4x4 6.0L/4L80e with a front mount turbo

[brent1976]

O.K. I'll tell you what I have then I'll tell you what I am going to do and I want you guys to help me get it done. I see a lot of talk on here about doing this, but I am serious and am going to do this in the next month if you guys tell me it's doable.

I have a 99 RCSB 1500 4x4 that is my DD. It made 627whp/653wtq and has ran 11.60@115, but some of my buddies are faster with much less power, because they all have 03 Cobras, or F-Bodies that are so much lighter. I have done all the work installing everything, and I am going to do the same this time. It has a forged 6.0L with heads and cam and a 76mm front mount turbo, an FLT level 5 80e, the transfer case is from the 60e with a conversion input and adapter to mount to the 80e. I did the conversion on my truck and it's not as bad as everyone thinks, so I don't think it will be that bad in this case either.

My plans are to take all of this out of my truck and cram it into a 4x4 Colorado or Canyon and make a monster. I've been reading up on here a lot and here is what I think.

The front diff is on the passenger side and mines on the drivers side. I think mine could be taken apart, and tapped for a new vent hose, and drain plug, and flipped. It is a manual shift, so I need to know if that is an option on these, or am I going to have to rig something for this. Both driveshafts will have to be made to fit and convert yolks back and forth.

Pretty much everything else has been done already. I need to know what else there is to this, and what problems there are with a V8 swap.
Is there certain years or models where this will be easier on?
Is there enough room for a V8 and turbo?
What about a wiring harness?
I saw the motor mounts, and ignition switch, is there anything else needed?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

[M_O_Z]

Get ready to bust up the 4wd. With that much power your better off building a 2wd truck.

[brent1976]

Are the V8 truck front and rear riffs any different?

[M_O_Z]

Only difference is the v8 rear is a 8.6" instead of a 8" the transfer case and front diff won't handle high horsepower shock loads.

[brent1976]

I will be using my transfer case. I wonder if a 1/2 ton front diff would fit with different front half shafts would fit. I'll have to study up on this.

[M_O_Z]

No. You can't even use your tcase.

[WTRacing]

good luck with the swap man, you will see there are a couple of members on here that would rather just tell you what they think you should do as instead of what youre asking..

opinions are like assholes, we have lots of both around here..

The 80 has been done, the turbo lsx is being done on 3 or 4 trucks currently but no one has finished one..

all years are the same size wise..

NO ONE has done anything like this with a 4x4.. might want to check out a factory 4x4 v8 colorados and see what they are running and how its used.. just because some people who haven't done this and just read the internet all day say it wont work doesn't mean it can't be done..

Current performance wiring (google them) you can get motor mounts and the oil pan through them, and they also do custom harnesses, they aren't cheap but are worth it if youre not into wiring.. or you can wire it yourself..

txcoloradoss
04coly
karlen

and several others have done LS swaps, it might help you to search and read some of their threads as well as a new guy (name is slipping my mind) who has a thread on his turbo build currently..


good luck man, hope you can get this done! always wanted to build something just like this!

[M_O_Z]

4wd is just going to grenade with that much power. The 4wd is the same for the most part I think the tube is steel not aluminum on v8 rado. Second of all you can't bolt the stock tcase on without change transmission output shaft and adapter housing.

[blk2006]

Anything can be done like WTRacing said. With that said, i don't know about the v8 front diff housing, but the h3's did have the steal carrier case. I launched with 3lbs boost in 4wd and polished the front drive shaft at the cv joint. But i also had a tb crank and 1 in lift shackles, with my diff dropped .5 in which threw off the angle. Also it was a like a light switch because i used the cruse for ref and not a button. I had no problems after i slipped the clutch during launch. 1-2 shift with 15lbs boost it did just fine after removing my diff spacers. (manual xmission). If the diff is hard mounted, and cv removed i bet there's no problems in 4hi, just not to many major shocks to the drive train. Autos are a little nicer than me and a 6 puck clutch.

[brent1976]

Can't can't can't. I'm pretty sure this is possible.

Originally Posted by M_O_Z

4wd is just going to grenade with that much power.

That's funny, because that's what everyone told me mine would do. Has anyone ever broke a front differential that didn't have a leaking seal? Chevy/GMC way over does front diffs and transfer cases for some reason. My transfer case is rated at 2400ftlbs in my 1/2 ton. Now 60e trannys and the g80 limited slip is exactly the opposite.

Originally Posted by M_O_Z

Second of all you can't bolt the stock tcase on without change transmission output shaft and adapter housing.

I've been through the transfer case stuff. I'd be willing to bet the conversion input in mine would work in the Colorado transfer case. Changing the output shaft in the tranny defeats the purpose of using an 80e to begin with. The 26 spline output shaft and the input shaft are the weak points.

