5.3L & 6.0L Turnkey Engines - Starting at $1995

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by jeepman1320

Whats the size difference between the 8.1 and an old school 454? I am running a mildly built 468 w/ a sm465 in my Scrambler, but have been toying around with the idea of an 8.1 through one of the new 6 speed autos. Would happen after tax time, but gotta start the planning stages for budget purposes.

More 8.1L Info

Once again, I haven't finished my personal 8.1L project to verify all of this, but from my research; They are VERY similar. The deck height is like a 1/4" taller for the added stroke so your headers will be about 1/4" higher in relation to the motor mounts. The 8.1L has both the old & new style motor mount bosses. Any "old school" 454 exhaust header will bolt up. Bell housing bolt pattern is the same. ALL bolts are METRIC on the 8.1L. It is ALL iron, so weight will be about the same.

IMO there are some serious limitations with the 8.1L to increase HP ECONOMICALLY. As GM designed this motor to make torque, its rpm is limited to 5200 by the ECM. Because of this low rpm range it uses the same 75mm throttle body of the 4.8, 5.3, & 6.0. Therefore you will run out of air very quickly by spinning it faster with a higher rpm cam for example. The factory intake & throttle body are only good for the low 400HP, so the alternative is to achieve peak torque down low, as GM intended, and gear accordingly.

There are performance parts & modifications you can do to the 8.1L to make some serious HP. The marine industry pioneered these parts as the GM Big Block is the industry standard. Because this is a limited market, these parts are VERY expensive and before you know it, you have a $20k+ engine.

Transmissions & the 8.1L
My 8.1L came with the Allison transmission which has its own TCM (transmission control module). The 8.1L was discontinued in 2007, so matting it to current transmissions economically maybe an issue! But bolting it to an old school TH400 should be straight forward.

[rock-rod]

Originally Posted by BD_Turnkey_Engines

I can supply you with factory used CAT's also.

how much for a set of good used cats?

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by rock-rod

how much for a set of good used cats?

$20 each +shipping. and that"s just what the recycle value is to me.

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

NOVEMBER SPECIAL!

2003 6.0L LQ9 DBW, 113k miles, w/ performance tune

This is the High Output 6.0L from the Cadillac Escalades and Denali trucks & suv.

DISCOUNTED $3200 Turnkey! SOLD Standard price for 60-100k miles is $3800.

I had a little time between customers and supply so I went ahead and processed the "November Special"! It is ready to ship.

Here is the actual engine on the stand. Email me direct for more pics & carfax report if interested.

Here is the Ultrasound

2003 6.0L LQ9 113K 4 S - YouTube

[w4625]

For those of you that may be on the fence about buying an engine from Bryan, don't hesitate.I bought a 5.3 Z06 from him about a week ago, the engine came very well packaged, he gives you a vid of your engine operating on a engine stand and the engine is ready to drop in and go. I had questions about some things so I e-mailed him and he got back to me within 2hrs. so great CUSTOMER SUPPORT!!
Thanks Bryan

[Moeller_4x4]

As soon as I get the money for a 6.0L ZO6 I'll be calling you.

[slipnslide1968]

I've seen a spacer for the torque converter to flywheel/block before. Is this needed for a 2000 lq4 6.0 to be used with a th-350?

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by slipnslide1968

I've seen a spacer for the torque converter to flywheel/block before. Is this needed for a 2000 lq4 6.0 to be used with a th-350?

NO! the spacer is only needed for the 4.8, 5.3 and 6.0 LQ9 as they came with the 4L60e trans and a dished flexplate. the LQ4 came with the 4L80e trans which uses a flat flexplate. you will still need to elongate the 3 torque converter holes unless you are using a th400 converter with your th350.

TH35O, 700R4, TH400, or Powerglide Transmisions – BOLT UP
First off, there are NO issues with physically bolting any of the GENIII engines to these transmissions. One less bell-housing bolt is used as the newer GENIII blocks are missing the “1 o’clock” hole. The issues are solely with the torque converter bolt pattern, and snout depth. Depending on what vehicle your engine came from, you may or may not need an adapter or flexplate modification.

5.3L & 6.0L LQ9 ENGINES: Most, if not all 5.3’s & 6.0 LQ9’s will need a spacer a longer bolts to be added behind the flexplate as they came with a “dished” flexplate for the 4L60e / 4L65e transmissions. All GENIII flexplates use the old TH400 converter larger bolt pattern diameter. So, if you are going to use a TH350 or 700R4 with the standard torque converter you will need to elongate the flexplate converter holes inward, making a smaller diameter pattern. Or, you can run a TH400 converter on your TH350 or 700R4 and it will bolt right up. Elongating the holes is usually the most cost effective.

