Question: Clean Slate, Which engine would be ideal?

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tpijeep

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Oct 20, 2009
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While sitting at me desk today working on some design issues with my rockcrawling tube chassis I am building a thought hit me when I looked in my shop and saw my tow rig (LB7), why not ditch the small block chevy 454 I built a few years ago and put in a Duramax. I have over 15k in this gas burner and it dynoed at 570 ft/lbs and a stock Dmax can do that plus a few hundred more..

Since the Engine space requirements are all "Adjustable" and the chassis wiring is umm.. non existant I can pretty much do what I want... Only thing that is sorta set in stone is the width of the chassis and its right at 32" so my Radiator and Intercooler will have to fit in that space.

I wanna strip it down and only run what wiring and plumbing has to be there to operate to keep it clean. So what model would you go with?
 
Mike_S

Mike_S

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Nov 18, 2009
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For a rock crawler I would run a 3 gen (LBZ) engine. They are stronger than an LLY engine and have the VVT turbo so boost will come on quickly which I would assume would be good for your off-road performance, especially for rock-crawling. Just my humble oppinion though.
 
M

maxaholic

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I Know you said dmax and trust me that's what I would want. But for the pure ease of instalation I would choose a mechanical cummins. That's just me though. Also isn't there a guy on here that has put a dmax in a jeep or buggie of some sort. If you insist on a dmax then I would say lb7 for having the stronger pistons and being able to take 500hp fine. It would suck being on a trail and having a pos lbz piston crap out on you.
 
Duramax_JP

Duramax_JP

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Jul 3, 2008
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maxaholic said:
I Know you said dmax and trust me that's what I would want. But for the pure ease of instalation I would choose a mechanical cummins. That's just me though. Also isn't there a guy on here that has put a dmax in a jeep or buggie of some sort. If you insist on a dmax then I would say lb7 for having the stronger pistons and being able to take 500hp fine. It would suck being on a trail and having a pos lbz piston crap out on you.
Click to expand...



IIRC there is some guy on here that built a crawler of some sort with an lbz in it. Don't remember where the thread was though
 
JoshH

JoshH

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What kind of rock crawling do you do? For the kind of rock crawling I'm used to, I would be going for something lighter weight like an aluminum block LS1 from an F-body or a Vette. More power typically just breaks more parts faster.
 
T

tpijeep

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I built a 4 seater tube chassis on Rockwells, big lead sled trail runner.. I have been down the gas route, wanna make a change thought about the cummins but little long for this app and the 4bt doesn't have enough HP potential..
 
JoshH

JoshH

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tpijeep said:
I built a 4 seater tube chassis on Rockwells, big lead sled trail runner.. I have been down the gas route, wanna make a change thought about the cummins but little long for this app and the 4bt doesn't have enough HP potential..
Click to expand...
Haha, in that case, light weight isn't really an option. I would go with whatever you can find a good deal on. An LB7 is probably the most economical option.

I'd love to see some pics of your project.
 
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T

tpijeep

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A few pictures of the project.
 

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madmatt

madmatt

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tpijeep said:
I built a 4 seater tube chassis on Rockwells, big lead sled trail runner.. I have been down the gas route, wanna make a change thought about the cummins but little long for this app and the 4bt doesn't have enough HP potential..
Click to expand...

400whp is easily atainable out of those. some are now in the 700 range.
 
wikdlmm

wikdlmm

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Jun 27, 2008
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tpijeep said:
While sitting at me desk today working on some design issues with my rockcrawling tube chassis I am building a thought hit me when I looked in my shop and saw my tow rig (LB7), why not ditch the small block chevy 454 I built a few years ago and put in a Duramax. I have over 15k in this gas burner and it dynoed at 570 ft/lbs and a stock Dmax can do that plus a few hundred more..

Since the Engine space requirements are all "Adjustable" and the chassis wiring is umm.. non existant I can pretty much do what I want... Only thing that is sorta set in stone is the width of the chassis and its right at 32" so my Radiator and Intercooler will have to fit in that space.

I wanna strip it down and only run what wiring and plumbing has to be there to operate to keep it clean. So what model would you go with?
Click to expand...

small block 454? anyways i would go the lbz route
 
fishsmith

fishsmith

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May 14, 2008
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lbz all the way. Your close to me, my truck is at our shop in Downsville off Hwy 15. I come through Ruston almost everyday.
 
T

tpijeep

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Oct 20, 2009
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Ruston, LA
Yes Small block 454, Dart Iron Eagle Tall Deck block ect ect... You admit being from Downsville? Haha.. I own Southern Motorsports on Farmerville Hwy..
 

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fishsmith

fishsmith

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:rofl: I'm not from Downsville, I'm originally from Oak Grove but live in Sterlington now. My parents bought a place out there about a year ago. I will swing by the next time I'm over that way and give you a shout.
 
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