head gasket help
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Teching In
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head gasket help ok guys i am new to all of this and really new to the ls engine line. my question is regarding head gaskests. currently i have a 03 lq4 motor i am putting together for my 01 chevy truck. i have been trying to find reasonable priced head gaskets and tty head bolts. all i can i can find in gaskets are for ls1 and ls6 motors. i know the bore size is 3.9 while the lq4 is 4.0. are the gaskets interchangable? or am i just not looking hard enough for the lq4 gaskets? also what about the bolts? i know there were a change over i believe that was in 04, is this correct? i want to make certain before i run out buying stuff for this motor. i don't need exotic gaskets just basic ones. this is just a r & r on a low mileage motor not a 600 hp drag motor. and if anyone has what i need please feel free to send me a pm, i don't want to turn this into a want add, after three days of googling and reading, i figure i can't be the only one with this specific question. thanks in advance for y'alls help!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I went to the local dealer and bought stock ls2 6.0 gaskets for my motor, I would not use the smaller ls1 gaskets on the bigger bore motors. With the head bolt there are two lenghts I beleive, ls1's usually have 2 longer bolts on the outer end holes, I know all the ls2's have the shorter bolts all around. Just take a look at the bolt holes, and maybe use a straw or something to see if they are all the same depth, but my guess would be that they are also all the short style bolts, I bought all these from the dealer to, it was pretty cheap.
You can always call texas speed as well and they can hook you up.
You can always call texas speed as well and they can hook you up.
Get the correct 6.0L GM headgaskets.
Go to http://sdparts.com, you will find the two different designs. You have the First design.
You need two of these: http://sdparts.com/details/gm-perfor...parts/12498545
Call them on this, it should be the LS2 4.00 in. headgasket, $39.52 each
http://sdparts.com/details/gm-factor...parts/12589227
Go to http://sdparts.com, you will find the two different designs. You have the First design.
You need two of these: http://sdparts.com/details/gm-perfor...parts/12498545
Call them on this, it should be the LS2 4.00 in. headgasket, $39.52 each
http://sdparts.com/details/gm-factor...parts/12589227
Last edited by 69LT1Bird; Dec 4, 2009 at 07:49 PM.
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thanks for the help guys and 69lt1bird thanks for the direct links, it is greatly appreciated like you have nooooooo idea. oh and nice bird, first gen birds have always been my thing, and i have a yard full of em to proof it. including the one that gave me my screen name. my 1969 trans am ram air III. think the pontiac guys would have a heart attack if i put the old lq4 out of my truck in it? hehe
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thanks for the help guys and 69lt1bird thanks for the direct links, it is greatly appreciated like you have nooooooo idea. oh and nice bird, first gen birds have always been my thing, and i have a yard full of em to proof it. including the one that gave me my screen name. my 1969 trans am ram air III. think the pontiac guys would have a heart attack if i put the old lq4 out of my truck in it? hehe
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Verdad Gallardo yeah thats what i'm saying. for someone on a budget 80 here 80 there adds up real quick. if they are under 45,000 miles and in good shape why not. our headgaskets can be reused if they are in good shape. he is not building a racecar. i couldnt figure out if this is a fresh build or putting together a used motor. just giving the op the option to choose.
Last edited by disc0monkey; Dec 5, 2009 at 07:26 PM.
I get whined at all the time at car shows. I get the Pontiac purists who say "why don't you have a Pontiac in that?" It started life as a 6 cylinder. I just say, find a fuel injected Pontiac that runs like this thing and I will do it. The I tell them it what it runs on pup gas and they usually leave me alone.
now if you said "runs like this thing for this price" then yes I agree
Last edited by disc0monkey; Dec 5, 2009 at 07:27 PM.
I was talking to RAIIITA and just agreeing with him.
Just making the point that Pontaic Purist take it personal when you don't run a Pontiac. I have had a real Pontiac, 1967 GTO 400 4 barrel 4 speed, ported polished, cam etc. This 69 Firebird would kill the poor thing. Ran a 1965 GTO at the drap strip, built 415 ci, dual quads, built auto, the best he managed was a 12.9. For what I have in mine, I'll take the LS.
Just making the point that Pontaic Purist take it personal when you don't run a Pontiac. I have had a real Pontiac, 1967 GTO 400 4 barrel 4 speed, ported polished, cam etc. This 69 Firebird would kill the poor thing. Ran a 1965 GTO at the drap strip, built 415 ci, dual quads, built auto, the best he managed was a 12.9. For what I have in mine, I'll take the LS.
Vintage iron wasn't as fast as people think they are, here is one good example.
http://www.dragtimes.com/Pontiac-GTO-Timeslip-399.html
They can go good but you have to put a lot into them.
http://www.dragtimes.com/Pontiac-GTO-Timeslip-399.html
They can go good but you have to put a lot into them.
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Yea i am trying to do this on the cheap, but not reuse gaskets, i just don't wanna buy a 150 set of gaskets if there is a 75 dollar set available, the motor is really low milage as the cross-hatching is still visable. I just want to invest as little as possible in my work truck. As for the 69 trans am i got the original motor, just speculating. Go in my 68 is a built 428 with edelbrock heads performer rpm intake comp cam and a mighty demon 750. Mated to a six speed to 4.11 gears. I figure 11,s should be pretty easy, sad thing only thing faster then the speedo is the gas gauge. I am right there with you on the fuel injection. On a side not, i have been told ironically enough that the ls series of engines have more in common with a traditional pontiac then they do with a chevy. Bottom line is use what you enjoy driving, if mine was a six cylinder car, beat the house i would use my old truck motor in it. But in the case of a real deal 69 trans am its probably not a wise move to do something like that. Thanks for the headgasket info, i am gonna go order em in the morning
Glad to hear you wont re-use the head gaskets. They're no different than TTY bolts, one time use. After torquing them down, the gaskets are designed to flatten out to seal. They are definitely not designed to be reused. Anyone that wants to try might get lucky, but $80 is cheap insurance against not having to pull it apart just to do it right. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right the first time. If ya can't afford it, save up until ya can.
Glad to hear you wont re-use the head gaskets. They're no different than TTY bolts, one time use. After torquing them down, the gaskets are designed to flatten out to seal. They are definitely not designed to be reused. Anyone that wants to try might get lucky, but $80 is cheap insurance against not having to pull it apart just to do it right. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right the first time. If ya can't afford it, save up until ya can.
do you have first hand experience with the head gasket not being reusable? because I do. i've seen 11.25 SCR 8.8:1 DCR on re-used gaskets done at 40000 miles up to that car is up to 20k hard miles on them and still going. Thats what I am basing my advise on. Just make sure the gasket isn't ripped or torn. if you''ve tried this and experienced premature failure, I would love to know so I could stop spewing this "terrible advise."
RAIIITA, As for the 428 thats my favorite setup, super tourqey high reving. I ended up going with a eagle 455 crank bc it was less expensive. that engine is sitting in the garage, becase my original 40yr old untouched bottom end is holding up pretty well. really jealous about your six speed and that would really give the purists a heart attack, but I need some OD gears.
Yes I have first hand experience with reusing a head set and have had some buddies try it as well. If it works for you, go with it. I prefer the manufacturers recommendation though and will fork out the $40-$80 for a new set. I imagine you reuse the TTY head bolts as well? Good luck with that.