# engine swap or supercharger



## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

what is more efficient/practical and before anyone says get a new truck blah blah that is out of the question at this point. so what would be more efficient for all around use swapping my 4.8 for a 6.0 or getting a Supercharger for the 4.8 what are the pluses and downsides to each set-up thanks


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

here's your awnser...

http://www.ststurbo.com/gm_trucks


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

do you have the turbo? was wondering about price


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

No I have diesels... but if I had a 6L or 5.3 or 4.8 your darn right thats what it would have...


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## nhgranite (Feb 26, 2009)

turbo lag would suck for plowing or working on a gas motor. supercharger is the better choice for power right off idle. 6.0 would be more work. great motor and can be found cheap.


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

With several body styles behind them, the NBS trucks are dirt cheap. I know you said its not an option, but considering the amount of work and expense of either an engine swap or adding a blower, I wouldn't write off a replacement truck.

Either option will kill any economy you may be experiencing right now...but I bet a light half ton truck with a 6.0 would be powerful as hell.


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

thats part of what i was trying to figure out is the expense the work doesn't bother me it would be next summer when i don't need my truck as much. and even though the NBS are cheap i can't take on another payment for several reasons. my truck also has no economic value for gas mileage it only gets 13 MPG casue i have 285/75 and my ladder rack i have to keep it floored at highway speeds i didn't know if the bigger motor although sucking more gas would be using less to move the truck if that would improve MPG. i guess it's alot of preliminary thought right now


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## hairygary (Feb 19, 2009)

If you have to keep it floored at highway speeds, I am curious what rear end axle ratio you have. If you have anything less than a 3.73 with those big of tires I think that might be your problem as I dont see why you should have to keep this truck floored at highway speeds.


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

it isn't completly floored just feels like it and my highway speeds are 75/80 and i do have 3.73 gears


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

the best awnser is simple, get a duramax.....

I remember those days with my little 4.3 on a windy day doing up a hill with the trailer on... these days I dont think twice about it....


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

plowin207;1068674 said:


> thats part of what i was trying to figure out is the expense the work doesn't bother me it would be next summer when i don't need my truck as much. and even though the NBS are cheap i can't take on another payment for several reasons. my truck also has no economic value for gas mileage it only gets 13 MPG casue i have 285/75 and my ladder rack i have to keep it floored at highway speeds i didn't know if the bigger motor although sucking more gas would be using less to move the truck if that would improve MPG. i guess it's alot of preliminary thought right now


OK, so what is your truck?

I get about 13-14 in my 2000 ecsb 6.0 with 4.10 gears. Ladder rack can't weigh enough to have that much of an impact, though I suppose the aerodynamic loss to having ladders on the roof isn't helping on the highway.

Have you had your speedo adjusted to accomodate the tire size change? If not then you're reading your speed and odometer about 8% under, so when you're going 80mph on the highway, you're actually going more like 87.

If you're looking to make things better, I think you should look into getting a custom tune for your truck as it sits now. Contact blackbearperformance.com or one of the other custom shops the other guys here like and talk it over with them...you could pick up some extra power and probably a mpg or two in the sprocess for a whole lot less than an engine swap or blower install...they'll also adjust your speedometer for your tires.

Also, have you done any tuneup or other work to your existing motor? I was shocked at the difference it made on my 6.0 by doing a simple MAF and throttle body cleaning...and I didn't even do a thorough job. Get an alignment, check for a sticky brake, check engine light on? You should be able to get mid teens in your truck easy.

Unless you're moving alot of heavy loads, the 4.8 ought to meet your needs and return decent economy. It sounds like you've got some issues to clean up and maybe slow down on the highway a bit to ease up on the aerodynamic problem.


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## t-sig (Feb 5, 2010)

Plowin207,

I have had the same thoughts about adding power to my half ton. In the end, it just doesn't make sense, unless you are only doing it for show/fun. If you are doing it to work the truck harder, then you will have a powerhouse with: under sized brakes, axles, suspension, frame.... My next "work" truck will be a 3/4 or 1 ton. My next fast toy will be something in the Camaro department.


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

mayhem my truck is a 2001 ecsb 1500 with the 4.8 and 3.73 and i usually do about 75 on the speedo figuring that it was off.i cleaned the MAF sensor last fall but not the throttle body after i tried the seafoam stuff. it was aliened this spring and ive thought about the blackbear tune i will probably do that and see how it works blackbear will re tune so if idid end up doing a swap they would re tune it.

t-sig i want to add the power ya alittle for show/fun but in the work department i really work my truck as it is now harder then i maybe should but the motor thing is more to work it less when im working it as hard as i do now. and ya i will never do the half ton work truck thing again when i bout this truck i didn't do enough research was young and dumb and didn't look around i found what i thought was a good deal and jumped on it. looking back if i had of waited and looked around i could have probably found maybe a little older 3/4 1 ton truck for the same amount of money

i'm still wondering if anyone knows about how much it would cost to do the swap if i did all the work myself


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## CGM Inc. (Dec 15, 2008)

What do you want to do with the truck should be the 1st question.....
Tow a trailer, plow or just drive.....


