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Project MULE - Expedition build on a 1991 1500 4x4 Suburban

Well after 10 days of roaming around northern Arizona and Southern Utah the truck did good. We had a slight mishap when the steering gearbox came loose from the frame. Had to drive 63 miles one to find a hardware store.

The axle swap was a success. the 4.56 gears really helped but unfortunately the 350 TBI as young as it is just isn't enough to keep us at speed. We have decided to start looking for a big block. We are aiming for a 454 Vortec but am always on the lookout for a 8.1 out of a Van. dropping down to 35mph was a bit ridiculous

The front is definitely getting a second pair of shocks. it was a little bouncy and after working them on some of the trails I found the bodies getting hot. SO dividing the valving up between a pair of shocks will help prevent shock fade.

Overall all the suspension and axles upgrades have been a major success and this thing rides beautiful!
 
pma4x4 said:
Well after 10 days of roaming around northern Arizona and Southern Utah the truck did good. We had a slight mishap when the steering gearbox came loose from the frame. Had to drive 63 miles one to find a hardware store.

The axle swap was a success. the 4.56 gears really helped but unfortunately the 350 TBI as young as it is just isn't enough to keep us at speed. We have decided to start looking for a big block. We are aiming for a 454 Vortec but am always on the lookout for a 8.1 out of a Van. dropping down to 35mph was a bit ridiculous

The front is definitely getting a second pair of shocks. it was a little bouncy and after working them on some of the trails I found the bodies getting hot. SO dividing the valving up between a pair of shocks will help prevent shock fade.

Overall all the suspension and axles upgrades have been a major success and this thing rides beautiful!
Click to expand...

lets see some pics from the trip! you know, if you're keeping your OEM harness and gauges an engine from BD turnkey engines would be an easy swap.
 
I looked at the numbers and a big block is a better choice then the 5.3 for me. I can get a wiring harness from howell . I've already been talking with them.

True the be turnkeys make life simple but for that price with the connections I got. I can get a 454 vortec and get it rebuilt and get the harness and maybe even a tranny

I'll try and get some pics here this weekend.
 
I installed an Edelbrock e-force supercharger on my lethargic stock sb 350. With 4:10 gears it will spin 35 inch Maxxis Buckshot Mudders on dry pavement. It was a bolt on application. Cost about 2700.00 with carb. No fuel penalty.

image.jpg
 
pma4x4 said:
The axle swap was a success. the 4.56 gears really helped but unfortunately the 350 TBI as young as it is just isn't enough to keep us at speed. We have decided to start looking for a big block. We are aiming for a 454 Vortec but am always on the lookout for a 8.1 out of a Van. dropping down to 35mph was a bit ridiculous
Click to expand...



Know the feeling :haha:

And you weren't even towing!
 
dhcomp said:
Know the feeling :haha:

And you weren't even towing!
Click to expand...

If you include husband, wife, two fullsize dogs and 10 days worth of gear it was about 1500lbs always on the frame.


Now, things have changed. We are looking at getting the Jumping Jack X4 camping trailer so most weight and gear will be on the trailer which will take it off the roof and that will help quite a bit. We are also going to begin building the new center console and rear drawer system so thats adding weight too.

Its a vicious circle :doah:
 
pma4x4 said:
If you include husband, wife, two fullsize dogs and 10 days worth of gear it was about 1500lbs always on the frame.
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Fair enough. But, then again, i'm often loaded to the gills when towing also.

And my boat is probably less than 5000lbs.

There is one steep, short grade after a 5mph hairpin turn where i've considered dropping into low range.

Truck dips below 10 mph, and as it nears 8, the 7mph, you start to plan for what happens if you stop moving forward :doah:
 
Elyon, Do you have a part number for the E force kit you installed. I am willing to explore all options at this time but I dont think its $2700 bucks anymore. Everything I have seen so far is like 4k and up.
 
pma4x4 said:
Elyon, Do you have a part number for the E force kit you installed. I am willing to explore all options at this time but I dont think its $2700 bucks anymore. Everything I have seen so far is like 4k and up.
Click to expand...

Also curious. I have a new crate tbi 350 in my rig, and can't afford the downtime to do a LS swap anytime soon.
 
Mine was a #1553 for standard bolt pattern heads. #1554for vortex/ E-tec heads. Carburetor came indexed for the super charger. Ran right out of the box.

I dropped from the stock needle .070/.047 to a .073/.047 and now playing with .075/.047. Comes set up a bit rich. Runs very strong on .073/.047. Plugs a chocolate brown. Runs very nice on .075/.047, but not as strong off the bottom. I also went to the lightest spring set which I think is a 3" Hg. Came set up with 8" Hg springs. Too rich of the bottom for my taste. I also have an AFX air/fuel Powerdex monitor that I am using to set it up.
 
