Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

nsuengineer06 · 04-01-2009, 12:22 PM

Has anyone used this engine in one of these trucks? I've been pondering the idea.. Any fitment issues, pros, cons, comments, photos??

Kayotic · 04-01-2009, 12:41 PM

I have tried getting info on this engine as well, But I must warn you the info i found wasn't all that good...

There are a few post in the performance section - I started one of them -

It seems to be popularity issue, i.e performance parts wise. The specs on this engine arent that great, and being that there is not too much that can be done to them makes it less desirable.

That said, still my engine of choice.

Check in the performance section.

*MonteSS454* · 04-01-2009, 12:59 PM

A fuel injected 495ci engine.....I smell all sorts of problems. Would love to have one, but not in my truck.

mrh33916 · 04-01-2009, 01:10 PM

I think Chevy High Performance answered that question on a reader question in one of their last issues.
If I remember correctly it would be impossible to put a carb. intake on that motor and get equal fuel distribution to all cylinders due to the intake port locations on certain intake ports.

sneakysnake · 04-01-2009, 01:18 PM

I have one in my D.D. (allison auto)it pulls a 3/4 ton with a tool box bed around with no problem what so ever, I can imagine it a light weight hotrod.

**chev-obsession** · 04-01-2009, 03:11 PM

i found this website. im not sure if it will help you. http://www.hotrodlane.cc/Streetstories/81%20swap.pdf

72highlander · 04-01-2009, 03:14 PM

try this site. that was the engine i had in a baja boat and these guys get some great power out of them. mine was 375 horse factory and pushed a 4800 lb. boat 70 all day long.

http://www.raylarengine.com/

Skirkpat · 04-01-2009, 07:45 PM

I drive one every day ( I have to try not to smoke 33" tires everytime I stop, it has more torque than most know what to do with, starts efortlessly, and idles at 850 rpm, I would not use one either.....leaves more for me!!!!!

**Bob B.** · 04-02-2009, 04:09 AM

It's a great engine for large pickups, medium duty commercial trucks, school buses, boats, and motorhomes. As for swap material, well..... First off, it's not a Chevy Big Block like you and I know. Head bolts are in different locations, and there's more of them. As the earlier post points out, forget a carburetor. The intake ports are not paired up like a normal Big Block. The heads were laid out for fuel injection. There's no water crossover in the intake manifold, it is a separate part that bolts to the front of the heads. It uses a deep cast aluminum oil pan. No distributor. Very little interchanges with a 454 or other Big Block. So, all that having been said, about the only way you could swap one of these into a '67-'72 would be to do it as a whole engine package from a '01-'07 GM full size truck, computer and all. That would probably make for a good running truck, but would require a lot of engineering, fabrication, and $$$! Now, I'll let you on to a little secret- '96-'00 'Vortec' Gen. VI 454's. They have roller cams, oval port closed chamber heads with good sized valves, decent compression ratio, and most regular Big Block performance parts will fit on them. Strong runner. Plenty out there, too.

Skirkpat · 04-02-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob B.

It's a great engine for large pickups, medium duty commercial trucks, school buses, boats, and motorhomes. As for swap material, well..... First off, it's not a Chevy Big Block like you and I know. Head bolts are in different locations, and there's more of them. As the earlier post points out, forget a carburetor. The intake ports are not paired up like a normal Big Block. The heads were laid out for fuel injection. There's no water crossover in the intake manifold, it is a separate part that bolts to the front of the heads. It uses a deep cast aluminum oil pan. No distributor. Very little interchanges with a 454 or other Big Block. So, all that having been said, about the only way you could swap one of these into a '67-'72 would be to do it as a whole engine package from a '01-'07 GM full size truck, computer and all. That would probably make for a good running truck, but would require a lot of engineering, fabrication, and $$$! Now, I'll let you on to a little secret- '96-'00 'Vortec' Gen. VI 454's. They have roller cams, oval port closed chamber heads with good sized valves, decent compression ratio, and most regular Big Block performance parts will fit on them. Strong runner. Plenty out there, too.

It's funny how you guys say "fuel injection" like it is a bad thing. I for one would not mind having 450 ft. Lbs. of Torque and never have to jack with tuning it....Just me,

69long"n"low · 04-02-2009, 09:51 AM

I work on boats with the 496 in them all the time. They're good engine and sound wicked in the marine world guys and 750-800hp jus by tossing a supercharger on them and running 3-5 psi. Then run them at red line all day.

