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Need urgent help (2004 EFI 8.1 Ltr Engine in Blazer 1981!!)

Hi Ben,

Thank you for the good references provided in your reply. I checked the links and indeed they provide good info. Of many good Raylar's products, particularly I liked the "CoolGap" intake manifold" and thinking of getting one. Also, I will try the 180-degree thermostattry, as the heat is excessive in our area as it easily reaches 125F (it even goes higher on the 'sand trails' at noon-time). Re the Fan, I will keep on using the 'mechanical one' for the time being until a sure electrical product is released and found 'trial proven'.

Good luck with your frame-off project; which looks interesting and promising.
 
Hi,

It's been a year since the 8.1 has been installed and now it runs great and strong, with lots of fun.......

Well, Summer has hit in my land....And, I did not fix the A/C (I could not locate the right 'relocation brackets' and the part #'s I received at that time were not 100% assured to be the correct ones).....

So, am seeking your help if any one has made such a conversion lately and managed to buy the right set of brackets from the GM-Dealer or any aftermarket?

Awaiting your voices! Thanks.
 
'follow-up clarification' on reply #35

As a "post-update" to Point-4 of my Reply #35 (QUOTE "The thick (about 1.5 inch) Plate placed under the 8.1 to adapt it to the original frame, helped in mountin the 8.1 Factory Exh. Mainfold WITHOUT trimming the chasis (see picture).UNQUOTE"), I like to update Point-4 to be read as follows:

4) The mechanically-driven engine's cooling-fan was rubbing the radiator's shroud (from the upper-side). Thus, we found that the angle of the 'Gear & Transfer-Case' Assembly was supposed to re-adjusted to set rightly (i.e. to be lifted upwards). Consequently, this adjustment lowered the engine and then led to friciton with the chasis (as rightly pointed by Lary - The 8.1 Man).

Next, I had to either fix the 454 OEM exhaust mainfold or custom-make a set of 'SS' Headers with a thick flanges. I resorted to the latter option, which gave me extra pulling and breathing (not a wow effect, but a reasonable one (as Lary said in one of the Threads - The Engine Bay, I guess).

Now, the Engines sits right and the Exhaust is distant from the chasis.

To recap, the Engine is fixed using a thick plate; which was custom-made (as shown in the posted phot's).

Hope this clarification brings the coverage under this Thread to a clearer level, for those who could possibly follow some of the steps stated in this Thread!
 
Not yet. As far as the performance is the concern, the 'OEM setup' (with HOWELL's ECM & Hot Tuning) is more than adequate for my current-application. The truck really moves swiftly and feels having excess of power and torque!

But am keeping an eye whenever more weight is added and more power becomes priority to balance for the add-weight.
 
GMCbigblock said:
Hi,

Well, Summer has hit in my land....And, I did not fix the A/C (I could not locate the right 'relocation brackets' and the part #'s I received at that time were not 100% assured to be the correct ones).....

So, am seeking your help if any one has made such a conversion lately and managed to buy the right set of brackets from the GM-Dealer or any aftermarket?

Awaiting your voices! Thanks.
Click to expand...

Guys, re the above-quoted query in my Response # 42, I will appreciate receiving the 'right-advice'. Thanks in any way!
 
I would try these guys--> http://www.vintageair.com/

They make systems specificaly for our applications and have worked with many custom applications. They may be able to figure out a way to set you up.

Good luck and I love what you have done with your K5:thumb:!!!!
 
SUPER'BURB,

Your advise is "superb" and will pay them a visit via their web.
And..... thanks for the complimentary statement, which confirms your 'superb-taste' towards CK's :waytogo:

For now, I'll keep this option switched on, and will continue hoping to receive the exact/right part-numbers of the "re-location brackets", as I have the OEM compressor of the 8.1 and the other parts.

The two (2) brackets are the important 'missing link' in the formula! Again, thanks for the attention and the suggestion.
 
Don't know if you're still looking for part numbers for A/C, but you would have to swap both alternator and A/C brackets. IIRC your Alt is top driverside and has to be moved top passenger side and the A/c will mount top driverside with the use of the 12558927 bracket which also includes the P/S pump. We just sorted all of this out on another forum. I don't really like a lot of the forum guys but if you PM me ill shoot you the links and P/Ns via email.
 
Great, and indeed am still chasing those "code like part nos". In fact, ur mail artivedc just in the right time as am currently passing by the US on Bussines-Mission. Today morning, I passed by a GM dealer at Houston to find some parts for Sierra (Fuel Pump and Fuel Injectors), which, however were not available!!

Tomorrow, am flying to Chicago and will stay there for couple of days near the Magnificent Mile, and I hope to locate the Parts at a nearby GM Parts dealer, before flying back to my home-town.

I'll PM you to receive the parts, thanks for the help and consideration.
 
