5.3 LH6 DOD conversion questions
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6
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From: La Selva Beach, CA
5.3 LH6 DOD conversion questions I’ve got some questions…………..
Does anyone on this forum have any experience transplanting a 2005 or 2006 Vortec Aluminum block 5.3 LH6 DOD (displacement on demand) engine with the 4L60E trans into an earlier model car or truck?
I’m going to try this engine in a ground-up ’48 Ford Sedan project with a metric (G-Body) El Camino frame and would appreciate any thoughts and input.
Obviously, I’m particularly interested in the electrical wiring and computer controls but I’m also interested in other installation issues such as motor mounts, exhaust manifolds, oil pans, rear end ratio’s, etc
This is a great forum! There’s lots of really good information here from a lot of very knowledgeable people and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Thank you
Mike
Does anyone on this forum have any experience transplanting a 2005 or 2006 Vortec Aluminum block 5.3 LH6 DOD (displacement on demand) engine with the 4L60E trans into an earlier model car or truck?
I’m going to try this engine in a ground-up ’48 Ford Sedan project with a metric (G-Body) El Camino frame and would appreciate any thoughts and input.
Obviously, I’m particularly interested in the electrical wiring and computer controls but I’m also interested in other installation issues such as motor mounts, exhaust manifolds, oil pans, rear end ratio’s, etc
This is a great forum! There’s lots of really good information here from a lot of very knowledgeable people and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Thank you
Mike
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
Well I have the mechanical part of the swap covered, the controls part though 
, I could probably figure it out but I have never looked at the diagrams for a DOD motor. But check this thread out for a lot of info on swapping non DOD LSx motors into El Caminos. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ghlight=camino
, I could probably figure it out but I have never looked at the diagrams for a DOD motor. But check this thread out for a lot of info on swapping non DOD LSx motors into El Caminos. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ghlight=camino If you're swapping the whole unit from a donor vehicle, there's really nothing out of the ordinary. Just make sure you get the modules and harnesses from the donor and transplant it all as-is.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6
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From: La Selva Beach, CA
Thanks, guys
G-Body, I’ve read that thread from start to finish-spent a whole evening doing it! Great info! Huge help.
I ran across a Super Chevy article today that illustrates how sophisticated this engine really is. Here is the link:
http://superchevy.com/technical/engi.../0405sc_gmdod/
You’ll note there is mention made of motor mounts and mufflers as well as referencing a completely new computer. Looks like there may be some differences between this engine and the other genIII and genIV engines.
Brains, I do have the ECM and the harness and have talked to John @ Speartech about re-programming the computer. He hasn’t done one of these yet but didn’t feel there should be a problem.
Again, I’m just interested to see if there are people out there who have actually worked with this engine (hoping that I won’t be the first)
Thanks
Mike
G-Body, I’ve read that thread from start to finish-spent a whole evening doing it! Great info! Huge help.
I ran across a Super Chevy article today that illustrates how sophisticated this engine really is. Here is the link:
http://superchevy.com/technical/engi.../0405sc_gmdod/
You’ll note there is mention made of motor mounts and mufflers as well as referencing a completely new computer. Looks like there may be some differences between this engine and the other genIII and genIV engines.
Brains, I do have the ECM and the harness and have talked to John @ Speartech about re-programming the computer. He hasn’t done one of these yet but didn’t feel there should be a problem.
Again, I’m just interested to see if there are people out there who have actually worked with this engine (hoping that I won’t be the first)
Thanks
Mike
i did a bit of searching a couple of months ago for DOD info, but found none. i didn't want to be the 1st either, so i bought a non-dod engine.
you would think that if you had all the electrical components, it would just be a matter of turning off vats/smog/etc. i hope that's the case. let us know you progress.
you would think that if you had all the electrical components, it would just be a matter of turning off vats/smog/etc. i hope that's the case. let us know you progress.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6
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From: La Selva Beach, CA
Originally Posted by cstanley
i'll be following this one. i'm doing the LH6 into my '72 chevy pickup.
Mike
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2006
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From: La Selva Beach, CA
Originally Posted by shanekennedy
i did a bit of searching a couple of months ago for DOD info, but found none. i didn't want to be the 1st either, so i bought a non-dod engine.
you would think that if you had all the electrical components, it would just be a matter of turning off vats/smog/etc. i hope that's the case. let us know you progress.
you would think that if you had all the electrical components, it would just be a matter of turning off vats/smog/etc. i hope that's the case. let us know you progress.
