JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

So after much reading, lurking, and necromancy of threads ive made a desicion on how im building my newly aquired 6.0L LQ4 bare block i happend across for $150.

The engine will eventually be replacing my 98 TA's LS1 thats already running a gt4t turbod setup, thats got a built 4l65e, 3800 stall, 255 ractronic pump and hotwire, 60lbs injectors, and a full return fuel sytem with Boost referenced FPR.

i think i got my bases covered i think, but curious if ive missed anything?

It's amazing what changes in nearly 4 years...
I'm not gonna delete my original intent just to see the difference in build with what I'm actually running.
After a COVID, a deployment, and trashed LS1, finally getting around to building this thing, here's what I've gone with so far...

Stock 6.0L LQ4 with a light flexhone cyclinders
stock Ls crank
Clevit main bearings
stock gen4 rods
clevit rod bearings
stock ls2 pistons
sealed power 979K piston rings
Speedmaster Head studs
stock 241 ls1 heads
BTR ​Ls9 head gaskets
Pac1218 valve springs
BTR ls7 lifters
Texas speed 7.400 stems
summit pro stage 2 turbo cam 226/230
​​​VSR 7875 GEN 2.5 billet turbo
80Lbs deka injectors
Racetronic 340 dual pump kit
LS6 intake
holly sniper 92mm TB

If you plan to tackle this simular build here's a few things you'll need or want, or both lol
Tools and garage:
Jack and jack stands, or a lift if you got the room/money
LS crank balancer removal and install tools
Big breaker bar and/or a beefy impact wrench
engine hoist and stand, even if you're dropping it

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

The eventual canidate


mains look to be in good shape

bores are pretty clean. need a crosshatch job, but if i wanted to do a sloppy junkyard build, i could slap in some stock lq4 rods and pistons in... which i have lol i almost did, but decided against it in favor of forged

cam bears are actually still intact



pile of goodies

317 heads

changing the springs over

the cam that was gonna go in the ls1, but decided just to build an entire engine 😁

ls9 gaskets

got myself a balancer puller and installer

still got more gaskets coming

Twinturbski

Nice!

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

this is a trial in patience and discipline right now lol I had gotten a set of LQ4 pistons initially, and they keep staring me in the face everytime I open my garage lol only thing keeping me from ring gapping and stuffing them into the block currently is I really want to send the engine out to get checked, cleaned, and 4.005 bored, and I really want to put new clean bearings on new clean forged internals on the stock crank. plus i still gotta get a dampener for when they balance it as well lol
getting the little stuff for now. love the delivery guy right now becuase almost everyday is a new car part 😁

rpturbo

iTrader: (47)

Good cam bearings????? Where did you get those? J/K, it's nice when you find something is not complete garbage.

tblentrprz

Basic SBE LQ4

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

Finally got it on the engine stand

better view of the 6.0L

some gen 3 pistons i picked up. wondering what to do with em


decided to clean them up and see if maybe...

the bores dont look bad. could use a hone.

just checking stuff out. pullong the old sensors out. who ever pulled the engine sheared off the oil sensor lol

slowly cleaning her up

man the oil rings were dirty!

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

Decided to test out the rings and see what they were in the bore. Looks like they are right in the turbo range... all of them. .027ish for all the rings, top and bottom.Starting to think i might start with either these pistons or see if i can snag gen 4 pistons. Waiting to see if an offer goes through.
i think for now, im gonna get it hot tank cleaned, checked, and honed, and then sloppy mechanic style, slap gen 4 rods/pistons, and stock crank back in it, and stick the turbo cam in it with 317 heads. Gonna shoot for 800rwhp range, so gonna need more fuel but i think i have everything i need currently to put this thing together.

with 317 71cc heads, lq4 6.7cc dished pistons and stock rods, ls9 .054 gaskets, and the 364 block, the compression ratio is 9.4:1cr, and add in a mild 226/230 cam, and 15psi of boost with 80lb injectors, a walbro 450 pump, methanol injection, .... i think i have decent start

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

What you orig planed is identical to my 6.0, even the Summit stg 2 cam. If your going with plan B, I would at least install new rings, cam bearings (if they hot tank it you will need them).

