6.6 Gas L8T Engine Swap in 2015 Suburban

[L8T BURB]

I would think it would work as recieved. My question is how are you going to work around the PS pump delete? If I were doing it, I would see if a steering rack from the 7-14 would bolt up and then use the power steering. That would make it so the belt could stay as recieved, then just leave the mechanical fan off and use the E-fans.

My thought is that the the p/s reservoir and pulley would be removed from the 6.6 engine and discarded. Likely would then need a custom length belt I suppose since it would no longer route around that pulley.

From that point, since we're planning to utilize my Suburban ECM, the steering gear/linkage from my Suburban would remain in place and work as it did before with no steering disgnostic error messages. I may be way off base here.

Thoughts?

 

[B-train]

I guess I need to familiarize myself more with the electric power steering on my 2017. If it hooks up like a normal rack with an intermediate shaft, I don't see why switching to the fluid type would make a difference. The steering wheel just measures rotation I believe. My guess is an electric rack mounts to the same spot as the old hydraulic one.

I'll look tomorrow and see what I can gather between 2008 and 2017

 

[Bigkevschopshop]

Anyone have insight on whether I would be able to maintain the 6.6 belt driven components? Such as a/c compressor, alternator, and water pump? I would feel better using the 6.6 stuff as opposed to using my 186k mile stuff from my 5.3. The new 6.6 came fully dressed with all belt driven components attached.

Since the motor doesnt have a vac pump on it, and your old 5.3 did, I would suggest doing hydroboost brake booster upgrade and retaining the power steering pump if it will clear the rack thats in there. Just a thought.

The compressor and alternator and waterpump should be clear.

 

[B-train]

Since the motor doesnt have a vac pump on it, and your old 5.3 did, I would suggest doing hydroboost brake booster upgrade and retaining the power steering pump if it will clear the rack thats in there. Just a thought.

The compressor and alternator and waterpump should be clear.

Or.....will the vacuum pump fit where the PS pump goes? Maybe it will swap over and then you have a plug and play setup.

But, I'm all for just going with real PS and hydroboost brakes as well.

 

[L8T BURB]

My technician is in the process of pulling my old engine and transmission out today! I believe the current plan for the vacuum pump/brakes is to tap into the pcv system for the vacuum needed to the booster. He rattled it off real quick and talked over my head a little lol.

I did google and it seems that most who delete the vacuum pump have had the most success when running a vacuum off of the pcv system. I'm not 100% on the details but he seemed to believe it'd work fine.

Details still to come on the power steering. I will update when I know more! Pics of it in the operating room, lol!!

 

[Bigkevschopshop]

Yeah the intake vac used to run the brake booster on prior models. I think they went to the vac pump for efficiency reasons maybe who knows... some engineer sitting there decided he needed something to work on.

Look forward to the outcome on this. Giving some of us a good idea for life after AFM! haha.

 

[B-train]

Yeah the intake vac used to run the brake booster on prior models. I think they went to the vac pump for efficiency reasons maybe who knows... some engineer sitting there decided he needed something to work on.

Look forward to the outcome on this. Giving some of us a good idea for life after AFM! haha.

I believe the vacuum pump was installed to supplement the lack of vacuum in certain rpm ranges where valve overlap it too great to make sufficient engine vacuum. Valve overlap is the new EGR and reduces pumping losses inside an engine for CAFE and MPG evaluations.

 

[L8T BURB]

UPDATE! Engine and transmission are out! Moving right along!

 

[RST Dana]

Yeah the intake vac used to run the brake booster on prior models. I think they went to the vac pump for efficiency reasons maybe who knows... some engineer sitting there decided he needed something to work on.

Look forward to the outcome on this. Giving some of us a good idea for life after AFM! haha.

Because the big cammed engines didn’t have enough vacuum because their were too busy sucking in air/fuel mixture?

 

[TollKeeper]

Get a power washer, and some degreaser, and clean that engine bay...

