55.2-59 6.0L pros cons

[55_truck]

I'm looking at a 2019 6.0L from a wrecked chev express van 3500

Pros or cons using this engine trans in a 55 2nd series?

[mongocanfly]

I'm not sure on that new of a engine..ask it in the LS swap section...

[dsraven]

my advice, first check the ls section but if doing it I would buy the complete wreck so everything you need for the swap will be there as a unit. get all the key fobs as well if possible. then sell off what you don't need when you are done and it runs etc. better than putting parts together and hoping it runs without codes later. especially on a pretty new donor.
I am sure you have looked but I hear a lot about these guys

https://ls1tech.com/

https://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billa...SPrimer/Part1/

[joedoh]

a 2019 3500 will have the big trans, 6L80 or 8L90. it is dimensionally a lot bigger than what you think of as a modern automatic like a 4L60e, and will be a lot heavier too.

dsraven is right, get the running chassis if you can, it may cost a little more but that cost will be eclipsed easily by nickel and dimes of buying little things you need but didnt get.

I think a high hp engine is a waste in light trucks with no weight in the back, but my opinion is generally accepted as a crappy one and I dont buuild every truck in the world so to each their own! do what you like!

[idbeast]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I think a high hp engine is a waste in light trucks with no weight in the back, but my opinion is generally accepted as a crappy one and I dont buuild every truck in the world so to each their own! do what you like!

I do have to say the high horse power factor in these old trucks is fun when you can pull the old girl out on the road get her aimed straight down the road doing between 5 and 10mph, stomp it to the floor and break 22 inches of tires (11 inches on each side with posi) loose from the rolling start smoking them thru the rest of 1st, 2nd and about 15ft of 3rd is impressive!
Jim W

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by idbeast

I do have to say the high horse power factor in these old trucks is fun when you can pull the old girl out on the road get her aimed straight down the road doing between 5 and 10mph, stomp it to the floor and break 22 inches of tires (11 inches on each side with posi) loose from the rolling start smoking them thru the rest of 1st, 2nd and about 15ft of 3rd is impressive!
Jim W

I can do almost the exact same thing with my 190 HP 4.3 V6 (I havent stayed in it till 3rd, so maybe I can do the EXACT same thing). which is kind of my point, these are already portable tire melters with just about any engine.

[55_truck]

Thanks for the replies. I would get the whole van and remove the engine trans and any other parts required. It does have the 6 speed which kinda worries me space wise.

[joedoh]

that 6L90 is bulletproof I hear.

[dsraven]

I recommend doing some planning on paper with sizing and humps in floor pan etc. decide what you want to do and draw it out. put some cardboard on the floor in a pattern to simulate the extra size trans etc. see if that's what you really want to do or if a smaller version of LS engine/trans would be better. like they say above, small truck, light rear end, portable tire melters with no traction control unless you plan to somehow incorporate that from the van as well. if you have driven a 6 speed or other newer multi speed trans you will know they are constantly shifting up or down, going into eco mode or whatever. slow process and it takes a flash to fix that. more money.

[mr48chev]

Well I am going to be the opposite of them. A good friend of mine traded her Eldorado on one of the first Cad Escellades with a 6.0 that went on sale here locally and while that thing would romp when she wanted to romp on it it was dead nuts reliable and she never had any trouble with it doing big harry burnouts on it's own. There is so such thing as too much power, but there is such a thing as too little brain power for the horsepower you have on tap.

The thing for me is = is it cost effective for you to buy the complete van, pull the engine and trans and what ever else you need to have it run in your truck without issues while selling off the usable left over pieces starting with the ones you just don't need like lights and seats and going from there. The salvage on that new of rig with that engine and trans has to be pretty high unless you can get a real buddy deal. On Ebay the asking for a 2015 6.0 with 4LE60 is 5500 us https://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-CHEVY-...8AAOSwnd9d~Sm- and I'd think that 2019 unit with the bigger trans is going to bring a fair amount above that..

