03' Tahoe Build - 2 RE Audio 18s - full ICE install... And a Cummins 4bta Swap

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

With me doing all the fabrication and labor, Parts cost set me back just under 5k

Major setbacks where the trans adapter and flexplate I got from destroked.com... they dont mention that the 4l60e trans changed when the ls based engines started being used... ended up costing me transmission number 1.. had to swap to an earlier trans (fround a rebuild one near my home town for a couple hundred)

Most of the suck factor came from wiring... that and taking the motor in and out of the truck multiple times while building all the mounts.

IF I had fundage up front instead of funding it as I could, it would have been done a lot faster.

The engine came out of a ups truck... had 60k miles on a cummins reman. You can find these engines in step vans and light commercial trucks, generators, excavators, etc..etc.. figured if it would pull a ups truck down the interstate, it should do just fine in the tahoe... so far so good. However, I will be compound turboing it come spring

4btswaps.com helped me out A LOT along the way... also you can typically find this motor and other smaller displacement diesels in their classifieds section.. or ebay, craigslist, etc... best way to do it is buy a stepvan like an early 90's chevy p30 with the engine in it... the bodys of the vans are aluminum typically so when you pay 2000-2500 for the van, you can scrap the body and make a good bit of your money back if not all of it. Thats what a lot of guys on the 4bt forums do.

-Chris

[Brandon15zzz]

Awesome thanks. So I seen it only has 120hp does it get up and go or is it more for a gas mileage for you? I have an 02' silverado with the 4.8 I average like 13

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

In stock form... its slow off the line but has no problem running 80+mph on the interstate...

However... if you check out the 4btswaps.com site... you'll find guys that click off 12 and under in the 1/4 mile... 700+ lb. ft.. southbend clutch built a mud rail that is making over 700hp on the bottle... its a rocket..

it all depends on what you want.

It moves ok for me... its big and slow... was with the 5.3 as well... the 5.3 came out of the hole quicker but it also sucked down double the fuel. Once I get my compound turbo setup finished and the 4l80e swapped in, it should run just fine

Waiting til friday to order my damp-pro... hopefully there are some good deals to be had.

Thanks guys

-Chris

[Brandon15zzz]

Yea I checked out a few of the build logs and stuff over there. Got to do some reading up. A lot of lingo I don't understand but ill try and learn it. It's got me interested.

[Twostrokeking]

Should duramaxed it (; nice lookin truck.

[b-eazy]

Wow

.....welcome....and u got one ssssiiiiiicccckkkkk asssss truck....

[ibf150]

Just curious, how big is the weight difference between the 4bt and the chevy 5.3? I've thought about doing this swap in my F150 but I'm concerned about the IFS

[STEvil]

4bt are not significantly heavier than a 5.3, they work great.

Give the fuel pump some loving and you'll be pushing more horses very easily.

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

a few hundred pounds heavier... I didnt notice any extra drop from the weight...

Ive tweaked the pump a little

A flat tip screw driver is much cheaper then a hand held tuner

Got my damplifier pro ordered... time to make it quiet

-Chris