| 8.1l swap [message #318701] |
Wed, 07 June 2017 23:42  |
Greenchevelless
Messages: 25
Registered: February 2013
Location: Tulsa, Okiehoma
Karma: 0
|
Junior Member |
|
|
is there any info out there on the vortec 8.1l swap? all i found was mentions of it. I have a complete 8.1 was really considering the swap.
1976 Palm Beach 26'
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] 8.1l swap [message #318714 is a reply to message #318704] |
Thu, 08 June 2017 08:29  |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Dan,
If you're talking the 8.1 Duramax then call Dave Lenzi at 810 653-3902. This swap with the all aluminum engine with the computer control is not one that can be done without purchasing a kit from Dave. The aluminum pan must be modified, the block bell housing is machined to accept the adapter plate and it took Dave almost 18 months to revise the wiring harness and reprogram the computer on the first engine. The picture supplied in a email from “A” shows the complete front clip that Dave built to preassemble the motor and drive train to install in his coach. He did a really good presentation of the conversion at a past GMCMI convention. I know that he has spent this past winter trying to get the 8.1 Duramax engines out of his basement shop. The last time I visited last year he had 7 customer engines waiting to be converted.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/aa-miscellaneous-photos/p36474-d-lenzi-27s-81-front-frame.html
Only certain years of the Duramax engine can be used. What follows are some pictures of the engine installed in the coach.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc-gmc-photos/p27204-dave-lenzi-27s-duramax-engine-install.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/misc-gmc-photos/p27203-dave-lenzi-27s-duramax-engine-install.html
Carrol Shelley 254 986-1281 bought Ken Roses Buskirk Stretch coach Chassis# 4 with a BB Chevy which he thought was a 502 Marine Chevy with electronic fuel injection was actually a smaller High Performance BB. When I talked with him at the fall 2015 convention at Rapid City SD he had a real bad oil consumption problem. He went back home and found numerous problems inside that engine. He chose to go with the 502 BB, and I don’t know were he got the engine, but it was a R&R of the new engine using all of his parts of the other engine. The 502 BB can be found out there from the men’s malls, but you can get a crate motor setup that can work well and be all new with all the good parts.
http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines/big-block-ht-502
The specs for this engine fit well with lots of torque in the power band that we use.
If your serious on going bigger the BB has been done many many time for our coaches and at one time was offered as a conversion by a company up in the Northwest that no longer does them and has sold everything. Call Dave and/or Carrol and talk with them to understand the ins and outs and pitfalls of doing the conversions.
Just what I know and other may have more information.
JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States Charter Member
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMCMI
78 GMC Buskirk 30’ Stretch
1975 GMC Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
> On Jun 8, 2017, at 12:54 AM, A. wrote:
>
> Greenchevelless wrote on Wed, 07 June 2017 23:42
>> is there any info out there on the vortec 8.1l swap?...
>
> Not much. Maybe a picture is worth a thousand words:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/aa-miscellaneous-photos/p36474-d-lenzi-27s-81-front-frame.html
> --
> 73 23' CanyonLands Parts Unit 4 Sale
> Upper Alabama
> "Every day I become more convinced that I am the only person left on the planet that recognizes nonsense for what it is."
>
> _
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
|
|
|
|
| Re: 8.1l swap [message #318716 is a reply to message #318701] |
Thu, 08 June 2017 08:54 |
Greenchevelless
Messages: 25
Registered: February 2013
Location: Tulsa, Okiehoma
Karma: 0
|
Junior Member |
|
|
wiring harness and ECU doesnt scare me as im around these gm systems everyday. I use HPtuners for ecu tuning and make and modify my own wiring harnesses for LS swaps. What I wondering about is the oil pan, engine mounts, and exhaust they are using to install the 8.1l vortec motor. Also its not a duramax. Duramax engines are 6.6l, made my isuzu and run on diesel. The 8.1l is a version of a big block chevy, but has been updated a lot.
1976 Palm Beach 26'
[Updated on: Thu, 08 June 2017 08:56] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] 8.1l swap [message #318717 is a reply to message #318716] |
Thu, 08 June 2017 09:50 |
 |
USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Dan,
My memory is a bit lame, however, I did attend a number of presentations
Dave made on this installation and IIRC he spent 200-300 hours reprogramming
the 8.1 Vortec computer to make it think it as still in the donor vehicle.
He designed and built an adapter plate to hook the 8.1 to the TH-525.
He modified the 8.1 oil pan (tube for the final drive output shaft.
As of the moment I know he is building two units for customers but I think
he's got a few more.
When Helen and I visited Dave and Mary awhile back he let me drive his and
it blew me away, you just touch the gas pedal and it's GONE!
Here's why:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/aa-miscellaneous-photos/p52884-dyno-run-vo
rtec-81.html
Note the 410 ft lb torque @ 1200 rpm!
Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Dan
Sent: Thursday, June 8, 2017 11:55 PM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] 8.1l swap
wiring harness and ECU doesnt scare me as im around these gm systems
everyday. I use HPtuners for ecu tuning and make and modify my own wiring
harnesses for LS swaps. What I wondering about is the oil pan, engine
mounts, and exhaust they are using to install the 8.1l vortec motor. Also
its
not a duramax. Duramax engines are 6.6l, made my isuzu and run on diesel.
--
1976 Palm Beach 26'
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] 8.1l swap [message #318719 is a reply to message #318717] |
Thu, 08 June 2017 11:14 |
Jon payne
Messages: 495
Registered: May 2008
Karma: 1
|
Senior Member |
|
|
And just for clarification the 8.1 is not a Duramax but a Vortech. The Duramax is GMs brand name for their Diesel engine.
Jon
Jon Payne
76 Palm Beach
Westfield,IN
|
|
|
|
| Re: 8.1l swap [message #318720 is a reply to message #318701] |
Thu, 08 June 2017 11:39 |
Mike S
Messages: 82
Registered: February 2017
Location: Vero Beach, FL
Karma: 3
|
Member |
|
|
I talked to Dave in Dothan last year about the 8.1. I have a lot of the experience with the motor. I have one in dually with 250.000 miles. I raced one in Offshore and Have built and rebuilt 3 for pleasure boats. They can make huge power.
In the vans in from of the 4l80e, they are torque limited in several gears.
Dave talked about moving away from them because of lack availability from GM. I know for a fact that these motors are tough to rebuild and make live.
Jim Bounds has talked about them twisting driveshafts in the GMC.
As others have sais, if you got it go for it.
If you are buying something, I would look in other areas.
Mike
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
