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What motor/ tranny do you run and why?

Right now:
q jetted 350 and an sm465 ( truck came factory with a th350 but it sucked water on the trail.. No way I was putting an auto back in..)

Waiting to go in:
6.2 out of a cucv with a banks kit. Why? Better power, longer range per tank, better mpg, and fuel injection.
 
'87 K5/5.7/SM465/NP208, just had the 5.0 swapped out for a '88 350 and waiting for it to be fine tuned with the ECM/PROM Chip,..
...I forgot to state why I'm going with a 350,...obviously more power over the stock 305(..the ol 5.0 died anyway and instead of rebuilding it, I felt to just go with a good running 350).
 
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355 its the motor it came with but I rebuilt it cause it broke 6 rings (it sat for a long time before I got it) but its got awesome power prolly 375ish I justneed more gear I have 4.10s but 4.56 or more would help low end grunt but I beat cars sometimes at lights with a 4 in' and 35s. Lol!
 
Motor and trani choice...

In the Bobbed Sub.
I run a GM perf. ZZ383 stroker with Fast injection mated to a 700R4 converted to reverse shift full manual, with a 203/205 doubler.

Wifes Power Wagon (for those who are interested)
360ci 0.40 over mated to an NV4500, with an Atlas II 4.3
 
Had the 250 in a 76 Nova, if I was you I would rebuild it maybe with a mild cam and header and put howell TBI or junkyard TBI off a 4.3 on it and swap in a SM465. That would be a nice truck just my .02.
 
K588 said:
Had the 250 in a 76 Nova, if I was you I would rebuild it maybe with a mild cam and header and put howell TBI or junkyard TBI off a 4.3 on it and swap in a SM465. That would be a nice truck just my .02.
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Doing a turbo'd 250 and t5 in my 63 nova with a megasquirt FI. Should get pretty descent mileage.
 
I'm pullin the 250 and puttin a 350 motor tranny combo in out of an el camino. Gona keep the 250 for somthing. Prolly to help hold the shed down.

Also thanks for all the replays. Good to know what's out there. A lot of you guys run diesel in the 4x4's. I've never had much to do with diesel other than in my 18 wheeler. How would you rate them against a mild small block????
 
A "mild" small block will feel like a dragster compared to a stock 6.2 non turbo V8,if its anything like both of mine!...I think a stock 250 six would beat a 6.2 in a stoplight drag race!...maybe the th400 sucks a lot of HP,I dont know,mine is just pretty sluggish unless you hold it in low and second and let it rev up higher than it would shifting itself...not sure what gears my pickup has but they feel "high" ,like 3.42's maybe,judging by the acceleration and how fast it revs at 65 mph...my Suburban with a 700r4 and 3.73's definately has more pep...but its a half ton too,so its probably lighter..
 
carbed 350, th350, np203 because if it's good enough for Martin Brody it's good enough for me...gets me from shark attack to shark attack victim nicely...:haha:
 
gen VI 454 781 heads on LPG with a SM465. Why 454s are really pretty cheap, torque makes a big different in undergeared stuff and manuals are super strong. Why LPG? cheap, runs upside down. Going to try a tunnel ram with 2 425 carbs to see if it will gain a bit of hp.

DD has a dart headed 383 with 6" rods and a 700r4. The engine is OK, if I was to do it again I would have just built a vortec headed 355. This one is a little lazy down low and rattles like crazy because of the short pistons. The tranny is OK but not real impressed for the money I have in it.

6.2 with a 465. Just added a hx35 using a banks manifold and crossover. WOW did it wake up. Not alot of hp but man it has a bunch of lowend. Pulled my trailer with a cab and clip on it and last time it did OK now it was a breeze. Need to turn down the pump a little, repair the hat I am using and fix a fuel leak. I think the 465 really helps the diesel work and of course it is bullet proof.
 
I'm runing a gen 1 350 with a fast EFI , TPI and a lunati low end cam. the engine is great off idle, runs cool, has enough power to do 4 wheel drifts locked , cruise well on the freeway and the mileage is very reasonable. I run a NV4500 because i like the underdrive/ overdrive its like having another low range without the doubler. mated to a 205 this combo has proven to be very reliable. Last august i did the whipsaw trail (BFG outstanding trail ) then from Vancouver BC to Blazer bash , Wheeled, and then drove home to Van. That was cool . These full size gm's are tough and reliable, love em!
 
Running the stock tbi 350 (not stock anymore) and 465 manual in my 1988 K5.
love it. Cruising rpms on the freeway with 3:73 gears and 35 inch tires isnt horrible... Not like having overdrive, but i dont worry about my trans holding up, and the overall power, reliability, and gearing (low gear in trans and np 241 transfercase) have made for a package i like better than all my old scouts and landcruisers. Love this truck.
 
I still don't know how to upload photos. There are a few photos from the blazer bash posted, look for an ochre 72 jimmy. will learn to post photos and start a build thread. plan to attend blazer bash again this year, still too far to be sure but sure had fun last year!
 
1990 suburban, 350 with a 700r4. That's what was in it, however it's gonna be getting a 454 for pulling and hopefully a 4L80e. I say hopefully because I can't find one used and the 700r is about to give up the ghost. I have an 87 one ton with the 454 and a 465 four speed but I don't think my fat butt could drive the burban if it was a standard. Just doesn't seem enough room for me.

87 one ton will one day have a 6.0, turbo 400, ORD magnum box (hopefully) with a 205. The LQ4 6.0s I have make good reliable power even stock and aren't as heavy as a big block. For wheeling I prefer an auto with a reverse manual valvebody and a gated shifter. Hopefully keep yourself from flipping over backwards which isn't fun.
 
My tons got a Built 350/SM465, I like it, not the best trans. But it works great for what it is.

Had a stock carb'd tbi 350/700r4 in my old 84 k5, it worked great for a stock motor. That low 1st gear sure worked good I must say.

I must say, I prefer a manual although an auto is nice at times.
 
mudmobeeler said:
I have an 87 one ton with the 454 and a 465 four speed but I don't think my fat butt could drive the burban if it was a standard. Just doesn't seem enough room for me.
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How so??? There is way more room in a Suburban than there is in a pickup cab.

Martin
 
Unless of course it's a crew cab, then there is the exact same amount of room for the driver.

Martin
 
Remember, there are 2 different 4L80s, I can not remember the years where they changed, but the earlier ones run 1 speed sensor in the case, and the later ones run 2, so you need the computer/wiring harness for the right one. So yank the entire TBI harness with the 4L80 out as well, and then you can go through it on the floor to check for worn insulation and bad connections before you move on.
 
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