6.0/4l80 build opinions

[tmills213]

rookie here, would like opinions:

Current setup: 1970s block 383/th350 I bought from my friend who build it at school. It is probably 13 years old. I found it leaking from cyl 1 head gasket last year before storage. I could never get it running right with carb. My heart was in forced induction after by buddys grand national. I decided to go another route as well as gain a nice OD....

I currently have a donor 2500 and pulling the driveline. Its a 2002 6.0/4l80 with 317 heads and 200k miles. I got it for $1800 and am down to $1400 parting out so far. This is essentially a standard junkyard build. I've looked around but there weren't really answers why people chose what they did. Sorry if this is a no brainer, just delete it if it is.

Plans:
-new cam (heard gtm/ls9 is a good cheap solution but needs higher rpm for power?)
-plan on doing springs and going through valvetrain (no idea what exactly)
-ls9 multilayer head gasket
-flip manifolds
-turbo (not sure, gt45, t76...I have gathered around a 0.6# A/R ratio should spool fast enough for street. looking <$300? )
-transmission essentially stock, needs new rear seal.
-new T converter with what stall ?
-has 3.73 rear 14 bolt which needs posi/locker eventually
-stock bottom (hopefully solid when I check)

What do you all suggest for this setup.
It will be in my 1964 c20 and used for messing around town. No serious plans of racing it. I felt 600hp was not too far fetched for something I could comfortably take wherever I wanted reliably, am I insane?

[Heavymetl]

Are you insane? Nope.

Turbo wise, for low buck, check out the new On3 7875. The turbine is not so small to choke the 6.0 and should spool quickly.

As for the cam, the LS9 cam will require a front cover change and cam sensor. It's a GEN IV piece. I'd spend a little extra here, as many aftermarket cams are available which are made for a GEN III and work great. Tick, LJMS, Tooley, etc.

Converter is big bucks.
Fuel system is big dollars too. You can't run much boost on pump gas, so you'll need E85 or meth injection in order for the engine to live. Probably do the flywheel 600hp easily but not so much 600 rwhp.

Ditch the 3.73's for something taller. I've got 3.25 in my truck and it works great. Once your in the boost you don't need gears. Torque out the wazoo.

Everything else in your post makes great sense, truck manifolds work great and the LS9 gaskets rock. It's almost as if everything in turbo world is backwards; the engine/turbo is cheap, but everything else cost more. Heck I've got well over $1000 in fuel system alone.

[boostedc10]

Originally Posted by Heavymetl

Are you insane? Nope.

Turbo wise, for low buck, check out the new On3 7875. The turbine is not so small to choke the 6.0 and should spool quickly.

As for the cam, the LS9 cam will require a front cover change and cam sensor. It's a GEN IV piece. I'd spend a little extra here, as many aftermarket cams are available which are made for a GEN III and work great. Tick, LJMS, Tooley, etc.

Converter is big bucks.
Fuel system is big dollars too. You can't run much boost on pump gas, so you'll need E85 or meth injection in order for the engine to live. Probably do the flywheel 600hp easily but not so much 600 rwhp.

Ditch the 3.73's for something taller. I've got 3.25 in my truck and it works great. Once your in the boost you don't need gears. Torque out the wazoo.

Everything else in your post makes great sense, truck manifolds work great and the LS9 gaskets rock. It's almost as if everything in turbo world is backwards; the engine/turbo is cheap, but everything else cost more. Heck I've got well over $1000 in fuel system alone.

Not to start an argument but I have done plenty of 5.3l pump gas motors, no meth that have made well over 600 at the tire. Most of them with 70mm turbonetics turbos on 10 lbs with nothing more than a walbro stealth pump, racetronix hot wire kit and 60lb injectors still on a stock return less setup. It's all in the tune.

[tmills213]

Originally Posted by Heavymetl

Are you insane? Nope.

Turbo wise, for low buck, check out the new On3 7875. The turbine is not so small to choke the 6.0 and should spool quickly.

