something to ponder 
Lq4 build advise. Seriously.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Lq4 build advise. Seriously. Let me start by asking this:
Can 400 or more hp (500 would be AMAZING) be achieved with stock block, crank, intake, and heads be achieved and still be a "daily driver"? What if I send heads off for CNC or just buy a better set (must be less than 3 grand)
Complete 02 LQ4 already torn down to block.
If this can't be done, I will move along to asking HOW it can be achieved and with WHAT components.
This is a serious question as I have the block loaded up and ready to drop of at local machine shop. I spoke with him and he said it would be tough to maintain the "daily driver" status. He said to contact Brian Tooley for advise and look at no more than a 224 cam.
What are your thoughts? Feel free to pm if you have too much to say.
Can 400 or more hp (500 would be AMAZING) be achieved with stock block, crank, intake, and heads be achieved and still be a "daily driver"? What if I send heads off for CNC or just buy a better set (must be less than 3 grand)
Complete 02 LQ4 already torn down to block.
If this can't be done, I will move along to asking HOW it can be achieved and with WHAT components.
This is a serious question as I have the block loaded up and ready to drop of at local machine shop. I spoke with him and he said it would be tough to maintain the "daily driver" status. He said to contact Brian Tooley for advise and look at no more than a 224 cam.
What are your thoughts? Feel free to pm if you have too much to say.
I'm doubting 500 at the wheels will be possible with the stock intake and heads. I'm not sure how strong the bottom end is on the LQ4's (I was thinking they would support 500 easily, but on the LS1 thats also pushing it as they seem to reach their limits at 550ish RWHP)
I'm thinking Head Cam and Intake you'll be pretty close to 500 RWHP.
I'm thinking Head Cam and Intake you'll be pretty close to 500 RWHP.
Huge difference between 400 rwhp and 500 rwhp. Stock heads and 224 cam might get you close to 400, but for 500 you'll need a good aftermarket casting along with a better intake and cam
Trending Topics
You mentioned that you have the funds for a set of heads "Under 3k".
Does that mean you have some more money to spend on the rest of the build? That 3 grand can get you nice set of CNC'd 243's complete with springs needed for a strong cam and many additional parts matched for your valvetrain. Or, a set of LS3 heads with intake/TB and a Cam suited for your build etc... You can do some damage with 3k.
However,
if you have more to spend in addition the 3K heads, how much more are you willing to spend on the rest of the build? Give us some ideas on what your budget is, realistically. These guys can suggest proven combo's in MANY configurations based on your budget...
Does that mean you have some more money to spend on the rest of the build? That 3 grand can get you nice set of CNC'd 243's complete with springs needed for a strong cam and many additional parts matched for your valvetrain. Or, a set of LS3 heads with intake/TB and a Cam suited for your build etc... You can do some damage with 3k.
However,
if you have more to spend in addition the 3K heads, how much more are you willing to spend on the rest of the build? Give us some ideas on what your budget is, realistically. These guys can suggest proven combo's in MANY configurations based on your budget...
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
Throw an LS3 top end at it and a good cam and headers and be easy over 500 crank.
Or buy gm performance cnc ported LS3 heads for $1300 and bore that block to around 4.065 or 4.070 ish if you have the funds for a low cost bad *** LS3.
The LQ4 will hold 1000 ish horsepower in stock form btw. Someone above said around 500
If you wanted that LQ4 to make around 500 flywheel horsepower with stock heads and intake, you'd have to cam and rev the absolute **** out of it and that would make it not daily friendly
I would bore it out, go high compression (11-12:1) ported LS3 heads and stock LS3 intake for now to be upgraded later and a good cam and headers. If you go 4.065 bore you could use low cost stock LS3 pistons rather than custom size pistons that will cost more.
Recipe for 400 hp:
Long tube headers, swap on a set of factory 243 heads for $400, 228/232 cam.
Recipe for 500 NA (about 430 rear wheel)
Since we are talking flywheel, shouldn't be too hard actually. Stock Ls3 heads, 228/240 cam, aim for 11.5:1 compression. Trailblazer SS intake
Recipe for 500 rear wheel NA:
Either aftermarket cathedrals or cnc ls3 heads, 237/250 cam, plus supporting valvetrain hardware, fast mid length runner intake, long tube headers, dual exhaust. Ls3 heads are meant for bigger motors, so to get the flow out of them on a 6.0, plan to rev and set your valvetrain up accordingly.
