The best crate motor for the job

[Moody Blues]

87 gmc V2500. I am looking for a 94-98 motor. I will probably use a 48re.

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by Moody Blues

87 gmc V2500. I am looking for a 94-98 motor. I will probably use a 48re.

sounds good, make sure as soon as you find a motor fix the killer dowel pin, under the crankcase cover, good luck

[MTCK]

IMHO you want an 8.1 Chevrolet with the Allison behind it. Plowing with a standard is no fun. Also you will not see the great mileage that everyone is talking about while plowing. Forward backwards repeat. Not sure how much you plow but that is a thought. The 8.1 with a few bolt ons and a good tune will give you all the power you want, torque off idle with no waiting for spool and reliable starting no matter how cold it is. MPFI is pretty nice when you have large temp/altitude swings. Just my two cents. Good luck with the project and watch the bottom line - that $$$ will go faster than you think! Budgets are the key ....

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by MTCK

IMHO you want an 8.1 Chevrolet with the Allison behind it. Plowing with a standard is no fun. Also you will not see the great mileage that everyone is talking about while plowing. Forward backwards repeat. Not sure how much you plow but that is a thought. The 8.1 with a few bolt ons and a good tune will give you all the power you want, torque off idle with no waiting for spool and reliable starting no matter how cold it is. MPFI is pretty nice when you have large temp/altitude swings. Just my two cents. Good luck with the project and watch the bottom line - that $$$ will go faster than you think! Budgets are the key ....

or he can get the cummins with allison, there are adapters, and the 48re is an automatic. and a 496 (8.1) is alot of computers to swap into a truck compared to a diesel with very few electronics. diesel is the way to go because you can also run WMO or WVO. so the savings you get from that and the better mileage are worth it, a cummins with the setup he wants can get 12-18mpg if setup properly, a 496 would be what? 9 when plowing and up to 15 driving highway. just my 2cents

[Damien]

My boss had a Yukon with the 8.1 and averaged 9mpg. I don't think that truck ever got anywhere close to 15mpg. I had to use it to pull a 15ft inclosed trailer and it got 7 mpg on the highway. He traded it for a Duramax last fall.

[Dieselwrencher]

IMO I would go with a 1996-98 215hp 12v cummins. I would use either a 47rh or 47/8re and send it to Goerend transmission to be built. If you go with an electronic trans I would also reccomend a PCS transmission controller. I have a friend's truck that him and I built that he daily drives and tows. It did 576hp and gets 16mpg with no fuel plate in the injection pump. The engine has 280,000 miles on it and still going strong. It has twin turbos also. There are so many things you can do to one of these and some have been mentioned, but some of that is crap too. You're not going to have 700hp on a single turbo and be able to tow with it. If you want advise I will be glad to help you out. Here is the Dave's site: www.goerend.com . You probabaly wouldn't need a complete billet trans unless you plan on abusing it hard. I would definitely get his triple billet convertor because he has a life time warranty on them. You won't believe how nice these will shift and operate once he is done with them.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by Moody Blues

87 gmc V2500. I am looking for a 94-98 motor. I will probably use a 48re.

A 94-98 Dodge in factory form will have a 47RH or a 47RE.

94-95 47RH transmission 160HP & 400FT#

96-98 47RE transmission 180HP & 420FT#

94-95 5-speed NV4500 175HP & 420FT#

96-98 5-speed NV4500 215HP & 440FT# (My favorite)

If your going to have a transmission built? 47REs can be built just as strong. If you need Dodge/Cummins CPL (controlled parts list) numbers let me know.


Dont buy just any engine just because its a Cummins 6BT. they were used in everything from irrigation pumps to school buses.

[Dieselwrencher]

FYI................... You can not make the power with most industrial bosch injection pumps unless you spend the money to have it built at a pump shop. You are better off starting out with an engine from a dodge truck. Yes they are in a lot of different applications, I've tried them and it can get expensive quick. Most ag govonors are not streetable due to their nature. You apply load and they take off, not what you want on a street truck. You can tune any one of the P7100 pumps found on the 94-98 12v's to do whatever you want. The parts for them to make them perform better, like fuel higher in the RPM range, or produce more fuel, or whatever are not expensive and they are fun to play with.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

FYI................... You can not make the power with most industrial bosch injection pumps unless you spend the money to have it built at a pump shop. You are better off starting out with an engine from a dodge truck. Yes they are in a lot of different applications, I've tried them and it can get expensive quick. Most ag govonors are not streetable due to their nature. You apply load and they take off, not what you want on a street truck. You can tune any one of the P7100 pumps found on the 94-98 12v's to do whatever you want. The parts for them to make them perform better, like fuel higher in the RPM range, or produce more fuel, or whatever are not expensive and they are fun to play with.

I didnt think i was implying that industrial/stationary engines are a viable source. I was telling him that not all 6BTs are the same.

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

FYI................... You can not make the power with most industrial bosch injection pumps unless you spend the money to have it built at a pump shop. You are better off starting out with an engine from a dodge truck. Yes they are in a lot of different applications, I've tried them and it can get expensive quick. Most ag govonors are not streetable due to their nature. You apply load and they take off, not what you want on a street truck. You can tune any one of the P7100 pumps found on the 94-98 12v's to do whatever you want. The parts for them to make them perform better, like fuel higher in the RPM range, or produce more fuel, or whatever are not expensive and they are fun to play with.

im going to prove you wrong on that, im going to find a way to get 600 out of the VE, i know its "impossible" but people have done it, i dont want to have a 93 1st gen with a 2nd gen pump. but if that one blows at some point i will probably **** myself and do the 215 p-pump, since it is way better, oh and you can make 500-700hp to the wheels with a single charger, its hard and a waste of time but a 71mm and up compressor COULD do it.

