6.0 NA 2500HD Upgrade Path Help
#11
New lifters, new camshaft retainer plate, if you went with the high lift cam and matching springs I'd go with a set of hardened pushrods. Since the intake was a "nightmare" I'm not going to recommend dropping the oil pan for a new oil pump, pickup & o-ring replacement. If the oil pump is not removed/replaced you can't remove the crankshaft sprocket to replace the full timing set. Inspect the cam gear and if there is no abnormal wear just install a new LS2 timing chain.
Anything that I pulled off along the way, as long as it's not too expensive, is getting replaced.
I was thinking more along the lines of other items that I might not have removed, but are easy to get to with heads/intake off, like sensors, etc. I think the cam sensor is back there, so I think I'll probably do that.
Intake was mostly a nightmare because of the injectors/all those brittle plastic connectors. I don't mind nuts and bolts, I don't like flimsy plastic connectors lol.
#12
100% Redneck
Since pulling the pan is no problem I can add some info...
You'll need a puller to get the crank gear off. I had the cheap 3 jaw puller set from Harbor Freight that comes in a set of three. Using the largest puller I had to grind down the claws so they would fit behind the crank gear. I also ground the point off of the pusher so it would hit the installed (for safety) crank bolt evenly. I used a large hose clamp to hold the arms from popping off. It took a couple of tries to get the gear off. It helps if you have extra hands to hold the puller in place.... I did not. During my research I found the OTC 1025 5 ton two jaw puller works with no modification. I gave the OTC recommendation to another member here and he said it worked great. Amazon has it for $45 Prime. I actually bought the OTC but while it was in transit... the modded HF popped off the gear so I returned the OTC unused.
My modded Harbor Freight Puller with the claws and button ground flat (notice the 2 piggy backed clamps)
The new bottom gear from a quality aftermarket timing set will slip right on by hand. The installed balancer pushes against the pump drive to hold it in place. I used a Rollmaster Billet set (CS1180) that has the good IWIS chain.
You're gonna need a new crank bolt along with new head bolts. I used the ARP head bolts so I didn't have to do the torque by angle BS. They torque to a final spec making it much easier especially torquing over a fender with the brake booster and A/C box impeding lower bolt number 8 on each side.
6.0 Engine Manual attached
You'll need a puller to get the crank gear off. I had the cheap 3 jaw puller set from Harbor Freight that comes in a set of three. Using the largest puller I had to grind down the claws so they would fit behind the crank gear. I also ground the point off of the pusher so it would hit the installed (for safety) crank bolt evenly. I used a large hose clamp to hold the arms from popping off. It took a couple of tries to get the gear off. It helps if you have extra hands to hold the puller in place.... I did not. During my research I found the OTC 1025 5 ton two jaw puller works with no modification. I gave the OTC recommendation to another member here and he said it worked great. Amazon has it for $45 Prime. I actually bought the OTC but while it was in transit... the modded HF popped off the gear so I returned the OTC unused.
My modded Harbor Freight Puller with the claws and button ground flat (notice the 2 piggy backed clamps)
The new bottom gear from a quality aftermarket timing set will slip right on by hand. The installed balancer pushes against the pump drive to hold it in place. I used a Rollmaster Billet set (CS1180) that has the good IWIS chain.
You're gonna need a new crank bolt along with new head bolts. I used the ARP head bolts so I didn't have to do the torque by angle BS. They torque to a final spec making it much easier especially torquing over a fender with the brake booster and A/C box impeding lower bolt number 8 on each side.
6.0 Engine Manual attached
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colorado2500hd (03-08-2021)
#13
Hi All,
Just a quick update. Thanks to everyone who helped along the way. Truck is all done, got back from tuning on Friday. Dyno sheet attached.
Runs great, thought it might make a bit more power, but it's an old heavy 4x4 - guess beggars can't be choosers!
Trying to chase down an exhaust noise now - sounds like there's a small leak. I'm new to long tubes, so maybe this is just how they sound.
Any idea if I need to be running premium? My tuner didn't tell me.
Cheers!
Just a quick update. Thanks to everyone who helped along the way. Truck is all done, got back from tuning on Friday. Dyno sheet attached.
Runs great, thought it might make a bit more power, but it's an old heavy 4x4 - guess beggars can't be choosers!
Trying to chase down an exhaust noise now - sounds like there's a small leak. I'm new to long tubes, so maybe this is just how they sound.
Any idea if I need to be running premium? My tuner didn't tell me.
Cheers!
#14
TECH Veteran
Those numbers seem a bit weak but what do I know
#15
Can you post a quick parts list and what all you did? Maybe ballpark cost too?
Doesn't seem to far off from what I have read on this site and others. Long tubes + "small" cam picking up around 80HP seems to be what I've read many times. Dyno sheet says "approx 403HP at engine" which is about a 100HP bump over stock. 245 RWHP vs the dyno tuned 314 RWHP is about a 70HP spread.
These HD trucks are heavy, drivetrain components heavier, 4x4, often oversized/large tires are run, it all adds up to HP losses.
Thanks for posting back here. Truck is probably quite a bit more fun now
Doesn't seem to far off from what I have read on this site and others. Long tubes + "small" cam picking up around 80HP seems to be what I've read many times. Dyno sheet says "approx 403HP at engine" which is about a 100HP bump over stock. 245 RWHP vs the dyno tuned 314 RWHP is about a 70HP spread.
These HD trucks are heavy, drivetrain components heavier, 4x4, often oversized/large tires are run, it all adds up to HP losses.
