6.0 Swap Time!

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So my 6.0 Swap is finally done! For someone who's never done this before, I think I did pretty good. Only issue I ran into was I forgot to put the metal gasket between the passenger side exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe. Easy fix.

The difference in power is unreal, even without a tune. Still, I don't want to push my luck with it.

No codes, no problems. All the other issues I had with the 5.3 are gone! No more perpetual knock sensor code, no more valve tick, no more oil pressure gauge going haywire. I am so relieved to be ALMOST done with this swap.

Now I'm just waiting for my tuned computer from Blackbear Performance to really wake it up. I couldn't have done it without the help and advice you guys provided me. Thank you all.

On an unrelated note, another problem has reared its head. It seems the slip yoke on the forward drive shaft is making a horrendous clunking noise around 30-40 MPH. It moves quite a bit if I grab it and twist it. I'll post a video of what I mean, but this problem has been driving me nuts since before the swap (Honestly thought it was rod knock in the old 5.3). I tried greasing it up, and that helped for a very short period, but it seems like it may need to be replaced. Any advice or ideas?
 

Matthew Jeschke

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I returned mine starting from LM7 baseline to LQ9 using HPT. It will run otherwise. But will run much better with an appropriate tune.

You can segment swap motor stuff from a LQ9 engine as well. I however started and tuned on my own.
 

drdave81

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I'll take a look at mine later today when I'm under there, to see how much movement is in mine compared to yours. Is the clunking noise coming from the T case or from the front diff?
 

ivin74

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The only difficulty it seems i will have is finding an engine hoist tall enough to remove/install. It has a 7 in. lift.
Remove the wheels and lower the vehicle to some blocks.


Update, I see you already dud the engine swap. I'm late to the party
 
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OP
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Got the computer today, installed it, ran great for about 15 min before my transmission started overheating. How would putting a new computer in cause the trans to overheat? I didn't try to haul ass or drive it like a maniac, I'm at a loss here. The 4L60E is BRAND NEW.

UPDATE: My new transmission is fried. Metal dust and burnt fluid galore. It didn't do this until I swapped out the computer. Multiple test drives with the 5.3 computer, one for over 45 minutes, and the trans had no problems. a 15 minute drive with the new computer and my trans is nuked. I am absolutely livid.

I don't know if its something I did, or if the computer wasn't tuned correctly, so I'm not pointing any fingers. At this point, anything is possible. I'm leaning towards a damaged pump. I don't want to think that Blackbear did anything wrong here, given the engine ran perfectly.

I have the old and new transmission, between the two of them, I should be able to get something functional, but now I have to learn to rebuild a 4L60E.
 
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Mudsport96

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While not totally impossible for a tune to hurt a transmission, it would have to be so far off that you would know something was wrong and you would stop driving it.
Also if hard parts are broken, it is most likely a mechanical failure not a tune failure
 

strutaeng

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Got the computer today, installed it, ran great for about 15 min before my transmission started overheating. How would putting a new computer in cause the trans to overheat? I didn't try to haul ass or drive it like a maniac, I'm at a loss here. The 4L60E is BRAND NEW.

UPDATE: My new transmission is fried. Metal dust and burnt fluid galore. It didn't do this until I swapped out the computer. Multiple test drives with the 5.3 computer, one for over 45 minutes, and the trans had no problems. a 15 minute drive with the new computer and my trans is nuked. I am absolutely livid.

I don't know if its something I did, or if the computer wasn't tuned correctly, so I'm not pointing any fingers. At this point, anything is possible. I'm leaning towards a damaged pump. I don't want to think that Blackbear did anything wrong here, given the engine ran perfectly.

I have the old and new transmission, between the two of them, I should be able to get something functional, but now I have to learn to rebuild a 4L60E.
Sorry to hear that Brother.

Did you space the converter properly? It's not uncommon to destroy a transmission pump if the torque converter is not seated all the way in. Very costly mistake.

I like to put a straightedge across the transmission bellhousing and measure to the converter mounting pads. On a 4L80E this measurement is like 1 1/16", not sure if it's the same for a 4L60e? DO NOT go by the common Internet belief that there should be 3 clunks; sometimes that happens, but not always.

Time to start binge watching @NickTransmissions YT videos...

Please keep us updated.
 

NickTransmissions

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Got the computer today, installed it, ran great for about 15 min before my transmission started overheating. How would putting a new computer in cause the trans to overheat? I didn't try to haul ass or drive it like a maniac, I'm at a loss here. The 4L60E is BRAND NEW.

UPDATE: My new transmission is fried. Metal dust and burnt fluid galore. It didn't do this until I swapped out the computer. Multiple test drives with the 5.3 computer, one for over 45 minutes, and the trans had no problems. a 15 minute drive with the new computer and my trans is nuked. I am absolutely livid.

I don't know if its something I did, or if the computer wasn't tuned correctly, so I'm not pointing any fingers. At this point, anything is possible. I'm leaning towards a damaged pump. I don't want to think that Blackbear did anything wrong here, given the engine ran perfectly.

I have the old and new transmission, between the two of them, I should be able to get something functional, but now I have to learn to rebuild a 4L60E.
Sorry to hear, man...Sucks.

@BlackBearPerf 's tune had nothing to do with it, PCM/TCM programming doesn't cause a mechanical melt-down as described. If your pan looks like the one below (Chrysler A904 pictured) with sand dunes of metal matter, it was the torque converter...

The transmission is brand new...Is the converter also brand new? If so, where did you source it from?

Is the transmission under warranty?


IMG_1641.jpeg
 
OP
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I bought both the transmission and the torque converter new from JEGS. I don't believe it was under a warranty.

I've already purchased a rebuild kit and have found a very in depth, step by step video from Dude We Can Fix It on youtube. If the pump is the only issue, I'll get another one and replace it, check for any other damage along the way and I'll have 2 working transmissions to get familiar with. I was pretty positive I had the torque converter seated properly. After checking everything out, the transmission was extremely hot, but the lines running to and from the cooler, and even the cooler itself, were cool to the touch. That's what leads me to believe the pump wasn't working.
 

89Suburban

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I bought both the transmission and the torque converter new from JEGS. I don't believe it was under a warranty.

I've already purchased a rebuild kit and have found a very in depth, step by step video from Dude We Can Fix It on youtube. If the pump is the only issue, I'll get another one and replace it, check for any other damage along the way and I'll have 2 working transmissions to get familiar with. I was pretty positive I had the torque converter seated properly. After checking everything out, the transmission was extremely hot, but the lines running to and from the cooler, and even the cooler itself, were cool to the touch. That's what leads me to believe the pump wasn't working.


Sorry man hate to see you go through this. :mad: :console:
 

NickTransmissions

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I bought both the transmission and the torque converter new from JEGS. I don't believe it was under a warranty.

I've already purchased a rebuild kit and have found a very in depth, step by step video from Dude We Can Fix It on youtube. If the pump is the only issue, I'll get another one and replace it, check for any other damage along the way and I'll have 2 working transmissions to get familiar with. I was pretty positive I had the torque converter seated properly. After checking everything out, the transmission was extremely hot, but the lines running to and from the cooler, and even the cooler itself, were cool to the touch. That's what leads me to believe the pump wasn't working.
Ok; odd that it has no warranty as most of their major powetrain components come with one.

I also have several 4L60E Youtube videos including a step by step rebuild series along with numerous high performance tips/pointers videos so another resource for you if you need it.

Good luck with the build; post back if you have questions or run into any problems.
 

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