Has anyone put a 3.6l in their c10?

[no1udknow]

Hey all, looking at options s for my next c10 project. I recently bought a 2021 gmc acadia and it has a 3.6l with 300+ hp. The acadia rips, and on top of that it gets 27mpg on the highway.... With gas prices and the fact that I want it as a daily, I am considering a similar power train. 5.3l are great... but the mpgs just aren't there. And to make things worse this acadia will smoke my 5.3l avalanche in a 1/4 mile. Let me know your thoughts.

[Joyridin]

How much does your 5.3l Avalanche weigh compared to your C10? Most new trucks are quite heavy.

My Gen 5 L83 in my C10 gets about 20-22 mpg on the highway, and that is with a very large cam, 6l80, and 3.70 rear gears. I bet it would hit 25 mpg if I had 3.08 rear gears.

If you are still stuck on the 3.6l, you may want to go to HP Tuners web site and see what you will need for a computer etc. That might be the hard part as 2019 and newer require a lot more $$ to unlock and program the computer than 2018 and older.

[dagnabbitt]

Sounds like an interesting project. Eventually LS engines will be too hard to come by to be an economical swap. Where I am they are already kind of difficult to find.

I understand your interest: my Yukon XL got hit in front of my house and they gave me a 2023 rental car while it is being repaired. This thing will blow the doors off of everything else I own. If you could delete the traction control it would smoke the tires for miles.

[tim_mc]

Maybe find a later model GMC Canyon or Chevy Colorado with the 3.6l (and 6-spd auto) that's been wrecked?

[michael bustamante]

if you pull the trigger, change that thermostat first, they`re a bear to get to and seem to be the only issue wiith these motors

[1970cstblazer]

The timing chain/tensioners are issues on neglected or high mileage 3.6's.

[MARKDTN]

A good friend and his buddy just drove Atlanta GA to Spokane WA in a 2022 Denali pickup with the 6.2 (belongs to the buddy). He says they averaged mid 20s mpg for the trip pulling a trailer empty 1 way and with a Corvette on it coming back. Apparently the 10 speed with the right gear will really get the mpgs. The only 6.0s or 6.2s I have been involved with previously got bad mileage. Anybody else out there with a newer 6.2 with the 10 speed transmission that might confirm that? A newer 6.2 is 420HP/460 Torque.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

I have a 2010 Buick La-cross with a 3.6 as a dd. It runs strong & gets 26 mpg on the road.
It feels like a rotary engine. There is no vibration. I usually drive conservative but I got on it the other day & it sounded like the muffler opened up on it. I wonder if it has some type of a system to do that.
I would not hesitate to put an engine like this in anything.

George

[chiefcfd]

I have a 2015 Chevy High Country with the 6.2 and 8 speed transmission. On a recent trip to Florida the overall avg according to the computer was 22mpg. on the Interstate I ran 73-75mph.I will take that.

[old51sedan]

Originally Posted by no1udknow

Hey all, looking at options s for my next c10 project. I recently bought a 2021 gmc acadia and it has a 3.6l with 300+ hp. The acadia rips, and on top of that it gets 27mpg on the highway.... With gas prices and the fact that I want it as a daily, I am considering a similar power train. 5.3l are great... but the mpgs just aren't there. And to make things worse this acadia will smoke my 5.3l avalanche in a 1/4 mile. Let me know your thoughts.

I take it we are talking about the same motor used in the chevy traverse and the Buick Enclave. I just sold a 2010 Enclave that I drove for 12 years, it had 288HP with a 160 MPH speedometer. That son of a gun had power, I towed a 6x10 trailer loaded back and forth to Florida for several years, at times I'd be doing 80 and not even knowing it. I liked it so well that I just bought a 22 model, it has 312HP with a 170MPH speedometer, I believe it has an 8 speed tranny. I believe they would be a wonderful motor, of course I like my 292 with the cast iron headers and the Holley also.

[LS short box]

I have a 20 Silverado 4x4 crew with the 6.2/10 speed combo. It will easily get 22-23 mpg on the highway. It's a great combo engine trans wise.
In regards to the 3.6 swap before you get too far I would check with some of the swap harness/ ECM reprogarmers companies to see if they can help. I would check with Speartech and Howell.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

v6 generally makes most of its torque and power at higher rpms compared to a v8, which usually has grunt off the line that you might miss in a truck like these, especially loaded or towing.
Easy enough to pull up the power+torque graphs and compare.

[57taskforce]

Before you go down the 3.6 route do some research they are notorious for timing chain problems. They came in the 2010-15 Camaros and the v6 guys on the 5th gen site I frequent are always having troubles it seems. They have a tendency to have carbon issues too because of the direct injection, and crankcase gasses/oil from the PCV. Which is obviously a semi common theme with all direct injection. A catch can is a real necessity there.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

it's an interesting point.
I never seriously considered swapping it in, but I did compare the power+torque of my '08 Infiniti 3.5 V6 to that of the LS9 out of curiosity, and it was eye-opening just how much more efficient a 21st Century mill is. Lighter too

[MikeB]

Does anyone know if a 3.6 out of FWD and AWD vehicles like the Acadia can be used with a RWD transmission?