LOL. To be fair, you mentioned on a forum full of car guys that you're knowingly and willingly risking running bad coolant, you can't be surprised when everyone gives you funny looks. That being said, it's your truck, do with it what you please. I do agree that LS engines are significantly better than their predecessors, there's a reason why they are the most common engine swap across ALL brands.
I expected a little flack, but I guess I didn't state how little I care about the truck.
I know the coolant probably isn't great, but thus far the truck has paid for itself and is kind of, well ******, in many other aspects lol. Quadrasteer no longer works, the bedsides are destroyed, the headliner sags, the front diff howls like a cat in heat, and I was recently rear ended and paid out way more than I paid for the truck so I don't feel the need to treat it that great. If it wants to keep going, so be it, if it wants to **** the bed tomorrow, it wouldn't hurt my feelings any. I actually originally bought the truck with the intention of turboing it, but it's just too far gone. I'd be in better shape putting the LQ4 in a better vehicle at this point lol.
I am very well aware that I neglect the truck, I was simply pointing out that despite my neglectful maintenance and the mileage, the LQ4 still performs beautifully and seems like it's constantly asking for more.
The thing I have a problem with is your criteria for determining the state of the coolant. You're full of **** plain and simple. Feel free to be as neglectful as you like, but don't try to lie your way out of said neglectfulness. At least own it so other newbs don't think that your method is acceptable.
Nothing I said was a lie. I will be as neglectful as I like. Don't see how I'm full of ****, but if that's what you want to believe, then keep on trucking there buddy.
Never once did I recommend that you leave your dexcool in for over the recommended interval. I simply stated what I know from experience, what my experience with the existing coolant has been so far, and exactly why I haven't bothered to change it. Read my above reply for more info. The truck doesn't owe me a damn thing, and it isn't worth a damn thing. In my other vehicles I run green coolant and change it out annually. When my ***** nice, I maintain it. Plus, like most of you, all my experiences with dexcool were poor before owning this truck.
To Recap: My vote is LQ4. My experience with LS motors is 90% high mileage vehicles that absolutely refuse to be stopped and are super low maintenance. It'll probably be a little more expensive/wiring intensive, but well worth it.
A 454 would be a much easier swap, not sure what trans you have but on the older TBI trucks you can just swap a TBI 454 in, re pin the TPS(or maybe IAC I don't remember) and swap the chip for the 454 into the ecu and be on the road. If you have a 700r4 you may have to get a custom chip to run the 454tbi and control TCC lockup.