hey guys, got an LQ9 from an 01 2500, miles were approx 180K,besides block being crusty and me wanting to tear it down for a hot tank i think ill leave it together.
Looking for feedback on what i have planned for the build. Its going in an 87 C30 crew cab long bed dually mated with a 4l80e.
Plans are to get engine into truck and running for my wedding, then later down the line single or twin turbo.

from the top
stock truck intake
102mm throttle body
317 heads untouched
michigan motorsports trunnion kit
comp cams 26925-12 .675 lift 1.305 dual springs
BTR stage 2 turbo cam
LS9 headgasket
chinese head studs
ARP rod bolts
LS6 melling oil pump.


This is where im at and before i start buying parts id like to get any positive or negative feedback. Thanks

 

Do not use those springs
Use a melling 10295 pump
Michigan motorsports uses the same comp kit so you can buy that and save money
Dont cheap out on head studs
If you use arp rod bolts you will have to resize your rods and use a different bearing
Dont use a 102mm tb on a stock engine for turbo you wont see any gain


I mean, you wanna spend $100 + on unnecessary head gaskets but cheap out on other areas then spend WAY too much on a spring kit. I may sound harsh but buy good quality parts and you wont have to worry about 1 being the weak link. ls2 or ls3 head gaskets will work just as well and save you money.

Also gap your rings whether using new rings or the old ones.

If you're under 20lbs arp head bolts are fine.

 

Your not being harsh, this is what im here for is criticism. Ive never built an LS motor so its all unfamiliar to me. Im not sure which michigan kit your referring too. theyre all BTR products and are almost double the price as the COMP CAMPS springs, granted they dont come with the retainers and everything else?

the comp cams spring kit i was looking at
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...yABEgK2FPD_BwE

im glad you told me about the rod bolts, sounds like i will keep the stock bolts.
do you have a recommendation on gap sizing for the stock rings?

 

Thats for a set of 12 springs. just springs. no retainers no seats no seals. and 12 not 16.

Any of the michigan motorsports rockers use the comp trunion kit.

Gap depends on boost. normally people open them up to .020/.022.

The btr kit is the best way to buy that. you get a kit discount and its everything together.
Buying parts from 9 places can be a total headache.

 

A 2500 motor won't be a LQ9. It'll be a LQ4. Mostly similar but significantly lower compression (dished pistons rather than flat-tops). LQ9 compression is about 10:1; LQ4 is around 9¼:1 or so. LOOOOK at what you've got to be sure.

The Michigan Motorsports rockers are available with the Straub bushing kit in them... they're new OE rocker bodies, with the kit pre-installed. I have them. They offer more than one trunnion option. Definitely get that version rather than the Comp one.

Increasing the TB dia won't make any difference at all with a stock truck intake. The hole in the intake, right behind it, is only a shade over 75mm. Go measure it and see. Increasing the hole in the other thing won't matter. Total waste of money. Not sure you can even get one that size in the 3-bolt configuration; again, one good look will tell you why.

If you don't tear the motor down, you can't change the ring gap. If you DO tear the motor down, you can't, or at least REALLY REALLY REALLY SHOULDN'T, re-use the stock rings. The idea of what gap to set the stock rings to therefore has no meaning.

Build a motor (cam choice specifically) either for a turbo and with a turbo, or for N/A and no turbo. Building a turbo motor without a turbo on it is a guarantee of a disappointing gutless disappointment. Put a cam in it now that's appropriate for N/A, then change it when you add a turbo. Seems like everybody that's never built a motor is "gonna slap a turbo on it someday" but it never actually happens, and by the time it does, their "beginner" build turns out isn't going to be a satisfactory foundation anyway. Don't make that mistake. FOCUS on what you're doing TODAY. I'd suggest looking at a Vinci "Trucker" cam, and the matching spring kit or the PAC1218 spring kit such as from WS6Store or Texas Speed.

Tech's advice on the springs, rod bolts, cheeeeeeep studs, etc. is spot on. Personally I would avoid studs if at all possible; if you've never used head studs before, you have no idea what a PITA they can be, in ways that aren't obvious and you never even thought of.

Consider a torque converter. It's AMAZING how much difference one of those can make. I would consider that a MAJOR oversight in your plan at this point. Consider gears also: that truck probably has no better than 3.42 gears, as it sits.

 

 

I literally run this very same combo in my 86 C30...

 

This, plus just about everything else RB04Av said...

It will almost certainly be a LQ4, mine was from a 2000 2500, and it was an LQ4.

I didn't change my torque converter, because I tow with mine all the time.

I would check your gears... being a 1-ton it probably has 3.73's or 4.10's.



If I had it to do over again, I would do what Che70velle says about the cam...(but, I was on a tight budget so I just threw it in there as was) what he also says...tuning is paramount.

 

Lots of good advice here , like everybody said stick with stock throttle body , just use stock headbolts or ARP bolts ,no need for studs especially chinesium ones . The stock bottom end will poop way before you have head gasket issues, I would even skip the LS9 gaskets. Use a good torquey N/A cam. Doesn't make a difference if you are turboing later , unless you plan to make 1000whp , which is pointless in that big of a truck . Which brings me why do you want to turbo it? I'm guessing you use it for towing being a dually , towing under boost is really hard on stuff , not saying it can't be done . If its to make it fast then you should be looking at something lighter that'll respond to power better.

 

I did something very similar to you. I picked up a gasket/hardware kit from WS6 store to get me going. Threw in a new timing chain, oil pump, cam retainer plate, head bolts, etc. I tried to not get fancy and get the thing buttoned up quickly. I added fresh lifters and lifter retainer trays also. I still have not run the engine but changing all of those parts out was enough work. Good luck with your build.

Larry

 

dont ever plan on towing with the truck. its my weekend cruiser / toy. itll be on 24 semis and eventually bagged to lay frame. reason for boost later is to make it a bit enjoyable to drive later on. i also dont expect it to be a race car, i didnt buy a 4 door long bed dually and put it on 24" wheels to expect it to fly. just looking to add power to make it fun.

 

thanks, sounds like where im at, i dropped it off today at engine builder, hot tank, new mains - rod - cam bearings and rings.

 

i think im going to go with a nice n/a cam for now. im not concerned about the gearing right now. i plan on using the axle from the 01 2500HD donor truck when i get around to 4 linking and bagging it. just trying to get the motor together so i can drive it to my wedding in July.

 

badass! i got Tejas motor mounts and radiator shroud, whatd you do for your X member and fuel?

 

 

If I remember right, I moved the original cross member back to match the trans mount on the 4l80e. the two front crossmember holes lined up with two on the frame that were already there, and I drilled the rear two. I used cheap *** TransDapt plates for the engine.

I modified the original clam shell mounts so I could use the truck AC compressor...







For the fuel system I installed fuel pump hangers in my tanks and used EP 381 AC Delco pumps...

Your way ahead of the game because yours should have been injected from the factory...all you should need is some better pumps on your factory hangers, and you should be good to go.

 

Ah ok that makes sense , sounds like a fun project .

 

Find a TBSS/NNBS intake with injectors already in it/87mm TB. That will net you some power on an old LQ4 as well. Just budget for an xlink to drive the new TB.