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Old Oct 31, 2013 | 10:19 PM
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Default 6.0L Build

Looking for some opinions and ideas on which way to go.

Building a 6.0L LQ4 out of a 2003 Truck.

What I want to do is:

I already have an LS6 intake
Stock Heads with .030 shaved to get the LQ9 compression
Cam and Springs.

This is going in a 1951 Ford Car

4l80E Trans and stock converter
373 gears in the rear
Block hugger headers because of clearance

I called comp cams but didn't get much info from them.

I am looking for someone that has had a similar build to give me some knowledge on what came to use?
Or some of the experts to point me in the direction to decide what Cam to use.


Comp Cams told me I needed a
Cam, Springs kit, trunyon kit, push rods,rockers,lifters is this true or can I get by with Cam and springs and push rods?

I know Cams are very important and want to make sure I get this correct

Thanks
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 11:41 AM
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Well I'm running an rebuilt Lq9 with stock 243 heads and a Howard's Asa cam. Runs like a demon in my light 240sx with t56 and 4.08 rear. Uses oem valve train I.e. ls6 springs etc. I like the oem cams, hotcam/asa, myself.
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 12:48 PM
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Call Martin at Tick Performance
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 02:15 PM
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@ bobby G. Just left Martin a VM he is out until Monday. Thanks for the response.

@niscur29: is this the CAM you are using?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-197715-10

You didn't do any head work? How long have you been running it?

Trever
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 04:15 PM
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Did you buy the intake for looks? The truck intake actually performs just about as well as the LS6 intake, the LS6 is really only an upgrade over the LS1 intake or the FWD 5.3l intakes.

I would do a converter BEFORE a cam, yes there are cams that will drive OK on a stock converter but you will get more performance from a converter first.

If you do do a cam I would do the trunnion upgrade on stock rockers, but would reuse stock lifters so long as they pass an inspection.
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 04:17 PM
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This is the CAM COMP CAMS recommended to me with my specs I gave them.

http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...csid=1092&sb=2

thoughts?
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 04:20 PM
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I bought the LS6 intake for the looks and hood clearance issues.

any suggestions on a converter?

COMP CAMs said with the recommended CAM they have I had to do lifters.
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 04:49 PM
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You probably got an especially ignorant phone line worker. Roller lifter can be reused and most guys just reuse stock lifters even with fairly aggressive cams.

Far as converter use a GOOD smaller diameter unit from someone like Yank, Vigilante or on the "budget" end Ege Racing converters, don't buy something from a company like TCI or B&M.

You are going to get bad info if you call companies like Comp and TCI and such, the "tech lines" are staffed by people looking for a job. Big companies can have good products but the real enthusiasts who develop those products aren't the ones answering the 800 lines.
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Old Nov 1, 2013 | 07:48 PM
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if the lifters have less then 50k on them ,and the motor they came out of is clean ,reuse them.lifters don't cost too much if yours look iffy .check Texas Speed for springs,push rods ,trunnion bearings ,and a ls2 timing chain . get the cam from Tick first ,he will tell you what springs and push rods to get .
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 11:33 AM
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Does anyone out there know the exact mill amount for the heads. I think I read .030 but can't find the article again,

My goal here is to bring the compression to the LQ9 compression.

Thanks
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 12:24 PM
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Originally Posted by bones5133
Does anyone out there know the exact mill amount for the heads. I think I read .030 but can't find the article again,

My goal here is to bring the compression to the LQ9 compression.

Thanks
What heads, 317? I've read that .030-.040" is about as far as you want to mill before the alignment of the intake manifold becomes an issue, but I couldn't confirm that. With that said, you're looking at bringing those 317's down from 71cc chambers to maybe only 66cc, which still won't get you even to 10:1 (close though).

You could slap on a set of the 862 castings from a 5.3L and get about 10.5:1. Mill them down and you're looking at over 11:1, which would probably offset the fact that the 5.3L heads have smaller valves. Of course, you could fix that by having the machine shop cut the larger valve job and using the bigger valves from the 317 heads.
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 01:54 PM
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Yes they are currently 317 heads. So in your opinion is this worth doing or not?

Your saying if I went with the 5.3 heads and use my valves (after they open them up) This would get me to the 10:5:1?
Do you have any articles on this?

Can you get too high of compression ie 11:1. I know my tuned port that came out of the car I had two much compression and I had to lower it in order to get it to run good.
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by bones5133
Yes they are currently 317 heads. So in your opinion is this worth doing or not?

Your saying if I went with the 5.3 heads and use my valves (after they open them up) This would get me to the 10:5:1?
Do you have any articles on this?

Can you get too high of compression ie 11:1. I know my tuned port that came out of the car I had two much compression and I had to lower it in order to get it to run good.
Yeah, I think it's worth it unless you want to run it on low octane gasoline. The 317's are not bad heads, they have a port like the 243/799 heads, but the chambers are too big for most NA engines, especially when you have dish pistons. Compared to milled 317's, the 862's with the bigger valves and the deck milled will give you more than a point of compression at the cost of a little bit of flow, depending on the valve job.

No. Just slapping on the 862's with the stock 61cc chambers will get you to about 10.47:1. Depending on the valve job, cutting for the larger valves could open up the chambers a little bit, probably no more than 1cc, which would get about 10.35:1. If you then mill the heads .030", you should see the chamber volume reduced to about 56cc (typically .006" per cc) which would put you at about 11.12:1 on a stock LQ4 shortblock and GM MLS gaskets. You can use THIS LINK and plug in the numbers and see for yourself what compression ratios you can come up with by changing any of the variables.

I'm at about 11.1:1 on my engine and I use 93 octane. I've never put in any lower octane, but 11:1 is pretty safe for even 91 if that's all you have.
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 05:07 PM
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Originally Posted by KCS
Yeah, I think it's worth it unless you want to run it on low octane gasoline. The 317's are not bad heads, they have a port like the 243/799 heads, but the chambers are too big for most NA engines, especially when you have dish pistons. Compared to milled 317's, the 862's with the bigger valves and the deck milled will give you more than a point of compression at the cost of a little bit of flow, depending on the valve job.

No. Just slapping on the 862's with the stock 61cc chambers will get you to about 10.47:1. Depending on the valve job, cutting for the larger valves could open up the chambers a little bit, probably no more than 1cc, which would get about 10.35:1. If you then mill the heads .030", you should see the chamber volume reduced to about 56cc (typically .006" per cc) which would put you at about 11.12:1 on a stock LQ4 shortblock and GM MLS gaskets. You can use THIS LINK and plug in the numbers and see for yourself what compression ratios you can come up with by changing any of the variables.

I'm at about 11.1:1 on my engine and I use 93 octane. I've never put in any lower octane, but 11:1 is pretty safe for even 91 if that's all you have.
Ok thank you. I am going to go ahead and have my heads milled for my first build. I can do more on my next build after I learn more.
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Old Nov 4, 2013 | 05:08 PM
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I spoke with Martin @ tick performance today.

Here is his recommendations any thoughts would be appreciated. Thinking about ordering this tomorrow.
CAM
223/230 111 +4 is the numbers he gave me.
He also said to go with a 3200 stall

Thoughts?
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