6.0 install

[MidLifer]

Just spent the last 18 months (very part time) putting the very same combo in my 71 C10. Most if not all of what I needed to know came from this forum. Good luck with your swap!

What I had the most problems with:

- Mounts - don't mess around, buy good mounts. You don't want to have to install your engine more than once. I ended up using CPP perches and Dirty Dingo plates. Not cheap but well worth it in the end.

- Fuel supply - I really really really wanted to keep my in-cab tank. I tried a frame-mounted in-line Walbro 255 first, and it lived up to what I read about them, they aren't good at pulling fuel. As soon as it would heat up (from the nearby exhaust) it would start to starve the engine. Then I put a Walbro into the cab tank, and now I am getting tired of listening to it. After a while it starts to whine like a dentist's drill. Next step will be getting the tank out of the cab.

- Oh and as far as fuel lines, use braided hose with AN connectors and "Seco seals". That last part is $10 well spent for a dozen of those puppies. They are little aluminum seals that go on the end of the male AN fitting and prevent leaks.

- One thing I learned after going through 3 rear main seals thinking that I wasn't putting them on correctly is you have to put thread sealer on the flexplate bolts or they will p*ss oil. Probably should have known that but with my old manual trans, the flywheel bolts did not leak. BTW if you plan to refresh the rear main, buy one of the alignment tools to get the new one right. Sac City Corvette has a good one that isn't too expensive.

That's what I wish I had known up front which would have saved me time and sweat.

Have to say I'm loving the feeling of 350HP to the rear wheels. Next project is a locker, because it's hard to keep from doing one-wheel peels!

[ls1nova71]

It's not a bad swap to do. I've done 6.0, 5.3, 5.7, they're all pretty much the same. There's a link in my sig to the budget build I did on my rusty truck.

[krue]

Originally Posted by MidLifer

- One thing I learned after going through 3 rear main seals thinking that I wasn't putting them on correctly is you have to put thread sealer on the flexplate bolts or they will p*ss oil. Probably should have known that but with my old manual trans, the flywheel bolts did not leak. BTW if you plan to refresh the rear main, buy one of the alignment tools to get the new one right. Sac City Corvette has a good one that isn't too expensive.

!

Would you recommend just buying the plate with the seal already installed? That's what I plan to do before I install my 6.0l

[MidLifer]

Some people on this list may know how to make that work, but I don't. I actually bought the plate with seal at one point and I popped the seal out and used the Sac City tool to align the plate. So my answer would be that you could do that but that doesn't save you from having to align the plate.

[NC_John]

Originally Posted by krue

Would you recommend just buying the plate with the seal already installed? That's what I plan to do before I install my 6.0l

There is a different alignment tool used to install a complete rear cover. Its a GM tool and pretty expensive for a one-time use. My wife works at a chevy dealership which allows me the extremely fortunate ability to borrow their tools from time to time and that was how i did it.