Prerunner motor

[kdneo]

I have a fullsize chevy prerunner and am begining to look at motor options for it. I am thinking of a budget of around $10,000. What whould you do? Buy a crate motor and stick it in? Have a custom motor built? Buy a crate and have work done to it? Or something else?? Looking for any and all input. I don't really want to run race gas either at best I would run AV-Gas (100 octane) since I can't afford to put $300 worth of fuel in the truck.


Thanks for the input!

[FarrisMotorsports]

I would go with an LS2 for that amount of money...

[McCredie A]

have a ls2 in our buggy (prerunner) and we love it. Low maintence, runs on 91, fuel injected, and tons of power.

[kdneo]

any work to them or just run it stock?

[truggyman44]

Can you be more specific about your truck...year, motor size....Are you staying fuel injected or carburated? Also what kind of hp etc. are you looking for.

[kdneo]

it's a 2002 chevy ext. cab, 3 seats, currently has a stock iron block 5.3L with about 80,000 miles on it, has a velocity kit with coilovers and bypasses up front and for now deavers with bypasses in the rear, full cab cage (mild steel) 2" mains with 1 3/4" supports all of it is .120 wall. As far as what kind of HP.... I'm curious what you guys think, I was thinking somewhere between 500 and 600, but that may be total overkill????? Currently the only pic I have online of the truck can be seen on the main page of the site listed in my signature.

Thanks for the help!

[truggyman44]

it's a 2002 chevy ext. cab, 3 seats, currently has a stock iron block 5.3L with about 80,000 miles on it, has a velocity kit with coilovers and bypasses up front and for now deavers with bypasses in the rear, full cab cage (mild steel) 2" mains with 1 3/4" supports all of it is .120 wall. As far as what kind of HP.... I'm curious what you guys think, I was thinking somewhere between 500 and 600, but that may be total overkill????? Currently the only pic I have online of the truck can be seen on the main page of the site listed in my signature.

Thanks for the help!

Okay I think you would be best off going with a iron block 408 starting with a LQ9/LQ4 Block. They are fairly cost effective to build and are right in your hp range. You could build one in the 550 - 600hp range for around 7 - 8k. There are a ton of builders out there that could do the build for you, I have a few I would suggest. PM me if you have any other questions etc. By the way the 5.3L that is in your truck is an aluminum block.

[McCredie A]

our ls2 is from turnkey. it has 510 hp. its right around 13,000. But you could always give them a call and see what other options they have.

[D-rek]

By the way the 5.3L that is in your truck is an aluminum block.

I believe the 5.3 is a cast iron block with aluminum heads.

I took an an LS1 out of a 2000 camaro with 80000 miles on it. I put new bearings, rings, oil pump and timing chain. I bought some heads and a cam from a guy on a LS website. The motor makes 525 hp (on pump gas) and has been super reliable and I have less then 4k in the motor. I just posted a video of my car on the tube section. The title is 4 seater. The motor is on the rev limiter in fourth gear.
-Derek

[kdneo]

it is an iron block, I believe the newer ones are aluminum though. Gravy thats pretty impressive HP gains from a motor that makes 285 stock! But would I be better getting an aluminum block and doing that work to it?

[D-rek]

GM rated the motor at 340 hp and almost everyone believes that is conservative. The LS6 is essentially the same motor outside of intake manifold and some other differences is rated at 400hp. These gains are pretty standard with the mods I have done.
-Derek

[dirtdudeaz]

performancetrucks.net
go to the GM engine forum if you want to know exact parts to build a motor up. They have tons of guys who know their stuff.

Im with truggy though, about building up an LQ4 or LQ9. Heads, bigger throttle body, injectors, cam, springs, rods, intake,exhaust, custom tune, stall, maybe your gears in the rear if you want and maybe even a radixx supercharger if you want to get crazy.

You will need to do work on the transmission though as you probably know. Again you can go to that site and see what some of the guys have done. Some like FLT(finish line transmissions), and others either do it themselves or have a shop nearby they trust.

[John F2000]

go with a big block stroker. Reliable and on pump gas. best bang for the buck.