...how'd I miss this one?

great looking project...I saw the link in your "show us your rig" thread...nice trucks. :waytogo:
 
I never saw this one either. Every day I find some little gem tucked away in the ck5 files.

Nice build, man!
 
Quick "Post-Project Updates"

As a quick update on the project, currently am working on three mod's:

1) Swapping the mechanical-fan with an electrical one,

2) Installing A/C; comprising of original/stock parts with some customizations and other OEM-parts from Caprice & Lexus (although am aware that there are 'ready-packages' available around in US Market, I opted to follow this track since it's widely used locally, proven to withstand the sever weather with high-reliability, plus the necessary 'service-parts' are readily available (the Compressor will be donated from Lexus 400, which is well-known for its freezing cooling & high-reliability - as was proven over many years of use, in the same configuration that am planning to follow), AND,

3) Custom-made "Cool Air-Intake" using locally-available "Hi-Perf. KNN air-element".

Note: While checking the Thermostat, I found that it is not installed, which does not make me feeling comfortable! Though the engine's temp reading is now at "low" (almost reaching quarter of the gauge-reading), am worried that it could cause gradual-damage and deformation to the Cylinder-Block's integrity over the long-term of use, due to the possible-variance in the temp between the two banks of the Cylinders (at peak summer, the ambient-temp goes as high as 123 F)!

Any thoughts for sharing? Is it mechanically better to fit in a "Low-Temp Hi Perf. Thermo" than having none? If so, where to buy it from (based on proven experience).


Thanks for reading and passing by....

Will post some pic's for the above 3 mod's; once done.
 
The thermostat only comes into play in colder weather...in the heat it stays open most of the time, allowing free flow all the time.


FWIW, I ran my old jeep in FLA without a thermostat. Forgot all about it, had to wrap up in a blanket coming home after leaving the service :whistle::whistle::doah:
 
Most folks say it's best to run a thermostat all thetime. even more sowwith a fuel injected engine such as yours.
 
Yep, with fuel injection, run whatever the system was spec'd with, unless you get into changing the programming. If it can run under 195* (my guess as to what GM installed) with no thermostat, it will never overheat with one installed.
 
GMCbigblock said:
As a quick update on the project, currently am working on three mod's:

1) Swapping the mechanical-fan with an electrical one,

2) Installing A/C; comprising of original/stock parts with some customizations and other OEM-parts from Caprice & Lexus (although am aware that there are 'ready-packages' available around in US Market, I opted to follow this track since it's widely used locally, proven to withstand the sever weather with high-reliability, plus the necessary 'service-parts' are readily available (the Compressor will be donated from Lexus 400, which is well-known for its freezing cooling & high-reliability - as was proven over many years of use, in the same configuration that am planning to follow), AND,

3) Custom-made "Cool Air-Intake" using locally-available "Hi-Perf. KNN air-element".

Note: While checking the Thermostat, I found that it is not installed, which does not make me feeling comfortable! Though the engine's temp reading is now at "low" (almost reaching quarter of the gauge-reading), am worried that it could cause gradual-damage and deformation to the Cylinder-Block's integrity over the long-term of use, due to the possible-variance in the temp between the two banks of the Cylinders (at peak summer, the ambient-temp goes as high as 123 F)!

Any thoughts for sharing? Is it mechanically better to fit in a "Low-Temp Hi Perf. Thermo" than having none? If so, where to buy it from (based on proven experience).


Thanks for reading and passing by....

Will post some pic's for the above 3 mod's; once done.
Click to expand...

Hey buddy,

Might be too late for you, but not sure if you saw the 8.1L thread in the Engine Bay section where I’ve been putting a lot of 8.1L chit in one bag. I have pictures and part numbers of the recommended A/C bracket set up in that thread. Good to hear you are liking the 8.1L :waytogo:
 
Hello guys,

Thank you all for leaving your opinions in this Thread and sharing your practices.....The interaction-level is great, and this what makes this place as the "only true home" for CK lovers, fans & preservers.

I'll do my best to post pic's as much as achievable!

As for the Thermo, I think I'll run cooler-thermo and will tune the program to trigger the fans earlier.

And, special thanks to Larry for his evident & persistent efforts to energize the "8.1 Projects" and for passing such a unique Thread named ("L18 8.1L swap resource thread"). To me, I call it nothing else but the "8.1 Treasure Island Thread".

Thru this much of knowledge, information & experience-sharing, the "Thread for 8.1 Projects" will sustain....

Based on my own experiments, I tried all kind of engines in my ex-CK 1987, from TBI 350 stock then Vortec 5.7 thru to TBI 7.4 then 7.4 Vortec, all the way to the active 6.0L.....I conclude (for my own taste of Trucks & by my own application-needs), that no substitute for cubic inch but cubic inch.....And, the best of all so far is the 8100 (2000 till 2003 model).
 
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