I just picked up a 05 silverado with the 4.8 it's 4x4 , I bought it to drive while my duramax gets re painted but I've come to really like my half ton, I'm thinking of selling my duramax and putting a turbo on my half ton.

My questions are, if I buy a turbo kit will I get decent results running it on 87 or 89 octane ? I think my goal would be around 400 rwhp. I do have a 2wd 4l80e if I want to turn it up, but I'm basically looking for more drive ability. I would do the certain fuel upgrades that would be needed and get it dyno tuned by a local shop I know of. The thing is it will be driven everyday to and from work, and it will also be driven in the winter. Is this smart to do ?

 

The short version is absolutely. Long as you do a front mount because of the winter slush that I'm sure you have. 400 is easily doable with a good tune and maybe a little cam.

 

everybody and their mother has a duramax...

 

If the setup is well executed it can be very reliable and easily meet your goal. So yes.

 

I would NOT recommend running 87 or 89, 91-93 for sure.

 

What cam would you recommend ? And yes are winters get real cold and nasty, that was one of my concerns.

I've had the truck almost 5 years now, I love it dearly a lift pump is holding it back from 500 rwhp but that crappy thing is the moe and mto are pulling diesels over left right and center and throwing out huge fines, so that's what's making me want to sell it.

I've been looking at the 3 main kits that people use here, just not sure which to go with if I do get a turbo.

Why wouldn't you run it on low octane fuel ?

 

I see no issue making 400whp on 87 octane and the stock cam. It's only 9:1 compression. I've put 215kpa to a 4.8 on pump 91 before, and that's getting into the 600whp range... 400 is no problem on 87. Just make sure you don't have an idiot tuning it.

 

Check out my build threads. in 3 miles I will be hitting 100K on my daily driven nnbs ecsb here in Buffalo NY. Been turbo for ~60k miles and not problems.

 

For that power level and application I would do a blower, but thats just me. A tvs1900 would make 400rwhp on that motor without much trouble and be extremely reliable.

 

i wanted easy install and go kinda set up so i went with tvs 1900 on my 2009 gmc canyon 5.3 4x4. ive never owned a turbo truck but im loving this thing!