6.0 swap

[b_rannan2003]

I just got a 01 SS with burnt #7 piston and was thinking of just putting a good used 6.0 in it. I got a good low millage motor and some headers and a typhoon intake with 85mm throttle body. I was
wondering if I should change the oil pump out. The motor had good pressure and I'm not changing
cam (will later) so I was thinking about just waiting. Also I have the LS1 heads that have been work
and some minor porting. Are the LS1 heads better?

[jsmith564`]

not really, 241's don't flow as good as 317's. stick with the 317's or better if money will allow find some 243's or 799's they come on newer 4.8/5.3 engines and can be had cheap. imo if the oil pump was doing it's job leave it be. wait till you do the cam no reason to tear into it twice.

which 6.0 the lq4 or lq9?

[My00Z28]

if the 6l is an lq9 it comes with flat top pistons and will keep the compression around 10:1 just like your ls1 is now... if its an lq4 they have dished pistons which is like 9:1 throw in some flat tops and your at 10:1 again!!! the 317 heads are pretty much 243 heads just the combustion chambers are like 71cc and the 243s are 65cc...

[b_rannan2003]

Y r the 243 and 799 better? I think I can get my hands on some cheap.

[98maro]

6.0 should be a good choice. I wouldn't spend money on that intake & tb. I would rather stay with the ls6 and port the stock tb. Same results for way less money.
I would get a bigger cam or something else.
Or get some 243s and have some one port them..

[Firebirdjones]

I'd find out if you have an LQ4 or an LQ9 before you go swapping heads. Because all a head swap is going to accomplish is bumping your compression. The 317 heads are patterned right from the LS6 243's. Same port sizes and shapes, same valve sizes, the only difference is a 71.06cc combustion chamber vs the LS6 64.45cc. So the 317's have very similar port flow numbers as the LS6's do.

The LQ4 has 9.4:1 compression with a dished piston, the LQ9 has 10:1 with a flat top piston. That is the only real way to tell them apart. With the heads on the engine, you would need a small wire that you can use to reach in there and feel the top of the piston. If it's dished you can easily feel that as you move toward the outer portions of the piston.

Either way they are good engines as is. They would benefit more from a cam swap than a head swap. A cheaper way to bump the compression on the LQ4 would be just to mill the heads you already have and reinstall. But even that isn't absolutely necessary.
The LQ4 with it's 9.4:1 compression is perfect for a power adder of your choice. Something to think about for the future.

I'm going with a maggie on my LQ4.

[My00Z28]

Ya but if u mill the 317s that will then change push rod lengths and must then measure ur ptvc. And then measure for what length push rods u need.
If doing a big came ptvc is going to me a must to see if you r going to need to fly cut ur pistons....

[Firebirdjones]

Ya but if u mill the 317s that will then change push rod lengths and must then measure ur ptvc. And then measure for what length push rods u need.

Yep, and buying a set of ported 243's from just about any shop out there you can bet they have been milled too (most of them advertise it). Even just simply changing the camshaft will require different pushrod lengths.
So in essance, there really isn't any way around the pushrod dilema.

[b_rannan2003]

Im using a LQ4

[camarodude48]

you can get 6.0l for a decent price i just paid 1200 62k on it just waiting in the cam to get here

[Firebirdjones]

you can get 6.0l for a decent price i just paid 1200 62k on it just waiting in the cam to get here

Yep, that's what I paid for my 2004 model with 80,000 miles with a warranty through LKQ. They are getting harder and harder to find with low miles though. Took me over 6 months before I found one using LKQ's nationwide search. Snatch them while you can.

[b_rannan2003]

Yep, that's what I paid for my 2004 model with 80,000 miles with a warranty through LKQ. They are getting harder and harder to find with low miles though. Took me over 6 months before I found one using LKQ's nationwide search. Snatch them while you can.

Well I can pick them up for around half or that so I quess I need to stach a few back. I have also found a few below 500!!

[b_rannan2003]

What cam r u using and what kinda tune thanks

[Firebirdjones]

Well I can pick them up for around half or that so I quess I need to stach a few back. I have also found a few below 500!!

There are tons of them much cheaper, but they have way too many miles on them for my taste. I wasn't interested in anything over 80,000, and for that you pay $1,000 or more. Dig around enough and you'll see what I mean.

With 150,000 to 200,000 miles it's fine to pick them up for $500 or less, but then I'd spend another $3-4,000 in machine shop bills and parts. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I wanted something I knew I could drop in and run for a few years before a rebuild.