Ok fellas, been reading for weeks now and officially going out of my mind trying to nail down these items. I just purchased an intake manifold, so I am needing some advice for other things to get in order while I finish a buddies car before I start on my own.

I have an 04 LQ4, stock bore, stock everything. 130K miles. $100

I recently purchased a LS3 intake manifold, complete with bolts, injectors, and rails for $350 shipped. I think i want to run the L92 heads, i have a buddy that can get me a brand new set from GM performance for $1000, fully assembled.

I don't plan on boring the motor, i heard it run, sounds fantastic and has great compression. I will probably just clean up the cylinders with a hone and re-ring it.
My goal is to put down good reliable horsepower/torque without destroying my stock t56 (i won't be launching at 5000rpm or powershifting). This motor is going in my daily driver 69 Camaro, 373 posi, 6 speed manual.

My questions to start:
1. If I run the stock L92 heads, will the stock gm head gaskets work? I don't want to flycut the pistons and I am hoping to get a set of new heads that havn't been milled.

2. I plan on replacing the valve springs and pushrods. Do i need to replace the lifters? I have seen people using the LS7 lifters?

3. Should I replace the rod bolts. I don't plan on floating valves all the time but when your side by side it's hard not to hold out a little longer in the rpms...

4. I understand that I will have to have the EVO I or II (can't remember off hand) style injector wires spliced into the stock harness, is that all the modding of the stock harness i need to do? MAP, IAC sensors???

5. I have a stock 04 truck harness with no computer, and I have a stock 05 5.3L harness w/ computer, could I use the 05 setup or do I need to track down an 04 computer?

Need answers on:
Head gaskets?
head bolts, stock or ARP?
Rod bolts?
Lifters?
Stock rocker arms off a set of 317 heads work on the l92 heads?
valve springs?
Pushrods? 7.400's?
Harness modification to work with LS3 topend? Evo style injectors? MAP? IAC?
Harness/computer setup?
Cam options?

Thanks for your help fellas.

**Also, after I get a list narrowed down, I'm gonna be looking for all of these parts to buy, so if you have any, know or any or have anyone that can swing somewhat of a deal, I'd love to give em my dinero!!! Thanks for all the help.

 

I can answer some of those but not all so I'll help you out as much as I can. Lifters... don't use LS7 lifters!! Use morel 5315 lifters they only 60 bucks more. Valve springs I recommend btr 660 platinum setup along with their trunion kit. You'll need the LS3 rocker arms they offset is different from the 317 heads I believe. I would do ARP head BOLTS not studs. Studs are high dollar and greatest on boosted builds. GM head gaskets will work..... and you'll want to check the pushrod length yourself. You may need a slightly shorter pushrod. As far as the cam don't go too big. I would do a max of 225 intake duration especially if the car is a daily driver. I can't tell you how many times I seen guys upset about they combos like you putting together due to too much cam in these type builds. The cam choice is very CRITICAL here. ARP rod bolts are great yo have also.... nothing but added insurance on the motor. 42lb injectors is what I'd recommend also......
maybe Jake fusion, KCS, lil John will chime in also and shine some light on your build....

 

Thanks. What is your take on the rod resizing when using the ARP rod bolts?

 

Good question..... do you plan on spinning the motor really hard?

 

Like I said, i don't plan on putting it past 6500 all the time, but when you are side by side at the top of 2nd gear, it's always hard to make yourself shift!!!

 

Head gaskets?
Stock 6.0L gaskets will work fine.

head bolts, stock or ARP?
Doesn't really matter, whichever you prefer.

Rod bolts?
Probably not really necessary. If you do, I would at least have the rod big end bores checked.

Lifters?
LS7 lifters would be fine, the Morel 5315's would be a nice upgrade too.

Stock rocker arms off a set of 317 heads work on the l92 heads?
The rockets off the 317 heads will work for the L92 exhausts only. As mentioned, the L92 has offset intake rocker arms.

valve springs?
Depends on the cam.

Pushrods? 7.400's?
Measure when you get it all back together.

Cam options?
Depends on your goals and application. You may not need a custom cam or anything, but you can get a recommendation from a vendor or search the Dyno results section and see what real world results people are getting out of similar combos.

 

I would just use the cathedral heads ( 317,243,799 ) and have alittle work done to them. If your not going to capitalize on the l92 then don't bother with them, it will make great power with the cathedral

 

I'm a cathedral person myself but it seems like he dead set on the LS3 heads.....

 

not entirely, when I start adding up the cost to switch over to L92 stuff, intake, harness rework, springs, rockers, bolts, it gets pricey. I already have a set of 317 heads but they need a valve job, there was some valve tick when it was last running. Should I just have a valve job done on them and maybe mill them and avoid all the Ls3 junk entirely??? I'm not looking for 500 hp, I don't think my stock t56 will hold it.

 

Snowhunter, I doing a LQ4 build also, but I had it running and driving it stock in form, in my 86 vette for a little over a year now. I started buying the parts to upgrade the LQ4 for performance. I started to go the LS3 top end route, be I did some research and decided to have some 5.3 heads ported. My LQ4 is a 1999-2000 which have cast iron heads, so the heads were coming off regardless. The 706 casting will bump the compression up. The Head Porter I that did the heads for me does a lot of heads for a major shop here in Jersey. I also brought a LS2 intake and he port match it to the heads. I brought an edelbrock 90mm TB, LS2 timing chain, Morel 5315 lifters, and order custom grounded cam for TICK Performance 227/227 duration .620/610 lift on a 113 I have a set of Melrose 1 3/4 headers. Ineed to pickup a few more parts, and then i will start the H/C/I swap.
Randy

 

Interesting questions you have, I have no answers, but I to am in the same boat, just trying to figure out what I will need on my build. Good luck and I will be following this thread.

 

Here is another idea I am having. I know the reliablilty of chinese parts is hit or miss, but I'm coming up with a list of 76mm turbo and parts that hotrod mag did and made awesome power, over 500 ft lbs and high 400 hp with a stock ls6 cam and springs on a 5.3.

I don't want to go crazy with my hp goal, I don't have the trans for it. I am thinking about attempting a turbo build, mainly because I have wanted to for years and I love to fab crap. But anyways, back to the 6.0 build idea too.

I called my local machine shop, they said they will do a valve job for $325, then essentially my 04 lq4 with the 317 heads should be all good. I don't want to mill the 317's because in the near future, like next year at the latest, I want to attempt a turbo build on a married guy, recent college graduate budget!

 

are you talking about the 5.3 engine Hot Rod did that actually turned out to be a 4.8? i have that bookmarked for reference:
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...g-bang-theory/

i subscribed to this thread as i'm in the middle of trying to accumulate parts for a '00 LQ4 single turbo build. i have lots of questions, but don't want to sound stupid so i just keep searching for similar builds here.

i ditched my stock iron 317 heads and picked up aluminum 317s on here cheap. have you looked into the denmah turbo kit from VS racing? i think that's what i will eventually get once i have the funds (i'm also on a budget - married with 2 kids).