If you want 500 rear wheel and retain some daily driveability, cam will be 232/246, OR 237/251 on LLSR, electric water pump, possibly also a vacuum pump. Mast small bore rectangle port heads or mamo 235 heads - so you can get by with less cam.
Long tube headers, swap on a set of factory 243 heads for $400, 228/232 cam.
Recipe for 500 NA (about 430 rear wheel)
Since we are talking flywheel, shouldn't be too hard actually. Stock Ls3 heads, 228/240 cam, aim for 11.5:1 compression. Trailblazer SS intake
Recipe for 500 rear wheel NA:
Either aftermarket cathedrals or cnc ls3 heads, 237/250 cam, plus supporting valvetrain hardware, fast mid length runner intake, long tube headers, dual exhaust. Ls3 heads are meant for bigger motors, so to get the flow out of them on a 6.0, plan to rev and set your valvetrain up accordingly.
If you want 500 rear wheel and retain some daily driveability, cam will be 232/246, OR 237/251 on LLSR, electric water pump, possibly also a vacuum pump. Mast small bore rectangle port heads or mamo 235 heads - so you can get by with less cam.
Build a flat top 370 (4.030 bore)
Put in any number of cams you want, we have a few recommendations, use some 243 heads and have fun.
We have all of those parts and more. Pretty easy to keep the budget low and make good power and have a good build. The key to opening up power potential is by having a larger bore and a higher cr. Youd basically be building .030 over ls2 which makes 400 crank or even rwhp easy with a small cam. No need to drop more money into something if all you want is a good all around performer. You could just go flat top stock bore, but adding a small amount of bore size picks up a good amount. We have complete build kits avail for the best price youll see anywhere also.
Put in any number of cams you want, we have a few recommendations, use some 243 heads and have fun.
We have all of those parts and more. Pretty easy to keep the budget low and make good power and have a good build. The key to opening up power potential is by having a larger bore and a higher cr. Youd basically be building .030 over ls2 which makes 400 crank or even rwhp easy with a small cam. No need to drop more money into something if all you want is a good all around performer. You could just go flat top stock bore, but adding a small amount of bore size picks up a good amount. We have complete build kits avail for the best price youll see anywhere also.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
First let me say thank you for all your responses. I will give you a little more detail.
I want the install to be a painless as possible. It is going into a 02 Silverado 2wd. Same year and make it came out of (Denali AWD) I would like to keep it as much "plug n play" as possible. The only difference the motor was DBW and my recipient is DWC. I also have the harness and ECU.
I have longtubes, plan on buying flatop pistons, and new rods. Brian Tooley cam (not sure of what specs). I don't mind buying new heads provided I don't have to change intake...drive accessories...etc. The less modifying I have to do the better.
Dropped the block off today to be prepped for build. He recommended K1 rods, Wiseco Pistons (.30 over?), factory crank, and a cam no bigger than a 224??? Remember this needs to be "daily driveable" and some head work IF I was to keep the factory 317's?
I greatly appreciate ya'lls help and advice? Am I on the right track?
I want the install to be a painless as possible. It is going into a 02 Silverado 2wd. Same year and make it came out of (Denali AWD) I would like to keep it as much "plug n play" as possible. The only difference the motor was DBW and my recipient is DWC. I also have the harness and ECU.
I have longtubes, plan on buying flatop pistons, and new rods. Brian Tooley cam (not sure of what specs). I don't mind buying new heads provided I don't have to change intake...drive accessories...etc. The less modifying I have to do the better.
Dropped the block off today to be prepped for build. He recommended K1 rods, Wiseco Pistons (.30 over?), factory crank, and a cam no bigger than a 224??? Remember this needs to be "daily driveable" and some head work IF I was to keep the factory 317's?
I greatly appreciate ya'lls help and advice? Am I on the right track?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
You mentioned that you have the funds for a set of heads "Under 3k".
Does that mean you have some more money to spend on the rest of the build? That 3 grand can get you nice set of CNC'd 243's complete with springs needed for a strong cam and many additional parts matched for your valvetrain. Or, a set of LS3 heads with intake/TB and a Cam suited for your build etc... You can do some damage with 3k.
