Chris --

Jack the radiator cap up -- drive a new truck under it... make sure it's a diesel version.


:rofl: :rofl:

I know, I know...but I would like to make it work for a few years before I lay the cash out, how 'bout an 8.1 swap? I hear it is pretty basic- just wonder if the 4L80E would work. I remember back in the day alot of guys were putting better cams, heads and carbs to wake them up.

timing is really horrible 22?

I know a good mechanic if you need one! :rofl:

come on... if you are going to do a swap... get a duramax/alison combo... they arent that expensive on ebay... and would make a huge difference..

infact the coolest swap would propably be a 2 stroke detroit diesel... dut that could take alittle more time than a "shake and bake" duramax takeout engine...

I have a '97 4X4 Suburban (454 EFI) that I pull my Tractor and boat with. I have also upgraded the features of the truck increasing the weight probably 1500 pounds or more.

I installed the Banks Kit for the engine that had headers, cool air intake etc. and it helped quite a bit. I have the 4L80e Transmission in it so I can change the tuning very quickly. All this said, like you I really have a difficult time getting the truck to go. Sooner or later I will need to go into it. (200k miles currently) When I do I think I will put a rear mounted turbo kit on it. By cleaning up the heads by matching and lightly porting them, putting some lower compression pistons in it, and a good turbo cam I don't think I will be needing a diesel. I like them, but the truck is paid for and this would be a fairly easy cost effective way to get the power I want.

My truck came from the Factory with 290 hp/410 Ft Pounds of Torque. The Banks kit gave me about 12% increase in the power, mainly through just making it breath a hell of a lot better.

The right turbo kit, I think would be the best for my application is sold through www.ststurbo.com.

For my truck I would probably use the Universal kit. Last time I looked in it, putting it on my stock motor with nothing better on the inside, I could expect 35-40% gains in hp and Torq. That would certainly get the power where I want it without buying a new truck. The kit is about 2K complete.

There are a number of people who have had good luck with them especially with motor homes and trucks like ours.

Anyway something to look at. Let me know what you think.

I hope this has helped,

Take care,

Ty O'Neal

If you want to try small changes, the mags say the Hypertech "Power Charger" gets good gains for the buck.

http://www.hypertech.com/Images/Prod...er-Charger.gif

Maybe headers, exhaust, and a better intake plenum.

Easy mods that should help.

The 94s have low compression peanut port heads. The quickest power upgrade would be to get a set of 96-00 vortec 454 heads. Those are more like the oval ports from the late 60s and have a much smaller chamber that bumps compression up into the 9s.

Any oval 4bbl conversion EFI manifold will work on those heads. I think the 94 ECM can be configured for port injection.

doh!! I just sent back two core vortec 454's to the wrecking yard

If you are interested I'll dig up the stuff I researched for my brother when he was working on his 94 Suburban. He converted it to port injection using the stock ECM.

dually
 

there are sevral things u can do . starting with uping the fuel pressure to the tbi .my 93 now has a 505 in it with a reprogramed chip with the stock tbi i can pull hills at 70 with a 28ft car trailer. in 4 th gear if i chose too. the other is the new fast ez efi its a self programeing fuel injection unit . i have spent alot of time research and money . trying to make my dually do what i wanted to . the cheapest and easyest is the efi unit from fast .i also added a cam .
depends on how much money u wanna spend. im curently working on a bank to bank injection for mine thats more coast efective .if ur not in a huge hurry
ill let u know how it works . if you intrested let me know .or if theres anny thing i can do to help let me know