what is everything required to 6.0 swap my k1500

[UtOBS]

Hey guys, I recently acquired a truck which I am doing a project on. Its a 1990 K1500 regular cab step side. Im in the middle of prepping for paint, redoing the interior, and doing an entire restoration in the truck. it is a 5 speed manual and has 200k on the clock. It runs great but the perfect thing to tie the whole project together is a 6.0 lq9 swap. Im planning on doing a cam setup, swapping heads, long tube headers, and intake. also valve springs if necessary.

Im planning on swapping The tranny for the nv4500.

What is everything I will need for this swap? like everything I need to mate the nv4500 to an lq9, everything i need to get motor and tranny in the truck, If its possible to wire up the stock gauges and cruze control? just a basic list of what i might need and where I can get it. and deferent options I might have (if I have to splice a wiring harness or if anyone sells a premade one for the swap, ect ect.)

also looking at upgrading cooling, so if anyone knows a good radiortor and tranny cooler for this setup let me know, also what it takes to install it.

Im trying to keep everything as stock as possible looks wise except for obviously the engine bay (stock gauges, ect...)

also any upgrades anyone recommends to the motor to raise the reliability (im sure the cam and heads dont help... but if im doing a swap I might as well)

the truck will be a daily and I plan on getting some Bilstein's and maybe a front true track and off-roading it so keeping 4x4 is a must.

Im a decent mechanic when it comes to putting bolt in parts on and iv done engines before but I was putting a stock engine in something after The original engine blew. This is my first time doing a custom project like this although im a great welder and decently mechanically inclined. so It should be somthing someone like me should be able to tackle??

even though its gutless, I have really enjoyed the truck and with some more power I can see it being my forever truck

sorry for all the questions, Thanks for helping a newbie to engine swaps (and GM vehicles).

 

[Moofus02]

To swap in the nv4500 you need the transfer case that was hooked to it. The one in your truck has a different input spline size.

Going 6L look for a k2500 in the yards that was hooked to a 6.0 for the nv4500.

For an LQ9 I think you are looking for Escalade or Denali donars.
I would find a k2500 with LQ4 and nv4500 for donar parts

Your truck has external slave and the 6.0 trans will be internal. Going to have to adapt your master to the new slave

Your truck probably has 342 gears maybe 308 or 273. The motor you want doesn't make crap for torque at low rpm so you are probably looking at a gear change.

I've got lq9 and 2 trucks that need motors. I've chosen not to use the ls motor. It goes like hell but is gutless down low and the only reason it ran like it did was the 3500 rpm converter. I've instead chosen to rebuild a tbi 5.7 for the one truck and the other one is getting l29 nv4500 or 8.1 and 4l80. Haven't decided yet. Extended cab short with 342 gears and 33 inch rubber. The 7.4 vortec or the 8.1 both have enough torque to pull the gear and do off road stuff with ease without being wound for sound all the time. My 02 k2500 sub with 8.1 will run circles around my buddies 6.2 ccsb. 45 to 105 roll on I stay right with him and that was in 3rd gear. He was screaming bouncing off rev limiter. From a stop I eat him alive.

The 6.0 is a good motor but you may be better with a bbc for the way you want to use the truck. My 7.4 and 8.1 get better milage than my 6.0

 

[Moofus02]

A simple computer tune on an 8.1 with no hard parts will get about 450hp and 550tq. That's a seriously fun driver and you don't have to wind it to the moon. It will press you against the seat right off idle. Plus it bolts in like a regular bbc. Just need van or top kick/Kodiak accessories to get ac compressor up high. There are also psi 8.8 motors around that are identical but with more stroke. Just a thought. They use 0411 or p59 computer so the same as 6.0 swap as far as the wiring goes

 

[Moofus02]

If you go with the 8.1 they use the standard chevy trans so you could find the easier to locate nv4500 with external slave that will hook right up to your master cylinder

 

[400Rogue]

I mostly lurk and only recently joined. So I don't have my build documented here. However, I just did a 5.3 in my 96 K1500. It's going to be nearly identical for a 6.0 as the blocks are the same except for bore and stroke as I recall. This is a pretty straightforward swap. I can't speak for the nv4500 transmission as I kept my 4L60. So transmission aside here is generally what you are going to need.

First you will need to decide if you want a Gen3 or Gen4 LS motor. It is important you decide early on as they differ in the crankshaft reluctor wheel and the computer you choose needs to match this. After that, here's a general list. There will be more, I am sure I have forgotten a couple of things, and also every swap brings it's own challenges.

