What should I do with this CL find 6.0L LQ9 ?

[biketopia]

The plastic intakes are super intakes, they will make great power n/a and will take quite a lot of boost if you wanted to go that route too. Or just spend a bunch of money and do a holley high rise! Holley, edelbrock and trick flow to name a few all make a nice single plane aluminum that will work decently well with you're goals if you spec the cam accordingly. Would have the injectors in a stock location and then you'd either need to run a 4150 throttle body or an elbow and the appropriate throttle body.

[LS short box]

In regards to the fbody oil pan you may have to trim the 6.0 windage tray.

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by LS short box

In regards to the fbody oil pan you may have to trim the 6.0 windage tray.

Good to know as well as I don't currently have a windage tray so would it be easier just to get one from an F-Body? I stuffed an F-Body engine and trans into my Blazer so when the day comes to swap the two engines-I don't want to be swapping pans and such as my hands will be full swapping the belt system.

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by biketopia

The plastic intakes are super intakes, they will make great power n/a and will take quite a lot of boost if you wanted to go that route too. Or just spend a bunch of money and do a holley high rise! Holley, edelbrock and trick flow to name a few all make a nice single plane aluminum that will work decently well with you're goals if you spec the cam accordingly. Would have the injectors in a stock location and then you'd either need to run a 4150 throttle body or an elbow and the appropriate throttle body.

Alright, So I am seeing some TBSS units with 50lb injectors for about $500. Might go that way.

[biketopia]

That's pretty much the best factory intake for cathedral heads.

[jjzepplin]

Originally Posted by biketopia

That's pretty much the best factory intake for cathedral heads.

This was what I saw.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/28302937901...Cclp%3A2334524

[biketopia]

Before you commit to those injectors, which may be just fine...I would contact summit and or a few different cam companies and run your combo and goals by them, and then have your cam picked out. All the items work together to make a well rounded combo. Don't want to spend money twice on crappy injectors or ones you would just need to upgrade anyways. Also not sure if the aftermarket TBSS intakes are as good as the OE, I know the Dorman ls2 and ls6 intakes are no where near the quality of the oe intake.

[jjzepplin]

Good call! Thanks for the suggestion.

[biketopia]

Yessir, spend way too much time here and over at LS1 tech so just trying to help out where I can!

[jjzepplin]

Ok so in my search for cheap parts I found another 6.0. I think it is a LQ4 though. I really wanted the covers on the engine but I got the whole thing minus the intake and belt system for $200. Hard to turn over and I think ran low on oil as the pickup bolt was way too short and loose. What to do... Stroker?

[mongocanfly]

I'd tear into it and see what falls wrong with it 1st
Are the pistons dished, or flat top?
Dished is lq4....flat is lq9

[Accelo]

NOTE>>>>Apart from diameter, if you replace the balancer make absolutely sure the indexing of the keyway to the timing slot on the outer ring is the same on new balancer to the old one...there are different balancers !!!!!"

The 5.7 is a LS1, if I read this correct. No timing mark or even a key-way on the balancer. The timing is all from the reluctor wheel and only changeable via the software.

I would consider replacing the camshaft and leaving the rest stock. Of course their is the cam cost and lifters if you are smart. It's the easiest 40hp you will ever get.
That's with a stage I BTR Truck Camshaft. May get by without a tune but that's another $500 in my area. So a cam change it $1200. Maybe not that easy?

Be careful as this LQ9 has two different head bolt lengths. (2002 -2003 are different) This is a 345hp motor. The ls1 is a 350hp motor stock. You do gain torque. (380tq vers 350tq) That's why a camshaft would be recommended. Of course it a difficult choice when changing the cam could cost more than the motor! Good news is they both have the 24Tooth reluctor so computers are interchangeable for the most part.

I have a LS1 in my truck with 354 RWHP. BTR statge II.
The 6L should be 30hp more than the 5.7L everything else being the same.

Fun stuff.
Cheers

[jjzepplin]

The pistons are dished. I took the front cover off and oil pump appears to be real new (numbers M295-U.S.A.) and almost all of the bolts were somewhat looser than they should have been. I think maybe someone replaced the pump and just didn't know what they were doing. 317 heads. Piston jugs had a bit of water in some and some rust. I am thinking of pulling the pistons and trying a Harbor Freight hone I have. At the very least I can drop a cam and my AFR's on the LQ9 and now I can close it up with all the covers from this one. I was kind of hoping the oil pump was holding the crank from turning but the cam and pump were moving fine. I can't seem to get the cam out past the first three lobes. Also there were several different bolts on the front cover so someone was in there for sure.

[LS short box]

I regards to getting the cam out maybe a lifter dropped down and is blocking the cam?

[jjzepplin]

I have all the lifters out trays and all. I tried to look in there but did not have a good angle. I am guessing that one of the bearings must have been damaged. The cam seemed to turn fine when I pulled it out the small amount it did come out. Seems it wont find it's way through the next bearing. I've had lifters act up but never a cam that would not come out. I can't say that now...

[LS short box]

One more thing to add to the check list is in regards to the injectors.
The tuners I've used both chassis dyno and mail order tune wanted me to use injectors with a verified "data" sheet. I have no idea why it's needed but that's what they said. I'm guessing it's because it gives the tuner a closer base line to start with for the tune.

[jjzepplin]

A verified DATA Sheet- Check! This is good info! Thank you.

[Accelo]

"A verified DATA Sheet"/ That's news to me.
I used the stock injectors and the tuner commented they had some head room for fuel based on the % of one time. Every tuner is different I guess.

The only issue and it had to to deal with was a leak on the exhaust system.
The Exhaust guy didn't have the band tight. The result was the flanges ended up not parallel.
When I mentioned it to the exhaust guy his comment was basically "live with it".
Beautiful welds and a very nice run. Will not be back to his shop.
The leak messes with the air fuel ratios even though the O2 sensor is several inches up stream from the leak.
Tuner knew what it was immediately just by looking at the data.
We were able to tighten up the, very loose, clamp during the tune but it isn't perfect.
Don't run an Electronic Fuel Injected motor with out some type of exhaust on it. It messes with the learned tune and the results are not pretty.
I just stuffed mufflers on the headers with some bailing wire. Worked, for me, till I could get it tuned and an exhaust system installed.

[jjzepplin]

I got the cam out finally. Sure was a bad bearing. It came out with the cam and was hanging free. Had to pry a bit to break the finger joint on it. Loosened all the caps and turned the crank enough to get some long needle nose pliers on the bearing and pulled it out from the bottom and the cam came right out. It's toast of course.

[Accelo]

"It's toast of course".
What about the block? If the bearing turned in the block the fit is suspect also?
Still it's a deal for $200.

[jjzepplin]

I think the block is ok. Not sure. The bearing may not have turned in the block as it took a 6 foot wrecking bar to pry on the cam to get it past that stuck point. I think it just had a ridge on the back side so the next journal did not want to pass that bearing. The bearing had a lot of wear on it. No oil pressure can do weird things.