Skirkpat · 04-02-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69long"n"low

I work on boats with the 496 in them all the time. They're good engine and sound wicked in the marine world guys and 750-800hp jus by tossing a supercharger on them and running 3-5 psi. Then run them at red line all day.

SHHHHHHH !!!!!! ...... C'Mon man, your letting the cat out of the bag...

Guys really, don't use these torque monsters , you can't even put a carb on it so you you get horrible gas mileage.

Sinisterspeed · 04-02-2009, 01:34 PM

I agree with some of the other guys. I bought an 01 GMC HD2500. It has the 6.0. Terrible motor for what im using it for. Yeah, i know you can add this tweak that. To get more power. I just wish i would have gotten the same truck with the 8.1 avail. that year. I believe the last year the 8.1 was avail was 01 or 02.

My 6.0L gets 13mpg with 33" tires and 4.10's Once i changed to a 35" tire... whoa! i would be fibbing if I even tried to push it to 10mpg. with my trailer.. Even worse then expected. 7.4 mpg and its not enough power. Granted I'm usually 17k lbs (8200 of which is the truck) when towing. But thats what this truck was purchased for.

I would trade my 6.0 for an 8.1 every day of the week.
For a 2wd under 4k lbs I might change my mind. as well as if I wasnt towing 300 miles from home i might decide to mess with the motor. JMHO

**Bob B.** · 04-02-2009, 06:17 PM

Don't get me wrong, fuel injection is batter. It's just more expensive and more than a lot of people want to get involved with. The last year for the 8.1L in pickups was actually 2007, but the engine is still available in big commercial trucks.

**Green Machine** · 04-02-2009, 06:34 PM

My only comment is that I drove a Suburban with the 8100 and it was kind of a dog for that large of a engine, maybe it was a odd duck, but it could hardly squeak the tires!

The other one was in a large U-haul, kind of hard to tell but it pulled that big truck just fine, and it got good gas mileage for that size of a truck.

69halfton · 04-02-2009, 07:04 PM

maybe its an american thing?

i have never even heard of a stock GM motor that was 8.1 L

this is news to me!

never in a bus, truck nothing. all of our cube vans and stuff up here all come with the 6.0L in them...and they do okay.

jeffspower · 04-02-2009, 07:16 PM

I just finished up pre- delivery today on an '09 C5500 truck with a 8100 converted to multiport propane injection. In a few hours on/off of light load @1200 rpm testing our hydraulic crane that is powered off a PTO... it used enough propane to heat my house for a month in January

**LEEVON** · 04-02-2009, 09:11 PM

There's a guy on here, Dirtylarry I think...he's done the swap. Look for him on the 73-87 side. Not your typical LS swap for sure.

Skirkpat · 04-02-2009, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green Machine

My only comment is that I drove a Suburban with the 8100 and it was kind of a dog for that large of a engine, maybe it was a odd duck, but it could hardly squeak the tires!

The other one was in a large U-haul, kind of hard to tell but it pulled that big truck just fine, and it got good gas mileage for that size of a truck.

My '01 will tear up the tires, I just can't afford to replace them....It is not like my '03 Cobra, but for an HD 4 door it will keep up with the traffic.

kamikazekyle05 · 04-02-2009, 10:15 PM

Its been done http://www.lt1swap.com/vortec8100.htm personally i would like to try this swap, you get a big block with fuel injection and as far a power just add something like this..

YouTube - 8.1l 2500hd STS turbo

YouTube - STS turbo 8.1l 2500HD

YouTube - 8.1L 2500HD 1

*MonteSS454* · 04-03-2009, 12:07 AM

13s is impressive for a 3/4ton.

nsuengineer06 · 04-03-2009, 09:02 AM

Thanks for the input guys! Right now I'm thinking bored & blown 327..

*MonteSS454* · 04-03-2009, 10:15 AM

My dad just got through building a 327 bored .060 over with the a huge cam in it. I'll see if I can't get the video for it, sounds mean with 3" exhaust and he can't idle it below 1,100RPM. Plusi t's going in his very light 40 Chevy truck with a 350t behind it and a 2.73 (We think) 10 bolt rear end.

04-01-2009, 12:22 PM	#1
nsuengineer06 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana Posts: 230	Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? Has anyone used this engine in one of these trucks? I've been pondering the idea.. Any fitment issues, pros, cons, comments, photos??