I think you are going to have to stay with hydro steering, unless you are really wanting a dash rewire. I am pretty sure the force sensors, input sensors, and angle sensors, are not there, for a factory E-Steer to work correctly, or at all. In this case, the simplest solution is the one you already have.

Very interested in this thread thou, and waiting and watching with baited breath.

 

[L8T BURB]

Get a power washer, and some degreaser, and clean that engine bay...

I think you are going to have to stay with hydro steering, unless you are really wanting a dash rewire. I am pretty sure the force sensors, input sensors, and angle sensors, are not there, for a factory E-Steer to work correctly, or at all. In this case, the simplest solution is the one you already have.

Very interested in this thread thou, and waiting and watching with baited breath.

I may be missing the bigger picture here, but my Suburban has the electronic steering gear, as seen in the pictures. No power steering fluid reservoir or fluid to contend with. From what I am seeing (pictures were sent from my technician), could he not just install the new engine and hook my existing electronic steering gear back up like before? Isn't the steering linkage/gear an isolated part from the engine?

I am still gambling on being able to retain my electronic steering gear that is in the Suburban. I am concerned if trying to convert to hydraulic, there may be more issues than are worth dealing with. We are retaining my factory ECM and TCM. Wouldn't my existing steering gear just plug back into those connections as before?

Either way, I guess we'll find out soon enough. My technician seems deeply motivated to get this job done, and he is a very creative problem solver, so I am hopeful that he can come to a viable solution.

 

[TollKeeper]

My bad... Reading the thread, i gathered it had Hydro Steering. (thats why I said "stay" in my post)

If you already have the E-Steer, than everything is already present, and its a matter of a electrical connection, and the new motor clearances.. If thats the case, you should be golden.

 

[TollKeeper]

The bigger question is... How does the new motor respond to boost!?

 

[CMoore711]

Whipple Superchargers 2020-2022 GM L8T 6.6L HD Supercharger Kit

Whipple Superchargers 2020-2022 2500/3500HD 6.6L bolt-on supercharger kit offering over 50% more power over stock.

whipplesuperchargers.com

The L8T would love it!
The 6l80…. Not so much.

 

[L8T BURB]

UPDATE!! New engine and transmission is being transplanted!! Man I'm EXCITED!!

Also I got some subtle badging that I will be putting on. Not sure if I'll use the hood line, similar to the 6.2 Silverado, or maybe the lower right corner of the lift gate....

 

[Tonyrodz]

UPDATE!! New engine and transmission is being transplanted!! Man I'm EXCITED!!

View attachment 408446View attachment 408447



Also I got some subtle badging that I will be putting on. Not sure if I'll use the hood line, similar to the 6.2 Silverado, or maybe the lower right corner of the lift gate....

View attachment 408440

I can't wait til you get it running.
If it was mine, I'd put the badging on the rear gate. Nice and subtle--plus they'll be able to see what just kicked their ass.

 

[TollKeeper]

Plenty of space for a single turbo pushing 6-7 lbs of boost! Not enough to blow it up, but enough to put a smile on your face!

Man has only been part of this community for 32 posts, and I think is making one of the most interesting threads to date!

 

[TollKeeper]

Are you going to try to use the stock cross over pipe, with cats? I would suggest it. Looks like you got both cats and all 4 O2 sensors. Thats like 1000 in parts right there.

 

[L8T BURB]

Are you going to try to use the stock cross over pipe, with cats? I would suggest it. Looks like you got both cats and all 4 O2 sensors. Thats like 1000 in parts right there.

I'm hopeful that I can use the cats and cross-over from the donor engine. The diameter of the piping, diameter of the cats, and the overall angles of it could be too big but we shall see. I don't have pics for a good side by side comparison, but the downpipe and cats from the 6.6 are MASSIVE compared to the 5.3 downpipe and cats.

If I have to end up using my 5.3 downpipe and cats, at least I'll have the donor stuff to sell and offset my costs.

 

[TollKeeper]

Im not sure you will be able to use the exhaust from the 5.3. The diameter of the piping might be to small. Might be time for a custom exhaust if the 6.6 exhaust wont work.