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L18 8.1L swap resource thread

If I'm remembering wrong he will correct me, but Larry's 02 Silverado got tweaked a little too. Basically he had burst knock retard removed and torque management shut off. Just those alone will wake up a stock 8.1 over what it already has. He's happier with it now than I remember him being it.
 
ZooMad75 said:
If I'm remembering wrong he will correct me, but Larry's 02 Silverado got tweaked a little too. Basically he had burst knock retard removed and torque management shut off. Just those alone will wake up a stock 8.1 over what it already has. He's happier with it now than I remember him being it.
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Correct, my bone stock Pewterpuff 2001 Silverado had some ECM work over Christmas 2017 by a PSI calibrator to remove the killjoys. It got burst knock retard removed, torque management (which it didn’t have much given the truck has a manual trans) and some timing and PE tweaks. It gained much more seat of the pants power and getting better fuel economy now too. I can now skip shift this thing from 1st to 3rd directly into 6th while still accelerating hard. It also lugs down real low RPM’s for when driving like an old man to save fuel. I should have had this done 17 years ago! I kept the original ECM and just had a fresh 0411 ECM burnt for it in case I would ever want to easily return it to stock.
 
Larry said:
Correct, my bone stock Pewterpuff 2001 Silverado had some ECM work over Christmas 2017 by a PSI calibrator to remove the killjoys. It got burst knock retard removed, torque management (which it didn’t have much given the truck has a manual trans) and some timing and PE tweaks. It gained much more seat of the pants power and getting better fuel economy now too. I can now skip shift this thing from 1st to 3rd directly into 6th while still accelerating hard. It also lugs down real low RPM’s for when driving like an old man to save fuel. I should have had this done 17 years ago! I kept the original ECM and just had a fresh 0411 ECM burnt for it in case I would ever want to easily return it to stock.
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This gets me excited to get a tune on mine soon. The power still feels pretty impressive on my completely stock ECM (as far as tuning goes, Tilden just does a "re-flash" to remove the crap they prune out of the harness for each specific motor package they are working...but that is just to get it to run correctly when it shows up to the consumer...no performance tune done at all). From everything I've heard, a tune makes such a big difference on an stock 8.1...even more when comparing a tune to a stock 5.3/6.0 (no personal evidence of that, just from what I've read on the interwebs)
 
Breifly searching I haven't seen this covered: next to the throttle body there's a black plastic part with a fuel push lock male on top. I belive this is for vapor recovery from the tank but I'm not sure. Is this no longer needed and is there a way to block it off if so?
 
SpeedlabDan said:
Breifly searching I haven't seen this covered: next to the throttle body there's a black plastic part with a fuel push lock male on top. I belive this is for vapor recovery from the tank but I'm not sure. Is this no longer needed and is there a way to block it off if so?
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Are you referring to the little valve looking thing with a electrical connector off the front of the intake right next to the throttle body? If so, yes that relates to the fuel vapor emissions equipment IIRC. And no, you don't need to do anything with it. From my understanding, if you don't have a connector plugged into it, it doesn't function nor will it affect anything. I left disconnected (no plug in my redone harness to connect into it) and not had a problem with it.
 
Kay86K5 said:
Are you referring to the little valve looking thing with a electrical connector off the front of the intake right next to the throttle body? If so, yes that relates to the fuel vapor emissions equipment IIRC. And no, you don't need to do anything with it. From my understanding, if you don't have a connector plugged into it, it doesn't function nor will it affect anything. I left disconnected (no plug in my redone harness to connect into it) and not had a problem with it.
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Exactly!

I will say this though, if I could do it over I would have had Howell wire in the EVAP purge solenoid and add it to the tune on my Suburban. That truck some how gets fuel vapors inside to the point my wife won’t even ride in it anymore. The tank is venting fine, I just wish the purge solenoid was hooked up to help suck it out and into a canister more thoroughly
 
Larry said:
Exactly!

I will say this though, if I could do it over I would have had Howell wire in the EVAP purge solenoid and add it to the tune on my Suburban. That truck some how gets fuel vapors inside to the point my wife won’t even ride in it anymore. The tank is venting fine, I just wish the purge solenoid was hooked up to help suck it out and into a canister more thoroughly
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Would you be able to run the setup with the tbi tank/pump?
 
