My LQ4/T56 build thread

[ChuckLee]

Anyone want to recommend their budget-minded power add-on recipe for my LQ4? I may end up going turbo after I get bored with NA setup, but for now what do you think?
I was thinking going with a BTR stage 2 truck cam (212/218 .553/.553 113+2) for low end torque and some LS6 .560 beehive springs.
Are there any important reliability mods that the LQ4 needs while I'm in there?

The engine is out.......this is the time to do this stuff.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

Anyone want to recommend their budget-minded power add-on recipe for my LQ4? I may end up going turbo after I get bored with NA setup, but for now what do you think?
I was thinking going with a BTR stage 2 truck cam (212/218 .553/.553 113+2) for low end torque and some LS6 .560 beehive springs.
Are there any important reliability mods that the LQ4 needs while I'm in there?

The engine is out.......this is the time to do this stuff.

I'm in the same stage as you are and bear in mind, my build is starting to spiral rapidly to a completely different level than what I was starting with....

Keeping my bottom end (short block) stock and left alone (for the moment). Changing the oil pump and timing chain. Replacing all seals and gaskets throughout engine. Will get the double bolt clamp on the oil pickup tube.

I have a set of 243 heads that are freshened up but are probably now getting cnc ported and polished with oversize valves. I just got my tick cam kit with a 227/235 .618/.605 cam and BTR springs, valve retainers etc (will probably upgrade some of that to titanium before the heads are assembled). Replacing the lifters with a set of morel lifters and a set of new trays. New pushrods of course...

I'm going to upgrade the rocker arm trunnions with the Straub kit.

I bought an '11 LC9 intake for the bigger runners, bigger tb and bigger dual fuel injectors.

That should cover most of the standard upgrades (at least up top). I think there were a few more things on the list but can't recall offhand.

It'll be ready for a 408 kit later and should be plenty of fun for now.

[ChuckLee]

Brown truck dropped off a nice load at my garage door yesterday

Got the Racing Innovation & Supply natural SS headers in a few days ago, and they fit perfectly (no notching required and no interference with 73-87 clam shell mounts on dirty dingo sliders)

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

[ChuckLee]

Got this in the mail for future AC install
High mount Novak kit, real nice.
Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

got my first welder. its a Blue Point 135. I have to learn how to use it still, but i played around with making a trans crossmember that allows exhaust routing to be easier. Just used some spare metal lying around.
Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr


Untitled by FlickrAccount83, on Flickr

[NC_John]

I'm going to check out that Novak kit. That looks pretty good.

I got about $700 worth of stuff for mine this week - all engine parts.

[ChuckLee]

sweet! I'm looking at spending on the motor myself at this point. Need to raise compression and gain some power!

Here is what the guy is going to sell me...
I have a guy wanting to sell me some stuff for my lq4:
-TSP cnc ported 243 heads ($1000)
-Dual springs with titanium retainers ($100)
-Comp 7.400” Chromoly pushrods ($50)
-Comp high energy roller lifters ($100)
-ARP head stud kit ($250)

I want a nice cam too, one that gives low end torque and a nice lumpy idle (but not hard to tune or hurtful to vacuum brakes). I'm thinking of going with this cam:
Tick Performance "SNS" torqueMAX Stage 2 V2 Camshaft for LS2 Engines
Standard Lobes: 231/235 | .625"/.605" | LSA111+2
Milder Lobes: 230/235 | .60x"/.61x" | LSA111+2

One of those two options should be nice (i think, I'm a novice with reading cam specs)

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by ChuckLee

sweet! I'm looking at spending on the motor myself at this point. Need to raise compression and gain some power!

Here is what the guy is going to sell me...
I have a guy wanting to sell me some stuff for my lq4:
-TSP cnc ported 243 heads ($1000)
-Dual springs with titanium retainers ($100)
-Comp 7.400” Chromoly pushrods ($50)
-Comp high energy roller lifters ($100)
-ARP head stud kit ($250)

I want a nice cam too, one that gives low end torque and a nice lumpy idle (but not hard to tune or hurtful to vacuum brakes). I'm thinking of going with this cam:
Tick Performance "SNS" torqueMAX Stage 2 V2 Camshaft for LS2 Engines
Standard Lobes: 231/235 | .625"/.605" | LSA111+2
Milder Lobes: 230/235 | .60x"/.61x" | LSA111+2

One of those two options should be nice (i think, I'm a novice with reading cam specs)

I have a set of 243's that are going to AI for CNC porting and oversized intake valves. You ought not buy springs or pushrods until you have your cam picked out. Everything has to work together. I'm still trying to determine PTV (piston to valve) clearance with that cam so I can see if I can have a little more milled off the heads for a few more 10ths of compression.

I'd avoid the comp lifters. I've had TWO comp cam component failures - a lifter and a rocker arm on my 350. The lifter retainer clips broke and disbursed themselves throughout the engine so I had to pull it out and open it up to make sure there weren't any pieces leftover. The rocker arm just outright broke. Three more were cracked and getting ready to break (I had a pretty easy cam with less than .500 lift). I'm going with morel 5315 lifters on my LQ4.

My valvespring kit is the .660 set from Brian Tooley Racing with the ti retainers.

Good cam choice- that is the one I just bought. I had a long discussion with Tick Performance about what I wanted to achieve and that is the one they directed me to. (they don't offer the "milder lobes" option anymore). I bought one of their cam kits on black Friday. I have more parts from them coming this week (a blueprinted and ported GM oil pump)

You are going to need to upsize your intake and injectors for that cam. I went with a used LC9 intake, TB and injectors which Tick said should work fine.