Love the forum, been searching here incessantly. Just picked up a 2010 Escalade for a daily driver, my goal is to make the V Cadillac never did. To me this means helping it handle, stop and of course go. Deciding on the suspension kit & brakes was “easy”, now I am trying to decide what powerplant to put in it.

Bought a high mileage, clean truck (90k miles) so I don’t feel bad yanking the motor. I’d like to get it into the 12’s in the quarter, but still maintain reliability such that the bottom end can go another 60k+ miles without needing a refresh. At 45-60k, I will retire this to be the 2nd vehicle and no longer drive it daily.

Current plan is to buy/build a short block and add either a Turbo or TVS2300. Every time I search and read more I get torn one way or the other. I also tend to overkill everything. Means I could end up with a rather expensive short block. I also know myself and tend to get bored with anything…so turning the boost up probably will happen. For this reason was leaning towards an LSx with forged internals and doing the variable cylinder deactivation removal on the L94 heads that I have.

Wondering what you all would recommend for the bottom end & boost. Considering I live in MN, a boost controller with the capability of turning it down when winter comes or for daily is attractive to me.

 

I don't really have a lot to add since I am new to this too, I don't know what kind of power it would take to get that truck into 12's. You have a 6.2, right? I wouldn't take a ton of power to get below 13, a stock motor may be just fine.

I also find it kind of funny that 90k is high mileage, these motors can go forever in stock form. The higher mileage is often better with FI due to a larger ring gap.

And hi from MN.

 

I know what you mean about over building everything. I usually do stuff the same way. I got smart on my last build and stuck with a stock short block. These things can handle a ton of power and will be nothing but reliable. If you are going with a power adder, I would stick with the "fairly stock" shortblock and put your money in a supercharger/turbo kit.

 

I am not opposed to overbuilding if it buys me something for the future. Figure when this truck is done I'll have to part it out anyways. Won't suck to be "stuck" with an LSx block later in life.

It gets compounded every time I cost it out. Have to yank it for a week+ to do the rods for which I rent a car. Add to that a Forged SB can be shipped to me for $6.5k - (the price of my block used + at least the price of rods & bearings) and the overall cost for a beefy LSx isn't so bad.

Maybe I'm nuts....I'm definitely usually overboard.

New shortblock lets me pick my CI as well. Not really a lot of price difference between 376 and 454. Which perhaps is a better question. With my goals (including being streetable in the winter) what combo would you use for Forced Induction and cubic inches?

 

Do a search for "Foose04"? I think is his name. He made insane power out of a 4.8 bottom end. Used to tow his boat and race. New motor tms (Thompson motor sports site sponsor) 347ci with a single turbo. A LOT cheaper than your route aka lsx block to run 12's. (He runs mid 9's I believe)You'll make enough power with his combo that engine won't be the problem. Fixing all the broke drive line parts from launching that pig will keep you busy.

 

I'm just guessing at a 6k race weight. The 2300 sure would move the pig off the line and make it fun whereas a turbo is gonna be a little lazy until it hits. I take it gas mileage of 8-12 isn't a concern lol. The stock bottom end will do what you need it to do also. If I was going for high 11's I would probably go for a 408 maybe more and turbo because it will have a lot more low end and then top end too from the turbo. If I was going blower and high-mid 12s was all I wanted I would do the 6.0 and 2300. Have fun and best of luck to you.

 

6k may be light, lol. Perhaps I wasn't aggressive enough in my goals. In particular after reading Foose04's build log. My previous rig stock did 12.9 so I need this to be faster. I do get bored, but want whatever I build to be reliable. Would have said 10's or 11's, but then we'd be off focusing on the transmission and everything else I'll break. That discussion is for later.

Now a street tune well into the 12's with potential to kick things up a notch.

Am I correct in thinking the laziness of the turbo will help make the transmission and other rolling gear survive better? Same with the 8-12 no? Oh, and btw in stock form I rarely get more than 12.5.

 

By reliable I mean I don't want to rebuild a part that I built. Crap happens sure. ie, when I build the motor I'd like that buttoned and put away. When it makes the transmission fail, well that is a "get to" fix instead of have to.

 

Stay tuned!! I'm doing my 2011 Escalade EXT with a 376 LSX built for boost and a big turbo. With my stock motor before I blew it got me into mid 11's with a low mount smaller Turbo and Meth!

 

LSX454 and 4.0 whipple...... Done, and reliable, streetable 7 days a week.