun vehicle with very good performance. You mentioned possibly getting a mild cam. Years ago with a big truck engine like your Sub has...sometimes what was called a towing cam was considered...power at low and mid range. Is that what your considering ?
Les