However,
if you have more to spend in addition the 3K heads, how much more are you willing to spend on the rest of the build? Give us some ideas on what your budget is, realistically. These guys can suggest proven combo's in MANY configurations based on your budget...
Does that mean you have some more money to spend on the rest of the build? That 3 grand can get you nice set of CNC'd 243's complete with springs needed for a strong cam and many additional parts matched for your valvetrain. Or, a set of LS3 heads with intake/TB and a Cam suited for your build etc... You can do some damage with 3k.
However,
if you have more to spend in addition the 3K heads, how much more are you willing to spend on the rest of the build? Give us some ideas on what your budget is, realistically. These guys can suggest proven combo's in MANY configurations based on your budget...
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,290
Likes: 3,615
From: Central Cal.
You can get TSP Stage 2.5 LS6 heads (243/799) for $1400 out the door. These have bigger intake valves and will do a good job for what you want. That will leave $1600 for other go-fast goodies (cam, etc.).
Originally Posted by hankfan79
First let me say thank you for all your responses. I will give you a little more detail.
I want the install to be a painless as possible. It is going into a 02 Silverado 2wd. Same year and make it came out of (Denali AWD) I would like to keep it as much "plug n play" as possible. The only difference the motor was DBW and my recipient is DWC. I also have the harness and ECU.
I have longtubes, plan on buying flatop pistons, and new rods. Brian Tooley cam (not sure of what specs). I don't mind buying new heads provided I don't have to change intake...drive accessories...etc. The less modifying I have to do the better.
Dropped the block off today to be prepped for build. He recommended K1 rods, Wiseco Pistons (.30 over?), factory crank, and a cam no bigger than a 224??? Remember this needs to be "daily driveable" and some head work IF I was to keep the factory 317's?
I greatly appreciate ya'lls help and advice? Am I on the right track?
I want the install to be a painless as possible. It is going into a 02 Silverado 2wd. Same year and make it came out of (Denali AWD) I would like to keep it as much "plug n play" as possible. The only difference the motor was DBW and my recipient is DWC. I also have the harness and ECU.
I have longtubes, plan on buying flatop pistons, and new rods. Brian Tooley cam (not sure of what specs). I don't mind buying new heads provided I don't have to change intake...drive accessories...etc. The less modifying I have to do the better.
Dropped the block off today to be prepped for build. He recommended K1 rods, Wiseco Pistons (.30 over?), factory crank, and a cam no bigger than a 224??? Remember this needs to be "daily driveable" and some head work IF I was to keep the factory 317's?
I greatly appreciate ya'lls help and advice? Am I on the right track?
224/230 cam would do much better going into a truck. Cut it on a 114 LSA, install it +2, and you've got a pretty balanced cam that drive good and make good torque. Likely won't dyno much above 410 rear wheel, but that'll easily hit your goals.
I don't have a set budget per say...I just don't want to put some really high dollar heads on if I can avoid it. This will be a weekend toy...for street fun. No track. 3 grand was the absolute max I would want to spend on the HEADS. Stock crank, K1 rods and wiseco pistons are 99% sure going in. Threw my old rods/pistons away so I have to buy new ones anyway. The wiseco really hurt my feelings and the K1's sting a little as well...but...it is what it is.
Well there you go. You've got "up to" 3K to spend on heads. And then the funds for the K1 rods and Wiseco pstons = another $1,425 ish in parts. Not including H series main and Rod bearings.
Now, without including the cost of machine work on the block, you're at approximately $4,500 in parts for your build.
I believe you can get a reliable 450-475 reliable WHP out of your engine with that budget. I won't make any specific suggestions as there are many more educated and proven setups here that these guys have built in N/A form. I'm more of a FI guy myself.
I'm thinking a set of Gen 4 Rods used, new stock replacement pistons for a 30" over bore. A GOOD set of LS3 heads with the right Springs for your spec'd cam. (Many vendors with stock or CNC'd heads complete out there to choose from.
Maybe the PRC 225's with the larger valves using your cathedral intake. You should have plenty to cover that and be reliable with great power everywhere. Have your cam spec'd by the best after you've decided your setup.
I think you have a pretty good budget to get you somewhat close to your budget while being reliable and have good street manners...
Last edited by BlwnLs1GTO; Aug 29, 2017 at 11:24 AM.