What to do next...

[catman3126]

I'm at a crossroads I have all this stuff done to my LLY runs great no complaints. dynos 600+ and runs really strong. I have gathered alot of parts for a build. I have carrilos, fingers 20 over ovals, main studs, colt cam, a spare block to build, 60% over injectors/bodies, already have all the profab stuff and a danville 66mm billet which would be a good turbo to twin. all this stuff is paid for and sitting on the shelf. I have a built trans and lift pump, just turned a 100k and about 40k on the built trans. all im missing for the long block is gaskets and heads and machine work.

But I'm asking myself what for? I havent ran down the strip with it yet but I would if I had a built motor. I go back an forath between a LML and doing the work to mine. 20K in a built motor is less then half what I would pay for a newer rig but then what problems (besides short tire life LOL) come from a built motor with 800+ would liek to hear from some people who have been down the road.

 

[Slowmax]

X2

 

[Chevy1925]

drivetrain becomes your issue. trans life, t-case life, rear driveshaft life (ujoints included), and rear G80 wont be worse off.

my truck is built to handle 800hp in the motor and trans, i am knocking on that door on my race tune. Problem is, these truck were never designed to hold that much power for long periods of time reliably. Hell im pushing it with the 600rwhp i daily drive on. 90% of the guys out there with built motors have their trucks sitting in the garage awaiting a track day, pull day, or take a cruise some where. there is very very few who actually still use the truck as a truck and depend on it. thats not a dig at anyone who has a truck that sit either, i envy you. If i could retire my truck and have it sit for a weekend toy, i would in a heart beat but i would still use it to tow with. i drive my samurai alot but thats one hell of an unreliable vehicle and i regularly fall back on driving my truck.

i still pull my toyhauler loaded down on long trips, in fact im getting for a trip over the 4th and also a long 8 hour trip up to silverton CO with 12k on the back hauling up and over all those hills. at 600hp, things are holding up really well but im constantly going over the truck. at this point, every drive train part on my truck besides the front half shafts and front drive shaft has been rebuilt or replaced, the chassis has just under 185k on her now. my goal is for the motor to make it 100k in its current state. I dont know of anyone doing this currently. i dont exactly baby it either

what im getting at is i over built the truck to "in theory" hold up to the 600hp tune i use for everything based off my personal theory of what fuel/air to run to keep the motor happy at 600hp. does this mean you can build a 1000hp truck and dd it on a 800hp tune with out issue for years? no, shit happens and 800hp daily is a whole different ball game as compared to 600hp daily. it you regularly flog it at 800hp, things are going to break and need fixing much sooner than later. im very happy with how the truck has held up at 600hp but at 800, i dont think things would last very long if actually used all that power but i have nothing to say otherwise. ive literally only loaded the big tune in my truck 11 times. i just run this single 600hp tune, im perfectly content at that power level

 

[catman3126]

I rarely even tow naything and defnitly not that heavy when I do. I towed my tilt bed last fall with a k10 on it 250 miles and just for shits and grins i wasnted to see what it would do up this 6% grade so i clicked on my 2400us tune with stock fuel system and and was very impressed pulled the hill at 65 and thats with a sharp 20 mph corner at the bottom after starting up the hill. thats tune is high 400's and the pyro never went over 1150 in the manifold. 600 is plenty for the daily driver but the 800 would just be on tap on one setting. Ive also kicked around the idea of putting the injectors in now just to make things a little safer. my hot tune is 3100us and its been running there alot for the last 40K.

 

[Chevy1925]

Im not saying towing is going to make the difference. im just saying your going to have to really keep an eye on things if you find yourself on the 800hp tune alot. the towing reference was just for you to see where i push the truck. Switching your dsp up and down at those power levels is really going to be killer on the trans as well even with the 01 OS. 500-800hp is a BIG swing. another reason i took mine out. keeps me honest.

 

[mike diesel]

Looking to sell some parts eh?

 

[TROJAN366]

Some days I regret building my truck to the point it is at now. It spends a ton of time in the shop but I feel like it is done right and should stay together for a while. Time will tell whether or not that holds true but for now it seems like a lot of money for a truck that is only marginally more fun than it was in the high 500hp range. Yes it is fun to bury the speedo in a matter of seconds but it is a hand full to drive and if anything goes wrong with the motor it isn't a simple drop in a stocker replacement, its $15k out the window. I also feel like I should limit miles to keep the truck pristine. I have a daily driver but I miss being able to fire up my truck and beat the bag out of it without a care in the world.

