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Anyone have an 8.1L in your Blazer?

For what it's worth, I put a Cadillac 500ci motor in my 78 burb. The guy that popped the hood on it never blinked an eye. Just stuffed the sniffer in the tail pipe, it passed, and away I went.
 
Colby-

I love the 8.1 in my 02 GMC daily driver - it sucks the gas - but I love that rig.

I also was talked into an 8.1 swap two years ago by one of the guys at Pacific Fab. I have an engine that when I get time, will go in my 72 Blazer -

My vote is to do it Colby!
 
IGOR said:
Colby-

I love the 8.1 in my 02 GMC daily driver - it sucks the gas - but I love that rig.

I also was talked into an 8.1 swap two years ago by one of the guys at Pacific Fab. I have an engine that when I get time, will go in my 72 Blazer -

My vote is to do it Colby!
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yeah those guys are good at that. they're local, and its really bad when you go wheeling with them and 85% of them are running 8.1

bad influences I tell ya
 
5.3's and 6.0's are fine. If you like CONSTANT shifting.

Martin
 
Fwiw, every non obd2 vehicle I've owned gets an under hood inspection at the smog station to verify the presence and correct operation of emissions equipment. The smog place might have let you slide or been lazy before, but they are supposed to check. We have some funny engine swap laws so do your research before you jump in head first.


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82355 said:
5.3's and 6.0's are fine. If you like CONSTANT shifting.

Martin
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I daily drive a 6.0 and I always get a kick out of this and the "they don't make any power down low" statements. With 4.56 gears and the 37s or the 38s the truck is in a hurry to get into and stay in overdrive. Even with slightly aggressive driving it rarely gets to 3 grand. It does like the fuel though. Best Ive seen is 12 running down the interstate.

Does it make 8.1 torque? No. Does it make an excellent engine for a trial rig? Yes. Would I tow with it? Absolutely not. Would I look for an 8.1 tow rig? Absolutely not. 455 ft lbs at 3200? Maybe diesel like torque numbers in 1995. I'm fairly certain the last dump sheet for my dodge started at 475 ft lbs.
 
Just for fun, the 2013 suburban 6.0,

2012_60L_L96_Suburban_SAE.jpg


the 2013 6.2 in a sierra.

2012_62L_L9H_SierraSLE.jpg


2013 Duramax

2012_66L_LML_SierraHD.jpg
 
I'd take a 5.3 over any factory replacement small block our square bodies ever came with, that's for sure.
 
Cruz89K5 said:
I daily drive a 6.0 and I always get a kick out of this and the "they don't make any power down low" statements.
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I borrowed my brother's 2006 K2500 with a 6.0 to tow home a K5 (with no engine). Unloaded going up and down the hills around here it was CONSTANTLY shifting. Loaded was even worse. Cruise control was annoying as hell, so I gave up on that.

Martin
 
82355 said:
I borrowed my brother's 2006 K2500 with a 6.0 to tow home a K5 (with no engine). Unloaded going up and down the hills around here it was CONSTANTLY shifting. Loaded was even worse. Cruise control was annoying as hell, so I gave up on that.

Martin
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I towed the new cab for mine on a 16' utility trailer with no bed. You could feel it back there. Gas burning trucks make horrible tow rigs in any form as far as I'm concerned. If it wasn't for the initial expense I'd have a diesel in everything. Weight be damned. Ill stand by my trail rig good, tow rig bad statement.
 
It wasn't so much that you could tell it was back there, I've made Powerstrokes struggle, it was how annoying it was CONSTANTLY shifting.

Martin
 
Cruz89K5 said:
I towed the new cab for mine on a 16' utility trailer with no bed. You could feel it back there. Gas burning trucks make horrible tow rigs in any form as far as I'm concerned. If it wasn't for the initial expense I'd have a diesel in everything. Weight be damned. Ill stand by my trail rig good, tow rig bad statement.
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You've never towed with an 8.1 Allison truck then.
 
I don't think the OP is going to be towing anything....especially in a k5

An 8.1 would be awesome, but certainly not necessary.
 
Good point. Just seems we're getting into a bunch of towing discussions and OP is looking for a engine for his k5 to use for wheeling and road trips.

Carry on...
 
Heres a little one on the 6.0 trucks. A few months ago I did a 600 mile round trip towing my 83 stepside on an 18 foot utility trailer. The trailer and the truck togeather were 8350lbs, now I towed this with my straight axled 03 2500hd with a 6.0/4l80e...my average mpg was in the 9.5 to 10 area. It only gets 12 around here, by the way I do have 5:13 gears and run 37 inch military wranglers. It pulled great, the two mountains were 4 miles long and 7 miles long. It was in between 3500-4000 rpms on those but was totally fine for me. I have no need for a racecar towing my trailer..


Meaning a 6.0 with headers/tune etc would be perfect..lol

001.JPG
 
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