6.0l Engine Swap

[jboy416]

hey guys

 

first off want to apoligise if this has been beaten to death. spent some time reading peoples power builds and what not. i know its annoying when a new guy comes on and asks a question that was answered last week. new to this forum but not to forums in general.

 

A little back ground. Drive a 4.0L 5-speed manual 2000 Jeep TJ lifted sitting on 35" BFG Krawlers lockers front and rear. This set up has served me well, but there comes a time when what you have isnt enough. You want to go bigger. Build better. I have posted on a few other 4x4 sites but have been relatively disapointed with the quality of answers i have received. So i figured i go right to the source. that would be you guys.

 

So the planned build will consist of...

 

Dana 300 or atlas transfer case

40" Tires

ford HP dana 60

rear 60 or 14 bolt

stretch wheel base

NV4500 5 speed manual trans

 

now my stock trans can be made to survive this. and the stock 4.0L engine with appropriate gears will make for a versitale off road rig. But i DD my jeep and thats my main goal. to keep it street able. The stock 180hp and 220ft/tourque will leave a little to be desired. The straight six is known for its dependabiltiy and its lowend tourque but lets be honest. Who doesnt want a V8?

 

The small block chevy is a very popular swap in the 4x4 comunity. Many purists will stroke the 4.0L to 4.5 or even 5L now but at a cost of $4000+ its not a very budget oriented option. turbos are another but also share the same high price tag. So a V8 seems best. needs to be EFI as carburated does not do well on some of the extreme operating angles a carb would see on a 4x4 rig.

 

i have narrowed my choice to 2 engines. The 6.0L LQ4 or LQ9, and this is where my question comes in.

 

With out searching too hard i have found...

 

2007 LQ4 out of a 3500 silverado for around $1500 with 40k miles on the clock

2007 LQ9 out of a Serria Denali for around $2500 with 40K miles on the clock

 

from my understanding the LQ9 is the H.O. version of the LQ4. concidering that chevy engines probably have the most aftermarket support of any engine out there should i buy the LQ4 or spend the extra $1000 on the LQ9.

 

would the 1000 saved on the LQ4 be better spend on cam, header, ect than the stock LQ9.

 

my rig wieghts a little less than 5000lbs. i want low end torque. 350+ of reliable brake horse power. i need an engine to beat on. i am not concerned with fitment in the engine bay as i know it will. i get around 13 mpg now so i'd like to meet that or beat it. do these engine have the variable cylinder displacement? should i concider something else?

 

i look forward to some replys.

 

thanks

jason

[Prokopchuk_9]

im pretty sure the only difference is the lq9 has higher compression, you could get the lq4, throw 800 bucks at some stiffer springs and cam and you will have more horsepower. probly almost do a whole valve train and cam for the price of the 2500 dollar lq9 and end up with more HP. IMO.

[speedracer0626]

Just jump in and do it and take plenty of pics and videos. Go with LQ4, because you will bearly notice that much of a difference between the two in the off road world. Honestly by the time you make custom headers and exhaust you will have about the same HP, or close enough. Oh and what is your zip code?

[jboy416]

Ok. That's good to know. Chevboy where do you get your parts? I am in Victoria on Vancouver island. The engine would have to be imported from Washington. Not a big deal but do you know of any places here in Canada?

 

 

 

I know guys use a specific shorty type header that will fit between the jeep frame rails. But it's for the 5.7L? Pardon my ignorance if I am wrong on the displacement. I am definatel not building a hi revving race engine. More of a low end work horse.

[old-chevy-dude]

why don't you go with a Mopar 6.1L or 6.4L crate motor, it would be a whole lot easier to mate it to an exisiting Mopar driveline, and the programming would be easy as well, with a Diablo CMR tune, the motor would be pretty much a drop in with an OEM Mopar engine harness.

 

you might try posting your question (if you are considering a Mopar Modern Hemi motor) on www.lxforums.com there are a ton of Canadian builders there and several motors for sell.

 

you can get a 5.7L 2005 + Hemi or a 6.1L 2005+ Hemi for close to what you are looking at on those 2 you posted.. if you want 7.0L 426 Hemi, I know of one in Canada that is built to near 700hp for around $11k CDN.

[jboy416]

You are correct. It would allow me to mend my factory gauges to the hemi harness. I did find a 2005 1500 ram 5.7 for $600 but due to the popularity of the JK and hemi swaps the 6.1's are still commanding a premium. Haven't seen one for less than $8000 yet. So as it stands your basically paying for the hemi name when it comes to those swaps. And that engine is reletivley new (in modern form) compared to the small block LS motors. Eventually I ammsurenhe motor will come down in price. Comanpines like novak adapters have been doing it for a while and the engines are a dime a dozen so the initial costs are much lower with the chev motor. There is no way to mend factory jeep gauges to the chev harness without piggy backing the ECU's so most guys just use aftermarket gauges.

[jboy416]

So... So far sounds like buy the LQ4 and take the savings and upgrade it. Does anyone know for some good builds of another forum perhaps or maybe a good book detailing power upgrades to that engine?