[1project2many]

that 6L90 is bulletproof I hear.

No it's not. The 2500 and 3500 truck and van calibrations *always* let the torque converter clutch slip. Our buses are stop and go all day long and usually between 120k and 150k the "bulletproof" 6L90 has been destroyed by excess heat. We have spent sooo much $$ replacing these transmissions that it is downright scary. I have spent many, many hours looking at TCC programming to fix this. It might survive in a lightweight truck, but the stock programming is not optimal.

And, speaking of stock programming, you're likely to need the instrument cluster, the BCM, the TCM (in the trans), and the ECM to make this work. You'll need to make the DBW system fully operational. You may need the 2019 steering column if you want cruise. You may need the ABS sensor inputs if you want TCS to work. if you want to make changes you'll need to pay for an access code to download the stock calibration for modification. And you may not be able to shut off all the codes that would occur if you use a non-OE configuration.

My advice is to use an older controller to run the engine.

[vintovka]

These threads make feel better about choosing a simple carbed crate 350.

[mr48chev]

It's good to see responses like 1project2many's That bring up what may be real issues that would be a genuine issue on a swap like this. More power than you actually need isn't a big deal if you are a hot rodder at heart but complicated systems that can't be circumnavigated without major expense or effort can be a big deal.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

It's good to see responses like 1project2many's That bring up what may be real issues that would be a genuine issue on a swap like this. More power than you actually need isn't a big deal if you are a hot rodder at heart but complicated systems that can't be circumnavigated without major expense or effort can be a big deal.

I agree. The unknown part is always prone to a few (in my case expensive or time sucking) surprises.

I bought a new fuel injection wiring harness for another project and that alone was $1200.

[mr48chev]

The trouble with the newer setups is just as 1project2many said. Everything on the rig is designed to interact and function with the other specifically designed pieces that match. That quite often knocks you out of buying that 1200 buck harness and doing a simple plug and play.

I'm not sure on this one if GM performance has a crate engine wiring harness and control that can be used with it to eliminate all the connecting pieces.

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The trouble with the newer setups is just as 1project2many said. Everything on the rig is designed to interact and function with the other specifically designed pieces that match. That quite often knocks you out of buying that 1200 buck harness and doing a simple plug and play.

I'm not sure on this one if GM performance has a crate engine wiring harness and control that can be used with it to eliminate all the connecting pieces.

Having to rewire mine from scratch it wasn't that hard. Almost all the original connectors wern't used. Used the wiring from the 87 van column and reused the fusebox and wiring from the 84 GMC donor chassis. Carefully connecting each important wire such as ignition, alternator, starter ect was all that was needed.

[joedoh]

well dont get too scared, I build all my AD trucks using the 98+ (I like the 02-03s the best) PCM, BCM, column, pedals, and all the electronics like distribution boxes and gauges. plugging it all up is easy and I can go from wiring to first start in the same day. once you realize that the wiring/boxes/drivetrain has NO IDEA what it is installed in, that it can literally be strung out on a bench and still work as intended.... its really freeing to realize the guts are the guts and the sheetmetal is just the container.

just a counterpoint.

[mr48chev]

Well if he has everything and wants to use it it is just as you guys said, move from one to the other. It can be done but it is going to be a pretty serious challenge.

[dsraven]

maybe decide on what you want to use from the donor, as far as column, antitheft, cruise, remote start, evap system, catalytic converters, etc etc. then contact a company that can reflash the ecm and ask if what you want is a possibility and how much etc. they should be able to tell you what is going to have to be used and if what you want will work and also what you NEED from the donor for modules, sensors etc.

[Driver_WT]

This guy looks pretty competent on ECM Programming http://lt1swap.com/programming.htm
and price looks reasonable.

I have not used him for any programming.

Wade

[1project2many]

then contact a company that can reflash the ecm and ask if what you want is a possibility and how much etc.