As for the cam, the LS9 cam will require a front cover change and cam sensor. It's a GEN IV piece. I'd spend a little extra here, as many aftermarket cams are available which are made for a GEN III and work great. Tick, LJMS, Tooley, etc.

Converter is big bucks.
Fuel system is big dollars too. You can't run much boost on pump gas, so you'll need E85 or meth injection in order for the engine to live. Probably do the flywheel 600hp easily but not so much 600 rwhp.

Ditch the 3.73's for something taller. I've got 3.25 in my truck and it works great. Once your in the boost you don't need gears. Torque out the wazoo.

Everything else in your post makes great sense, truck manifolds work great and the LS9 gaskets rock. It's almost as if everything in turbo world is backwards; the engine/turbo is cheap, but everything else cost more. Heck I've got well over $1000 in fuel system alone.

Damn I just finished installing the 14B a while ago. It was to get me lower gears. it had 5.13 since it is a 3/4 ton with an inline 6 lol. I thought this would be a nice truck gear..at least options are available with 14b

The turbo looks like a nice package. will look into a little further. a turbo system just pops and sticks into my mind over NA.

Don't I need a TC that will play nicely with cam I choose? I will happily run stock to save some money

I will update the fuel system for sure. I like the in cab tank, I need to look for some options but am guessing the under bed is ultimately the best route.

[BR3W CITY]

IMO the fuel itself isn't the factor, its fuel delivery. You can make 1k on pump gas, so long as you have enough pump and injectors to keep up supply (this is theoretically speaking, there is actually a point in which the octane rating of pump fuel is no longer enough to prevent detonation based on cylinder pressure and temp).

We've had plenty of cars/trucks making 6-1200 on pump gas (both with and without nitrous). A good pump, injectors, and tune will get you most of what you need. Methanol is a VERY easy add-on if you decide that you need a little bit more oomph.

IMO if your considering making changes to the rear end, putting together a 9" isn't a bad idea. Sell the 14bolt to the off-road guys looking to run 37's (if its an FF, they want them).

[izzy_Britton]

This guy has done some ingenious fab work on the entire truck. and to be completely honest he is / and is the go to build thread for a lot of my plans at this point. to answer your fuel tank in cab question, there is this idea, and i love the concept. the concept could be used on virtually any pre-73 c10/20/30 build, actually could be used on anything to be honest.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...7&postcount=10

AND for arguments sake. and because i am seriously considering a turbo/twin turbo setup on my next build. there is a guy running dual fuel pumps outta the same sending unit. and i have noticed in the past month (maybe more but i am just noticing) that Walborough or whoever is selling a dual pump sending unit.

The guy i am thinking of is not using his set up on a truck and he is using one pump per rail. I dont think he will have issues with getting enough fuel unless one dies. then he is walking home.

on another note a buddy of mine just installed an 82 mm turbine on his 6.0L says it runs like a raped ape. now his biggest expense is tires. hahaha

-Izzy

[Robznob11]

You can do like me and stuff a 2002 Camaro tank behind the rear axle. Lonnie's performance will fix you up with a dual pump setup that will feed 1000 hp and fits in the stock fuel bucket. He makes them drop in. As far as a converter we have a guy here in Texas that will fix you right up. Look up freak show performance. He has mad reviews on Facebook and yellow bullet. I got a 9.5 3800 billet lockup 4l80 converter shipped to my door for $700 he guareantees them 3 years and said it will hold well over 1000 hp. It has nitrous anti balloon plates too��. I don't know much about the turbo world and I know many have made big numbers on return less system. But I know Lonnie is going to tell you feed return all the way and go large on lines. It keeps the fuel from heating up so bad and is also easier on the pump(s).

[BR3W CITY]

Return is nice to have IMO, just because if you go to aftermarket rails, want a modifyable rate enrichment through the FPR, or want to go to a wild-ass multi-fuel setup.