'89 R3500 Crew Cab 2wd to 4wd conversion & beyond

[skunked]

DANG! this is exactly what I want to build for my truck!

A big block? It’s about time you grew up

 

[Babaganoosh]

A big block? It’s about time you grew up

Hahah, I knew this was going to happen. Honestly the ls rips in the truck but more cubes and torque would be gnarly

 

[folkenheath]

Thanks for the explanation. Knowing how some L29 guys (online guys) were tripping over themselves to get away from the 4x crank signal I was wondering what some of the issue was. Really I think the biggest thing is getting away from the earlier “black box” ecm that most of the aftermarket tuning software companies like EFI live or hp tuners don’t have any ability to communicate with it. So if you don’t want to go with a Holley terminator setup and want a gm ecm you have to at least get to the 0411 controller and that forces the 24x crank signal.

The terminator just sounds like an easier deal all the way as it looks to be more user friendly to a tuning noob over HPT or EFIL.

You are exactly correct, if you want to run a factory LS computer you need the newer 24x or 58x cam signals. Also, the Holley is not only easier to use and faster to tune, it's also more capable and more versatile. I feel like a factory ECU should be used in a factory vehicle, once you take the engine out of hte vehicle, I feel like you are better off using an aftermarket ECU. An exception to that is if you have a bone stock engine and trans, but that's just my opinion, and I never leave it stock during a swap.

Hahah, I knew this was going to happen. Honestly the ls rips in the truck but more cubes and torque would be gnarly

An LS is a bad@$$ small block, but it's still a small block. A 500 HP BBC will have over 100 ft-lbs, often 125 ft-lbs, more torque than a 500 HP LS. In a heavy truck it will feel like more than that.

If you find a Gen VI block, they sell a 58x kit to put on it. Or, you can put a target wheel on a Mark IV crank and do CnP, but it will be external. Either way your ECU can do it.

 

[mrk5]

Or @Babaganoosh can wait 6 years when I'll be selling my GenVI setup for something different. Based on my current track record.

 

[mrk5]

Pulled the engine today.

Sorry the camera wasn't always in focus.

 

[Babaganoosh]

4:26 that’s a record for
Pulling a engine!

 

[Capt Ron]

If you need any help installing the L29/L21 I can drive up and help on the weekends.
Doing hoods alone kinda sucks but you made it look easy.

 

[70jimmy]

Nice! I am glad you got that engine sold because getting it as a Christmas present to myself was tempting.

 

[mrk5]

If you need any help installing the L29/L21 I can drive up and help on the weekends.
Doing hoods alone kinda sucks but you made it look easy.

Thanks! I was thinking it would be hard to install alone. The C10 isn't that bad, but it's a lot harder to get to the bellhousing bolts with the tcase obstructing the view. If this truck wasn't so tall already, I'd put a 1" body lift in.

I got a bit of work to do before the install. Still need to swap the cam and valve springs, clean and paint the engine, set up the coils, and get the engine harness installed.

On top of that, I was already getting bit by the MAW bug while I was working. I should do this while the motor is out.... I could do this better.... I should change this....

 

[mrk5]

Nice! I am glad you got that engine sold because getting it as a Christmas present to myself was tempting.

The Cherry Bomb with a 454 would have been pretty sweet!

 

[Capt Ron]

Nice! I am glad you got that engine sold because getting it as a Christmas present to myself was tempting.

The Cherry Bomb with a 454 would have been pretty sweet!

If I ever do another L29 it will be spec'ed out like Rob's buddy Ian built.
The L21 has forged rods and crank if I remember correctly and with a cam/spring swap and Ford injectors the hp/torque numbers were very impressive. L21s are also pretty easy to find as well.

 

[Chickntrk]

The L21 was what was in uhaul 26’ box trucks right? Gotta be 20,000 of then out there, although I’d imagine some have fairly high mileage.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

…and lots of hard use and abuse.


Wasn’t a 8.1L but about 20 years ago a friend said, “she could drive a stick” and hopped in the U-haul and screamed off. After a while we realized the 366 was literally screaming.

She pushed the clutch in, put it in 2nd, hammered the gas and dumped clutch. That was it. Knew enough to push the clutch in at stops. Repeated the lurching, lugging clutch dump start every time and then drove down the city streets of East Lansing, MI at redline.

My money’s on a lot of those U-Haul 8.1’s are trashed.

 

[Chickntrk]

Hard to believe they let the general public have stick shifts, I haven’t seen a stick shift uhaul in well, probaby 20 years

 

[mrk5]

The crane truck with an L21 was formerly a Penske truck. The dealer had a handful with the boxes removed.

 

[mrk5]

When I was getting the engine ready to go off to its new home I noticed I had a problem that was developing.



Only 1 bolt left holding the engine mount bracket.

 

[HankScorpio]

With the other side that's still 4 bolts.
So did you leave them in the snow or on the Rubicon?

 

[70jimmy]

Now you gotta go back and find them...

 

[Babaganoosh]

Crazy, mine do the same… it must be a long bed thing cause our crossmember bolts come loose too!

 

[imiceman44]

Crazy, mine do the same… it must be a long bed thing cause our crossmember bolts come loose too!

I had the same problem with my k5.
It's a off road thing.
My cross member dropped on a trail, I had one bolt left.
I never did a bolt check before that happened, 6 years of wheeling