[old-chevy-dude]

You are correct. It would allow me to mend my factory gauges to the hemi harness. I did find a 2005 1500 ram 5.7 for $600 but due to the popularity of the JK and hemi swaps the 6.1's are still commanding a premium. Haven't seen one for less than $8000 yet. So as it stands your basically paying for the hemi name when it comes to those swaps. And that engine is reletivley new (in modern form) compared to the small block LS motors. Eventually I ammsurenhe motor will come down in price. Comanpines like novak adapters have been doing it for a while and the engines are a dime a dozen so the initial costs are much lower with the chev motor. There is no way to mend factory jeep gauges to the chev harness without piggy backing the ECU's so most guys just use aftermarket gauges.

 

 

seriously, post up on www.lxforums.com

 

I know of at least 2 complete motors 5.7L and 6.1L for well under $6000

 

for $6000 you can get a built 392 (6.4L) for $7000 - $8000 a 426 (7.0L)

 

 

just trying to help, was a Mopar tech for over 20 years and I am pretty well known and familiar in the LX (300s, Magnums, Chargers, Challengers) communities.

[jboy416]

Ok I will. I definately appreciate the response.

[ybsane]

http://www.burnsvilleoffroad.com/

 

http://www.aev-conversions.com/products/

 

The first one sells conversion kits and does them well to jeep products, second one some things but more to suspension. I agree also that you would be better off sticking with Mopar for an engine swap unless you are real comfortable with wiring and ECM conversions.

 

Rob

[Prokopchuk_9]

So... So far sounds like buy the LQ4 and take the savings and upgrade it. Does anyone know for some good builds of another forum perhaps or maybe a good book detailing power upgrades to that engine?

 

ya man the lq4 is a great engine just in stock form, they will rev 5000 RPM aaaallll day long, very good low end torqy motor. ..i used the internet to order parts and thunder racing. i sent a lq4 block to a machine shop and had it bored, used eagle crank, eagle h-beams, i port and polished a set of ls1 heads myself. used comp cams valve train and thunder racing spec'd a cam for me. i am a machinist myself also, i stroked it myself just didnt have the right machines to do everything. had it tuned by a buddy and myself (was a real wake up call learning the EFI side of the world). a few other supporting things i needed too, like oil pump and a few other small things i had to do. cost me about 7000 grand. roughly 480RWHP and about 520 tq at the wheel....on a street-able cam and conservative timing. coulda went for 650 with a shot of NOS but it was my everyday-er...

 

sounds like you wanna build a crawler, for that i imagine you have super low gearing??? what sizze tires you running? doubler t-case??? a stock lq4 with a port polish job, headers and a tune would KILL in something like that man....look on summit racing....sounds like you need block huggers eh?? or check out JBA, Hooker, Pacesetter (what i ran)...

 

also join pirate4x4.com man, those guys know what they are talkin about..lotsa mopar builders, toyota guys...

[jboy416]

Yup. My current build is already on pirate as well as my local jeep forum. Right now I'm sitting on 35" BFG Krawlers but will most likely run 40" Kevlar MTR's. If I mate the LQ4 (in stock form) to my current trans then I will keep my Dana 300 twin stick with 4:1 gearing. If I build up the LQ4 I will mate a NV4500 to it with an atlas two speed transfer case with 10:1 gearing. But this will add close to $10,000 to the build.

[Prokopchuk_9]

Yup. My current build is already on pirate as well as my local jeep forum. Right now I'm sitting on 35" BFG Krawlers but will most likely run 40" Kevlar MTR's. If I mate the LQ4 (in stock form) to my current trans then I will keep my Dana 300 twin stick with 4:1 gearing. If I build up the LQ4 I will mate a NV4500 to it with an atlas two speed transfer case with 10:1 gearing. But this will add close to $10,000 to the build.

 

send me the link i wanna check it out dude!! i have an old 84 chevy with a 425 horse 355 in it with 12 inch lift and 44's right now lol. its a piece of junk me and a buddy split it. just sits behind out shop...but another guy i work with built a mean ass chevy, basically a nascar engine in it 2.5 ton top load rockwells, 4 link front...pinion brakes...spider webbed around the truck...rear mount rad its a mean rig. i wanna see yours man, those atlas are really nice eh?? my buddy has an np205 for sale...put the link up...with the nv4500 you need a special tail shaft adapter dont you?? or does atlas make all that shit??

[jboy416]

Atlas can custom build it to whatever input/output shaft you need. Just costs $.

 

So here is where I am at. Work has settled a bit so I am taking my crew to fort macmurry for a 3 month contract starting pretty quick doing some construction upgrades. When I get back my LQ4 should be here waiting for me.

 

The plan for now it to swap in the V8. Keep my transmission. Ditch my transfer case for a Dana 300 (sitting in my yard). Front and rear Dana 60's and 40" Goodyear MTR's.

 

Here is what the jeep looks like now.

 

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=783888