04-01-2009, 12:41 PM	#2
Kayotic Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga Posts: 300	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I have tried getting info on this engine as well, But I must warn you the info i found wasn't all that good... There are a few post in the performance section - I started one of them - It seems to be popularity issue, i.e performance parts wise. The specs on this engine arent that great, and being that there is not too much that can be done to them makes it less desirable. That said, still my engine of choice. Check in the performance section. __________________ Atlanta Craigslist Hurst Indy Pickup Truck 3-Speed Shifter - 5010016

04-01-2009, 12:59 PM	#3
MonteSS454 Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Claremore, Oklahoma Posts: 821	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? A fuel injected 495ci engine.....I smell all sorts of problems. Would love to have one, but not in my truck.

04-01-2009, 01:10 PM	#4
mrh33916 Project '67 454 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Columbia SC Posts: 283	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I think Chevy High Performance answered that question on a reader question in one of their last issues. If I remember correctly it would be impossible to put a carb. intake on that motor and get equal fuel distribution to all cylinders due to the intake port locations on certain intake ports.

04-01-2009, 01:18 PM	#5
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I have one in my D.D. (allison auto)it pulls a 3/4 ton with a tool box bed around with no problem what so ever, I can imagine it a light weight hotrod.

04-01-2009, 03:11 PM	#6
chev-obsession Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: kennewick, WA Posts: 1,505	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? i found this website. im not sure if it will help you. http://www.hotrodlane.cc/Streetstories/81%20swap.pdf __________________ 1965 c/10 swb 1969 c/10 lwb

04-01-2009, 03:14 PM	#7
72highlander Sophomore Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: brownwood, tx Posts: 927	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? try this site. that was the engine i had in a baja boat and these guys get some great power out of them. mine was 375 horse factory and pushed a 4800 lb. boat 70 all day long. http://www.raylarengine.com/ __________________ 1972 Chevrolet Highlander SWB 1972 Custom Deluxe 3/4 2WD 60k miles these trucks don't need vacuum gauges cause they don't suck! two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights do make a left all i want is a little more than i'll ever get it's better to be judged by 12 than to be carried by 6

04-01-2009, 07:45 PM	#8
Skirkpat Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: K.C. Missouri Posts: 1,024	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I drive one every day ( I have to try not to smoke 33" tires everytime I stop, it has more torque than most know what to do with, starts efortlessly, and idles at 850 rpm, I would not use one either.....leaves more for me!!!!!

04-02-2009, 04:09 AM	#9
Bob B. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,321	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? It's a great engine for large pickups, medium duty commercial trucks, school buses, boats, and motorhomes. As for swap material, well..... First off, it's not a Chevy Big Block like you and I know. Head bolts are in different locations, and there's more of them. As the earlier post points out, forget a carburetor. The intake ports are not paired up like a normal Big Block. The heads were laid out for fuel injection. There's no water crossover in the intake manifold, it is a separate part that bolts to the front of the heads. It uses a deep cast aluminum oil pan. No distributor. Very little interchanges with a 454 or other Big Block. So, all that having been said, about the only way you could swap one of these into a '67-'72 would be to do it as a whole engine package from a '01-'07 GM full size truck, computer and all. That would probably make for a good running truck, but would require a lot of engineering, fabrication, and $$$! Now, I'll let you on to a little secret- '96-'00 'Vortec' Gen. VI 454's. They have roller cams, oval port closed chamber heads with good sized valves, decent compression ratio, and most regular Big Block performance parts will fit on them. Strong runner. Plenty out there, too. __________________ 1967 GMC CM-2500 Camper Cruiser, 351E V-6, NP 435 4 speed, Dana 60, and factory A/C. 2012 GMC K-3500 WT regular cab, 6.0L Vortec, 6L90.

04-02-2009, 09:51 AM	#11
69long"n"low Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SURREY BC, CANADA Posts: 278	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I work on boats with the 496 in them all the time. They're good engine and sound wicked in the marine world guys and 750-800hp jus by tossing a supercharger on them and running 3-5 psi. Then run them at red line all day. __________________ - Josh Im not white trash, I'm one step above that..... more like white clutter

