LQ4 upgrades?

[Primalzer]

So my cousin is planning on throwing a reman 6.0 LQ4 into his truck in replacement for the one that blew up. We've been looking trying to figure out what to swap out to wake the motor up. I've read 5.3 heads will bump compression a bit, but we're pretty clueless as to what would be the best budget conscious way to make more power with the LS's. What heads, cam, intake would make good power, and not break the bank? It would be going in a 2001 Silverado 1500 HD

Click to read more...

 

[Yaj Yak]

i think this would get more action in the gm performance/ls section on herrrrr or whatever it is called.

 

[Lead Pipe]

L92 heads and intake

/Thread

 

[Shibby50]

L92 heads and intake

/Thread

This X a million

 

[Primalzer]

L92 heads and intake

/Thread

After reading for awhile, that seemed like the consensus.

How about a streetable cam? Seems like a Crane Cam in the ~220/220 area would be good for lift, and you could stick with the same valvetrain if you really wanted?

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

it's going to need springs too for a cam. easy as can be while the motor is out.

I'd toss a converter in this thing too. in a truck it makes a huuuuge difference getting it moving

 

[Primalzer]

Yeah, he's still trying to figure out what he wants to do...sounds like he's going to get a reman LQ4 for $2300 or something (he likes that it's got a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty). Instead of turning in his core LQ4, we may use the motor to build. He ran it dry of oil, and shut it down just as it started knocking, so he wasn't sure how much went wrong. We're going to tear it apart. He was thinking boring it out .065 to bring it out to a 6.2, and throw on the LS3 intake, L92 heads, some sort of cam, and now it sounds like rockers and springs

 

[Lead Pipe]

After reading for awhile, that seemed like the consensus.

How about a streetable cam? Seems like a Crane Cam in the ~220/220 area would be good for lift, and you could stick with the same valvetrain if you really wanted?

Call Speed, they're match one for you.

 

[Smokinhot]

What exactly are your plans? I've had a Comp Cam 212/218, and it has good low/mid power. The Thunder Racing 220/220 was a solid cam. My 228/230 is fun but I also have a 3200 converter and 4.56 gears lol.

 

[Primalzer]

What exactly are your plans? I've had a Comp Cam 212/218, and it has good low/mid power. The Thunder Racing 220/220 was a solid cam. My 228/230 is fun but I also have a 3200 converter and 4.56 gears lol.

He's still unsure what exactly he wants to do. I've been trying to convince him to keep the reman motor intact. No reason to buy that, and give up the warranty by throwing on basically all different parts. Better off redoing your old motor. He doesn't always like to listen to reason. I think he should pull the engine, and rebuild it, and then throw it back in. Save the $2300 on the reman motor.

 

[Smokinhot]

What trans will you use? A stock 4l60e won't handle even stock LQ4 power level

 

[Primalzer]

Hmmmm, I'll have to see what trans he has...

 

[Smokinhot]

2wd 1500 and being a 99, it's a 60. Even if he's 4x4 it's a 60. 80's were only in HD trucks, escalades, and cargo vans

 

[Primalzer]

2wd 1500 and being a 99, it's a 60. Even if he's 4x4 it's a 60. 80's were only in HD trucks, escalades, and cargo vans

His is a 1500HD, and I just confirmed it's the 80E

 

[Smokinhot]

Then your solid. Throw in a Transgo HD2 kit, it'll help lol. If he would like to see a decent setup he can check out mine

 

[Primalzer]

Then your solid. Throw in a Transgo HD2 kit, it'll help lol. If he would like to see a decent setup he can check out mine

He's based in the UP...I remember watching your build a year or two ago. Remind me what you did?

 

[Smokinhot]

Stock LQ4 block
Spectre intake kit
243/799 ls6 head milled .030 w/brian tooley double springs
Bullet Racing cam 226/230 .611/.601 111lsa
TBSS stock intake w/44# injectors
Underdrive pulley
Ported LS6 oil pump
Longtube headers 1-3/4" primaries
Off-road y-pipe
Magnaflow muffler spliced into stock catback
4l80e, stock besides Tansgo HD-2 kit
Circle D 278mm 3200 converter
4.56 gears, needed to compensate for my 31.5" tire (damn 22's)

Otherwise not much. Stock suspension

 

[Smokinhot]

Still need a better tune badly