Finally did the LS6 intake swap!
12-02-2006, 09:27 PM
#1
Finally did the LS6 intake swap! I don't know how much power I actually picked up, but the 'ol butt dyno says A LOT.
It seems like the LS6 was the missing piece of the puzzle in my setup. The car pulls great in the lower rpms, and you can really tell a difference up top. Seems like the car pulls to redline a lot faster.
Install wasn't as bad as I was thinking that it would be. The only bad thing that happened was that two fuel injector retainers broke, requiring me to vacuum out the intake ports.
I had to vacuum out the valley area anyway, because it was FILTHY!!! This car has 79,000 miles on it.
Found out why the knock sensor went bad. ( It was the reason that I did the swap in the first place ) The recess that it sits in was about half full of water...
Didn't install the new coolant pipe and plugs. Elected to flatten the stock pipe/grind the underside ribs. Everything fit fine. Here's some pics of how much/where we grinded.
Didn't break the oil sender, by the way. I credit that to Ele-Blue95's mad install skills.
I'll post back up tomorrow with track results. Hopefully I'll trap a lot higher.
It seems like the LS6 was the missing piece of the puzzle in my setup. The car pulls great in the lower rpms, and you can really tell a difference up top. Seems like the car pulls to redline a lot faster.
Install wasn't as bad as I was thinking that it would be. The only bad thing that happened was that two fuel injector retainers broke, requiring me to vacuum out the intake ports.
I had to vacuum out the valley area anyway, because it was FILTHY!!! This car has 79,000 miles on it.
Found out why the knock sensor went bad. ( It was the reason that I did the swap in the first place ) The recess that it sits in was about half full of water...
Didn't install the new coolant pipe and plugs. Elected to flatten the stock pipe/grind the underside ribs. Everything fit fine. Here's some pics of how much/where we grinded.
Didn't break the oil sender, by the way. I credit that to Ele-Blue95's mad install skills.
I'll post back up tomorrow with track results. Hopefully I'll trap a lot higher.
12-02-2006, 09:47 PM
#2
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I plan on getting an ls6 intake in the future after the LTs and i didnt expect to feel any SOTP difference. You make me really want to buy one now.
I'm glad your install went good and you didnt brake the oil sending unit.
I'm glad your install went good and you didnt brake the oil sending unit.
12-02-2006, 11:57 PM
#4
Nice install. I did mine like 2 months ago, and it's a definite SOTP increase. I felt like it was FLYING up the redline. Wheelspin and RPMs like a *****. I couldn't wipe the smile of my face for the whole test drive. Highly recommend it for any 98-00.
12-03-2006, 12:06 AM
#5
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Im doing this swap in the spring. (no garage and nebraska winter = wait till spring 
) What do you mean when you say flatten the stock coolant pipe? Do you actually smash it with a hammer or what? Wouldnt it be restrictive.
) What do you mean when you say flatten the stock coolant pipe? Do you actually smash it with a hammer or what? Wouldnt it be restrictive. 
12-03-2006, 01:05 AM
#7
Great writeup! Thanks for posting the pics, they will help people in the future, especially the rib grinding part.
I'll link to it in the sticky somewhere.
BTW - I usually pull my manifolds off with the rails still in. **** doesn't spill out everywhere and you can take those 4 bolts out easier later.
I'll link to it in the sticky somewhere.
BTW - I usually pull my manifolds off with the rails still in. **** doesn't spill out everywhere and you can take those 4 bolts out easier later.
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12-03-2006, 08:01 AM
#8
deadman- it's not that bad getting the rear bolts for the coil packs. Just use a small wrench and it's easier if you have a ratcheting wrench. After the install I just left that rear passenger's side bolt off (it's not going anywhere with the other bolts still holding it down).
12-03-2006, 11:57 AM
#10
I knew that I should have worded this better. I didn't flatten the pipe per se. I held the middle of the pipe down with one hand, and lightly tapped the corners of the lines, where they bolt in, with a small hammer. This bent them just enough to let the pipe sit flat on the valley cover.
I never even touched the coil packs guys. Didn't feel like I needed to.
Blur, I pulled the fuel rails first because I didn't know how much the fuel lines would bend, and I didn't want to risk messing THOSE up.
Next time I probably would leave them in place.
You know what the biggest pain in the *** was? Those little clips that hold the plug for the fuel injector on. I had to get my little hook pick and get the back ones off.
Anyhow, I'm off to the track to get some real-world results.
I never even touched the coil packs guys. Didn't feel like I needed to.
Blur, I pulled the fuel rails first because I didn't know how much the fuel lines would bend, and I didn't want to risk messing THOSE up.
Next time I probably would leave them in place. You know what the biggest pain in the *** was? Those little clips that hold the plug for the fuel injector on. I had to get my little hook pick and get the back ones off.
Anyhow, I'm off to the track to get some real-world results.
12-03-2006, 01:42 PM
#11
You should have gotten yourself a fuel line disconnect tool, I believe it's a 3/8".
I've also got a tride and true injector clip method as well, which I'll try to take some pictures of today.
Mine pulled alot stronger from 4000+ when I installed the LS6 + Ported t-body before my cam went in.
I've also got a tride and true injector clip method as well, which I'll try to take some pictures of today.
Mine pulled alot stronger from 4000+ when I installed the LS6 + Ported t-body before my cam went in.
