I want a 6.0L

[SEMOscrew]

anybody got a price/parts list breakdown. i know a couple of you guys have done a similar swap

[purple gas]

I don't know what there worth. But my new work van has one in it. Full size cargo van. With the reefer on and a couple thousand pounds of meat in the back it still goes like hell. It'd sure push one of our trucks around with Nooo problem!

[SEMOscrew]

exactly. thats why i want to know the cost of installing something like this.

[SEMOscrew]

um, yeah. anybody. somebody.

[Joe67]

Check the LS1 type motor swaps on this board (SSR engine, 5.3l, LS1, etc) Same seutp and procedures.

You can find a low HP 6.0l in 2500+ trucks and the HP numbers increase when it was found in a GMC Denali and Caddy Escalade

Ebay has decent deals on complete 6.0l powertrains with PCMs from time to time.

Also, checkout the forums at www.ls1tech.com for some great info.

[FirstGen]

expect to spend around 4 grand to do the motor/tranny/fuel/exhaust/driveshaft/ecu/wiring.

I never added up my reciepts but I also went a little over board in areas...

Good luck.

[SEMOscrew]

firstgen - thats about what i was expecting. what were the speedbumps that you encountered? i thought i read somewhere about motor mounts and headers.

did you make the hp/tq in your sig off of this motor?

[incoma]

I bought a 5.3L for a swap and have decided to wait. i couldn't handle the $4-5k for the complete swap, and the frame off resto. So I decided for the frame off now, and the 5.3L later. I'll sell my 5.3 if you're interested. I've got ALL accessories for it, the cats, O2 sensors, and some corvette exhaust manifolds to help it fit in our frame w/o modifying it.

[FirstGen]

No real big speedbumps. The motor mounts were a little snag but nothing big. F-body long tubes pretty much drop in depending on which brand you go with...


You'll have to modify the vette manifolds if you want them to clear your brake lines. I made this power on the 6.0 and a 125 shot.

[Dual quad]

FirstGen, I've got line on a 6.0L LQ4 engine that I'm thinking about droping into my 72. The motor comes complete with accessories, engine harness, PCM, exhaust manifolds, etc. I have some question for you since you've done this swap.

1) Did you rewire the harness or have it done? Who and how huch?
2) Who and how much to program the PCM?
3) What did you use for motor mounts & towers?
4) Were any chassis mods necessary?
5) What did you use for a fuel pump?
6) Did you keep all sensors/emissions?
7) How did the LQ4 accessories tie into you existing stuff?

[FirstGen]

1) I actually went with a totally custom harness from Current Performance in Florida. They have a website. You can also choose to have your stock harness modified for a much smaller fee (about $350). They will simplify the hook up and add a OBDII port for you.

2) I chose at the same time to use a F-body PCM (obviously the harness would have to be for an F-body) so that a local shop could use LS1edit and do a full dyno tune while re-programming the emissions stuff out.

3) I used a universal small block chevy motor mount from "Anchor" should be available at autozone. Then I made a motor mount adapter out of .25" mild steel and moved the stock mount towers off my '68 but moved them forward.

4) No chassis mods are nessary.

5) I used a aeromotive (a1000) inline fuel pump which is way overkill for a stock motor. I dropped in a summit 16 gal cell in the back and ran 1/2" hardline to the motor and 3/8 back to the tank. I also used a aeromotive boost referenced fuel pressure regulator to regulate. The only reason I did the aeromotive stuff is because I plan to fab a twin turbo kit soon... For a stock setup you could drop a walbro 255 or 315 intank and use the stock FPR on the fuel rail.

6) I kept all sensors. There is almost no emission stuff on the 2002 up motors so I didn't have any. The only thing I took off was the EVAP emission sensor.

7) Not sure what the questions is? I used all the stock 6.0l stuff.

I did drop in a underdrive pulley, LS6 cam/springs, and milled the heads .030 to bump the CR back up.
Made 390 rwhp like this.

Goodluck!

[Dual quad]

FirstGen, thanks for the quick reply. I'm not sure what happened to that last question, but I was inquiring about if you had used the old accessories, or new LQ4 suff (PS pump, A/C comp, Alt) and any associated problems. Also, in reviewing some of your other posts, it looks like you went to vette exhaust manifolds. Did the stock LQ4 one cause interference? Were the vette manifiolds expensive? Thanks for the info!