Larry said:
You bet. Just connect the existing vacuum hose that went from the TBI TB to the canister but the 8.1 needs to have the purge solenoid toggled on in the tune and wired up
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I think I trashed all that vapor stuff but I got a big pile to look through haha
 
today i became a member of the 8.1L club .

orignaly from a c6500 truck feed by ng/propane ? had under 50k miles . guy got it and took heads off to build it for a car but gave up and went ls engine . was a running driving engine .

make you sick if i told you the price i got it for . :ignore::deal:

0721181515a.jpg

0721181601a.jpg
 
sweetk30 said:
today i became a member of the 8.1L club .

orignaly from a c6500 truck feed by ng/propane ? had under 50k miles . guy got it and took heads off to build it for a car but gave up and went ls engine . was a running driving engine .

make you sick if i told you the price i got it for . :ignore::deal:

View attachment 271514

View attachment 271515
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Whats the plan with it? Gonna put stock heads back on? Since you said you got it so cheap, then the money you saved should go to Raylar cam and head set :saweet:
 
sweetk30 said:
make you sick if i told you the price i got it for . :ignore::deal:
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congrats...
so I wanna be sick.. what did you pay?

I'm still waiting for a shipping quote after 3 months worth of conversations. I thought the guy is pulling my leg since its taking so long so I told msgd him and told him.. if he doesn't want to sell it to me I get it and let me know so I can leave him alone. He got back to me and said.. no it is yours. sorry taking so long..

so I'm just sitting in my rocking chair...

I'm getting a 2001 with 145k miles, harness, pcm and drive by wire pedal - yes I'm going drive by wire...loved it in my 2013 sierra...exhaust manifolds with o2 sensors...
complete, runs, sent me the video of it running, etc...
$1000 plus shipping.. he is just north of me and I don't feel like driving 12h, gas, tolls, etc... then trailer it back for more tolls, more gas when shipping should be about $300...
 
well just paid for mine...
so in a few days brown will be dropping it off!!!!!!!!!

I just paid $800 for motor that is running ... 2001 with 145k miles... pcm, harness (got ripped at cab but got a guy to rework it) and pedal... $400 shipping... so still $1200!!!!! got to hear it run before he pulled it.. just been working on this deal since april

************edited...
he is also giving pcm mounting as he said...
It mounts to shroud and core support
 
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sorry if I missed it reading through all these threads... I'm going to go with stock 454 manifolds... is there an exhaust piece I can pickup that will bolt on, that has the O2 sensor holes already? looking at Napa, Autozone or Advanced... I will buy online too..
I'm still gearing ready to gather parts..

and fyi - here is where I'm at so far as I'm keeping track of my pricing so when someone says.. whats the LEAST to do the swap, I will know cuz I'm a cheapie!!!!

************************ Parts Purchased *****************************
2002 8.1L motor/harness/pcm/etc - facebook 8.1L group $1200 Still needs to ship
Motor Mounts: Energy Suspension 3.1116R - Amazon $55
ORD Big Block Engine Cross Member - ORD $223.50
2002 Silverado diesel gas pedal - car-parts.com $60
454 stock exhaust manifolds - friend - $45
EP381 fuel pump - amazon - $30
12563485 flywheel bolts - amazon - $10
2557583 pilot bearing - amazon - $20
______________________________________________________________
Total.................................... $1643
************************ Parts Expected to Purchase *****************************
harness rework and "Hot Tune" - facebook guy - $300
true dual exhaust with stacks/flaps between rollbar - local - $300
______________________________________________________________
Total.................................... $2243
 
i have a set of 454 tbi manifolds i will be using for 1 of my builds . they have 1 o2 bung in them already . this will be on my 454 snipper setup .

otherwise a local exhaust shop should be able to drill a hole and weld in a new universal bung . if they can not do this then they should not be getting your money .
 
sweetk30 said:
i have a set of 454 tbi manifolds i will be using for 1 of my builds . they have 1 o2 bung in them already . this will be on my 454 snipper setup .

otherwise a local exhaust shop should be able to drill a hole and weld in a new universal bung . if they can not do this then they should not be getting your money .
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thx so I think the manifolds I'm getting don't have it as they are ooooold... thx..
 
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