If you want the cheepest build a blower motor. Bigger bang for the buck

[CaptinCrash]

this all u need for a prerunner motor 900 HP Twin Turbo Sappenfield 460

[drsnutz]

our ls2 is from turnkey. it has 510 hp. its right around 13,000. But you could always give them a call and see what other options they have.
i agree wholeheartedly with mccredie, we've been dealing with turnkey and their stuff is of the uber quality, we've used them in our production buggies as well as customer buggies and have had no failures and super reliability, imo the best bang for the buck.

[Giant Geoff]

If you are running leaf springs in the back you will be hitting the brakes more then the gas, if these where my build I would keep the stock motor. A pre-runner should be very reliable and comfortable and the suspension should be way better then the motor. This way the truck will not fail and you just get years of usage.

Put the $10,000. Into a link and your excitement will be in going good speeds all day instead of racing form bump to bump and making your passenger sick.

[FarrisMotorsports]

If you are running leaf springs in the back you will be hitting the brakes more then the gas, if these where my build I would keep the stock motor. A pre-runner should be very reliable and comfortable and the suspension should be way better then the motor. This way the truck will not fail and you just get years of usage.

Put the $10,000. Into a link and your excitement will be in going good speeds all day instead of racing form bump to bump and making your passenger sick.'

This is very good advice...

[CMazzulla]

I would put the money in the drive train first, 4 link second and engine third. The drive train must match the HP and torque of the engine or you will be sitting on the side of the road more than once. But......it all depends on how you will drive it. I have seen pro2 third members out of a few trucks with the same HP, some were destroyed and some didn't need to be touched. Guess witch one was Rob Mac's, go figure.:rolleyes:

[kdneo]

It's more of a cruiser for me. I'm not out there trying to be Robby G or anything, just like having fun in the desert. With the truck in its current state I average about 55mph or so. I know the suspension needs to be done as well, but I need to make plans for when the motor takes a crap. From what I figure the rear suspension and the motor are both going to cost me around 10K to do right, so I have to decide which one first!

[DirtyHarry]

Search craigslist and junkyards for any of the ls series motors. Might as well look for a good tranny too. Should be able to get a good deal on both. Then take the time to clean/rebuild depending on whats needed to them. When the time comes for your motor to die on you you'll allready have a replacement ready. Like Geoff and Mazzulla stated there's no need for a 500-600 hp motor without having a good suspension/drivetrain to go with it. You can allways upgrade the motor once you get the rear done but this way you'll save some cash and still be able to enjoy yourself.

[Giant Geoff]

You motor is young at 80,000 miles, my race tuck has a stock 4.0L with 300,000 miles and it still goes fast and if I kill it I’m putting a stock one back it because I don’t what the problems the none stock motor guy’s have. Work on suspension and then leave it and just have years of fun.

Is better to go a little slower for longer period, then fast for a short period.

If you have loads of money then disregard everything I said.

[kdneo]

If you have loads of money then disregard everything I said.

Well chances are you have never heard of me, so we can count out me having loads of money :D

[John F2000]

Re motor versus suspension. Interesting. I agree suspension is the key to going fast, how can you not. However as another thought I drove a leaf spring 14 inch travel pre runner for 5 years, with a bad ass motor. It made you smile every time you started it up to go get a burger. If your truck is street legal, you'll spend a big chunk of the miles driving around town. It sure is fun climbing into a truck that gets your adrenaline going every time you start it up. If it is a true working pre-runner to only use to pre-run a race section, because you are racing, go with the suspension, of course. If its a quasi daily driver, play toy, pre-runner, a heart stomping motor is a lot of fun.

just another angle to the obvious suspension answer.

[kdneo]

I can't afford to/ have the time to race. And the truck is street legal. Dosen't get much street time right now due to wiring issues, but it could. Probably won't do any serious race prerunning, but again it could. decisions decisions ........

[mebuildit]

I'm going to have Texas Speed build one up for me. You can get better parts inside and still have a nice engine for the money.

For my application I'm going to have them build me a LSX 454. Nice and stout and with a good strong bottem end and some nice heads you can have a nice reliable motor.

Here is the link to their site: http://www.texas-speed.com/shop/categoryM.asp?MID=2&catid=3

Good luck.