- Engine mount brackets. I went with Dirty Dingo
- Upper Radiator Hose from a 2002 Silverado
- Walbro 255lph universal fuel pump - https://www.z1motorsports.com/fuel-pumps/walbro/walbro-255-lph-in-tank-fuel-pump-p-2289.html
- Gates Serpentine Belt k040378
- 2 core replacement radiator for a 1996 K1500. Cheapest upgrade option I could find, mine was leaking. Not required, but a good idea.
- Universal intake and filter. I got one off amazon for a Silverado. It doesn't fit perfectly, but it works to get you running.
- Exhaust can be welded to the LS flanges, but you will be choking the motor of air flow and it won't be putting out the same amount of power. I'd go with 2.5 in or 3 in tubing. You can buy exhaust kits as well. Really depends on how custom you want it.
- You will also need downstream 02 sensors for after cat, and new ones for the upstream. Which ones to get depends on the harness connector. But they will be 4 wire.
- Steam Port. On the LS motor under the intake manifold is a one piece metal cross tubing that bolts onto each head. You will want to get a radiator hose coupler with a threaded port on it so you can tap these steam ports into the primary radiator house to the water pump.
Here is the barbed fitting
Here is the Coupler

- Power Steering. Use the left over -6AN fuel hose for this. and then get the following fittings. There are two types here. the double flange type, and the o-ring. Mine was the o-ring so here are links to what I needed to buy. If it's double flange type, you can still use -6 AN but the fittings will need to be for flanged type, not O-ring. Here is what I got for the O-Ring type
2x 45 deg Swivel -6AN Fitting
1x 90 deg Swivel -6AN Fitting
2x M18x1.5 Power Steering Pressure Fitting
1x M16x1.5 Power Steering Pressure Fitting

- Fuel lines. There is no 1 way of doing this, but you will need to remove the lines in the truck as they are not rated for the PSI that fuel injection needs. I went with -6 AN fuel lines from pump to filter, to fuel rail, then as return as well. In the future I will likely build custom hard lines along the frame to shorten the -AN hose lengths. But you can run them from tank to fuel rail. You will need some fittings. 2 for the fuel rail, 2 for the fuel filter, and also at the pump. You can get Evil Energy from Amazon to save a little here. They're pretty decent and reputable enough for a street build. You can also get the corvette style "returnless" type where the fuel is returned from the fuel filter. But most LS fuel rails have the regulator with return on it already. So you would need to find the matching fuel rails. Looks clean but is more money. You could also grab the fuel lines from a newer silverado with an LS. I can't speak for how easy that is to swap in.
45 deg Swivel -6AN Fitting
Straight Swivel -6AN Fitting
M14x1.5 Metric -6AN Fitting
M16x1.5 Metric -6AN Fitting
20ft -6AN Braided Hose You will probably need 30-40 ft total. Otherwise you may be cutting it close to total length required.
ICT Billet Male Flare M14x1.5 Fuel Adapter
ICT Billet Male Flare M16x1.5 Fuel Adapter
-6AN to 3/8 Fuel Rail Adapter
-6AN to 5/16 Fuel Rail Adapter

- Zip ties. You will need them. I'd get a variety pack of like 200-400
This should get the engine in the engine bay and about halfway completed. Now onto wiring and ECU which you have some options here.

1st option - Get a factory wiring harness. It will be the cheapest. Preferably get the one that comes with the engine and the ECU included. If you use the factory computer, you will need to have someone disable VATS or the engine will not start. They will also need to iron out some engine codes to disable them so the CEL is not always on. If you get a PCM that already had the transmission you are using, it is less setup. This will give you a very nice running vehicle especially if you have a reputable tuner iron everything else out, and pull a little extra power out of it. You will also need a MAF sensor. As GM uses both MAF and MAP.

Another common option is the Holley Terminator and they come with a harness. This is not my preference, but it is pretty simple and is "self learning". All this does is attempts to get your fuel maps correct-ish for you. You will never have as good of a tune than if you have it professionally tuned. A factory ECU will provide a very smooth running engine. The Holley is simple, but pretty limited.

For factory cruise control, yes you can get this to work, at least with the 96 cruise control module that is bolted to the firewall. But you must go with a gen 3 LS series cable throttle body and the corresponding ECU. The cruise cable does not work with the stock bracket on the LS intake manifold. It will not reach the throttle so some modification here is required. I would go the extra step to get an electronic gas pedal and the TAC model with it. And go with electronic throttle but that's just me I'm very comfortable with wiring so it doesnt't intimidate me in the slightest. Much better and you don't have to worry about throttle cables, extra cruise control modules to communicate with the computer, etc.

Anything else that you run into is going to project specific. Water pump, thermostat, mechanical vs electric fans, connector pigtails, Oil Sending Unit pigtail, temp sender for gauges, etc. There are different injector connectors as well so make sure your harness has the correct ones. For a comprehensive list of each LS connector type see here:

#1 Source of LS-Series Engine Wiring Harness Connectors

LSwiring.com has genuine LS-Series OE wire harness connectors (Aptiv/Delphi, Molex, TE Connectivity, etc) and the largest selection of engine and transmission wire harness connectors and pigtail assemblies.

lswiring.com

Good luck! Hope you post pics of swap!

 

[glock20]

To swap in the nv4500 you need the transfer case that was hooked to it. The one in your truck has a different input spline size.

NV3500 and 4500 are both 32 spline outputs, same exact size. I swapped my 3500 for a 4500 and used my stock 241c case. Complete bolt in.

 

[Moofus02]

NV3500 and 4500 are both 32 spline outputs, same exact size. I swapped my 3500 for a 4500 and used my stock 241c case. Complete bolt in.

I stand corrected. Thank you that's good info to know