Crank swap
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
Crank swap A friend of mine wants to swap the crank in a 2006 Chevy Express van with the 6.0 LQ4 engine.
He wants to drop the oil pan, remove the connecting rod caps, push the pistons & rods up and drop the crank out.
We're aware of everything else that needs to come out, front & rear covers, water & oil pump, flex plate (trans can be pushed back enough to get to the bolts), etc.
It's a bunch of work but far less than pulling the engine, these vans are a bitch for engine swaps.
I think it'll work.
Thoughts?
He wants to drop the oil pan, remove the connecting rod caps, push the pistons & rods up and drop the crank out.
We're aware of everything else that needs to come out, front & rear covers, water & oil pump, flex plate (trans can be pushed back enough to get to the bolts), etc.
It's a bunch of work but far less than pulling the engine, these vans are a bitch for engine swaps.
I think it'll work.
Thoughts?
Last edited by Paul Bell; Feb 15, 2023 at 09:37 PM.
Imho, this creates more work than it saves. I could be wrong, but I'm speaking from the C5 Corvette world, and I could still be wrong. Maybe someone will chime in that's actually done it this way. But as I said, imho, it's a tough way to go....
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
The engine has a knock. Either main or rod bearing. It's assumed the crank journal is wiped.
He's gonna have it ground and polished and use it with oversize bearings.
I'm leaning towards NO, he shouldn't try this, lifting a heavy crank perfectly into the main saddles while laying on his back may be impossible.
He's gonna have it ground and polished and use it with oversize bearings.
I'm leaning towards NO, he shouldn't try this, lifting a heavy crank perfectly into the main saddles while laying on his back may be impossible.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
He might as well hone the cylinders and use LQ9 pistons-that's the only difference between the LQ4 and LQ9.
I predict I'll be building this engine for buddy beer.
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 436
From: St. Louis
I was thinking about this, doing this in vehicle would be an absolute nightmare the weight of the crank the five mains, It's not impossible honestly I know I could do it I could get it all bolted back together but It's not the kind of job that's worth spending money on new pistons for another half point of compression I certainly couldn't justify spending more than the minimum for something like this, hell a good used crank and some cheap used pull out pistons (people sell them still on the rods all the time) would be a better bet If you're going to put it back together like that, like a muddy soldier on the side of the road, than having one of the journals machined for a bigger bearing, I mean if you're going to do a battlefield repair do a battlefield repair that kind of job the tolerances how you're smashing it back in there I'd probably find another clean used rod bearing to run so I wouldn't have to worry about the tolerance. Any good machinist will tell you if it's too tight everyone will know but if it's a little loose nobody will ever know. This is the kind of job that shouldn't get any machine work some good used parts will do fine
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,615
Likes: 65
From: NYC
Yeah, the motor is gonna be pulled and rebuilt. The body of the van is in pretty good shape and it has the10.5" floating axle rear, which GM stopped putting in these vans in 2009.
Basic rebuild, LQ9 pistons, new oil pump, torquer cam, LS2 timing chain, valve seals and springs.
Basic rebuild, LQ9 pistons, new oil pump, torquer cam, LS2 timing chain, valve seals and springs.