Duramax 3rd gen camaro

[lunati397]

Just breaking the ice on here but I am starting a project to include a 03 2500 and a 91 camaro.

I am aware of all the obsticals and have the skills to pull this off but I know I will need the help of you guys. I have the car and donor truck already and im still doing some research until I get back home. No im not a colledge kid I am a Acft mechanic in the Airforce and have spent the last 6 months in Afganistan but should be home in a few weeks.

some of my major obsticals will be the height of the D max if anyone out there wants to measure their engine that would be awsome

I have a 4L80 that I will build to its max with hardend internals


I will definately be doing a swap thread on here Dmaxforum and thirdgen.org

My goals are to get the motor to 500 plus hp with my own custom mods efi live lift pump and look into modifying the cp3. The truck has 20k injectors so they wont be a worry right now. I also want to get my car in a magazine which if I pull it off and get it into the 9s should happen.

 

[dmaxkid_90]

good luck sounds like it will be a great project.

 

[R_F_F]

I've always loved third gens.. And the duramax... Keep us posted . You're probably going to need at least a cowl hood. There's not a ton of room under there. And why not use an Allison?

 

[SmokeShow]

I'll try to get outside dimensions of an lbz tonight if that'll help.


Assuming 4l80 instead of the Allison for size.

 

[Turbo Performance]

I've always loved third gens.. And the duramax... Keep us posted . You're probably going to need at least a cowl hood. There's not a ton of room under there. And why not use an Allison?

Sounds cool. :thumb: Why would you use an allison? 4l80e is considerable lighter than the Allison and in a light car it shouldn't have any issue holding the power. Space wise, the Allison is going to swallow up a mile of trans tunnel in a car too.

Edit: Treed by SmokeShow!

 

[Mike L.]

I've always loved third gens.. And the duramax... Keep us posted . You're probably going to need at least a cowl hood. There's not a ton of room under there. And why not use an Allison?

It will hang too low. With the light weight the 4L80 should hold for a while.

 

[lunati397]

the allison is to large I would have to make alot of tunnel mods 4l80s have been used behind duramaxs before and held up

and I already have a 2 inch cowl I would like to keep the turbo in the stock location because its a SS hood and would line up perfectly with the scoop and I will have to make a rack and pinion steering setup because my steering box will get in the way

 

[Burn Down]

Are you planning on a tube chassis? The Duramax puts out a ton more torq. than a small block or big block (even at only 500hp). I think with the unibody car you will have alot of chassis twist with out a tube chassis.

It will be a cool project but just some things to consider.

 

[lunati397]

I will be building a extravagant subframe connector and its a problem with all third gens it will also have a a 6 point cage and it will have a 9 inch rear with mini tubs

 

[Burn Down]

That should do it. Sounds like a fun project. Keep us updated.

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Ill check in the morning i have a few motors sitting here i will get a total height what else can i get measured for you ? you probably want height from the floor to right in front of the oil pan where the cross frame will pass under the motor.What about remoting the turbo to the front and reversing the manifolds so they face front?run rite into the exhaust housing?your intercooler pipe run would be close,just a thought you dont have much room to work with let me know what i can help with from here :thumb:

 

[lunati397]

I have thought about remote mounting the turbo I would like to keep it where it is now I am also going to fab my own exhaust manifolds to make them flow better and keep temps down alittle

I need the lowest point of the motor to the highest part I will be able to measure this myself when I get home in two weeks but it will help with some planning the oil pan doesnt matter because im building my own K memeber too so I can ajust how I need

 

[Turbo Performance]

I have thought about remote mounting the turbo I would like to keep it where it is now I am also going to fab my own exhaust manifolds to make them flow better and keep temps down alittle

I need the lowest point of the motor to the highest part I will be able to measure this myself when I get home in two weeks but it will help with some planning the oil pan doesnt matter because im building my own K memeber too so I can ajust how I need

A fabricated manifold may flow better but it won't contain the heat like a cast manifold will.

Isn't oil pan depth relative to ground clearance when you're working with a maximum height (2" cowl I think you said)?

 

[lunati397]

I want to keep good ground clearance but if I need to go up i should be able to and the last motor I had was a 383 LT4 with a 7 qy pan that came pretty low but with third gens we are used to no ground clearance

I know fab manifolds wont hold the heat as well but I will get them ceramic coated and wrap them so it should help and free up alittle flow

Once I get it in running and tested I will start building a second engine to handle alot more to eventually swap in I would love to build a 900hp 1900 ft lb tq engine to have is such a light car

still working on gearing which I think ill be trying a few different rears to find the right gears

 

[blk smoke lb7]

Sorry i totally forgot to turn in the height its 34 1/8th tall thats to the top of the sensor on an lbz turbo so if yours in an lb7 you could reduce by an inch or so but if you go bigger on the turbo you will need a little room.

 

[TDFDiesel]

Sounds like a cool project.

 

[lunati397]

I guess ill have to see when I test fit the engine in but im definately going to make it work depending on how work goes and money flow is I might end up building the block with at least better rods and studs

 

[DieselS10]

This should be a fun one! keep us posted when you get started on it.

 

[lunati397]

ill be sure to start a new thread of go off of this one once I start but I will have the build on here and a few other forums