any 6.0L issues by year?

[transformer2]

hello all,
I have a regal (grnd. nat. clone) that is going to be another LSX swap. I just sold my LS1 and 4L60E from a 99 ws6 car and bought a 6.0L locally. I am not sure what year the 6.0L block is but it has the 317 aluminum heads and the block cast # is 12551364. Pretty sure its an LQ4 just need to verify the dish pistons (I plan to do that later). My hopes are this one will be the one I use to build up... I just need a little help with that decision...

MY QUESTIONS ARE:
1. ARE THERE ANY KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE LQ4'S RELATING TO THE YEAR OF THE BLOCK?
2. HOW CAN I TELL WHAT YEAR MY MOTOR IS WITH OUT THE TRUCK VIN#? (mine looks to be a junkyard pull has intake, cylinder heads, coils, water pump and crank pulley thats about it)
3. WILL THERE BE ANY TRANSMISSION CONNECTION PROBLEMS WITH A 4L65E or 4L80E CONCERNING THE DIFFERENT YEARS OF THE LQ4'S?

(for example the 97-98 aluminum block ls1's had all kinds of issues from piston rods, cylinder sleeves, heads, small oil galleys, connecting rod bolt issues for high horse power applications, etc.)

I know over the years the LS platform has evolved, I am just trying to make certain this motor is the one we build up

Thanks for any replies and info

 

[daschra79]

The easiest way to tell the year of the motor is by the number to the left of the water pump on the block. There is a letter A-L followed by three numbers. The next two are the days of the month and the last number is the year. For example mine is F203 which means mine was built on June 20, 2003.

As far as any problems with the newer versions (with aluminum heads) I don't know any off the top of my head. And as far as the transmission I can't help you to much there.

 

[transformer2]

hey Thanks!!! that is great information on the year of the manufacture date!!! that is actually the first time I have heard that...
I see your in the St.L area- howdy neighbor...
I am in St.Peters MO right beside Ofallon where are you at and what did you build if you dont mind me asking? only reason I ask is its always nice to find folks that have done the swap before and especially if they are in the same area!

My block has casted #
C2310

all other info aside, that means my block is a 2000 year block.

QUESTIONS:
1. will the 2000 year block be a good building platform, or are there horsepower mod problems?
2. any trouble mounting later year 4L65E's or 4L80E's to that block year?
( I called a 24 hour parts distributor and they said there is a different crank replacement part for 99-2002. and I have seen on other forums that this block may have a longer crankshaft flange at the back of the block where the starter fly wheel mounts to...)

thanks again everybody!
Matt

 

[daschra79]

No problem that's something I found somewhere during my searching. I am actually located on the Illinois side, just south of Belleville.

I haven't completed my swap yet I am still in the process of getting all my ducks in a row before I start it. My swap is going into my 79 Malibu that will be a street/strip car. I am going to be dropping a carbed 6.0L with L92 heads into it and beating the crap out of it. :rockon: I am hoping to have it up and running by late spring early summer. What are you building, I know a regal, but what are doing to the motor?

Also I don't know if you know it or not but ls1tech.com has ton of info on these motors and swaps and it's a great place to do some research.

If you're ever down at Gateway this summer and see it stop by and say hey.
<<<<There's what it looks like!

 

[daschra79]

Also, I just noticed the block number you gave, you may want to recheck that because I believe there is only supposed to be 4 digits in it. If the last 0 was gone that would make sense, because if it is in fact a 2000 block someone has previously replaced the heads, because pre 2001 engines came with cast iron heads.

 

[blubaldmontess]

The only problem you'll run into with the trans is the wiring harness. I had this problem, my wiring harness, the truck didn't have a 4l80e, it had a 4l65e or something like that. I had to buy a connector setup from http://www.speartech.com and have the computer reprogrammed with the 4l80e setup. The engine itself, I want to say that the lq4 with the aluminum heads was later, but I can't remember. Wiki says that the 200 models had cast iron heads. As for problems, I've got about 6k on mine now after puttin it in and no problems, strong motors that you basically can't kill!

from wiki:
The Vortec 6000, or LQ4, is a V8 truck engine. Displacement is 6.0 L (~366 cu in) from 101.6 mm bore and 92 mm stroke. It is an iron/aluminum (2000 model year engines had cast iron heads) design and produces 300 horsepower (220 kW) to 325 horsepower (242 kW) and 360 lb·ft (488 N·m) to 370 lb·ft (502 N·m). LQ4s are built in Romulus, Michigan and Silao, Mexico.