6.0L LQ4 ENGINES: Most, if not all 6.0 LQ4’s came in 2500 series cars and trucks, which had the 4L80E transmission. A spacer & longer bolts are NOT needed, but the torque convert bolt pattern is still an issue as with the 5.3L when using the smaller TH350 & 700R4 Converters. If you are using a TH400 Converter, then it will bolt right up and NO adapter or modification is necessary.

700R4 Specific: First off, it is not feasible to use a 700R4 with a DBW engine as there is no throttle body mechanism to hook the TV (throttle valve) Cable to. There are some Internet threads about hooking it directly to the DBW gas pedal, but I don’t recommend it. For a DBC engine the 700R4 is a little unusual because it has this TV (throttle valve) cable that needs to be hooked to the throttle body with VERY specific geometry to work properly. The TV cable is NOT a “kick down” cable. It controls transmission valve body pressure relative to throttle position (load). A bracket that supports the end of the TV cable will need to be fabricated and attached to the intake manifold near the existing gas-pedal cable bracket. A universal TV cable from Summit Racing: ATI-702050 works well. Follow the diagram below for correct throttle body modification. A cable mounting point needs to be attached or welded to the bottom side of the throttle body 1.10” from the throttle body pivot point. At full throttle the TV cable should be completely pulled tight. If you are uncomfortable with this procedure have a qualified transmission shop adjust it. If not properly adjusted serious transmission damage WILL occur, and quickly.

FLEXPLATE MODIFICATION: Using a mill to elongate the holes is best, but a Dremel tool and 1 bit per hole will usually get the job done too. Check torque converter bolt alignment and snout fitment into flexplate before installing in vehicle. Shop around for these parts, you can save yourself some money!
Spacer – GM Part# 12563532 ($49.95)
Bolts – GM Part# 19257940 (6 needed, $10.99/each)

4L80E TRANSMISSION: If you want to use a 4L80E transmission with full ECM control it is most cost effective to start with a 6.0L LQ4 2500 Truck motor as it came factory with this transmission and it is no problem. FYI - 4L60E & 4L80E transmissions are NOT directly interchangeable. The wiring pinout of the trans plug is different, and 2 VSS’s are used versus 1 on the 4L60E. Besides the wiring difference, the ECM also requires a segment swap as that portion of the transmission control is completely different. It can be done, but I do not do this conversion as it doesn't follow my "budget" theme. If you require a 4L80E transmission with any engine other than the 6.0L LQ4 here are a few options:
Manual Shift kit / Vacuum Pressure Modulator 4L80E-3 & 48-MOD: http://www.transgo.com/
This option is the cheapest but you loose all “auto” features and reverses shift pattern.
OptiShift: http://www.optishift.com/index.shtml
PCS: http://www.powertraincontrolsolution...anscontrol.php

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

READY TO SHIP or PICKUP!

2003 6.0L LQ4 W/Z06 CAM - $3400 Turnkey! SOLD

DBW, 79k Miles. Can run 4L80e, TH350, TH400. Sorry, the 4L60/65 & 700R4 wont work with this one.

I bought this motor back from a friend of mine that purchased it in April of this year. He was accumulating parts for a buggy build but never started fabrication. He faced reality and realized he should just buy an already built buggy, and that is what he did.

I put it back on the stand and ran it through the usual paces. Did a minor update to the ECM & relabeled all relative wires.

Email me for the run stand "ultrasound" Video and Carfax if interested.

[badassblaze]

What if someone wanted to run a 6l80e behind one one of your LQ9s? I know its possible, but how easy would it be to do with a motor from you?

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by badassblaze

What if someone wanted to run a 6l80e behind one one of your LQ9s? I know its possible, but how easy would it be to do with a motor from you?

Anything is possible! But "anything" usually = $$$!

My focus has been to supply more of the "budget builds" with TURNKEY engines in the $1995-$3800 range. The best way to achieve this is to use Engine, Transmission, & Accessory combinations that GM produced from the factory.

Mixing & matching of parts general means custom tuning once the project is complete, which = $$$. By using factory matched components I can provide a true turnkey engine. By doing so I know the customer is getting maximum performance & reliability with no headaches and no need for additional tuning or adjustments.

[Bigcountry]

Of the 6.0L LQ4, LQ9 etc. which one has the smallest overall height from oil pan to the top?

What is this height dimension as well?

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by Bigcountry

Of the 6.0L LQ4, LQ9 etc. which one has the smallest overall height from oil pan to the top?

What is this height dimension as well?

ALL GenIII truck motors (4.8, 5.3, 6.0, etc) have exactly the same exterior dimensions and for practical purposes weigh exactly the same.