[WTRacing]

Im sure you could fab up a different front diff and get some shafts made..


yeah changing either your 80 or tcase would defeat the purpose..

this has been done SO MANY times in the fullsizes.. I think everyone is just over thinking it in the colorados.. just no ones gone through and try it..

Im looking forward to this lol be sure to keep us updates with pics and junk

[M_O_Z]

Originally Posted by brent1976

Can't can't can't. I'm pretty sure this is possible.



That's funny, because that's what everyone told me mine would do. Has anyone ever broke a front differential that didn't have a leaking seal? Chevy/GMC way over does front diffs and transfer cases for some reason. My transfer case is rated at 2400ftlbs in my 1/2 ton. Now 60e trannys and the g80 limited slip is exactly the opposite.



I've been through the transfer case stuff. I'd be willing to bet the conversion input in mine would work in the Colorado transfer case. Changing the output shaft in the tranny defeats the purpose of using an 80e to begin with. The 26 spline output shaft and the input shaft are the weak points.

First off you have a 8.5" front diff if I'm not mistaken second of all the Colorado is 7.6". The transfer case is Isuzu not Borg-Warner or new process like yours. The tcase gets destroyed by beating on it with a i5 so do you think a 600hp motor will be friendly? They make a hardened 27 spline shaft that will take as much abuse as the stock 31 spline. Our front diff is mounted way different from a full size and our shafts aren't as big. Save yourself the headache and go 2wd or be prepared to pay dearly.

[gway]

He could always use a different tcase and put a solid axle in the front. Or run his driver side drop tcase and just not run a driveshaft until he puts an axle under the front.

[brent1976]

Originally Posted by WTRacing

Current performance wiring (google them) you can get motor mounts and the oil pan through them, and they also do custom harnesses, they aren't cheap but are worth it if youre not into wiring.. or you can wire it yourself..

txcoloradoss
04coly
karlen

and several others have done LS swaps, it might help you to search and read some of their threads as well as a new guy (name is slipping my mind) who has a thread on his turbo build currently..


good luck man, hope you can get this done! always wanted to build something just like this!

I'll start search for the threads and reading. I'll probably be giving Current Performance a call pretty soon too. I don't mind a little wiring, but I don't know about hacking up a harness.

Originally Posted by blk2006

i don't know about the v8 front diff housing, but the h3's did have the steal carrier case. I launched with 3lbs boost in 4wd and polished the front drive shaft at the cv joint. But i also had a tb crank and 1 in lift shackles, with my diff dropped .5 in which threw off the angle. Also it was a like a light switch because i used the cruse for ref and not a button. I had no problems after i slipped the clutch during launch. 1-2 shift with 15lbs boost it did just fine after removing my diff spacers. (manual xmission). If the diff is hard mounted, and cv removed i bet there's no problems in 4hi, just not to many major shocks to the drive train. Autos are a little nicer than me and a 6 puck clutch.

I'll bet the front diff is stronger than everyone thinks, if everything is left in stock locations with good seals, and keep the fluid fresh.

Originally Posted by WTRacing

this has been done SO MANY times in the fullsizes.. I think everyone is just over thinking it in the colorados.. just no ones gone through and try it..

Im looking forward to this lol be sure to keep us updates with pics and junk

Exactly. I've been through it with the fullsize, and none of it was as hard as people made it out to be before everyone started doing it. On PT.net people still fight about if it's worth it to do the 80e swap. By the way, it totally is.

[brent1976]

Originally Posted by gway

He could always use a different tcase and put a solid axle in the front. Or run his driver side drop tcase and just not run a driveshaft until he puts an axle under the front.

I'll just take my transfer case apart, and drill/tap the case for a vent and flip it to the other side. Mine is manual shift so all I'll have to do is figure out a floor shifter and linkage.

[M_O_Z]

Your case won't work flipped. There is a oil pump inside of it. Only case that can be flipped are gear driven cases.

[Sfa_Colorado]

Originally Posted by M_O_Z

Get ready to bust up the 4wd. With that much power your better off building a 2wd truck.

Yes the IFS front diff will not hold!!!!!!!!!!

[Sfa_Colorado]

Originally Posted by brent1976

I will be using my transfer case. I wonder if a 1/2 ton front diff would fit with different front half shafts would fit. I'll have to study up on this.

I would recommend a dana 300 you will need a adapter form advance adapters to mount it to trans of yours you will have to build the case to handle the power which can and has been done and also check out the atlas cases expensive but will hold now my next point IFS..... Scrap it through a dana 60 under it call it a day if you do this options open up like..... HP 60 205Tcase

[cpwire]

One of the first trucks we did was a 4WD.
2005 Chevy Colorado LS2 V8

It all worked fine, but when we put it in 4hi and hit the gas on the street, the front driveshaft spit itself out. The owner of the truck put a better joint on it instead of the slip yolk style and said it worked well. I don't think he ever beat on it in 4WD on the pavement again though.

[M_O_Z]

But he didn't have 600hp as well. . . .