12-03-2006, 02:30 PM
#13
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BTW when i did my swap the only manifold studs i had to leave in were the back 2 on the driver side. The back 2 on the passnger side i was able to gently wiggle out. This is on a 99 trans am. made removing the manifold a lot easier.
ALSO it should be mentioned that hte vaccum line on the back of the manifold for the AC controls is VERY fragile and will break VERY easily.
And finally i didnt have to unbolt anytihng related to the coilpacks.
Overall minus the one complication we had with a vaccum line it took us about 3hours start-finish.
ALSO it should be mentioned that hte vaccum line on the back of the manifold for the AC controls is VERY fragile and will break VERY easily.
And finally i didnt have to unbolt anytihng related to the coilpacks.
Overall minus the one complication we had with a vaccum line it took us about 3hours start-finish.
12-03-2006, 06:13 PM
#14
I was overdue for a LS6 intake and I should have bought it sooner. It was a cinch to install just being mindfull of a few thinks like the oil pressure sender, vacuum lines, etc. With the cam, the car pulls much harder and took a little tweaking with HP Tuners to squeeze out every ounce of HP. The midband power is very noticeable.
12-04-2006, 01:14 AM
#15
The results are in! I figure that the addition of the intake gained me AT LEAST 20 rwhp. I'm not saying that that's ALL intake, just the intake added to everything else in the combo that I already have.
I dropped my previous street-tire best by 2 tenths, and got the traps up an average of 2 mph faster. My previous best was also a one-off run that I couldn't back up. These runs today were also with the back seat in, pass. seat in, and sway bar attached. On the previous run I also had the short belt mod in place. I'm convinced that if I had pulled all that back out, and done the short-belt mod, I'd have an honest 11-second street tire slip today.
Here's the breakdown of pertinent runs...
2.031 8.117 @ 89.51 12.492 @ ???
1.817 7.778 @ 90.07 12.129 @ 112.83
1.893 7.848 @ 90.22 12.194 @ 112.98
1.773 7.748 @ 89.86 12.108 @ 112.85
1.784 7.761 @ 89.90 12.124 @ 112.48
1.871 7.846 @ 90.31 12.194 @ 112.92
1.837 7.814 @ 90.05 12.158 @ 114.46
1.917 7.998 @ 89.67 12.356 @ 113.62
2.155 8.396 @ 88.94 12.779 @ 113.25
You can tell on the last three runs that the air was starting to get colder and the track was starting to go away. On the 12.7 run, I actually was spinning the tires when I was stalling the car up on the line, so I just said screw it and spun out to the 60' mark.
I have video of quite a few of these runs, and I can post them up if anyone would like to call bs. You can also shoot a pm to moderator JNorris if you wish, he was out there running 10.8's
What do you guys think about my results? Previous best was a 12.343 @ 111.64.
I dropped my previous street-tire best by 2 tenths, and got the traps up an average of 2 mph faster. My previous best was also a one-off run that I couldn't back up. These runs today were also with the back seat in, pass. seat in, and sway bar attached. On the previous run I also had the short belt mod in place. I'm convinced that if I had pulled all that back out, and done the short-belt mod, I'd have an honest 11-second street tire slip today.
Here's the breakdown of pertinent runs...
2.031 8.117 @ 89.51 12.492 @ ???
1.817 7.778 @ 90.07 12.129 @ 112.83
1.893 7.848 @ 90.22 12.194 @ 112.98
1.773 7.748 @ 89.86 12.108 @ 112.85
1.784 7.761 @ 89.90 12.124 @ 112.48
1.871 7.846 @ 90.31 12.194 @ 112.92
1.837 7.814 @ 90.05 12.158 @ 114.46
1.917 7.998 @ 89.67 12.356 @ 113.62
2.155 8.396 @ 88.94 12.779 @ 113.25
You can tell on the last three runs that the air was starting to get colder and the track was starting to go away. On the 12.7 run, I actually was spinning the tires when I was stalling the car up on the line, so I just said screw it and spun out to the 60' mark.
I have video of quite a few of these runs, and I can post them up if anyone would like to call bs. You can also shoot a pm to moderator JNorris if you wish, he was out there running 10.8's
What do you guys think about my results? Previous best was a 12.343 @ 111.64.
12-04-2006, 01:42 AM
#18
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I am still skeptical about the LS6 intakes. It is identical to the LS1 except it has no EGR. Most of the times I see gains of about 1-5 rwhp through the LS6 intake. I guess they are a little smoother.
12-04-2006, 01:52 AM
#19
Originally Posted by adillhoff
I am still skeptical about the LS6 intakes. It is identical to the LS1 except it has no EGR. Most of the times I see gains of about 1-5 rwhp through the LS6 intake. I guess they are a little smoother.
I myself was surprised at the difference when I pulled the LS1 off and sat it next to the LS6. I knew I should have taken pictures for you guys.
The average gain IIRC was about 10-12 rwhp. Of course, that is a static gain, and doesn't take into account cars like mine with free-breathing intake tracts that gain horsepower as they get moving.
But if you want to stay slow, just keep that LS1 intake.
12-04-2006, 01:57 AM
#20
Good numbers! MPH gains are always good.
You need to check your sources..... and by check I mean kick in the *****....
Originally Posted by adillhoff
I am still skeptical about the LS6 intakes. It is identical to the LS1 except it has no EGR. Most of the times I see gains of about 1-5 rwhp through the LS6 intake. I guess they are a little smoother.
You need to check your sources..... and by check I mean kick in the *****....