LUVTruck.com

With the cost of fuel going upwards, i feel i must restate my thoughts on engine swaps. I picked a hell of a time to do my upgrade from a V-6 to a V-8. Even though i have another truck as my primary vehicle, Driving my Luv has lost some appeal because of it's appetite for gas. My C-1500/V-6 feels like a gas mizer compared to the V-8 Luv. The WOW factor of the Luv is limited because i got to keep it down. If the Luv was my primary vehicle, i would be trying to milk every drop of gas to get around. I cant imagine living with a fast truck only to nurse it around to conserve fuel. I wouldn't mind stopping for gas every 2 days to fill the tank but when it takes a 20 dollar bill every time is too much. A V-6 is a better balance of power to fuel costs. Dont get me all wrong, Im glad that i got a small block under the hood and all but to those who live on a budget should rethink their ideas on a powerplant upgrade. My Luv truck is a semi-retired set of wheels that i can have a lot of fun with. But to those who need their truck for day to day use should concider a V-6. Whats the use of having a killer assy only to wait for the day you hit the lottery to drive it like you want. It would be very frustrating to go from a functional truck that did alright on gas to something that has a fuel gauge that moves faster than the tach (Im exaggerating but you would understand if you live with an upgraded setup).
Please concider all options if your going up from a stock setup. If you're determined to go for a V-8, keep in mind that you fuel bill for the month will most likely be greater than you expect. I knew that the truck would consume more than the V-6 but i didn't forsee the price hike that came along with it. Like i said, I picked a hell of a time to upgrade.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

Geeze Blue $20, thats alot compared to mine. It only takes me $47 to fill my tank... Lately I have been driving my Chevy sprint with a 3 banger to work, and the LUV on the cruize and when I want to show off. You just cant get the same effect from a 3cyl as you can a 8.....

It takes 20 for the Luv and 40 for the 1500. The gas gauge in the Luv is old and it will show a slightly lower reading than normal. Basicly i get twice the mileage in the 1500 and twice the capacity. Just by going by the gas gauges, it's nearly as agrivating in the 1500. But yea, the 1500 is a toad compared to the Luv. But just like you wicked, Im in a position to drive whats convenient to me. If i want comfort, better mileage, A/C, cruise, and a stereo that i can hear when im on the Hwy, the 1500 is the ticket. If i can use a ton of fuel, a tight fit, no A/C, no cruise, music that i cant hear at higher speeds, and a G-force thats just shy of a F-15 fighter jet, the Luv is the bomb!
Im trying to get those that are wanting an upgrade to think about exactly what will fit their lives. It would be best not to use a V-8 Luv as a daily driver. I left town last weekend and i didn't take the Luv. So for 3 days it didn't burn fuel. That means i didn't spend 20 bucks easy. I ended up using about 10 to 15 in the 1500(200+ miles round trip). If i would have taken the Luv instead, i would have blasted thru 40 bucks for sure.
The performance gains with a V-6 are SO much better over a stock motor and of course it will eat more fuel than a stock setup. The jump from a V-6 to a V-8 was like going thru the same thing again. Those that go from a stock motor to a V-8 WILL freak out! I guess im thinking back to when i did the V-6 conversion and i was living from paycheck to paycheck. I would have needed a bicycle to take to work when the weather was good and drive the truck on weekends and in the rain if i had a V-8 under the hood.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

Comfort??? Whats that? lol i know what ya mean, but i got my stereo in my luv set so it can be loud enough to hear but still very clear on sound. But yeah guys. DO NOT GO FROM STOCK TO V8 as blue said it will freak you out. it did me at first but im luvin the power now.

Geesh. I thought I felt upset cause I have to put $33 in my 4 Banger Mazda a week, and only $27 in my LUV a week.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

A question just occured to me, what is typical for horsepower out of your average Buick V6 setup? I know rated HP on a 2.8L GM V6 sits about 120HP, but I realized I really don't know what kind of ratings the tried and true Buick swap would give.

I thought some of the V-6's turn 200+ in some of the mid-sized cars? I might be getting it backwards.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

I never did find out the H.P. rating that my truck produced when i had the Buick setup. That 120 h.p. rating of the 2.8 is figured with all accesories with the motor so that # is lower than what it can actually produce. A/C, Power steering, amp load will rob power. When i did the conversion, i really didn't care what the horsepower was because the truck was SOOO much stronger than stock.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

You were still probably getting 110 HP on a bad day.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together

A 2.8L 60 degree V6 is also a pretty under powered motor to begin with. In an 89ish Isuzu Trooper the 2.6L 4 cyl and the 2.8L V6 are both rated at 120HP. I think the V6 just has a better power curve and a bit more torque.

I just did a bit of searching and found the following:
1975 231 Buick Odd fire 150 H.P.
1978 Even fire turbo 231 165 H.P.
1986 3.8 Fuel Injection Intercooled turbo: 275 H.P.

Obviously they can range quite a bit. Where I was going with this is that a 2.6L Isuzu 4cyl with a big carb, header, cam, and good exhaust should be able to reach up in the 150 H.P. range. I'm sure even a mildly built 231 could beat that up, but the 4 banger would drink less gas. Nothing beats power, but lately I'm riding my bike to avoid supplying even a thirsty little 1.8L motor's appetite.

Did you have to bore out the 1.8L to get the HP or did the Carb compensate for it?

I am thinking about grabbing a Weber and seeing if that takes care of some odd problems I have with the truck.

Like turn key, pump gas pedal once, start.

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More LUV than one man could ever need - Spread the LUV!
- 1976 Chevy Longbed - Daily Driver
- 1981 Chevy Shortbed 4X4 - Needs Help!
- 1981 Chevy Luv 4X4 - Newly put together