LS6 Intake with no coolant lines

**WS6Dream** · 05-03-2011, 07:46 AM

If I bought a bare ls6 intake, could I make it work?

I know you have to grind the bottom so that coolant lines will work, but does the stock ls1 intake have the coolant lines already there for me to hook up to the ls6 intake?

I am asking this because the ls6 intake I am looking at is bare, no fuel rails or injectors or coolant lines. I know I can swap in the stock ls1 fuel rails and injectors, my main thing is about the coolant lines.

Thanks

**Firebirdjones** · 05-03-2011, 10:13 AM

The LS style intakes are "dry" intakes meaning no coolant passes through them. Those coolant lines aren't connected to the intake at all. It runs through your throttle body and then on to the radiator or overflow.

You can install the LS6 intake and grind the bottom of it if you are on a very very tight budget. I don't care to do it that way.
Since LS6 coolant lines are still available and they are cheap enough, I just buy them and switch it over, makes life much easier.

**WS6Dream** · 05-03-2011, 10:48 AM

So what lines run under the intake? If it isn't coolant then what is it?

**Firebirdjones** · 05-03-2011, 11:40 AM

They are indeed coolant lines, they just don't hook up to the intake as I thought you had implied.

The LS1 coolant lines run from the front to the back. They will hit an LS6 intake. Some people grind the intake (I don't recommend).

Others just use the LS6 coolant lines, which blocks off the back 2 ports in the heads, and runs a coolant line accross the front of the heads.

The whole LS6 coolant line setup is ~$50 or so.

**JayTA98** · 05-03-2011, 11:48 AM

This a pic of an LS1 engine without the LS1 or Ls6 intake(bottom already grinded). Do you see the metal piping? That the coolant lines you are talking about. On a vehicle that has an LS1 intake on it this setup is OEM. The have coolant flowing thru them. It flow coolant from the front to the back. This setup is indepedent from the air intake. Now in an LS6 upgrade you either remove the tubing and get and LS6 coolant tube and plugs. here is a pic of it.

Grinding the bottom of the LS6 intake is a cheap way to keep using the OEM tubing. If you dont want to grind it then you WILL need the LS6 coolant line and plugs. Hope this helps you.

**WS6Dream** · 05-03-2011, 11:50 AM

Oh ok, that clears things up. Why exactly do you not recommend grinding on the intake any? Previously bad results? What harm could it do? I've seen that lots of people grind on the intake to make them work.

Edit: Jay, those pictures helped a ton and explained a lot. Thanks

***SMWS6TA*** · 05-03-2011, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

They are indeed coolant lines, they just don't hook up to the intake as I thought you had implied.

The LS1 coolant lines run from the front to the back. They will hit an LS6 intake. Some people grind the intake (I don't recommend).

Others just use the LS6 coolant lines, which blocks off the back 2 ports in the heads, and runs a coolant line accross the front of the heads.

The whole LS6 coolant line setup is ~$50 or so.

Originally Posted by JayTA98

This a pic of an LS1 engine without the LS1 or Ls6 intake(bottom already grinded). Do you see the metal piping? That the coolant lines you are talking about. On a vehicle that has an LS1 intake on it this setup is OEM. The have coolant flowing thru them. It flow coolant from the front to the back. This setup is indepedent from the air intake. Now in an LS6 upgrade you either remove the tubing and get and LS6 coolant tube and plugs. here is a pic of it.

Grinding the bottom of the LS6 intake is a cheap way to keep using the OEM tubing. If you dont want to grind it then you WILL need the LS6 coolant line and plugs. Hope this helps you.

Others have purchased two of the crossover tubing and plug weld the outlet section in order to keep the crossover for the coolant for the rear of the block. I have this exact kit and it is easy to install.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-03-2011, 11:54 AM

Well I just view it as cheesy. GM doesn't do it that way

I'm the type of person that prefers to do it right and be done with it. Then if you decide somewhere down the road to try a FAST intake, or something happens to your LS6 intake, it's a simple swap.

Grind if you like,,,these intakes aren't very thick and have been prone to cracking. Goodluck.

