L36 Turbo Question

garred8787

New Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Hello all, Realize this is my first post and don't want to come off like a "dreamer" as this question could easily be mistaken for. I'm trying to gather info to decide a route I will take in the near future. I'm a hobbiest fabricator and have boosted quite a few vehicles over the years and own alot of my own equipment.

I'm not after big power like most that i've read on here but more after efficency. I've always wanted to do a smaller turbo engine in a larger vehicle strictly for fuel economy and after driving my fathers ecoboost f150 sealed the deal for me. vehicle is a 1/2 ton 98 suburban 4x4 with a tired 5.7. debating between the 3800 and 4.3 vortec. vehicle's use is more along the lines of minivan status with the occasional hunting/camping trips. won't be towing a toy hauler or anything like that. (drive it 800-1,000 miles a month)

Here's what i've gathered the series II L36 and L67 is a good platform. L67 having stronger internals but needing the L36 top end swap or gut the blower with endplate for a turbo setup. the 3800's will need a 60' V6 trans or at least bell housing, convertor, flex plate, starter, front pump and input shaft. ecu/harness needs to be 97-98 for programability/ not fly by wire.

300whp/350wtq would be more than adequate which is why i'm leaning towards the L36 for simplicity/cost factors. the 4.3 vortec would require a new intake setup but would also be bolt and go for the trans/engine mounting portion. not to mention i've found little info on boosted 4.3's.

sorry for the lengthy first post. hope some of you guys can shed some light and give input. also is there a dyno thread anywhere so I could get an idea of some setups

Thanks, George
 
Forget the 4.3 and go with a series II engine with an F body intake. There's an entire thread dedicated to this set up in a Regal. So far he's gotten into the 9's and has only had minor issues with the engine.
 
If you want efficiency why go with a gasoline engine? I have been reading up on diesel. Something from a breadtruck or forklift. Inline 4 or 6 a turbo and a front mount. I was thinking along the lines of a 4l80e where it splits for 6 speeds.
Thinking of staying with the stock 3.42s.
What are your trans and rear gear plans?
If you want info on boosted 4.3 hit the Sy/ty forums. Plenty of carnage there.

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have read about the 4bt swap and that does sound optimal, but that is a very expensive setup and requires changes everywhere. My thinking is I need to either rebuild the 5.7 vortec thats in it or I could try something a little different. I would want to source another 5.7 to have ready to drop in rather than having it down for a month plus for machine work. same goes for the 3.8 I would freshen up a junkyard engine have everything mocked up and ready to drop in. I'm a Mechanic/fabricator and have lot's of parts(intercooler, piping, turbo's, aem, ect...) on the shelf from previous builds and a build that someone ran out of funding (DUI) to finish and I kept the parts as payment.

Due to cost factors I'd actually keep the factory 3.73's that are in the truck and probably run a slightly taller tire(32-33") to bring the r's down some and add a little more clearance (I do like to take desert cruises and that would come in handy)

trans is a 4l60e right now and i'd most likely run a v6 4l60e or a hybrid between the two. or if the 4.3 route is more practical it would be a bolt up affair. wouldn't be a bad idea to freshen it up as I don't know the service history of it and it has 215k on it.
 
you want the l67 short block and the l36 heads and intakes off a fbody. The the l67 heads and fbody heads are different, one has the injectors in the lmi and the others go in the head due to the blower LIM.
 
Why not just buy a 6.5TD suburban?

I have one and get 20/22 mpg empty and 16/17 towing my 32ft. camper.

I have a GEP military 6.5 in it with a holset [knockoff] HX40 hybrid on it and love it.

I also have WTA, and WMI on it for when I tow heavy through fancy gap in virginia.

I tow that 8,000lb. camper at 75mph with ease and that's with the 3.42s that came with the truck.

I t would be cheaper than what you're contemplating, and if you want me to send some pics of the mods I've done or send you to the forum where I have a build thread just ask.
 
