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Project "White Lightning" 09 3.7 5 speed - [email protected] n/a

6487 Views 52 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  efi-diy, 
Skizzo
4
Yes, you read that correctly (09 3.7 5spd!) ;) but we'll get to that later.


Just saying...my buddy came up with White Lightning and I think it is hilarious and awesome for a slow truck so we're keeping it!

Some of you may remember my old truck (totaled back in November 2016):
https://www.355nation.net/forum/projects-build/66506-5cyl-screamer-9.html#post4325985

Well it has been almost a year but...I'm back with a new truck! Pictures and more information to come...

Performance:
DirtySouth tune
04-06 AEM intake with MAF adapter
KPE equal length header
Eaton true-trac with 3.73 gears
Borla ProXS 400481
open header cut out
Ported throttlebody
supersparkz

5 speed swapped with Hurst short throw shifter.

Interior (what is that?):
Gutted
driver seat only
no radio
kept A/C though. I'm not that crazy...yet

Exterior:
VIS Carbon Fiber Hood
Xtreme wheels with 275/40R18 Nitto NT555s
GMC grille with Steet Scene insert
Checkmate tonneau cover

Suspension:
Belltech 2xAdj coilovers and rear shocks
DJM Gen 2 control arms
MMW extended upper control arms
Belltech 3" Leaf springs
Belltech 1" blocks
helper spring mod on top front of Belltech leafs


I need to clean it up and do a photoshoot lol. Here are some pics for now though:




Oh and also... @ivan351 I'm coming for your record and then some! lol

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caliheat
Super impressed on your, near, 250 wTQ !
What’s the deal on your Eaton tru-trac??
I imagine your 09 diff is like my 05 (8.06”?).
I ordered mine from the factory 08-2004, with 3.5/5spd/locker
They made me buy traction control and dealer put on a tow hitch. Lol

I like our hi-tech (aluminum) diff and was planning on trying to shove gm 8.5” Carrier in it. Need be. Like corvette that puts 12 bolt gears in the dana 44.
Thanks!
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caliheat
Our 8” seams to be plenty capable with a nice Truetrac. Summit has that true trac for about 590$. Is that where you purchased?
I love that i5 sound under load!
So, are you saying you’re making near-300bTQ?!!
That’s awesome. Do you have any internal engine upgrades? ( cams, porting, compression ratio)
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caliheat
Good street cams are worth 60+hp on the 4.2 atlas. (215* duration)
Do you know if custom blanks are available for the i5 atlas(‘s)
I was told , some years ago at sema, by comps cams that they could not get more than 15% lift & duration on regrinds. Better than nothing.
Stock duration is 160* ex/ 180* int. Or vis versa lol.
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caliheat
Did you talk with that person who use to make cam blanks?
Was it emtech? They made some 4.2 cam blanks , but I think they stopped. Idk why.
It would be nice to have a head built with cams, deck the cylinder head for more compression and. Maybe clearance the Pistons while short block IN TRUCK!
Add 100 hp, without taking block out of truck would be awesome.
Iskiderian makes just such a cutter to deepen the piston valve releafs, in the vehicle. It looks like a valve with a cutter on bottom.
I could make one for out engines.
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caliheat
Valve tool maybe $100.
Emtech claimed 60 hp with 212* cam on the 4.2. Their total was 350 hp with some porting and only 8.5:1 compression.
If that motor added 1 point over stock, up to 11.3:1, that would be at 383 hp.
I feel they stopped making cam blanks due to longevity. I don’t think their blanks were heat treated, like all cams are.
Blanks are relatively easy, vs making finished, long lasting cams. Maybe iskederian could do heat treating.
My buddy was offered any free regrind for his 320 jimmy 6 cyl by iskiderian, himself! That was for his 38 Chevy at Bonneville, back in 1950! Lol.
Btw, if we could change our rocker arm, more ratio would give more cam.
If we could get cams, these motors would surprise a lot of bigger motors.
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caliheat
I here our exhaust ports are a little small, 65?cc, but intake is around 190cc.
Even with regrind, intakes probably don’t need much work, if any.
Long stroke motors need more exhaust valve open time to get exhaust out. Maybe porting exhaust would free up more torque & hp.
Granitelli advertised roller rockers when the 4.2 cam out, maybe those were the Ecotec parts. I have a cnc mill that could make some alloy 1.8 roller rockers ... plus regrind would give you ~ 17% more cam. ( I would need to build 20 sets to break even on r&d time, IF it’s even possible).
Honestly, if I didnt have the wonderful CARB to deal with I would just turbo it!
It’s really looking like a 5.3 lh8 swap is best bang for buck in California.
I could swap a 7.0l legally, but don’t even think of adding a little turbo to the i5 !
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