• RME Gear & Apparel

Best buggy motor???

Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
Okay, I'm starting plans for a buggy and want input on what is the best motor swap for a buggy. I'm looking at GM motors mostly because of availability of parts, but am open to suggestions.

Are the older motors easier to swap in and wire?

I'd love to do a newer 6.0, but will it work with a 700r4?

Will it need the ECM reprogrammed? Who does that?

What is the best wiring harness?

How tough is it to do the drive-by-wire thing?

Are there better motors?
 
M

Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
The new motors put out way more power, but I'm a fan of keeping things simple (TBI) You can have a very healthy TBI small block built for WAY less than buying a used 6.0
 
Cody

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
I'm sure it's not popular, but I would love to put in one of the mopar 4.7's that come in the WJ's. I think that motor sounds sexy and is relatively compatct/light weight.

I think it has unusual wiring problems though.

Otherwise, LS6. Money is no object right?
 
Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
Cody said:
I'm sure it's not popular, but I would love to put in one of the mopar 4.7's that come in the WJ's. I think that motor sounds sexy and is relatively compatct/light weight.

I think it has unusual wiring problems though.

Otherwise, LS6. Money is no object right?
Click to expand...

No, don't think so. If money weren't an object and LS6 would be a must, but unfortunately, it is a huge issue.
 
1993yj

1993yj

.
Location
Salt Lake
I agree with Meat_, you want some sort of fuel injection, and this would be the cheapest/easiest way to go. However, if I had the cash I would do a newer motor for the cool factor and power, plus I wouldn't mind learning how to do wiring, and a project like that would force you to learn.
 
red

red

Active Member
Location
Eagle Mountain
gm used the same bellhousing bolt pattern for the v6 and v8 motors so yes a 6.0 will bolt up to the 700r4.

depends on how much power your looking for or if axle gearing is how your getting your main power.

if cost is a major issue then go with a 4.3L v6 with tbi, 305 with tbi, 350 tbi, or 454 tbi (350 and 305 would be the easiest to find parts for as they interchange everything). get an intake manifold, new cam if you want, and a set of headers.

if you have some extra money get one of those motors with the vortec setup (will bolt to any older block, just requires the vortec heads and intake manifold).
 
red

red

Active Member
Location
Eagle Mountain
if you use an older tbi motor from the 93 or older gm truck/suv/van then the tranny is not computer controlled. 700r4, th400, 4L80 (not the 4L80e) were the auto's offered. the 94+ 1/2 ton auto's were the 4L60e and require a computer (its basicly a 700r4 with some upgrades and electronic).

4L80 is basicly a th400 with a locking torque converter and an overdrive added, these are the heavy duty auto's. the 700r4 has the best low gear ratio at 3.06:1, but is the weakest in stock form (can be upgraded for not much). the th400 and 4L80 have a 1st gear ratio of roughly 2.52:1.



easy to drop in? the tbi models are extremely easy, just like dropping in a carb motor but there is one computer for the motor and none for the tranny.

wont need to reprogram the ecu, but you can get a chip for it if you choose.

could use a stock wireing harness or could go with a painless wireing harness.

if you want a v6 or v8 thats cheap, reliable, able to make power, and extremely easy to find parts for and work on not in my experiance. you could upgrade a small block v8 to a 383 stroker if you choose, very easy to excede 450ft/lbs of torque with that setup.
 
Last edited:
spaggyroe

spaggyroe

Man Flu Survivor
Location
Lehi
Meat_ said:
The new motors put out way more power, but I'm a fan of keeping things simple (TBI) You can have a very healthy TBI small block built for WAY less than buying a used 6.0
Click to expand...


In most cases yes, but I'm proof that this 6.0's can be had on the cheap.

I picked mine up for an ABSURDLY low price. It came out of a 2004 chev silverado 2500 with only 10,500 miles on it (truck was rolled on the interstate). For what some people spend per month in fast food, I got a 6.0 :cool: Yes, I lucked out but the point is that deals can definitely be found. I've also seen gen III engines go for cheaper prices than the vortec 350's because people are "intimidated" by them.

As for simplicity, the Gen III engines are very straight forward. Get the stock wiring harness and ECM out of the donor truck and send it to jims performance or wait4me performance to have the computer work and harness stripped. They return the harness in a state that requires you to connect about 4 wires, that's it. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

Drive by wire is a piece of cake so long as you get the throttle peddle and TAC module out of the donor truck.
 
Milner

Milner

formerly "rckcrlr"
Location
Hiding behind a camera
Supergper said:
what he said, this is what I hope to do on my next buggy project. They are so simple and are quite cost effective ;).
Click to expand...

By time you add up a core, head work, machine work, rebuild kit, labor to build the motor, wire harness, injection components, labor to wire and tune, and all the extras like pulleys/belts/accessories/new tin/ETC, it really is cost effective, not to mention time effective....

And no Bart, if the Bronco ever gets another motor it will be diesel!
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Those Gen III GM engines are amazing, in a whole 'nother class compared to the Vortec engines. I'd say a 6.0l, you can get tons of power out of them. My 5.3l should be good for 325 horse and the engine itself is stock.

For wiring you can have the stock harness reworked.
 
Maverick

Maverick

old-school
Location
Anywhere, thanks to my geeky droid
Greg said:
Those Gen III GM engines are amazing, in a whole 'nother class compared to the Vortec engines. I'd say a 6.0l, you can get tons of power out of them. My 5.3l should be good for 325 horse and the engine itself is stock.

For wiring you can have the stock harness reworked.
Click to expand...

True that. Jump in a pickup or tahoe with a 5.3 and watch it do the scoot! It's a little hot rod motor. Going in a little hot rod buggy! Plenty of grunt for the rocks AND the sand.:D
 
Kiel

Kiel

Formerly WJ ZUK
I paid about 900 bucks for my 6.0 with all the acc. and computer and harness. Suppose to have 3500 miles:greg:
 
M

Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
rckcrlr said:
By time you add up a core, head work, machine work, rebuild kit, labor to build the motor, wire harness, injection components, labor to wire and tune, and all the extras like pulleys/belts/accessories/new tin/ETC, it really is cost effective, not to mention time effective....

And no Bart, if the Bronco ever gets another motor it will be diesel!
Click to expand...

What's so expensive about a running 350tbi and computer for $150? Wheel it for a year and then build the motor up next winter. Or in Bart's case, wheel it for a year then sell it and build something else. :D

As for GenIII's yes, they are animals, but there are FAR too many things to go wrong for my taste.
 
Milner

Milner

formerly "rckcrlr"
Location
Hiding behind a camera
Meat_ said:
What's so expensive about a running 350tbi and computer for $150? Wheel it for a year and then build the motor up next winter. Or in Bart's case, wheel it for a year then sell it and build something else. :D

As for GenIII's yes, they are animals, but there are FAR too many things to go wrong for my taste.
Click to expand...

Trust and piece of mind....I have never had good luck with wrecking yard motors. I like to know what I have and what I can expect from it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top