Well here is the reaon for my question. I have a lq4 in my suburban that i have been running for about 2 1/2 years and i think it had more miles on it than i was told. i t started knocking and i discovered it has crank walk so it will need to be gone through. it still runs strong with the ls6 cam and does non miss a beat accept for the crank walking. i like the ls6 cam but i was expecting different results.
when i pull the motor i am wanting to find a set of lq9 pistons and either mill the 317's or find something else that will bring the c/r up to 10.5 or 11. (sugestions on head choice). i also am wanting to change the cam bcause i need more low end torque 2000 to 5500-6000. the ls6 pulls real strong from about 3000 to about 6200 but there is not much lowend torque.

now for the question.
is 500+ft lb possible with the c/r i am wanting to run with out spending lots of money? i am also wanting to stick with the truck intake. can someone recomend a cam that will allow me to reach my goals? idle characteristics do not matter to me i can change the converter.

maybe someone has done this and can give me some real world tq and hp numbers.

thanks
Kris

 

I doubt you will reach 500ft-lb with a 6.0 even at peak tq, if you're going to go through it anyways you might as well stroke it, a 408 will probably do exactly what you need with a mild cam, and I don't think the rotating assemblies are terrible expensive. Just a thought.

 

hello 98 4x4 burban. comp cams have a extreme truck cam for the 5.3(lm7) & 6.0(lq4). i dont know what results will come from a cam swap but its made trucks. i will be watching this thread for advice/results. most of my buds have lm7's or lq4's/lq9's swapped in 67-87 c10's. they want max hp. i want torque. i want something to move heavy weight easily. clark.

 

arc00ta.... i really dont have the money for a stroker motor in the budget right now i know more cubes will get me there easilt but i want to se if i can do it with stock cubes or maybe a 0.030 over bore.


dec010974.... i will look for some results on the cam you mentioned, dont get me wrong i want hp as well but i want to make more torque down low to get things rolling and use the hp to keep it moveing. i am wanting to use this truck as my tow vehicle.

please keep the advice coming

 

Spray it lol!

Naw but finds some ls6 heads pp and use a tsp tourqer2 cam. Its not to big and peaky like some ,it also has very nice curve to it. Pistons souldent be that expensive I think egale makes a 6.0 bore piston for 550.

 

i think either way you go your looking at different heads, new cam (with valvetrain) and addressing your bottom end.

maybe you can find another LQ4 or LQ9 on the cheap, then start gathering parts. i think you can do a fairly inexpensive build, watch the for sale items here. tons of heads going for decent deals. along with other great parts.

 

Use this math....

(These numbers are approximates but very real world based on alot of data I have compiled over the years.)

Stock....1.15 - 1.2 ft/lbs per CID

So-so budget performance combo....1.25 TQ per CID (note I am discussing FLYWHEEL numbers mind you)

Average combo with decent heads....not breaking the bank 1.3 TQ per CID

Solid combination.....good heads....good intake and exhaust....attention to detail 1.35 ish

Very well planned combo....expensive....very efficient heads and induction....good exhaust....optimized valve events (good cam selection).....hitting ALL the details 1.37 - 1.39 TQ per CID.

Don't forget....these are numbers at the crank....not the rear wheels and are based on pump gas combinations. A high compression race engine can generate a slightly higher multiple.

In short....torque output is heavily effect by displacement with the rest of the package having the effects I highlighted above with my various "multiples" based on the rest of the combination.

So The same 364 six liter engine from stock to highly modified can see a swing in torque from 430 ft/bs or so to slightly over 500 at the crank. If you were hoping to be close to that on a budget (and potentially at the rear wheels?).....well it just isn't worth even thinking about is the short version of your answer.

Thought the breakdown would give some of you guys a better understanding of whats possible. Torque isn't as easily manipulated as horsepower btw....because horsepower is derived from torque and RPM where torque is the truest measure of twisting force your engine is capable of generating.....very much related to its size (displacement) as I said earlier (unless we are discussing forced induction applications which is an altogether different animal). HP is the rate or how quickly we can apply that twisting force btw....but getting any more involved than that here is getting away big time from the OP's concerns.

-Tony

 

thanks for the info Tony.
sounds like i need to lower my goal to a more achievable number. my guess would be about 450. i really did not want to have to increase the displacement to gain a higher torque number i really wanted to just increase the compression ratio but it sounds like i need to do both.

as for cyl heads, which stock GM head should i look for? aftermarket heads are NOT in the budget. or would milling my 317's and doing some port work be better?

 

Great info, I wasn't thinking that far in depth but I know with his stock 6.0 (364) he would have a hard time hitting 500ft-lb without some serious work. Thats why I was suggesting a stroker kit, I think TSP sells a 408 stroker rotating assembly for like $1700, while thats not really a budget build I think its the most realistic way to get the number he is looking for.

98 4x4, 450 should be doable, I made 402rwtq with a VERY budget built LS6 (the entire thing cost me less than $2k including the motor) with only a 224/224 cam and stock LS6 heads. Take your time and do your research, pick through the classifieds and see if you can get some deals. Good luck with it.

 

Just rebuild the engine and stick a diffrent cam in it if your that tight budget.

A 402 rotating assembly is going to cost you a tick more then a good rebuild of your stock bottom end.

 

My truck made 487.7 ft/lbs @ 3000 rpm.

 

sounds like you should swap in a big block or a desiel.

your 6.0 should cover the cost.

 

i am not wanting to stroke it, i have a figure in my head of about $1000 to $1200 total so a stroker is out of the question.
did you make that number on spray or on motor?


dont have the money for another swap but i thought about a dirtymax.

 

500 to the flywheel or 500 to the wheel is a big difference in cost lol..

 

rearwheel N/A...

 

Keep the LQ4 pistons and find a used supercharger somewhere. A maggie would be the quickest way to monster low end TQ and by the time you figure cost of heads/cam you can buy a good used one.

 

do not really want to go the boosted route either without a forged bottom end.

 

Why? These motors have proven time and time again that they have awesome stock internals and can take boost like a champ...

I put more spray to my stock 5.3 then most put to a "forged bottem end" motor.

 

i hate to play the "what if" card but there is always a what if and it is a BIGGER one with boost or spray. with this being one of the "family" vehicles i really dont want to chance it without having at the least a set of rods and pistons in it. i just want to build a strong running (better than stock) N/A motor with a decent amount of torque and still be reliable enough to tow with.
i am really pleased with your tq numbers, but i think the cam you have is a little to much but i really dont know.