New to the forum, and I'd like to get some ideas on massaging my 2001 GMC C3 Truck.
The truck has awd, the 325hp 6.0, and a whipple sc, air raid intake, asm full length headers, b&b exhaust, hughes 2200 stall convertor with a beefed up tranny with shift kit, and a hand held programmer from whipple.

The truck has run a 13.3 and runs good as it is, but it recently has taken a dump and requires the engine to be pulled out and pulled apart (piston rings).

While apart I'm contemplating some lower compression forged pistons, possibly some head work, and being able to run more boost when put back together, with the idea of getting into the 12's, and having a reliable setup that will hold up to the everyday driving, a little road racing and some drag strip action, and NOT getting back into the engine for 50,000 miles (at least).
I'd love to be able to put an intercooler on this, but after some time on the phone with whipple today, it appears that the planned intercooler for the 6.0 has been put on the back burner.

If folks have some ideas on where I might get an intercooler, and some other ideas on helping get a few more ponies and make it more reliable out of this, I'd like to hear them. Is less compression and more boost the way, LQ9 heads, or just head work? I'm open to suggestions. Thx!

 

I would seriously look at some better rods, Eagle's should work ok for ya, and some ARP rod bolts. That should keep that bottom end together nicely for ya too.

Lower compression pistons would be nice, that would let you run a smaller pulley on that Whipple and not get any detonation.

Welcome to the boards ... nice truck you got goin on there too.

 

Sad how Whipple has left it up to you guys to do the intercooling. Yeah, it's on the backburner alright because they have been working on the intercooled blower for the '04 Ford F-150, which is available now. Maybe the Ford is an easier animal? Maybe one day they'll get to you guys.

 

Your heads are the same as the LQ9, keep yours, but get them ported if you'd like. I think you've done a good job getting the whipple to run a 13.3 without an intercooler.

Forged pistons should definitely be used and ARP rod bolts.

You know, since you are going to have to pull the whipple to do the motor work, you could easily sell it with its upgraded parts on Ebay. Then put a bit more money with it and by an intercooled Radix. You'd probably be out about the same amount of money as buying an intercooler upgrade from whipple.

 

Same thing here with me, I think I am gonna upgrade my C3 soon. Mostly same as you except I have a ATI charger. In the GP section, Chris at AP-Engineering is selling the complete Eagle 4" stroker kit with Diamond Pistons, rods, bearings, etc for $2500. Go with -15cc pistons, it will give you around a 9.3-1 compression. They also have some Stage 1 Heads on sale that would work perfect. That would give you a square block 402 that would kill with a stock 4.001 bore, and with a normal 4.03 bore, a 408, I am hoping to break something to give me a better reason to buy it

As for the SC, what most people said, if you want to get good power, use the Radix. It give you instant power and works well. I went with the ATI because the Radix was not available back then and I wanted it to spool up more at higher RPMs. My brother has the Radix on a crew cab HD and I roasted the tires in second when I romped on it.

 

dps1- pm sent

 

Man, I should get a discount for telling you on the trucks...LOL Check out the FI section, a guy with a C3 truck was looking as well. I gave him the same recommendation.

 

Selling the whipple would be a gamble, and I don't think I'd drop $3000-$4000 in engine mods and another $5000 in a new sc.
It is a shame whipple has not got their act together on the intercooler for the 6.0! But it is what I've got, so I'm going to try and make use of it, along with strengthing up the bottom end, some head work and possibly a slightly larger cam, and then using the ls1 edit to get the tune correct. Lowering the compression a point or so should help with running more boost even if I never get an intercooler on it.
Is there someone who has done some similar work on these engines and already figured it out without me screwing it up? I'd like to get some suggestions. Thx!