Norcalz71

hey guys, pretty new around here I have been browsing for awhile trying to gather info so time to post up.

My truck is a 94 z71 ECSB, 350 TBI, 12" lift, 38s, 20s, "daily" driven, occasionally i tow our 21' wakeboard boat or similar sized trailer. This summer i am looking to swap in a 6.0/4l80e combo + 14 bolt FF. For the swap stuff I have been looking a lot on LS1 truck, but now i'm curious about some engine mod stuff.

Most of the rwhp/rwtq numbers i am seeing or dyno sheets have the peaks fairly high up in the RPM range and not incredibly flat torque curves, understandable since a lot of guys here are all about speed and 1/4 mile times. I would be, but given my truck's height, its not such a great starting point haha. anyways, i'm trying to get a feel for how to go about building one of these motors for a lot more low-end grunt, flat torque curve, not so concerned about spinning up to 6500rpm since most of my driving is in the idle-3000 range.

eventually i'd like to build something stupidly high in HP, this being my ever evolving project truck, but for now I guess i'll just say goal of 400 rwtq/hp? Is this reasonable in a DD n/a, non-nitrous setup? I'd like as much down low as possible, does anyone have their truck setup more for an application like this as opposed to more that for racing? What kind of cam spec's do these engines like to keep the power down low? i started to get a feel for it for a 383 when i planned on swapping one in, but i have since decided to move into the GEN III arena.

any info relating to that basic build idea (or how incredibly unrealistic it is) would be great. ive done a fair bit of searching but not entirely found the basic stuff i am looking for.

for future reference also, i would eventually like to go FI, either a radix or turbo setup. i know the s/c route is a better starting place for low end on demand torque, but i also have a thing for turbos so i am still looking into that as well for down the road.

thanks guys

Kerr

400 lbtq should not be that hard to do on a 6.0.

If your going to stay with gas motor, then the 6.0L is a killer set up. We have a 6.0L and 6.2L, Both are grate. I like the 6.0L but it's not that impressive in a truck.

To get the 400whp / tq you want should not be that hard, head's and cam should get you real close. With those big tires and a lift you will want the most tq you can get.

If you plan on leaving it stock see if you can find a 8.1L MPG is almose the same as a 6.0L and they have 455lbtq. Also the trucks came with a allison, and the suburabn ones came with 4L80E.

hirdlej

iTrader: (31)

Don't waste your time with a 6.0, you need towing power. Install a 454 and get it over with. If you don't want that as a motor and you like to fab stuff up. Put an oldsmobile 455 in it. My brother has 425 HP (peak) @ 5300 RPM's and 510 ft lbs of torque from idle up to 4600 RPM's. If you want all out low end grunting power, I don't think a smallblock is going to cut the mustard. Cubes rule. PERIOD. What's nice about the oldsmobile is the fact it's an underbore motor and that long stroke is what gives it diesel like torque. Goodluck on your choice.

InchUp

iTrader: (2)

Norcalz71, I am in your similar predicament needing a torque monster for a motor. A 6.0L will suit you nicely and will be a HUGE improvement over that TBI 5.7L. I too am in the 12"+/- inches of lift margin on my truck, though only on 35's and had considered a 6.0L right from day one... until recently but that's a different story.

If you can find a cheap 99-2000 LQ4 (6.0L, but not the high output LQ9) it will have all the essentials you'll need, without the steep price of a newer motor. I wouldn't worry too much about miles. The older 6.0L's out of 2500/3500 trucks will have iron heads but sell those on ebay or use them as paper weights. Find a nice set of junkyard 317 heads off 2001 and newer 6.0L's, as those will flow better and they're aluminum! I'd take the disassembled block, crank, rods and 317 heads to the nearest machine shop to ensure you have a good beginning to start working on. A simple .030" bore and hone along with the block decked .005" or so to clean up the mating surface between the block and head gasket.

With 4.030" pistons you now have a 370 cubic inch 6.0L. 10:1 compression with 1-5/8" long tube headers and a good 218/224 camshaft with 112lsa, I see your truck producing the power you're after. You'll be sitting very close to 400hp, 410lb-ft of torque or maybe a tad higher. Compared to your TBI 5.7L this will be a huge improvement at the lowest cost possible while not sacrificing too much fuel economy. 400 rear wheel horsepower through a 14 bolt ff, 4L80E and 38" tires is damn near close to 500 flywheel horsepower, which is a whole 'nother ball game for the 6.0L. It's definitely possible, you bet; just not practical in a big tall truck.

Good luck!

Norcalz71

i hear you guys, i know there are necessarily "better" options out there, but for $$, future upgradeability, etc most roads seem to point towards a 6.0. This isn't gonna be my dream motor, i've got a year of college left so funds are really just pouring out my pockets haha. being in cali, olds 455 is kind of out of the question, im all about new technology too. especially given that im coming from a 118k mile old TBI 350, i dont doubt even a 4.8 stock would be a big step up. my moms 03 HD pulls our boat "fine", its no d-max or cummins but the pull isnt miserable and i dont actually pull it around with my truck much.


Inch Up, is 218/224 kind of the range one would want to be in for that lower powerband on these motors? I've read guys recommending anything from a 208/208 .55x" to 206/212, 208/212, 212/218 up to that 218/224 for a more towing oriented, low end 6.0 setup, i wish desktopdyno had the newer engines on there just so i could play with numbers for a rough idea.

for this purpose, is a stroker crank worth the investment? will that extra stroke length (and the cost of it) be worth the additional tq it theoretically provides? the overbore makes sense just to clean things up and i possibly have something in store for the pistons anyways so replacing them would certainly already be on the list.

InchUp

iTrader: (2)

I don't see the cost justifying the gains.

That cam was specially ground for my 6.0L build when I called CompCAMS. The guy who spec'd it for me grinds cams for Lingefelter's motors, and in his spare time works for CompCAMS. I think his credentials are measurable.

This was the cam he spec'd me.

Duration @ .050 218/ 224
Valve lift .562/ .567
Lobe separation angle 112degrees
Intake center line 108degrees
+4 advance

That's also telling him I have a 4L60E, 35x13" nittos, 4.56's, use it as a daily driver and off-road on the weekend.

oscareltemblo

iTrader: (17)

If you plan to upgrade the motor in the future start with a lsx block and find the rotating assembly of a 6.0 there is plenty of those around and make the lsx a6.0 so when you get enough dough and you are ready for that monster just get a 427 stroker kit to use with your lsx block... or yu can alway's buy a junkyard 6.0 and be done with it in fact a buddy has one from a SSS with 30k but he want's 1200.00 .

Norcalz71

im afraid to ask....but what is the price on an LSx block?

my game plan is/was to locate a decently low miles 6.0 (lq4) mated to a 4l80e still with all electronics/wiring/computer stuff there as well. basically a bolt in and go if it was going into a NBS, slightly more work going into my 94. then disassemble, clean up, swap a few parts in and out, through it in the truck and hope it all works without too much hassle.

GMC_DUDE

If you want to do it the lazy way (my favorite method) a stock 6.0L plus a Radix MP112 should give you the kind of power you want and still be smog legal. It's a bit pricey but pretty much foolproof and easy to do. (Hey even I can do it. I know because I did.)

Steve Bryant

iTrader: (1)

Take a look at this post https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...0&postcount=10.

Steve