The stock truck pan usually needs to be replaced for most applications with the F-Body Car oil pan. There are alternatives to the F-Body like the Kevco, but it requires remote oil filter location which adds to the cost. The F-body pans complete with pickup, tray, etc. can be found at GMPartsDirect.Com for around $240.00

STOCK TRUCK PAN


STOCK F-BODY PAN

[ScoutPWR]

Do you have any L33s? And how much?

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by ScoutPWR

Do you have any L33s? And how much?

Most engines I get are already sold for customers that have given deposits. I do have a little inventory, but don't have any L33's currently. The L33's are VERY limited and HARD to get COMPLETE as they were only in about 20% of the trucks for a couple years. I have an outstanding request for them but have only got 2 this year.

The demand for this engine has increased significantly! A stock 5.3L L33 Turnkey price is $3200

5.3L L33 INFO
All ALUMINUM 5.3L factory rated at 330HP. This engine comes with LS6 heads and a slightly different cam than the standard 5.3L. So you basically have a small cubic inch LS6. Being all aluminum and rated at 5HP more than an LS1, my turnkey price (if you can find one) is a pretty good deal.

[24hoursofNevada]

Looks like an awesome deal and your a Nevadan. Can't beat that combo. Congrats.

[Anchor Steam]

Bryan,
Do you have access to any of the emissions equipment from which your donor engines came from? being from California...my swap will require it be smog-compliant, requiring the necessary smog/emission equipment.

Thanks!

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by Anchor Steam

Bryan,
Do you have access to any of the emissions equipment from which your donor engines came from? being from California...my swap will require it be smog-compliant, requiring the necessary smog/emission equipment.

Thanks!

check out post #36
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showp...1&postcount=36

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

INVENTORY, READY TO PROCESS
as of December 10th, 2011
---------------------------------------------
2005 6.0L LQ9 - $3800 Turnkey! SOLD

DBW, 80k miles

Can run 4L60e / 4L65e, TH350, TH400, or Manual Transmission for +$50. Cruise Control +$50.

---------------------------------------------

2006 5.3L L33 ALL ALUMINUM - $3200 Turnkey! SOLD
OK guys, this is the highly sought after ALL ALUMINUM HO 5.3! Don't miss out on this one. More HP than an LS1 for less money. I was saving this for a close friend but he decided to go with the LQ4/Z06. Its up for grabs! See posts above for more info on the L33 and a picture of the other one I did earlier this year.

DBW, 75k miles

Can run 4L60e / 4L65e, TH350, TH400, or Manual Transmission for +$50. Cruise Control +$50.

---------------------------------------------

Email for Carfax if interested. Can have ready in a couple weeks. $500 deposit secures it as YOURS! Balance due upon final run stand "Ultrasound" Video and Pics for approval.

If picking up you get to start your engine and see it run!

[rock-rod]

Originally Posted by BD_Turnkey_Engines

All ALUMINUM 5.3L factory rated at 330HP.....

are you sure about the rating? I bought an L33 recently and all of the information I can find says that this motor is rated at 310hp and 335 ft lbs of torque. Did gm underrate them from the factory

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by rock-rod

are you sure about the rating? I bought an L33 recently and all of the information I can find says that this motor is rated at 310hp and 335 ft lbs of torque. Did gm underrate them from the factory

Looks like your right, for at least what GM states! Just tooooo many numbers to try and remember these days. But, IMO I think the L33 is under rated then. It has the LS6 heads, .4 more compression, and a "slightly" bigger cam than the stock 5.3 & 6.0 from the factory. I would think those 3 things would = more than 15HP. This is why many are looking for it. It is a GREAT base to easily build 400HP, its ALL ALUMINUM, and cheaper than a true LS based motor.

[2000R]

Besides the L33 and true LS motors, what other engines are all aluminum?
Jeff.

[BD_Turnkey_Engines]

Originally Posted by 2000R

Besides the L33 and true LS motors, what other engines are all aluminum?
Jeff.

Well, the newer GEN IV (2007-up) truck motors are mostly all aluminum I believe. Good ol' Wikipedia has a great entry on the whole GM Vortec series to help familiarize yourself with them. I refer to it all the time for reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Vortec_engine

[2000R]

Originally Posted by BD_Turnkey_Engines

Well, the newer GEN IV (2007-up) truck motors are mostly all aluminum I believe. Good ol' Wikipedia has a great entry on the whole GM Vortec series to help familiarize yourself with them. I refer to it all the time for reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Vortec_engine

I knew about the newer engines being aluminum. Just didn't know about the older gen III stuff. Thanks.

[RaceMoab#42]

I'll take that L33. Id like the Z06 cam upgrade and tune as well.

I will call on Monday to give you a deposit.