 

[catman3126]

Looking to sell some parts eh?

Very posible. very lol. 541-263-0311 shoot me a text might just make someone a hell of a deal

 

[NC-smokinlmm]

Get the LML...

 

[paint94979]

Built engine vs. New LML? I would buy a new truck in a heart beat. I've resisted build my engine because to your point "why?" Pushing a CC/SB to 11.2 the 10.8 then 10.5 and then what? Shit I had more fun when my truck ran 12.3 all day long.

 

[catman3126]

Get the LML...

Love to if I could delete it. can't seem to buy a unlocked stock delete tune from anyone. but then again maybe it would be better if i couldn't mess with it lol

 

[catman3126]

Built engine vs. New LML? I would buy a new truck in a heart beat. I've resisted build my engine because to your point "why?" Pushing a CC/SB to 11.2 the 10.8 then 10.5 and then what? Shit I had more fun when my truck ran 12.3 all day long.

Yeah and way to damn expensive. I have two LS powered rigs that were much easier and cheaper to work on and if i messed one of those up a junkyard has another for cheapo

 

[TROJAN366]

Built engine vs. New LML? I would buy a new truck in a heart beat. I've resisted build my engine because to your point "why?" Pushing a CC/SB to 11.2 the 10.8 then 10.5 and then what? Shit I had more fun when my truck ran 12.3 all day long.

I agree completely. That is half the problem. Now the truck makes huge power and they kick you off the track without a cage and you can't pull anywhere because the truck need super stock safety equipment.

 

[Chevy1925]

here is one thing i like about the way i did my build.

first, it was cheap. 5k for a built short block. at that price, i feel the same way as i did before i built it "i dont want it to break but if it does, we build it a little better" accept the chances of a cheaper rebuild are more likely to happen now than before.

second, i get in it and honestly, its the last worry on my mind now. im more worried about the stock 45* boot i still havent changed out with the new PPE boot i have sitting in the back seat.

the motor isnt my worry till i put the big tune in, all the other worries of drivetrain parts are what starts running through my head but now after rebuilding my t-case, u-joints are my only worry and i check those regularly.

everyone complains about the money. i did and still do every once and while about what i have into it but i need to concider it a written off ticket. im not about to sell any of the motor parts cause of the smile i get so i just need to get the f**k over it. it didnt help i put myself in not the best of situations financially when i hurt the motor but im well out of that hole now

i would do it over again if could go back.

 

[catman3126]

Oh and I hate having any rig payments

 

[SSchmi5519]

I completely understand where you guys are coming from, and i have asked myself and others i speak with often, "and then what?"

I have taken pride in keeping my truck as clean and nice as possible over the years, and i just could never bring myself to hack it up to put in a cage. :/

 

[catman3126]

I know a guy that built his motor and has not even put 1000 miles on it in the last year because he had issues and has had it out an back aprt twice since the original built motor install.

 

[MarkBroviak]

I completely understand where you guys are coming from, and i have asked myself and others i speak with often, "and then what?"

I have taken pride in keeping my truck as clean and nice as possible over the years, and i just could never bring myself to hack it up to put in a cage. :/

Same here, lol! That's why I yanked my built motor out and threw a junkyard stock lmm back in it. My built motor belongs in something like a railcar to go fast and I use it as a parts test mule on my engine dyno. My truck is alot of fun to drive everyday and is a great customer demenstration tool and test turbos and other parts on it. Yes it was way faster with the triples and built motor but it is honestly alot more fun to drive everyday how it sits right now!

PS-Can't wait to get my railcar...:thumb:

 

[MAXX IT OUT]

PS-Can't wait to get my railcar...:thumb:

Wow where is going to be a lot of duramax top dragster out there. With Wade building on too, we duramax should catch up the John Roberson and Scheid's rail.

 

[catman3126]

Same here, lol! That's why I yanked my built motor out and threw a junkyard stock lmm back in it. My built motor belongs in something like a railcar to go fast and I use it as a parts test mule on my engine dyno. My truck is alot of fun to drive everyday and is a great customer demenstration tool and test turbos and other parts on it. Yes it was way faster with the triples and built motor but it is honestly alot more fun to drive everyday how it sits right now!

PS-Can't wait to get my railcar...:thumb:

Oh Man no more commute home videos?? bummed haha