Thanks for posting back here. Truck is probably quite a bit more fun now
#16
TECH Veteran
True true, sometimes I forget about heavyness. I figured it would be maybe 340
#18
100% Redneck
If it was tuned with regular, midgrade or premium... that's what I'd run. If it was tuned with premium and you try a lower grade you may run into issues. If it was tuned with regular or midgrade, premium may be a good idea when hauling heavy loads or towing.
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colorado2500hd (06-22-2021)
#19
@dantheman1540 - it is 216/220 through 10.5 14 bolt
@RedXray - it was tuned with regular. Tuner told me to run at least midgrade, the higher the better. I've done probably 50-ish miles with regular and 50-ish miles with premium, and it seems to perform much better with premium.
@shakenfake - I also thought It would be higher.
@silentbravo - truck is quite a bit more fun! 40mph pulls are a lot of fun if you can get it to drop down to second gear. Shifts seem to be a bit quicker, but this truck has always shifted well. Not sure if the tuner touched the transmission shift points at all, but they do seem a tad higher. I haven't driven it in 7-8months so I may have just forgotten. Full build specs and pricing is below.
Here are the full specs:
Precision Race Components CNC Stage TSP Stage 2 Heads $1,200
3 Sale 25-TSP216220R6112 - Texas Speed Stage 3 Truck High Lift Camshaft: 216/220, .600/.600, 112 LSA, 110 ICL - $370
LS2 Timing Chain $ 57.99 - $57.99
LS7 Style Lifter - $180
Basic Heads & Camshaft Bolt & Gasket Kit - $150
Melling Hi-Volume Oil Pump, 97+ LS Vehicles - $150
- Also did oil pump pickup tube hold down brace upgrade, found here:
Speed Engineering Long Tube 1/34" headers: $300
Exhaust work: $400
Delphi 50lb injectors(Glenn's Auto Performance) - $100
Fuel injector wiring harness adapters (Amazon) - $10
LS1 Rocker Arm with upgraded Trunnions: - $200
Tuning: $600
It already had RamAir intake and a Magnaflow muffler before I started this.
If I had to do it all again, I would probably just do a turbo setup. But I wanted to see how far NA would take it. It's not exactly a work truck, but sometimes I do need to hop in and drive 1000-ish miles hauling tools, so I wanted reliability.
Also along the way I also did:
@RedXray - it was tuned with regular. Tuner told me to run at least midgrade, the higher the better. I've done probably 50-ish miles with regular and 50-ish miles with premium, and it seems to perform much better with premium.
@shakenfake - I also thought It would be higher.
@silentbravo - truck is quite a bit more fun! 40mph pulls are a lot of fun if you can get it to drop down to second gear. Shifts seem to be a bit quicker, but this truck has always shifted well. Not sure if the tuner touched the transmission shift points at all, but they do seem a tad higher. I haven't driven it in 7-8months so I may have just forgotten. Full build specs and pricing is below.
Here are the full specs:
Precision Race Components CNC Stage TSP Stage 2 Heads $1,200
- 97-PAC-1219 - PAC 1219 Single Beehive Valve Spring .625" Max Lift, Set of 16
- 2.02-Inch Stainless Steel Intake
- GM Seats, Seals and Retainers 1ea
- 199-157 - 1.57-Inch Stainless Steel Exhaust
- GM Seats, Seals and Retainers 1ea
- GMSSR - GM Seats, Seals and Retainers 1ea
- Texas Speed & Performance 7.40 Chromoly Pushrod,
3 Sale 25-TSP216220R6112 - Texas Speed Stage 3 Truck High Lift Camshaft: 216/220, .600/.600, 112 LSA, 110 ICL - $370
LS2 Timing Chain $ 57.99 - $57.99
LS7 Style Lifter - $180
Basic Heads & Camshaft Bolt & Gasket Kit - $150
Melling Hi-Volume Oil Pump, 97+ LS Vehicles - $150
- Also did oil pump pickup tube hold down brace upgrade, found here:
Speed Engineering Long Tube 1/34" headers: $300
Exhaust work: $400
Delphi 50lb injectors(Glenn's Auto Performance) - $100
Fuel injector wiring harness adapters (Amazon) - $10
LS1 Rocker Arm with upgraded Trunnions: - $200
Tuning: $600
It already had RamAir intake and a Magnaflow muffler before I started this.
If I had to do it all again, I would probably just do a turbo setup. But I wanted to see how far NA would take it. It's not exactly a work truck, but sometimes I do need to hop in and drive 1000-ish miles hauling tools, so I wanted reliability.
Also along the way I also did:
- Water pump
- Gauge cluster rebuild (Circuit Board Medic) - had them do HVAC controls as well because it was going out.
- Power steering pump
- Fan clutch
- Camshaft position sensor
- Coolant temperature sensor
- Oil pressure sensor/sending unit
- A/C Condenser coil
- Spark plugs
- MAP sensor
- Front wheel hub assemblies (was having ABS issue)
- Transfer case motor
- Both knock sensors and knock sensor harness
- Both upstream 02 sensors
- Oil dipstick tube
- Bilstein steering dampener
- Both batteries (2 batteries gas engine - guessing this was an old plow truck)
- Thermostat
- PCV tube
- Of course any gasket I removed got replaced, including oil pan. Removing oil pan was a PAIN.
Last edited by colorado2500hd; 06-22-2021 at 07:08 PM.
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RedXray (06-22-2021)