04-02-2009, 01:34 PM	#13
Sinisterspeed Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gales Creek, Oregon Posts: 619	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I agree with some of the other guys. I bought an 01 GMC HD2500. It has the 6.0. Terrible motor for what im using it for. Yeah, i know you can add this tweak that. To get more power. I just wish i would have gotten the same truck with the 8.1 avail. that year. I believe the last year the 8.1 was avail was 01 or 02. My 6.0L gets 13mpg with 33" tires and 4.10's Once i changed to a 35" tire... whoa! i would be fibbing if I even tried to push it to 10mpg. with my trailer.. Even worse then expected. 7.4 mpg and its not enough power. Granted I'm usually 17k lbs (8200 of which is the truck) when towing. But thats what this truck was purchased for. I would trade my 6.0 for an 8.1 every day of the week. For a 2wd under 4k lbs I might change my mind. as well as if I wasnt towing 300 miles from home i might decide to mess with the motor. JMHO __________________ There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on. 70 GMC Longhorn (A.K.A Money Bucket) 57 Chev 3100 05 Chevy LLY Dmax. 67 Chevy Camaro Dad's Budget Build 55 My Longhorn Build

04-02-2009, 06:17 PM	#14
Bob B. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,321	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? Don't get me wrong, fuel injection is batter. It's just more expensive and more than a lot of people want to get involved with. The last year for the 8.1L in pickups was actually 2007, but the engine is still available in big commercial trucks. __________________ 1967 GMC CM-2500 Camper Cruiser, 351E V-6, NP 435 4 speed, Dana 60, and factory A/C. 2012 GMC K-3500 WT regular cab, 6.0L Vortec, 6L90.

04-02-2009, 06:34 PM	#15
Green Machine Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Estherville, Iowa Posts: 3,371	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? My only comment is that I drove a Suburban with the 8100 and it was kind of a dog for that large of a engine, maybe it was a odd duck, but it could hardly squeak the tires! The other one was in a large U-haul, kind of hard to tell but it pulled that big truck just fine, and it got good gas mileage for that size of a truck. __________________ 1968 C10 307 3spd Long Fleet ------ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=201103 1970 C10 305 Super T10 Long Fleet --- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=202285 1971 C20 383 TH350 Dana Posi ----- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=206894 2001 GMC Sierra 1500 C3 6.0

04-02-2009, 07:04 PM	#16
69halfton Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: King City, Ontario, Canada Posts: 974	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? maybe its an american thing? i have never even heard of a stock GM motor that was 8.1 L this is news to me! never in a bus, truck nothing. all of our cube vans and stuff up here all come with the 6.0L in them...and they do okay. __________________ - Jason If you can turn, Youre not going fast enough. Favorite caption: first car to 200 mph in the 1/4 mile, no parachute, drum brakes all the way around.. ..back when men were men.

04-02-2009, 07:16 PM	#17
jeffspower Well, Whoop-dee-do! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Easton, Mo. pop.- me & scarcely a few others Posts: 2,302	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? I just finished up pre- delivery today on an '09 C5500 truck with a 8100 converted to multiport propane injection. In a few hours on/off of light load @1200 rpm testing our hydraulic crane that is powered off a PTO... it used enough propane to heat my house for a month in January __________________ '68 GMC shortbox 4x4 350/SM465/T221- bought it in '83 SOLD '72 K20 500 Cad/TH400/NP205 SOLD '92 Chevy 2500 6.5 mech TD 4L80E crusty daily driver '72 Monte Carlo... sweet low mile toy '11 Dodge Challenger IE 392 6spd... midlife car



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04-02-2009, 09:11 PM	#18
LEEVON Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ozark, MO Posts: 4,887	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? There's a guy on here, Dirtylarry I think...he's done the swap. Look for him on the 73-87 side. Not your typical LS swap for sure. __________________ '20 Silverado Trail Boss ~ '17 Tahoe ~ '79 K15 Sierra Grande ~ '76 Blazer 2wd ~ '71 Cheyenne swb ~ '55 Pontiac Safari ~'50 3100 bagged ~ '80 Wife ~ Late model kids

04-03-2009, 12:07 AM	#21
MonteSS454 Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Claremore, Oklahoma Posts: 821	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? 13s is impressive for a 3/4ton.

04-03-2009, 09:02 AM	#22
nsuengineer06 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana Posts: 230	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? Thanks for the input guys! Right now I'm thinking bored & blown 327..

04-03-2009, 10:15 AM	#23
MonteSS454 Account Suspended Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Claremore, Oklahoma Posts: 821	Re: Vortec 8.1L 8100 Anyone? My dad just got through building a 327 bored .060 over with the a huge cam in it. I'll see if I can't get the video for it, sounds mean with 3" exhaust and he can't idle it below 1,100RPM. Plusi t's going in his very light 40 Chevy truck with a 350t behind it and a 2.73 (We think) 10 bolt rear end.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.