I've heard bad things about the injector pumps not lasting long on those 6.5l . I looked at a couple of them but bought one with a 454. I like it. Not near the mileage you claim but gas is a dollar a gallon cheaper. Not sure on the upkeep. I guess I thought I could get mileage in the upper 20s. I'll probably end up rebuilding the 350 or building a sb 400. Just a future project.

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Injector pumps aren't the problem, it's the PMD that only lasts a few years.

I always carry a spare working one in case the lifetime replacement one dies because it takes a day or two for them to get me another one.

Alot of bad/misleading info out there on the 6.5's.

It's really a dependable drivetrain once you learn the strengths and weakness's of them just like any other drivetrain from any mfg. .

Also having new military take outs available makes it a no brainer. Two grand for a new engine made by GEP [general engine products] who manufactures them for the government.

They have higher nickel content blocks/heads, and better mains to eliminate the web fracturing which led to broken cranks, see a common problem here? The 3.8 has same issues at high power levels.

Anyways, good luck with whatever way you choose to go on your rebuild.

Diesel here is almost the same price as 93/oct at 3.38 a gallon right now and wiesel is 3.49
 
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rob zombie you have caught my attention. shoot me that build link. i've read about those who have done the 4bt (bone shaker) and 6bt swaps with good results. I wish I played with diesel a little more. have done alot of gas and E85 turbo builds but diesel is a little foreign to me. the 6.6 duramax's at work are pretty impressive units I will say.
 
Okay. Yeah a lot of info there on about 6bt, not desirable with a IFS on my burb they are way to heavy for the front torsion bars from a longevity standpoint.

There are Dmax swaps on that forum also and yeah that ISUZU diesel rocks but damn all the common rail diesels are FN expensive.

Hell you can buy a 6.5 truck for the cost of C/R diesel injectors.
 
a small V6 in a 6000+ pound truck isn't a recipe for fuel efficiency.. it might sound backwards, but a bigger engine with more torque will probably get better fuel economy in something like that..
 
a small V6 in a 6000+ pound truck isn't a recipe for fuel efficiency.. it might sound backwards, but a bigger engine with more torque will probably get better fuel economy in something like that..
X2, that V6 will be working its balls off verses a V8 loafing.
 
X3 The more torque down low the better the fuel efficiency will be in most cases.

The redline on my 6.5TD is 4,000 rpm and while I've gone that high because of the fueling and turbo I have on the truck, the normal operating range is 1,500 to 2,500 rpm, a very narrow and low operating range.
 
Link to build, I'm always open to New ideas.
Might have to revisit the 6.5 burb as they seem to be cheap

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http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/63...-5-6-2-high-performance-engine-modifications/ for various builds of all memebers.

OR http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/63...e-modifications/432538-turbo-upgrade-128.html if you want to see the mods I did to mine.

My turbo swap starts on page three, and the WMI and WTA are further in. I do have you tube vids of the 6-way adjustable tune on page 83 I believe that a friend in california makes and he also makes a controller for the 4l80e for non computer trucks. He was a missile engineer for the military and is an awesome engineer,and deserves all the credit on how my truck runs.

Don't read the whole thread as it is over 100 pages and a lot of bantering went on versus actual tech/build posts.

Tons of info on there from all members, I hope you get what you're looking for and if you have any questions let me know I'll help if I can.
 
Here is a you tube vid of me testing one of the first 6 way tunes made. The burb gets moving pretty quick for an IDI 7,000 lb. truck with 3.42 gears.





Don't mind my crappy narration and shaky vid.
 
Forget the 4.3 and go with a series II engine with an F body intake. There's an entire thread dedicated to this set up in a Regal. So far he's gotten into the 9's and has only had minor issues with the engine.

Which thread is that? I remember the one guy running a 11.357 or so a couple years back, but I don't remember a 3800 regal in the 9's????
 
Thanks for the links, sorry to dirty up this thread.
Thanks for the leeway.

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