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## BlizzardBeater (Aug 29, 2010)

Have you thought about running a different rear end. It could end up being a lot cheaper and it would better utilize the power you have. My half ton truck has a 4.8L and really plows pretty could. Doesnt compare to the 3/4 ton but a lot of that comes down to weight. When I need to tow with the half ton, the tow haul works pretty good. Just a thought.


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

i tow trailers with mowers snowmobiles fourwheelers etc, also a bobcat, tractor and cars, haul wood, construction stuff, plow, off road to hunting spots and daily drive. looking back i should have never bought a half ton especialy with the small motor but live and learn. and i had thought about regearing.


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## Mark13 (Dec 3, 2006)

plowin207;1069213 said:


> i tow trailers with mowers snowmobiles fourwheelers etc, also a bobcat, tractor and cars, haul wood, construction stuff, plow, off road to hunting spots and daily drive. looking back i should have never bought a half ton especialy with the small motor but live and learn. and i had thought about regearing.


I'd get rid of the truck and get a 3/4ton if you can. I did everything your talking about with my 1/2ton. It did it, not well at all but it worked. Now I'm looking in the mirror to see if I lost anything off the trailer since the truck is having no trouble with it. My 1/2ton was a 98 k1500 with 3.73s and the 5.7 vortec, I changed to an 06 2500hd with the duramax and some mods. Night and day difference doing the same things.


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

i really wish i could get a new truck better for what i do with it but in my current financial position getting another payment is out of the question so i was just looking for realitivly cost effective ways of making my truck more suitable for it casue im doing the things i do to it one way or the other i realize a motor or blower isn't neccisarily cheap but it is easier to put money aside when i can for that over being commited to a payment.


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

Put that same money aside no matter what. If you opt to do something like a blower you'll have the funds...if not you've got a noce start on paying cash for a new-to-you HD truck.

Most of what you're doing is well within the capabilities of your truck, but I raise an eyebrow at pulling a bobcat or tractor...thats a stout load for a half ton 4.8. 

Another factor to consider here is downtime and reliability. Your truck runs (I assume) reliably right now and you use it for work to make money. You stand a good chance of messing up that reliability with an engine swap...at the very least you have a good chance of extended downtime during the swap...putting on a turbo or blower is only going to increase complexity and your odds of a breakdown. I wouldn't do either to my daily driver that also makes me money...reliability is absolute king in a work truck and trumps fuel economy, coolness and hauling capacity. 

Lose the big tires, get a custom tune and save your money till you can replace the truck with a heavier duty one.

Good luck, no matter what you decide.


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## t-sig (Feb 5, 2010)

Plowin207,

Mayhem makes some really good points in his last post. Those big tires are a drain on power. I replaced the intake with a K&N knock off and it might have helped. I also put on a throttle body spacer that was a waste of time and money. So, I feel your pain on this. I looked into the 6.0 swap and it can be done, but, they recommend changing the tranny, exhaust, and possibly the computer. Big money. Good luck with whatever way you go. I would steer clear of Turbos and Super chargers, unless it was strictly a toy. They look good on Geerz, but I question their reliability.

Take er easy,


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

If your concerned about your financial situation than consider that putting a blower on it will require a tune to run it safely. Second, a blower will REQUIRE Premium gas at all times. Third, you'll eventually start breaking things- tranny, rear end, engine failure. 

Like the others have said- Reduce your tire size back down- 265/70 or 245/70 and you'll get plenty of power back (it may not look "cool" anymore). Start putting money away in the bank- anything is better than nothing. When you have enough, buy a new truck.

I plowed/hauled/towed with a 4.7 Dakota that had a 3" Body LIft, 2" Tbar Crank and 305/70/16's on it. I never had to have it floored to keep up on the highway, but towing/hauling it really had trouble getting going and I could tell I was going to start breaking stuff eventually. I dropped back down to 245/70's and it was night and day.


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## Sydenstricker Landscaping (Dec 17, 2006)

The 6.0 swap from a 4.8 really isnt too horrible. They share the same accessories, motor mounts, etc. As for the exhaust a better flowing one would be ideal since they need to breathe a lil more than the 4.8. The 99-02 6.0 will basically be a plug and play install into your truck. The 03- newer ones do run a returnless fuel system, but are the better 6.0 with the aluminum heads, etc. Your computer would need tuned to run the parameters of the 6.0 though. Nelsonperformance does alot of these, so they would be good to go with. That would run about 350 bucks mail order. If you play your cards right and look around, you can find 6.0's in good shape for under a grand. The 4L60E can handle the 6.0, but you would need a different flex plate since most of them had the 4L80E behind them. Dont know if the mods will have a fit, but LS1truck.com has tons of info on the 4.8/6.0 swap, etc. Good luck!!


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## plowin207 (Jan 21, 2010)

thanks Sydenstriker for the info
does anyone know were i could start looking for a 6.0 i tried craigslist just looking for some other places


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## Sydenstricker Landscaping (Dec 17, 2006)

Check around the local salvage yards that carry more late model vehicles. Might be able to find one out of a wrecked HD. Im sure there are some online places as well, just do a google search. Good luck with it!!


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