#1551 and #1552 part numbers for just supercharger.

#15611 and #15621 for engines using billet specialties Tru Trac pulley system.
 
Think about going to a roller cam Vortec headed small block, mostly just an intake swap on a stock Vortec 5.7 will make you pretty happy. The weight difference is pretty huge with a big block also. When my current motor goes that's the way I'm leaning. My other truck is a 99 Tahoe OBS with 3.42 gears, all wheel drive, loaded, with the 5.7 Vortec (210,000 miles) it surprises me every day how strong it is.
 
Basically buy a complete Vortec motor from Summitracing/Jegs/locally.
Add a decent Vortec intake and a TBI adaptor.
Chip it or do what I did and go with a EBL computer (bad azz, I must say).
And drive the crap out of it.
96-99 5.7 Vortec motors, vortec heads, roller cam, all stock.

Jegs stock- http://www.jegs.com/p/Chevrolet-Per...-57L-350ci-255HP-Truck-Engine/813788/10002/-1

Summit built- http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hpe-hp32/overview/

Dynamic EFI- EBLflash computer http://www.dynamicefi.com/EBL_Flash.php

I soldered the EBL in myself, so I know you could do it easy. My buddy has a complete TPI set-up in his suburban, its nice, but my TBI will make just as much power, is easier to tune/trouble shoot.
 
Get a vortec 350 with some go fast goodies on it, get a blackbear tune on it, and get nearly stock big block power but small block economy. With technology these days, there's no real need for a big, heavy big block motor anymore.

I've had my Yukon loaded to the hilt with payload and a trailer weighing in a touch over 10,000 lbs total, and going up the White Pass out of Skagway, AK (8% ruling grade) never dropped below the speed limit (35 mph) That was a stock motor/trans, 32" tires and 3.73 gears.

I think a quick and easy power upgrade for now would be an intake and head swap on your current motor, as the difference between vortec heads and old school heads in terms of flow and power output are significant.
 
No I fully understand the the benefits to the vortec heads. They made the Camelbacks pretty much outdated.

the idea of a vortec mod was in the list of possible upgrades a few months back. It was during some serious research this morning I came across a good article with dyno results get 416lbs of TQ and still being good on mpg.

I am already working on the new recipe for a updated small block. One thing is I will be going with a TPI which will give me better low end and mid range power.

Im already in trade negotiations with a 98 longblock 5.7 vortec that will give me a whole new block to work on. I am friends with a family that owns a machine shop and I will plan to have them rebuild the motor. They need some video and photography work done for their new website so some trades are in the works there as well.
 
I have pretty much owned and towed with every gas engine and truck combo chevy made from 1989 to 1999. I have mostly towed race cars on open car hauler(4500lbs) and enclosed trailer (5500-6000lbs)

For towing you just can't beat the 93-95 454. best mpg while towing hands down. it got 10-11avg towing or not with overdrive trans. Dually truck. Best combo overall for towing over 10000 gvwr. easy to maintain speed in hilly California highways.

89-93 350 1/2 ton tbi, best mpg with overdrive, it will tow ok with light loads under 10000 gvwr. 7-10 avg mpg when towing. Very hard to maintain speed when in the hills very hard on auto transmission.

96-99 3/4-1 ton, 350 vortec with 4l80. enough power to tow a 24' enclosed race trailer with 3000+lbs race car. horrible mpg when towing lucky to get 7-8 mpg. only got around 15avg mpg when not towing, had 4:10 gear. all stock wheels and tires.

For the record I do not drive fast when towing, 55-60 is max.

I would love to try out a 1997-2000 6.5TD with over drive trans. I drove a few trucks but never towed with them. felt like they had about the same or more power then the 93 454. but got around 17-18mpg on the one trip i took one on, again not towing but was a dually work truck bed.

I have yet to see someone happy with a 383 towing, not saying its not possible just say i have not meet that person yet.

If you don't plan to tow more the 10000 gvwr(track and trailer) then I would build a roller cam vortec 350 with TBI and 93-94 computer 4l80e overdrive trans. or a 5.3 LS swap.

Over 10000 gvwr then 93 454 with overdrive trans. If you keep the motor pretty much stock you could run a well built 700r4 trans with a big cooler. I did in a 1990 dually for years towing with my open trailer, best combo i ever had. Just sucked for a DD.

With our squarebody suburbans we will never see better then 15 mpg and 10mpg towing with any gas engine with overdrive.

My .02,
Love watching your build thread.
 
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