I want opinions on a V8 Twin Turbo swap in the Sy

[GT42RSY]

First, Do you think it is wrong to do an LS1 Twin Turbo swap in the Sy
Second, If you think it is wrong, Why?
Third, If you wanted 700+ hp how would you go about it.

I'm just looking for opinions,I'm not out for any flames.I have the parts and the ability to do the job. Just not sure if I want to pull the original power plant but want the big power and torque.

 

[Jimmy]

I think it is a great idea.700 reliable HP and 20+ MPG,can't beat that.

 

[Sy769]

First.
No, Yes and sometimes. My stomach would turn if someone cut up a pristine low mile truck. If I completely trash my motor I might consider it although I would not do anything to prevent me from returning it back to stock.

Second.
Because I like how these trucks came for the most part. To me a V8 will make the power cheaper and will be easier on parts. However you lose some of that weird coolness that these trucks have. It is more fun spanking V8's with a V6. It insults them more.


Third.
Is money a factor? Do you want to do it on pump gas? Do you want the truck to look near stock and turn a 10 sec timeslip? What is your budge, not only money but time ?

It's all in what you want out of your truck. Personally I like the 700+ HP V6's over the V8's simply because not everyone has one. I can't say what my next motor will be because the thought of two more cylinders is appealing.

 

[vabeachsyty]

Do the bad ass v8 in a s10 with some cladding on it. keep the sy a sy. Makes everyone happy in the long run. You will never get a complaint about chopping up a sy, and you will have the look of the sy you are after. Just my .02 from a non sy owner HA. I remember when woundup had his on here, and there was alot of people flaming him for doing it, and the other half was praising him for it. I think its a bad ass idea either way.

 

[NateP]

My vote is for the V6. I was sorta in the same boat when my stock Sy's motor ate itself. My mechanic buddies kept talking turbo v8, easier to build, lighter on the wallet in the long run, but to me a Sy will always have a turbo 6 banger. As for your hp needs, I know i'm shooting for 600ish and its going to cost me plenty to get it, that extra hundred hp won't come cheap, unless of course you run huge boost

Just my .02

Nate

 

[JSM]

It's your truck. Do want you want and do it clean.

I personally am not sure a LS1 aluminum block/heads can support 750hp for any real length of time. Local guy (quarter mile performance) has done it, and is trying, but also his car is being worked on often.

They seem to suffer the same problem the buicks do with headgaskets being only 4 bolts per cylinder -vs- te 4.3 5.

Add the LS6 block or something and you may have a combination.

 

[White97SVT]

I say leave the Sy an Sy and buy some beater to hack, and drop the V8 in.

 

[smeagol]

I don't see a turbocharged LS1 being reliable.

LS1 reliable - yes. 700hp LS1 reliable - no. 700+hp turbocharged LS1 reliable? Hell no... do some reading on ls1tech.com forced induction forum. I don't know of many people having their turbo LS1's running consistently/reliably for any length of time.

Just my opinions, you know what those are worth 8)

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

Speaking from personal experience. If i had to do it all over again i would go with a v8. The cost is killer on the v6. Hard to find anything used that isn't overprice. The heads, intake and Crank will cost you almost as much as a complete nicely built v8 motor. Headers and turbo's are going to cost you the same with either build.

The only benifit i see to the v6 is the fact that their is alot more space under the hood of a v6 swap then a v8 swap.

With a v8 you can even get custom pans.

The other thing that is nice is Mike Lee at RPM makes everything you would need to convert your v6 to a bitchin twin turbo truck.

The cost to build my motor has almost reached $26,000. That does include turbo's, headers and the vintage air pulley set up. So cost is not cheap and man what i could have done with that money looking back.

 

[GM TURBO]

I think why a lot of people were giving spooled up a hard time was that he did it with a carb.

I don't see a problem with it. With my rebuild getting closer and closer - I am pondering doing the V8. With as many LS1/LT1 cars sitting in junkyards right now - parts are plentiful. I question the resale aspect of it - but at this point the only person my truck has value to is me. SBC parts are cheaper - you have more options.

But as said earlier - there is something cool about doing it with a V6.

 

[Silly]

I saw someone saw sumtin about hte aluminum blocks. I agree... I dont know the exact limitations of the block but I would assume you would be pushing it. But you can also go up to the 6.0L ls1 block as it is Iron.

BG brought up a good point, there are not very many turbo ls1's running well at all. I have seen about 5 of them first hand and none of them are running anymore.

If your going to drop a ls1 into the truck jsut keep it how it is and do some bolt on work and you will be more than happy. Then you will have a reliable truck for once and still have some balls when you hit the gas.

There are stock shortblock ls1 running well into the 9's now. Granted the ls1 motor has been around since 97ish but the resources for them are jsut being tapped. Personally I think the ls1 is argueably the best motor GM has ever produced.

 

[nick041881]

If i had to do it over again i would also go with the ttv8. parts are so much cheaper and you could achieve the times you are looking for without pushing the motor to its limitations.

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

heck my goal is shock value not horsepower. I plan to make this truck a daily driver.

So Horsepower and quarter mile times mean nothing to me.

Go ahead Dave - Hit me with your best shot i can take it

 

[no_ty_yet]

My personal view on modifying a collectible vehicle is this -- as long as you don't hack it up so that a future owner couldn't put it back to original, then go for it.

Galen

 

[NOJIMMY]

"....you know what they say about opinions, hindsight, and money/fools!"

