Down the road planning for some HP

[kc5deb]

It won't be anytime soon, but, within a year or so, I would like to start getting the money together for either a turbo or supercharger for my 2002 6.0L GMC. I haven't really found that a super makes more HP than a turbo, or vice-versa.

 

I've put pros and cons for both a super and turbo, and would like some comments/additions to what I've come up with so far.

 

Turbo-

 

Pros:

1. Love that sound the turbo makes spinning up; gives me goosebumps

2. Like the fact that it doesn't pull HP from the engine to make more horsepower

3. Like the HP gains

 

Cons:

1. Turbo lag

2. Seems to be far less bolt-in kits for turbos for V-8 engines; haven't yet found a bolt in kit for the 6.0L GMC engines.

 

 

 

Super-

 

Pros:

1. Like the HP gains

2. Like the fact that it provides more consistant HP over most of the RPM ranges

2. A lot more bolt-on options for factory un-modded engines, and there are plenty to choose from for my particular engine.

3. Love the looks of a supercharger sitting on the intake; sexy as hell.

 

Cons:

1. $$$

2. $$$

3. Pulls a small amount of HP from the engine due to the fact it's being driven from the engine.

3. hmmm... Oh yeah. $$$

[99Silver6.0]

Both setups will pretty much run the same price. STS makes a rear mount intercooled turbo kit that is rapidly gaining in popularity. Livernois Motorsports is also producing a kit. Texas Speed is making a front mount turbo kit. A turbo has an almost limitless power possibility. Parish is making 770hp and 1000tq with a Combination Motorsports kit and a 408 stroker. A blower like the Vortech or Procharger can make some dam good numbers too. But like a turbo, size will pretty much be the deciding factor on the power you can make. On a procharger, I think its the D1SC that is most widely used. Tha Radix is a nice kit, but the fact that it doesnt utilize a real intercooler turned me off on it. IMO they arent truly intercooled. The turbo kits use a nice sized intercooler which is gonna allow you to run more boost since the charge air temp isnt blazing hot. Theres a guy on tech that is using a Duramax intercooler with his turbo set up!!!

 

Another factor is gonna be the tranny. Im going to assume you have a 4L65 behind your motor. It is a beefed up 4L60 in a sense that it has 5 pinion planetaries, better input/output shafts and a few other goodies. It will need a bit of sprucing up or you will toast it in time. Plain and simple truth it all costs money.

 

http://www.ststurbo.com/

http://www.livernoismotorsports.com/

http://www.whipplesuperchargers.com/default.asp

http://www.cmotorsports.com/

http://www.texas-speed.com/

[SS Crew]

I'd have reservations with the STS turbo's air intake at the back of the truck. Won't the filter get wet when it rains? It seems like there's more dirt kicked up back there than in the engine compartment. Don't get me wrong, the remote location is a great idea, but the air intake I think needs some sort of revision.

[kc5deb]

The tranny I have is the 4L60E. I spoke to a guy I know at the local dealer, and he has the 4L60 in his early GMC truck, and he's running around 400hp through it, but, he also installed a shift kit. His recommendation was to put a shift kit in if I go over any horsepower other than just the HP gains of a chip or program.

 

Anyone seen issues with their 4L60E's?

[kc5deb]

The tranny I have is the 4L60E.  I spoke to a guy I know at the local dealer, and he has the 4L60 in his early GMC truck, and he's running around 400hp through it, but, he also installed a shift kit.  His recommendation was to put a shift kit in if I go over any horsepower other than just the HP gains of a chip or program.

 

Anyone seen issues with their 4L60E's?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

Scratch the above; just checked my RPO codes. I have the 4L80E (RPO code MT1).

[99Silver6.0]

I'd have reservations with the STS turbo's air intake at the back of the truck.  Won't the filter get wet when it rains?  It seems like there's more dirt kicked up back there than in the engine compartment.  Don't get me wrong, the remote location is a great idea, but the air intake I think needs some sort of revision.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Nobodys had any problems yet. I havent seen any problem posts on MOFBODY.com or the Internal engine section on Tech on the STS. Im not too keen on a remote mount anyway. If my memory serves me, isnt it best for a turbo to be in a location where its hot anyway? I want to go Whipple. If I dont do that id like to get a Livernois or Texas Speed turbo kit.