RWC

iTrader: (5)

I think the engine should be ok but I would also take the valve covers off and check the gaskets and look for signs of excessive heat, etc.

sleeperlqx

iTrader: (3)

I apologize for the bad pics, its my wife camera, I know it sucks. It also would have helped if the flash was on. I got the engine completely cleaned up. Got the coils off, 1 back driver side coil was melted and ends were broken off 2 coils. No biggie there, as Im using all electronics from the 5.3; otherwise everything is mint. The valve covers are not even touched or smudged! I got all the excess hoses off, wires, still has the acdelco plugs in her. Pulled the dipstick oil is super duper clean. Had the work light in the oil filler, and it looks like gold. By the way all gaskets look perfect, even the exhaust manifold on the driver side with the front and back bolts that are broke. Im going to say heck with it, and put this sucker in with the stock manifolds. Ill prob will keep them becuase the shorties flow good stock, and it will increase more low end tq vs the long tubes. When I do the exhaust it will be from the headers back, and a very high flow setup. Like I said I have till Sun to complete this swap. Fingers crossed.

Here is what she looked like after about 4hr sit with oven cleaner after my nap. Then I spent about 40 mins with a bucket of hot water, some Ajax, a little amonia, some oxygen cleaner a brillo, brush, then microfiber clothe to dry it up. Did the accessories too. I will reuse the water pump, and power steering pump. As they have less mileage than my 5.3.



I left the sensors in, so I can just swap those during the swap over. I should be getting started tomorrow as I pickup a hoist then clean the garage.

Now I have a few more questions. Pcmforless is going to do a dyno tune on it, but It wont be till the schedule in April. So I called and I can get a computer for a 2002 escalade for $50. My question is can I run that computer to drive the truck until I get to the dyno to have a custom tune? This is actually alot better, as I can do my exhaust and a few mods before the said dyno tune. Right now everything is stock, But my lq9 difference is mine is DBC not the DBW. So maybe the computer not work correct at all without a custom tune? Im thinking of the truck it came out has the 65e and 3.73 gears it may work. But I know the 6.0 came with 4wd only Escalades. My truck is a 2wd 65e. Can someone answer that?

Also is there any good links to doing a engine swap ?

TIM Z

iTrader: (12)

Good luck with your swap man. Im thinking you'll be fine with that engine.

Lots of 6.0 swaps right now, im in the middle of one too. .

I would think you'd be better off keeping your 5.3 PCM to get the truck running, but im sure it would be way lean, so dont even think about beating on it, But im no tuner so im not 100% sure.

If you get the 6.0 PCM it will need to be programmed with your VIN I believe??, So it wont work just plugging it in.


I just scan all the threads here with engine swaps, lots of great pics that help you along the way.

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (36)

There are multiple ways a tuner can do it by either putting 6.0 values on top of the 5.3 values, writing the 6.0 os in place of the 5.3 os, or by flashing to a 6.0 vin and then changing the transmissions 4L80 os to a 4L60E. It will start and run on your 5.3 computer to get it to someone who will get it to work right for you. Stay out of WOT and you will be fine to short trip it to where you are going to get it tuned.

jhe2003

iTrader: (7)

yeah man you have to be careful when buying fire damaged engines, yours looks good by the way, the high temps in a fire will change the integrity of metals making in prone to warpage(Aluminum heads)

I'll tell you something though.....you will love the new found power!!! After i got done with mine I kept asking myself why did I take so long to do the 6.0 swap!

1Bear

iTrader: (1)

The motor looks as if it cleaned up nicely; I really hope it works out well for you. I too would get the broken bolts out of the heads before you drop her in there, even if you didn't feel comfortable doing it yourself, it should be fairly easy to run it by a shop and let someone else do it for you. Even if you’re planning on running the manifolds for a while and switching to headers later, you just can't imagine what sort of a pain it can be to do the job once the motor is in the vehicle.

Again, good luck with your project!

JaymzSS

Keep us posted how the motor runs, I'm curious ( I'm a penny pincher too )

sleeperlqx

iTrader: (3)

Well Im working with limited tools, no power nothing, just some gathered tools over the years. I got everything a loose except for the top 2 bell housing bolts, and the 3 flexplate bolts, then the engine is coming out. Just wanted to keep posted on progress. The old engine looks tremendously dirty and carboned up compared to the LQ9. And I could not believe how bad the carbon build up was when I pulled the intake. The 5.3 purred like a kitten too, and I beat the snot out of it. So I am really anxious to put this low mileage engine in 75k compared to my 183k engine. Ill have to take a picture when I can.
I can assure nothing to be worried about, plus I have double parts of what I need to accomplish the job. Under the melted intake looked alot better than this one.

I am a penny pintcher by heart, lol. All I got so far is the cash I payed for the lq9, as far as gaskets and all, ill be reusing the intake and the exhaust as well. Did a search and quite a few people reuse the gaskets all the time.

About the broken manifold bolt in the driver side of the lq9, honestly it will stay with this engine untill I pull the engine again in the future to replace the heads and freshen it up. I will not put headers on this lq9, I may do a custom y pipe, and redo the exhaust to a high flow system put thats about all. Again Im not trying to do too much to get this going. I went this route as I didnt want to dig into a 183k 5.3 to do cam and all. This route its more bang for the buck. And Ill be satisfied with the gains. If anything a TVS 1900 will replace the intake manifold. Stock heads, stock exhaust manifolds...

sleeperlqx

iTrader: (3)

CAN I PULL THE ENGINE WITH THE TRANS together, while the exhaust manifold headers are bolted to the engine, as well as the fan??? Can all this be done if I just remove the radiator? Its really starting to **** me off I cant get the 2 upper bolts to the tranny. So I am thinking about bolting in the the bottom 2 and pulling the tranny with the engine from the engine hoist>? Just wanting to know if it was possible.

sleeperlqx

iTrader: (3)

Well I did remove all the bolts on the bellhousing and pryed it apart some, but could not get the flywheel bolts off.. So i just pulled hoping it pulled the tq converter off with it, which it did. It also moved my tranny almost into the engine bay itself. Driveshaft came out the tail end of tranny, rear trany mount is screwed, rubber gone, need a new one. So it was no support there. Had a jack under the tranny to keep it up. Pulled the engine with the fan and the exhaust manifolds attached to the engine and radiator in place. It was tight!

Parts damage/broke, rear heater connector split for my back heat on the firewall. Both hoses that go to the waterpump to the firewall Ts off back there. But the lines going to the rear of the truck is good, also the heater core lines are good. So the plastic T which splits it, is what broke. So I think I can replace those T-fitting and reuse it on my heater core ends. Lucky I dont have to replace the heater core.


The other problem, I bent the steering shaft, it looks like a broke arm now. But somehow the steering still turns. But Im sure it may bind. I need to replace it, whats the part #? or can it be straightened out?

Now I have lots of cleaning to do. Pics to take, parts to swap over. Still need to replace the rear tranny mount and get it back into proper position and check over wires etc.

Truck will be down for awhile, Ill be driving the 85 burban until I can get this back in with no leaks, and dyno tuned by appointment. Maybe 2 weeks.