In most cases there is only access to the ecm and tcm. Aftermarket software for BCM and cluster programming is *very* hard to find. Chris White seems to be the go to guy for this service although it looks like he's been working with a diesel tuner BT Diesel Works. GM has also changed the rules slightly so 2019 vehicles will require an additional "pay for" unlock code for the ecm which must be obtained from GM (some aftermarket guys can get it). Since the vehicle is ahead of most aftermarket guys, the person doing the swap may be responsible for finding solutions to problems no one else has experienced.

It's gotten to the point that you have to know the year of your computer, not just the part number, when flashing software. Folks report attempting to program a different model year software into the ecm/tcm can make the computer(s) useless. Folks also report that mismatching engine/trans from different vehicles or across different model years can lead to communications errors. It's even to the point where a VIN mismatch between controllers can require contoller reprogramming.

If the 6.0 were being used with an older 4L80E or with a manual transmission I would lose the 2019 controllers and use a controller from around 2002. With the 6L80E I would probably consider attempting a reflash to an older calibration knowing the engine controller and / or transmission controller may need replacement.

If you choose to go with the 2019 components I am happy to help where I can. Our vehicles are stock cutaway G vans with 14,000 lb gvw chassis and I have some access to programming software. I have yet to read the calibrations for our vans due to the "pay for" unlock code but the simple fact is I should have backup copies of the engine and transmission software in case we ever lose a controller.

[55_truck]

Thanks for all the info. I sent some emails off to ask about programming, I wanted to do a simple swap (delete everything but the basics), I'm not sure if the E78 can even do E-fans or if I'll need separate controller. It seems there may be a lot of limitations and unknowns with this new of equipment. I'll wait for replies from the emails to the programmers and report back.

[Nima]

I plan to swap in a 5.3 with T5 in to my 53 GMC. I am doing the same thing right now for my 72 Nova which is 1/2 way done. I do all the wiring modifications myself and I use LT1swap for my ECU reprogramming. The wiring modification is not hard at all. LT1swap.com has all the info you need. You just need to take your time. I use T5 behind the stock 5.3 because I like the manual and also T5 is very light and small besides being cheap and easy to rebuild. My cars and trucks are just daily drivers. I would guess the 6.0 is the same as for all the wiring stuff and reprograming, it is just bigger engine. I also have been using Dakota Digital dash system which integrate to the set up nicely, just a little pricey.

[Dan in Pasadena]

My '55 has an LQ4 and 4l85e in it. Came out of a 2011 Isuzu N series van with only 81,000 miles on it. We rebuilt it anyway. Ball honed, new rings, main, rod and cam bearings. Mild cam in it. I haven't ha it dynode but guessing it comes in at over 350hp or so. Hooked to an 8.8 rearend with limited slip, four wheel power disc brakes.

For those interested, I just switched transmission covers from the factory flat cover to the factory humped four speed cover. Worked perfectly.

[OutlawDrifter]

A little late to the game.

I'm not as familiar with the 2019+ stuff. I have been LS swapping stuff for awhile now. I would tell you to look at the gen3 stuff that didn't have DOD/AFM/VVT technology. They are dead reliable, and will go many miles with simple maintenance. Most 130k mile engines still have the crosshatch in the bores. If they are under 130k, I'll open them up, put in an oil pump and timing chain, check the bearings and run it.

I did have a 2010 2500HD that had a 6.0/6L90E, great pickup, and all they require is some tuning to the ECU to fix the heat issues in the trans. It was VVT and ran like a scalded dog after AKNOVAMAN put his magic on it.

My Z28 runs an LQ9 based 6.0L and my '49 GMC has an LQ4 based 6.0L. The LQ4 is stock less the intake, has more than enough power for my needs, and sounds good through twice pipes.

I will take a dead reliable fuel injected setup any day over a carb'd setup. A gen 1 SBC still sounds better, but an LS is the next best thing.