LQ4 applications:

Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Pickup, 3500 Pickup, Crew Cab, and Chassis Cab/GMC Sierra 2500 HD Pickup and Crew Cab, C3, Denali, and 3500 Pickup and Chassis Cab, 1500HD Crew Cab
Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL Denali
Hummer H2 SUT
GMC Yukon Denali
[edit] LQ9
The Vortec HO 6000 or VortecMAX is a special high-output version of the Vortec 6000 V8 truck engine originally designed for Cadillac. This engine was introduced in other truck lines as VortecMAX for 2006. It features high-compression (10:1) flat-top pistons for an extra 10 hp (7.5 kW) and 10 ft·lbf (14 N·m), bringing output to 347 hp (257 kW) and 380 ft·lbf (515 N·m). LQ9s are built only in Romulus, Michigan. GM also listed it as based on LS architecture.[24]

LQ9 Applications:

2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade
2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade EXT
2003-2006 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2003-2007 Chevrolet Silverado SS
2004-2005 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Vortec HO Edition Only [Badging on truck](B4V)
2006-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra VortecMAX Option

 

[transformer2]

Great info! thanks on the transmission swap. blue I think we use the same forums... I have seen you on Montecarloss.com... I have seen pics of your install too i think... great to hear thats working out!!!

I am just going to get mine in the car for now... but there are so many things I gotta get done this year first... Right now the frame is off the car and sitting beside it in my garage...It is scheduled for bracing, boxing, media blasting and a paint job. I am in the process of POR15'ing the cab floor... media blasting the bottom side of the floor and replacing doors... not that my doors are bad, its just I have perfect ones just sitting... The end goal is really just a SUPER nice street cruiser... not really wanting to run it at the track.. Eventually though (after its back on the street) i will probably go to some sort of boosted application... after all it is a buick GN clone... I think I would prefer the mag-charger set up - but will have to see if I can find a cheap one..

The casting on the block is C231... the "zero" may not be a "0" Does your "0" have a hollow center? because mine does not... so that leads me to believe its just a casting mark and not a "zero"... plus there is some sort of crest or design with little dots around it too after that...

most likely it is a 2001 then... I doubt seriously its had the heads changed out...everything looks original...

As far as the transmission issue is concerned... I may not have the same trouble you had BLUE'
Right now I do not have a Transmission, nor do I have the wire harness for the engine or the computer... SO when it comes to getting all that, I may run with a 4L65E since I already have the big crossmember for that style (4l60E) transmission... Or if I find a good deal on a 4L80E I may modify that crossmember... I usually just go with what ever I get a smoke'n deal on...But I just needed to make certain there are no fitment issues with the later model transmissions on the earlier model engines... I thought Read that the PRE-2003 Lq4's had longer crankshafts and were causing problems for LSX swappers... ???

anybody else had any issues with Pre-2003 LQ4's

 

[blubaldmontess]

Yessir we run the same forums, I'm around asking alot of questions as well. The best place to find your answer is going to be at http://www.ls1tech.com or http://www.performancetrucks.net as far as a longer shaft, but I don't believe so, because all the stuff from one to another will bolt up.

The key will just to be get the brainbox and wiring harness from wherever you get the transmission. a 4l60 will be fine, just make sure its the one for the ls motors, not the ones before that, and the difference is in the bellhousing, oen is a two piece transmission where the bell housing will seperate, the other won't seperate. The 4l60e is good fora daily driver and its lighter than the 4l80e.

If there are anymore qeustions lemme know and I'll see what I can dig up

 

[daschra79]

Yes that "0" after the first four digits is a casting mark. You do have a 2001 block, which makes sense since you don't think the heads were swaped. Good luck with your build.

 

[transformer2]

thank you for all your help ""79!

hope to see you around town, your malibu looks very nice from that pic.. Is that a metalic gray? That is probably close to the color I will go with after its all finished, but for now mine is rattle can flat black... It use to be faded maroon and faded champaign two tone - with a continental wheel kit on the trunk deck... But the car was a california car so its really clean otherwise (98% no rust)
I have one bad body mount hole on the frame that I am fixing and I am POR15 painting the floor and underside right now. I have a Moser 9, front and back baer brakes with the zinc slotted rotors, basically everything that hotchkis makes for the G-body, QA1's, Need a drive shaft and loop. Doing a completely custom interior in Black/Graphite leather with late model seats from a pontiac. For the engine/transmission I have the G-force crossmember that I would like to use, BRP ceramic headders for the LS heads, BeCool Rad with Spal Dual fans, and currently looking for a transmission and Front engine accessories (probably go with a MARCH set up).

I have a lot to build still - So its probably going to be a little while before I get the Engine up and running..

I would post pics of my progress but not sure how on this forum yet...