1. What are your plans for the truck (race-only, street/race, show, fun, experience, etc)?

2. What are your resources (time, money, experience, tools, connections, etc)?

3. Are you willing to "break" everything "connected" with 700hp+ or invest $$$ into tranny, suspension, axles, custom work, etc?

4. Are you considering $$$ for 2WD, 4WD, AWD, or Combo; tube chassis or front/rear coilovers/ladders; fiberglass/aluminum body panels?
Interior work (gauges, seats, Rollbar, etc)? Wheel/Tire combo?

5. Have you considered safety (driveshaft, motor mounts, seatbelt harness) and tech inspection
(SCCA, NHRA, etc)?

6. And depending on your "final class", sponsors, competition-level, connection with engineering firms, and racing/driving "qualifications"are you willing to run slower at first/loose/tune.
Is "winnng" your goal (Power Tour, Pump Gas Tour, Nationals, etc)?

What amazes me about this thread/advice, is that "rarely" are these type of questions answered.
Too many times, the end result of such, is poor running trucks, disappointed owners, or
trucks that get disassembled/savaged/lost/resold!

Realize that you could probably "buy" a Tom Dowd/McCoy/Hoover/Ferrick
proven vehicle much cheaper than starting from scratch (Excuse my use of names, as Im only demonstrating a point); or a highly modified S-10
aready V8 equipped (perhaps without a Twin Turbo).

And lastly, while Twin Turbo are quite facinating, for years the SYTY Nats
have been dominated by people like the Hoover`s who are consistent,
patient, and fast with a Single Turbo (and AWD vs 2WD). However if show-n-looks are your "thing", or if you own a business where
you need an example of your work or a tax write off, then skip the text above and "blaze ahead".

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

Larry Brings up many good points. You need to have a game plan or a build plan. I have a very strict build plan that i am building my truck with. I've posted a couple times on the mailing list. It's very extensive and i keep adding to it almost weekly. I agree with Larry buy someone else project it will save you a fortune in the long run.

I am building mine for personal pleasure and hope to finish it before the 2006 nationals. But if it's not complete - who care's i'm just having fun building it.

if anyone want a copy of the build list of my truck - just shot me an e-mail

 

[Syclone#1992]

"....you know what they say about opinions, hindsight, and money/fools!"

1. What are your plans for the truck (race-only, street/race, show, fun, experience, etc)?

2. What are your resources (time, money, experience, tools, connections, etc)?

3. Are you willing to "break" everything "connected" with 700hp+ or invest $$$ into tranny, suspension, axles, custom work, etc?

4. Are you considering $$$ for 2WD, 4WD, AWD, or Combo; tube chassis or front/rear coilovers/ladders; fiberglass/aluminum body panels?
Interior work (gauges, seats, Rollbar, etc)? Wheel/Tire combo?

5. Have you considered safety (driveshaft, motor mounts, seatbelt harness) and tech inspection
(SCCA, NHRA, etc)?

6. And depending on your "final class", sponsors, competition-level, connection with engineering firms, and racing/driving "qualifications"are you willing to run slower at first/loose/tune.
Is "winnng" your goal (Power Tour, Pump Gas Tour, Nationals, etc)?

What amazes me about this thread/advice, is that "rarely" are these type of questions answered.
Too many times, the end result of such, is poor running trucks, disappointed owners, or
trucks that get disassembled/savaged/lost/resold!

Realize that you could probably "buy" a Tom Dowd/McCoy/Hoover/Ferrick
proven vehicle much cheaper than starting from scratch (Excuse my use of names, as Im only demonstrating a point); or a highly modified S-10
aready V8 equipped (perhaps without a Twin Turbo).

And lastly, while Twin Turbo are quite facinating, for years the SYTY Nats
have been dominated by people like the Hoover`s who are consistent,
patient, and fast with a Single Turbo (and AWD vs 2WD). However if show-n-looks are your "thing", or if you own a business where
you need an example of your work or a tax write off, then skip the text above and "blaze ahead".

Couldn't have been better said.

 

[442typhoondude]

LS1's and LT1's can and have been built to be reliable with a twin turbo set up. Many people build the motor around the turbo, which with a push rod motor is rediculous. You build the botton end of a motor like any high power application and it will take it. The aluminum blocks have no trouble taking boost as they are made to handle more cylinder pressure than iron. Iron is heavier and weaker in the long run. Try a water jacket filler if you don't think your block is stout. Look at LPE with there twin LS that runs 800+hp while getting 18mpg and top end of 240+. It can be done and has been done several times. Of course no average joe can run 40 psi into an L series motor. Thats just common sense. Don't be intimidated by the LS1 board. You don't see as many professional builders on there as there should be. Me, I'd stick with a V6, more irony in it when you spank people. Check out www.youngsperformance.com who have ran 40 psi to aluminum Chevy's on multiple occasions.

 

[turbodog]

One video does not prove reliability, but Ligenfelter must have some level of confidence to sell these mod packages:

http://www.lingenfelter.com/lpe - 8 sec Vette.mov
(yup, that's a C5 in the 8's on street tires)

Of course, at $50k (including transmission upgrade) maybe they can be fast and reliable.

Sort of ruins those theories that a Vette IRS is no good for drag racing....

 

[Silly]

Also wanted to add....

I was looking at people times on here and whatnot....

Give me an ls1 and $2500 and you have a car that gets over 20mpg and will beat wuite a few of our trucks that have over 15k invested into them. It will be faster than a build motor syclone most likely....

Just something to ponder