Like you, I’ve not found much info on the DOD’s except for the Super Chevy article which raises some interesting questions like what’s up with this
“returnless fuel system”? Also, I’m hoping (for all the obvious reasons) that the pressure actuated valve in the muffler is strictly a mechanical mechanism rather than a computer controlled function. The “tuned” motor mounts are another area that interests me and one that I’ll probably have to address sooner rather than later.
Effective final drive ratio may be another area that needs to be closely looked at in order to optimize both performance and fuel mileage especially when the engine is running in V-4 mode.
It should be fun! I think this engine will make an excellent cruiser and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.
Mike
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Originally Posted by m.mcc
John @ Speartech has confirmed that the computer for this engine is the same as the late Corvettes and GTO. He restated his confidence that re-programming should not be an issue. That makes me very happy!!
Like you, I’ve not found much info on the DOD’s except for the Super Chevy article which raises some interesting questions like what’s up with this
“returnless fuel system”? Also, I’m hoping (for all the obvious reasons) that the pressure actuated valve in the muffler is strictly a mechanical mechanism rather than a computer controlled function. The “tuned” motor mounts are another area that interests me and one that I’ll probably have to address sooner rather than later.
Effective final drive ratio may be another area that needs to be closely looked at in order to optimize both performance and fuel mileage especially when the engine is running in V-4 mode.
It should be fun! I think this engine will make an excellent cruiser and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.
Mike
Like you, I’ve not found much info on the DOD’s except for the Super Chevy article which raises some interesting questions like what’s up with this
“returnless fuel system”? Also, I’m hoping (for all the obvious reasons) that the pressure actuated valve in the muffler is strictly a mechanical mechanism rather than a computer controlled function. The “tuned” motor mounts are another area that interests me and one that I’ll probably have to address sooner rather than later.
Effective final drive ratio may be another area that needs to be closely looked at in order to optimize both performance and fuel mileage especially when the engine is running in V-4 mode.
It should be fun! I think this engine will make an excellent cruiser and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.
Mike
After reading the SuperChevy story I'm thinking that you would pretty well be stuck with the cam that comes with the engine. The DOD cylinder's lifters are resrticted to how much lift they can accomadate, and the non-DOD cylinder's cam lobes have a different profile. If you wanted to in the future you could disable the DOD circut and use standard lifters.
I find the Variable Valve Timing function interesting. The cam timing could be used to change the dynamic compression to accomadate higher compression ratios and/or different octane fuels.
Ken
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 42
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From: Southeast OH
Reviving this thread from the dead...
Any updates from those of you actually doing this swap? I too have restoration issues before I can start down this path with the LH6, but am curious what obstacles folks are running into and more importantly successes in retaining the DOD function.
Any updates from those of you actually doing this swap? I too have restoration issues before I can start down this path with the LH6, but am curious what obstacles folks are running into and more importantly successes in retaining the DOD function.
Gotta bring this one back from the dead again. Any info on this swap? My brother has a chance to get a 5.3 out of a Buick Rainier and from the searching I've done it would be an LH6. Now has anyone finished the swap and how did the tuning part of it go?
This kind of concerns me because he was interested in doing a cam swap before the motor went into the car. Should he just keep looking for a L33/LM4/LM7 or is the price is right attempt the LH6 swap?
After reading the SuperChevy story I'm thinking that you would pretty well be stuck with the cam that comes with the engine. The DOD cylinder's lifters are resrticted to how much lift they can accomadate, and the non-DOD cylinder's cam lobes have a different profile. If you wanted to in the future you could disable the DOD circut and use standard lifters.
TECH Resident
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 800
Likes: 1
From: Simi VAlley,CA
On these DOD engines, the tuned mounts and speciak exhaust system is definitely part of the package to make the four cylinder mode a little easier to live with. I drove a Tahoe the other day with a performance exhaust system and it was pretty bad....the booming noise transmitted into the interior was uncomfortable, particularly when running on four cylinders. It may have been just the design or installation of the exhaust but the potential is there, and they really sound like crap when running on four holes.
ive done one in a 71c-10 (for member killer71) it wasnt a bad vibration at all, infact you could hardly notice when it dropped to 4cyl. other then the exhaust tone... and in stock form with only headers, intake, and tune it put down 300RWHP...it was a blast!!! here is the thread
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=244448
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=244448