**Firebirdjones** · 05-03-2011, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

:yep:

Others have purchased two of the crossover tubing and plug weld the out section in order to keep the crossover for the coolant for the rear of the block. I have this exact kit and it is easy to install.

Ya I've heard that,,,but it's really alot of unnecessary work and expense for no gain.
GM has been blocking the rear coolant passages since 2001 with no ill affects. Even the truck engines use the same LS6 coolant setup with block offs.

**JayTA98** · 05-03-2011, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by WS6Dream

Oh ok, that clears things up. Why exactly do you not recommend grinding on the intake any? Previously bad results? What harm could it do? I've seen that lots of people grind on the intake to make them work.

Edit: Jay, those pictures helped a ton and explained a lot. Thanks

your welcome. from what i read and understand if you plan in upgrading to a FAST intake in the future you will need the LS6 coolant line kit. I also think that GM don't make the LS1 coolant tube style anymore. So if yours starts to leak or is corroded then you will need to upgrade to the new one.

If you are sticking with the LS6 intake for a while or thats going to be the only intake upgrade then I will say to just grind the bottom out and save you some money. Just make sure that you inspect the tubing when you remove the intake. If it looks bad then invest on the upgrade kit. remember that if it leaks you will need to remove the intake again.

another note is that your knock sensor harness (the black wire that enters in the 2 black rubber cup on top of the engine) could the old and needs replacement. You remove the rubber plugs carefully and check the connection to the knock sensors. Now if you remove the cable it could break if is too old so do this at your own risk. If its broke or breaks you will need a new KS harness and new Knock sensors. you will need to replace the sensors just for the fact that they don't make the old style harness anymore and it won't work with some KS.

Alot of people replace the harness and sensors as a maintenance but is an extra expense. If you are tight on money just grind the bottom of the intake and replace. Be careful with the oil pressure sending unit. Is on the back of the intake and its kinda wrap in the brake booster hose. If you are not careful you will break it (i did). If you can buy the OPSU socket and if you can fit your hands behind you can get it out before you start.

***SMWS6TA*** · 05-03-2011, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by JayTA98

your welcome. from what i read and understand if you plan in upgrading to a FAST intake in the future you will need the LS6 coolant line kit. I also think that GM don't make the LS1 coolant tube style anymore. So if yours starts to leak or is corroded then you will need to upgrade to the new one.

If you are sticking with the LS6 intake for a while or thats going to be the only intake upgrade then I will say to just grind the bottom out and save you some money. Just make sure that you inspect the tubing when you remove the intake. If it looks bad then invest on the upgrade kit. remember that if it leaks you will need to remove the intake again.

another note is that your knock sensor harness (the black wire that enters in the 2 black rubber cup on top of the engine) could the old and needs replacement. You remove the rubber plugs carefully and check the connection to the knock sensors. Now if you remove the cable it could break if is too old so do this at your own risk. If its broke or breaks you will need a new KS harness and new Knock sensors. you will need to replace the sensors just for the fact that they don't make the old style harness anymore and it won't work with some KS.

Alot of people replace the harness and sensors as a maintenance but is an extra expense. If you are tight on money just grind the bottom of the intake and replace. Be careful with the oil pressure sending unit. Is on the back of the intake and its kinda wrap in the brake booster hose. If you are not careful you will break it (i did). If you can buy the OPSU socket and if you can fit your hands behind you can get it out before you start.

He's good on the KS wire harness, just needs the KS. He's listed as a 2000, not a 98 like me and you.

You know there are some trade offs with a 98 vs 99-02's I like. No door panels cracking, no sail panel glue issues. Then again we have the older block, lousy oil pump and such....

**JayTA98** · 05-03-2011, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

He's good on the KS wire harness, just needs the KS. He's listed as a 2000, not a 98 like me and you.

You know there are some trade offs with a 98 vs 99-02's I like. No door panels cracking, no sail panel glue issues. Then again we have the older block, lousy oil pump and such....

thanks for the clarification. lol that makes our 98's special too and we can always upgrade the lousy stuff.