When you reach a fork in the road, take it.

[Sle-z_90]

The more I think on it the more an ls swap appears to be the quickest/easiest/cheapest way to reach my goal stated above. I wonder how long my 700r4 would live behind a 6.0 w/ a truck norris cam.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

The more I think on it the more an ls swap appears to be the quickest/easiest/cheapest way to reach my goal stated above. I wonder how long my 700r4 would live behind a 6.0 w/ a truck norris cam.

Personanly I found the 6.0L an absolute DOG. Swapping a L31 350 in its place with a small cam and a little head work.

 

[Sle-z_90]

Personanly I found the 6.0L an absolute DOG. Swapping a L31 350 in its place with a small cam and a little head work.

This is the first time I’ve heard this. Could you elaborate? Do you know why the 6.0 was a dog? Lack of power down low or something?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

This is the first time I’ve heard this. Could you elaborate? Do you know why the 6.0 was a dog? Lack of power down low or something?

It was very weak down low. Just the way they are. If you could drive one around between 3,500 rpm and 6,500 rpm all day long they run great. Put them in a heavy vehicle and try to get some fuel mileage out of them cruising 1,500-2,500 rpm, they are a gutless wonder. I was going to put a 4L80E behind it instead of a TH400, but I am glad I did not. As it was a slight grade at 70 mph had it downshifting to 2nd gear to make it up the grade. I had a TH400 and 3.08 gears behind it. At ~2,000 rpm it had about the same amount of torque as the 305 TBI it replaced. By comparison the 383 in my 97 van that is nearly 2,000 lbs heavier climbs the same grade in overdrive which is even taller geared than a TH400/3.08. 3.73 x .75 = 2.7975.

Some people love them, but the only ones that I have experienced that run all that great have forced induction. A 700r4/4L60E would probably make it feel better on the holeshot, but it is alot of dead space between the 1-2 shift recovery rpm and where the 6.0L starts to make good torque again.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

This is the first time I’ve heard this. Could you elaborate? Do you know why the 6.0 was a dog? Lack of power down low or something?

Haters gonna hate. If you're planning on dropping a 6.0 in the truck in your profile pic, it will be severely traction limited.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

You're not buying a "good" 6.0/4L80e for $2k...and if you find more than one that is lower mileage and ready to rock, let me know

A stock 700R4 or 4L60E will live a little while if you keep them cool, but have a budget in place to replace it with a built unit when it goes.

I agree they will all end up costing similar money for different reasons.

Sounds like you have your heart set on an LS, I don't agree they are a dog, but an LS does drive differently than a gen 1/2 SBC. They make hp/tq higher in the rev range than what you would typically experience SBC/BBC do. My Z28 weighs 3660lbs without me in it and a half tank of fuel. It will cruise in 6th gear @ 1800-1850rpm up and down hills all day under 70mph. Its got a medium to small size cam for a 6.0l (230/232 duration at .050). My '49 GMC weighs about the same and has a stock internal 6.0l and 4L80E and pulls itself just fine.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Yes, the LS platform is happier at a higher RPM range than the small block 350 etc. I live near the intersection of two major highways in Houston, Texas, and I hear the vehicles coming and going all day and most of the night. Besides the kids hot rodding Camaros and such, any of the factory LS powered cars and trucks are in the throttle, trying to get into the powerband. Whereas my stock 5.7 Vortecs just pull hard, from off idle all the way up to cruising speed. Which on some of these bridges, can be 70mph or more, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

 

[0xDEADBEEF]

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[Sle-z_90]

You're not buying a "good" 6.0/4L80e for $2k...and if you find more than one that is lower mileage and ready to rock, let me know

A stock 700R4 or 4L60E will live a little while if you keep them cool, but have a budget in place to replace it with a built unit when it goes.

I agree they will all end up costing similar money for different reasons.

Sounds like you have your heart set on an LS, I don't agree they are a dog, but an LS does drive differently than a gen 1/2 SBC. They make hp/tq higher in the rev range than what you would typically experience SBC/BBC do. My Z28 weighs 3660lbs without me in it and a half tank of fuel. It will cruise in 6th gear @ 1800-1850rpm up and down hills all day under 70mph. Its got a medium to small size cam for a 6.0l (230/232 duration at .050). My '49 GMC weighs about the same and has a stock internal 6.0l and 4L80E and pulls itself just fine.

What is considered "lower mileage?" I was thinking if I could find one that is still in the truck that I can hearing running and that has less than 150k on it. I could just stab it in as is. If I go to the junkyard and pull one, I would want to at least do rings and gaskets. Is there a rule of thumb on this?

 

[Sle-z_90]

Yes, the LS platform is happier at a higher RPM range than the small block 350 etc. I live near the intersection of two major highways in Houston, Texas, and I hear the vehicles coming and going all day and most of the night. Besides the kids hot rodding Camaros and such, any of the factory LS powered cars and trucks are in the throttle, trying to get into the powerband. Whereas my stock 5.7 Vortecs just pull hard, from off idle all the way up to cruising speed. Which on some of these bridges, can be 70mph or more, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

I'm embarrassed to ask this question, but here it goes: My goal is to build a toy for cruising around town. I live in the suburbs between Baltimore and Annapolis so its mostly driving from red light to red light. It would rarely see the interstate, maybe a time or two a year to drive to a show or something. I am not looking to hit 120mph ever. I would like something that is going to be a thrill from 0-60, spin tires throw you back in the seat some. I've not driven many performance vehicles so I really have no good idea of what I'm aiming for performance-wise. I've driven an 08 Charger R/T(340hp/390tq) and got on it a little, that was fun and in general the feeling I'm looking for. I also rented a 2020 Camaro ss (455hp/455tq) but it was a rainy day and the one time I tried to get on it I fishtailed (lucky for traction control). So based on that limited experience, I figured I'd be happy with 400hp (flywheel) or so. I think I could get there either with a cammed 6.0 or a turbo 5.3/4.8. It seems to me the cheapest way to get there is the cammed lq4 or lq9. The other question is whether I need overdrive. I can pull a 4l80 from LKQ for around $400 with a 90 day guarantee, so maybe that is the cheapest way to go. But a th400 would be simpler and lighter.