got a 90 subturden its got a 454 in it now with a broke crank ( long story ) NO IM NOT PUTTING A 12 VALVE IN IT so my choices are another 454 or a 6.0 . still going to keep my 465 &205 combo with a 14bolt and 4:11s with 33s . for what it would cost for a 12 valve , 5 spd trans , t case , drive shafts , exaust , and possibly rear gearing . i will go buy something else thats why ....... figured i would answer that now
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Help Support Hardline Crawlers :
tow rig needs a motor
- Thread starter B3
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85toyo
Well-Known Member
I'd go with a 8.1 if you can find one.
crawler 129
Roll Tide
8.1 I like my tow rig
ridered3
Not Rigless
8.1 is the biggest gas powered motor that GM offered in their vehicles. Generally in Suburbans, Avalanches, and Trucks. Pretty cool motors, just a bigger version of your 454.
wont work said:is this for saleB3 said:kinda just doing home work rite now .... but if the price is rite i can be motovated . just want to do this 1 time and dont wanna be stuck on the side of the road waiting on a 2K tow bill that would suck
muddinmetal
Guntersville, AL
ridered3 said:
Technically the 502 holds the distinction for being the largest recent big block but was never offered in anything less than a 2 ton, but the 8.1 is a great motor that almost never tears up. It a 454 that has been stroked and bored .30 over...
payne97
gas the **** out of it
need to put a 12 valve 5 speed and be done for ever
whiskeymakin
Well-Known Member
8.1, 4l80 vote here. i love mine. lkq might have one
We've got some 8.1 s in work trucks. There like big 6.0 s same everything sept bigger. they have alisions behind them. Same fuel milage empty but not loaded. Got to be careful who you put in them or you'll be buying rear tires every 20 k mies. Got one with 340 k miles. Hard on transfer cases.
Lickliter21
Well-Known Member
For the right flywheel to go on a 6.0 and 4 speed ain't cheap. Just food for thought.
Neal3000
Well-Known Member
Didn't you put a sm465 in your burb? Kevin's got everything you need f or sale to mate a LS up to it, he switched to a th400 last year
extremetownie
Well-Known Member
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We took one of the cabins that where at River rock down there with a truck with a 8.1. Pulled the hills great, plenty of power. It got exactly 2.8 mile per gallon pulling that load from Sparta Tn to Millidgeville GA . Took the second one with my 24 valve and got 14 miles per gallon. Get a 6.0 and be done with it.
rock mafia
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2008
- Messages
- 569
payne97 said:
Till the motor starts knockin or the trans breaks
. Both happened to my 12v and a friend's had the motor replaced before he got and proceeded to replace several nv4500's.
patooyee
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
- Messages
- 5,692
An 8.1 is not a 454. It is a different block that 454 heads, etc do not fit on. I'm not familiar with ALL the specifics. But I recently did a little research on them for my buggy and once I started looking at performance parts availability and cost, it was quickly eliminated. Do a search on Summit for heads. You'll end up with like 4 results for the 8.1 and like 400 of the 454. They get terrible mileage, not much better than the 454, so if you ever want to upgrade the engine I would say to stay away from the 8.1. If stock power is enough than its a great choice.
They do use the same fuel system as the 4.8 / 5.3 / 6.0's. They are tune-able with HPTuners, etc.
There is no way in the world I would tow with a stock 6.0. I thought I would until I test drove one with a 6L80. I was dead-set on using a gas vehicle to tow with since I only tow my buggy now. I immediately went and bought a Cummins the next day. The 6.0's are very powerful in buggies with open exhaust, no torque management. But in stock vehicles the ECU holds them back significantly, IMO.
They do use the same fuel system as the 4.8 / 5.3 / 6.0's. They are tune-able with HPTuners, etc.
There is no way in the world I would tow with a stock 6.0. I thought I would until I test drove one with a 6L80. I was dead-set on using a gas vehicle to tow with since I only tow my buggy now. I immediately went and bought a Cummins the next day. The 6.0's are very powerful in buggies with open exhaust, no torque management. But in stock vehicles the ECU holds them back significantly, IMO.
30th6
Well-Known Member
Re: Re: tow rig needs a motor
iirc the 8.1 is a 496
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
iirc the 8.1 is a 496
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
jayphizzle
Junk Wheeler
The only thing on the 8.1's that is the same as the old big blocks is the exhaust ports on the heads and the flexplate/flywheel bolt pattern. They are torque pigs in stock form, mileage does suck though. They also have the old three bolt motor mount holes in the side of the block, along with others due to the multiple uses of this engine. Just my .02
TBItoy
Well-Known Member
ridered3 said:
muddinmetal said:
So much mis-information here.... :
The 8.1 is a completely different motor than a 454 and 502. it's like the difference in a old school sbc 350 and a LS style motor....
8.1 is different architecture, all metric fasteners, and doesnt' share any parts. It was built to be an "industrial" motor.
The 502 is a GM Performance Parts motor and never came in anything from GM factory. It was offered as a crate motor and sold aftermarket and used in many "other" applications like boats.
(think of the 502 in the same iron block LSX454 that GMPP sells also, it's "based" on a production motor, but is ONLY offered aftermarket)