[Dieselwrencher]

Ok, you can make 600hp with a VE but the 14mm pump heads don't live long. It's not impossible as you state. I'm going to try to get 450hp with twins out of my VE in my 95 ford. You can make 500-700hp with a large single, but it won't be worth a crap to drive on the street. Heck, there are 2.6 class trucks over 700hp already but like I said you won't be driving or towing with it.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

I didnt think i was implying that industrial/stationary engines are a viable source. I was telling him that not all 6BTs are the same.

Ok, I thought you were. I was just trying to do the same. A lot of people don't realize the differences in pumps and how they operate.

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Ok, you can make 600hp with a VE but the 14mm pump heads don't live long. It's not impossible as you state. I'm going to try to get 450hp with twins out of my VE in my 95 ford. You can make 500-700hp with a large single, but it won't be worth a crap to drive on the street. Heck, there are 2.6 class trucks over 700hp already but like I said you won't be driving or towing with it.

do you know any secrets to use with just the stock pump head? and get that power? what about a 4mm camplate? i just dont feel like tearing apart the pump and not knowing what to do, and still keep the injectors happy.

[Dieselwrencher]

Have you done anything with the fuel pin and timing yet?

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Have you done anything with the fuel pin and timing yet?

, havent got the truck yet but, as soon as a get a chance in the next week or two im going to go pick it up. the pin is the first on my list, and how much timing is good? do you skip teeth on the pump gear or what? i dont know much about the pump yet so im still learning. it will obviously be a daily driver but i dont want to go completely all out and make it a 800hp fuel sucker, just a twin turbod ve truck with around 600, it will look completely stock on outside for sleeper, but also to stay on a major budget.

[Moody Blues]

As far as the whole project goes front and rear axles are rebuilt and ready to go in. I went with Ox locker due to the fact there simple and ARB will only honor the warranty if you use there compressor and I am using a rebuilt one from a fire truck (Volunteer my ass, I am going to get something out of it) . I built a mock frame with wood to test measurements and everything. we are now working on the 4 link suspension for the back and the rear steering. There is no adapter to go from a cummins to an Allison and it is easier just to go with the 48re. I just need to find out if the 241 dhd has a pto provision. Sorry my camera suffered a bit of a plowing accident and will not be found till spring and will probably need to be replaced. Please do not disown me I bought an $800 jeep grand cherokee to use in the spring when the truck undergoes what I call "Project UWT" The motor will be ordered shortly waiting for a few more quotes to see who is going to give me the most for less.

[Dieselwrencher]

You can get an allison to cummins adaptor from www.destroked.com . He has even been working on a stand a lone controller for them on his own as well. Yes the 241DHD's have a provision for a PTO. The DLD's do not.

[Moody Blues]

Thanks for that link.

[hickracetruck]

havent been on in a few days but i was going to say destroked has them adapters sounds lie its coming along nicely hope to see some pics soon, good luck

[Moody Blues]

Yup and allison has a pto provision. The lack of snow has put a damper on the snowplowing. It is funny how money goes quic with these projects. My girlfriends father is giving himself a brake from the computer screen. He has been designing the rear steering and rear 4 link suspenion. I asked him yesterday about a four link for the front and he about fell out of his computer chair. I think when it is all done I will ask the operaters of this forum if I can download link so people can see the design if they ever wanted to do themselves. I have been trying to do an itemized budget for the whole project with little success. It is just alot of odds and ends. I have also lost track off beer and Tylenol consumed thus far, and I haven't even really started yet.

[Dieselwrencher]

The big items take the majority of the funds, but all those little things add up and you never realize how much they total up to be until the end. Good luck with the build man.

[Moody Blues]

A little more snow will help trying to convince the girlfriend I need a fisher V-plow is not going so good.

[Moody Blues]

Well the budget took a large hit this weekend. I bought an engagement ring and proposed Saturday. It looks like the truck will not be the only thing that I hope will last the rest of my life...Damn that sounded really redneck.

[hickracetruck]

Originally Posted by Moody Blues

Well the budget took a large hit this weekend. I bought an engagement ring and proposed Saturday. It looks like the truck will not be the only thing that I hope will last the rest of my life...Damn that sounded really redneck.

nice and as long as you got the right truck who cares how ya sound

[SMiller]

Damn this thread took a turn for the worse, I was all about big cubic inch daily driver\snow plow\pulling truck. I have wanted something like that my whole life, a truck that can do it all. You would get smoked in the diesel class where I live, even with 1300hp you wouldn't have enough wheel base to get the power to the ground. 12-valve swaps are all the rave for these old Chevy's these days. I guess I am still a big block kind of guy. If you do end up going with a 12-valve, it can easily be made to make 750hp and still drive and plow everyday, actually you can put a stock fuel plate in and turn the timing down and drive it all year like its stock. A Dodge auto trans can be made to handle any amount of power you can make and still have it drivable. There are a lot of options out there, I would do some real thinking about what it is YOU really want when you are done and start in that direction, we all have a vision of our dream truck, what ever YOUR'S is then make it!