[incoma]

There's another guy on here (70LS1 I think) who's performing an LS1 drop into a 70 chevy. On other boards, (ls1tech.com and ls1truck.com) there are a few vendors who do the wiring and re-programming. The programming guy is on ls1truck.com, and he has a "swap" service that is very reasonable, and includes free updates. You can buy the motor mount adapters at S&P, or if you like I can email you a picture of the templates so you can make your own. I understand that to convert the P/S pump over all you really need to do is take the "standard" size fitting of of your high pressure line and put a "metric" size fitting on the line to plumb it to the p/s pump.

FirstGen - Where did you mount your temp sending unit, oil pressure sender for your stock gauges, or did you keep your stock gauges?

[incoma]

stock truck exhaust manifolds require that the frame be cut. if you use corvette manifolds you gain 2 things, bungs for your O2 sensors, and clearance for your frame. I have been told that depending upon how you mount the motor, these manifolds may require that you make a new brakeline b/c these manifolds route your exaust pipes right where the stock line goes over the frame.

[Dual quad]

Incoma, thanks for the info and the offer. I'd apprceciate that eamail with the template pics.

[incoma]

ok

[FirstGen]

incoma - you've been following along pretty well nice job!

Dual quad - I bought a motor with 3K miles on it and therefore I didn't replace anything. Incoma is correct about the PS pump hp line. Mine actually had a hydro boost PS pump as will alot of the 6.0 motors so I swapped this for a regular one and had a new high pressure side line made to the length I wanted.

As far as I know I'm the first one to use vette manifolds in our trucks with a gen III based motor. The reason I went with them was for performance. The truck manifolds do not flow well at all in comparison. The nicest solution is a pair of coated headers from S&P but they are pricey like 600-700 bucks. I have about $80 in the vette manifolds after modifying them. I think the stock truck manifolds would fit fine but I have not tried it myself. The other prob is that the O2 bungs are like 20-30 bucks a pop at a shop. The vette manifolds will work right out of the box but sit RIGHT on top of your brake lines and A-arms. I extended the tubes on my set and angled them up slightly so they would clear better. Great fit and flow for the money...

I actually ended up modifying a set of F-body long tubes and have that now. I would sell these vette manifolds and matching Y pipe if you are interested. PM me.

Here is the template for anyone that is interested....

[incoma]

Before I decided to put off putting the 5.3 in my truck I tried to perform a quick "mock up" of the engine in the frame, and the truck manifolds were about 1" too wide to fit in the frame. They won't work without notching the frame. Likewise, many folks are notching the frame for the A/C compressor. I've seen some guys use a late 90's A/C compressor mounted on the top passenger side of the engine, with some custom brakets and a new extra-long serpentine.

FirstGen - just curious, how did you modify the manifolds? They looked like they would fit right in. Did you get the stock manifolds, or a new set from an LS6? I do know there is a difference between the two. Got pics of the install?

[FirstGen]

the y-body ls1 and ls6 manifolds are the same except for the 04 ZO6/LS6 which have a new cast design. I own a set of the 04 ZO6 manifolds which I'm using for my twin turbo project

You can see in the first pic how the stock manifolds looked. The second pic is what I did to extend them. I actually cut and re-welded them one final time after that. I had to angle them up more for the best clearance.

[SCOTI]

FirstGen, where did you pick up your 6.0 from locally?

[FirstGen]

got it from a buddy that totalled his truck and bought it back from insurance!

[Dual quad]

First Gen, how can I identify the hydro boost PS pump vs the normal (4.8/5.3) pump?

Would you recommend that purchasing LS1 Edit for programming the PCM, or have it done by a programming shop?

What additional wiring did you need to bring into the cab (ie check engine light, diagnostic connector, tach feed)?

Thanks for the template pic. Does this plate simply go between the original tower (once repositioned on frame) and the 6.0L motor mount?

[FirstGen]

A hydro boost PS pump will have three outlets and a regular will have only two. On the hydro boost pump the extra outlet comes out the side of the fill tank but is plumbed into the pump so you cannot just plug it or loop it without it fighting itself.

I would reccomend buying LS1edit if you plan to make alot of power at some point. If you want to make the most power and only do a few upgrades later on it's cheaper and faster to have a shop dyno tune it and only pay a small fee to have it "updated" on the dyno as you add more parts. The problem is that to make the best power you will have to use the dyno. So if you purchase Ls1edit which is $550 for one VIN you still have to pay for dyno time...

The wiring harness will come with leads for a check engine light, tach, speedo, OBDII, etc. All you have to do it tap into the cab ignition for starter, and power, ground, etc. Another benefit of the stand alone harness is that he can build in the electric fan relays to work off the PCM.

The plate actually bolts on the motor itself and then allows you to bolt a stock SBC motor mount to the plate. The the stock motor mount towers bolt like factory to the SBC universal mount. I will try to find the part number for the mounts when I get home later this week...