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

Nice! i look forward to trying out this summit cam. I have new cam and main bearings on standby and I'm gonna get new rings too since they are cheap enough anyway.
I decided on a more stock bottom end with gen 4 rods and pistons as im keeping the power a tad more modest around 800hp. it will also allow me to better afford a slight larger but not nearly as big turbo for a 1000hp build. my gt45 is huffing pretty damn good with the ls1, and its good for about 700. I'm thinking a s475 or s480 will be the next step for the 6.0L and keeping the rpms to about 6500ish.

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

got a set of 4th gen LQ4 pistons and rods today for pretty cheap. gonna hold the gen 3 lq4 piston and rods for backups or if something else comes up.

set of 4th gen lq4

lq4 with valve relief on the left (im assuming DOD) and a LQ9 flattop with gen 4 rod on the right. Im actualy gonna replace the dished pistons for flat ls2/lq9 pistons. this will keep my compression at 10.1 w9th 317heads and keep low rpm/no boost tq up while also utilizing the better flow of 317 heads. the floating pins make swapping a lot easier

got 9 in the box lol and i bougt the flat top one by accident on ebay. so if i was trying to build a v10 i'd be close to something lol at least i have a spare set of rods just in case.

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

got some lq9/ls2 flat top pistons in today. let the fun begin. need to send the block out for cleaning and checking, and balancing.

offaxis

iTrader: (19)

Looks good in for updates

68roadrunner

I got them cheap too, until I found out how expensive the rings are LOL

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

I'm curious what people recommend on these rings? I've come across hastings rings for like $84 which isn't bad. I keep coming across that Moly rings might not be the best option though for boosted engines due to flaking if they get too hot. this is one of those pandoras box topic I'm sure but lol , any recommendations?

LSswap

Looks like this block has been around the block. I would get or borrow a dial bore gauge and measure the bores all around, especially at the bottoms. High mileage ones tend to become oval at the bottoms and just a hone may not round it back out.

Is that an optical thing or is the coolant passage blocked?

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

Oh for sure, I'm holding off on anything else until I get the block cleanup and at the least honed, but if i have to get bored this will change a lot of what i will do then. The picture is just over exposure, might have had the flash on. The coolant passages could use a serious descaling/hot tank, but you can see through them. that top section is just me too close with a cell phone camera lol but its still pretty grimy in there.
Like I said, gotta get it to the machine shop to have them check it out.

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

So for the street, would the vsr gen 2.5 billet 7875 1.25 ar t4 be a decent flowing turbo for this 6.0L and this summit cam?

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

ls2 piston waiting to go. swapping ls2 pistons over onto gen 4 rods. swapping piston rings is sooooo tedious lol but allows me to check and gap rings so its necessary.

4 stuff into one bank. (​​the new rings were .030 and .026 so I left them alone)

last couple to go into the engine. the BTR 4.0" piston guide was a huge help!!! piston slide in almost too easy lol had to reseat a few rod cap bearings from moving too fast lol (rods take 15ftlbs first pass and then 83degrees second pass, but 90 degrees or 51-55ftlbs according to Matt from Sloppy works)

summit stage 2 turbo cam about to find its new home

some covers and stuff lol seals actually went on alot easier than i thought they would on the front and rear covers.

had to get a bunch of ict bolts since the block was bare. so it looks pretty fancy lol

cam in. lubed with assembly lube, cloyes timing set with ls2 chain. #1 top dead center and dot to dot on gears.

ls7 lifter.... probably china lol

ls2 oil pump and put some assembly lube inside it.


guides and lifters ready to go with some lube

buttoned up top to keep stuff out. stock valley cover

stud guide i used for the different lengths.

studs all pre staged

studs all set

rear cover set

Main caps 15ftlbs 1st pass, and then 45degrees second pass (it's actually 53) and then 18ftlbs on the side cap bolts.

tube brace. blue gasket ring is on the tube.

oil pan... did you know there were long ones in the back lol

all buttoned up

filled with fogging oil and used to keep out moisture and dust.

sooooooooo dumbass moment. make sure to put the barbell in BEFORE you put the rear cover on thats on an engine stand 🙄

called it a day but other than the oil barbell not a bad start for my first ls/lq engine build, casualy in my garage on a nice may afternoon. was also nice to clean out the garage from random parts laying around everywhere lol be nice to have all the engine parts ON the engine and on the engine stand lol

JoshuaGrooms83

iTrader: (2)

finishing buttoning it up

closing up the holes for storing it

not too bad for my first slap together. i gotta find the right studs though. these are not the right ones.