Everything you ever wanted to know about the LQ4/LQ9 engines!
OP PONTIAC SLEEPER, theturboforums.com
6000 Vortec 6.0L
LQ4
The Vortec 6000, or LQ4, is a V8 truck engine. It is a bored version of the Vortec 5300. Displacement is 6.0 L (≈366 cu in) from 101.6 mm bore and 92 mm stroke. It is an iron/aluminum (2000 model year engines had cast iron heads) design and produces 300 horsepower (220 kW) to 325 horsepower (242 kW) and 360 lb·ft (488 N·m) to 370 lb·ft (502 N·m). LQ4s are built in Romulus, Michigan and Silao, Mexico.
LQ4 applications:
Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Pickup, 3500 Pickup, Crew Cab, and Chassis Cab/GMC Sierra 2500 HD Pickup and Crew Cab, C3, Denali, and 3500 Pickup and Chassis Cab, 1500HD Crew Cab
Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL Denali
Hummer H2 SUT
GMC Yukon Denali
LQ9
The Vortec ** 6000 or VortecMAX is a special high-output version of the Vortec 6000 V8 truck engine originally designed for Cadillac. This engine was introduced in other truck lines as VortecMAX for 2006. It features high-compression (10:1) flat-top pistons for an extra 10 hp (7.5 kW) and 10 ft·lbf (14 N·m), bringing output to 345 hp (257 kW) and 380 ft·lb (515 N·m). LQ9s are built only in Romulus, Michigan. GM also listed it as based on LS architecture.[1]
LQ9 Applications:
2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade
2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade EXT
2003-2006 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2003-2007 Chevrolet Silverado SS
2004-2005 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Vortec ** Edition Only [Badging on truck]
2006-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra VortecMAX Option
The 99-00 6.0L had the longer rear main flange on the crank. It was 1.25 inches thick. They also came with Iron Heads. in 01- up the swithched to the standard more common crank flange thickness which measures .857 at the rear main flange area. They used a spacer between the crank flange and fly wheel to compensate for the extra thickness need to get the fly wheel to bolt up with the 4L80E Torque converter. As a result the Bolts are also longer... 01 6.0L was also the first year for the Aluminum Heads on the 6.0L
The camshaft is the same in the LQ4 and LQ9. It has same part number on it.... The diffrence is the pistons and rods... The LQ4 which is pretty standard for the truck line up has a slight dish in it while the LQ9 has a flat top piston... The LQ9 is ussually found in the High end caddy SUV, SS Truck, and the VHO optioned crew cabs
Now in the first designLQ9 piston I believe they used a standard LS1 rod with a pressed pin. They Later (04 LQ9) switched to the beffier LS2 rod with a Floating pin flat top piston.
Yes the LQ9 piston Is the same flat top piston used in the LS2. They have a floating Pin. The conecting rods are also the same.
The difference In power comes from the added compression and the factory programing. The LQ9 is tuned for more performance with the bump in compression.
Factory camshaft part numbers
The 99-00 LQ4 6.0L used the 12560967 - this is also used in the 5.3L
The 01-up LQ4 6.0L used the 12561721
The 02-up LQ9 6.0L also used the 12561721
Factory Camshaft specs are:
12560967 191/190 duration at .050 0.457/0.466 lift on a 114 Lobe center
12561721 196/207 duration at .050 0.467/0.479 lift on a 116 Lobe center
This link will show and answer the crank Question - http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/1096/Gen_III_GM_Small_Block.aspx
Now to adress the 5.3/4.8 Since it was mentioned also...
They can be bored from the stock 5.3L/4.8L 3.779 (96mm) to Factory LS1 3.898 (99mm) bore in some cases up to 3.905. It is however recomended that you have the block sonic checked First before trying to go that far. Some blocks may have casting flaws or core shift issues that may not allow that much of an over bore...
Now in some very early cases there were 5.3/4.8 blocks that were cast with a large 6.0 above the 5.3/4.8 These blocks are few and far between but can be bored to the stock 6.0L 4.00 bore (101mm). There is not a whole lot of info out there on them as they seem to be hard to find.
So now you ask whats the diff between a 4.8L and 5.3L and why do they use the same block???
They use the same Bore but a 4.8L has a shorter stroke with a longer rod.
LR4 4.8L=3.267 (83mm) Stroke with 6.275 rod
LM4/LM7 5.3L=3.662 (92mm) stroke with 6.098 rod
LQ4/LQ9 6.0L=3.662 (92mm) stroke with 6.098 rod
As far as the 5.3L and 4.8L piston go a 4.8 is a flat top piston and the 5.3L is dished....
Can you use a 4.8L piston with the 5.3L Internals???? Of course you can!!!
Infact Gm has already done just that with the L33 option 5.3L engine...
4.8 Specs
4.8 stroke: 3.268
4.8 rod : 6.275
4.8 deck height: 9.240
5.3 Specs
5.3 stroke:3.622
5.3 rod: 6.098
5.3 deck height: 9.240
Now do the math: the centerline of the cank is half the stroke of couse and the deck height is measured of the centerline of the crank.
5.3 Stroke 3.622/2 = 1.811
4.8 Stroke 3.268/2 = 1.634
5.3:
1.811 + 6.098 = 7.909
9.240 - 7.909 = 1.331 Pin Height
4.8:
1.634 + 6.275 = 7.909
9.240 - 7.909 = 1.331 Pin Height
It works out to the same exact pin Height. They use the same flat top 4.8L pistons in the 5.3L L33 optioned engines... The Gm part number is exactaly the same...
Two Thumbs Up! There is a ton more info out there If you want to learn. One of the better books out there is by Will Handzel. Even that has a lot of typo's in it but has the most info in one place... Tons of web sites to...
OP PONTIAC SLEEPER, theturboforums.com
6000 Vortec 6.0L
LQ4
The Vortec 6000, or LQ4, is a V8 truck engine. It is a bored version of the Vortec 5300. Displacement is 6.0 L (≈366 cu in) from 101.6 mm bore and 92 mm stroke. It is an iron/aluminum (2000 model year engines had cast iron heads) design and produces 300 horsepower (220 kW) to 325 horsepower (242 kW) and 360 lb·ft (488 N·m) to 370 lb·ft (502 N·m). LQ4s are built in Romulus, Michigan and Silao, Mexico.
LQ4 applications:
Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Pickup, 3500 Pickup, Crew Cab, and Chassis Cab/GMC Sierra 2500 HD Pickup and Crew Cab, C3, Denali, and 3500 Pickup and Chassis Cab, 1500HD Crew Cab
Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL Denali
Hummer H2 SUT
GMC Yukon Denali
LQ9
The Vortec ** 6000 or VortecMAX is a special high-output version of the Vortec 6000 V8 truck engine originally designed for Cadillac. This engine was introduced in other truck lines as VortecMAX for 2006. It features high-compression (10:1) flat-top pistons for an extra 10 hp (7.5 kW) and 10 ft·lbf (14 N·m), bringing output to 345 hp (257 kW) and 380 ft·lb (515 N·m). LQ9s are built only in Romulus, Michigan. GM also listed it as based on LS architecture.[1]
LQ9 Applications:
2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade
2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade EXT
2003-2006 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2003-2007 Chevrolet Silverado SS
2004-2005 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Vortec ** Edition Only [Badging on truck]
2006-2007 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra VortecMAX Option
The 99-00 6.0L had the longer rear main flange on the crank. It was 1.25 inches thick. They also came with Iron Heads. in 01- up the swithched to the standard more common crank flange thickness which measures .857 at the rear main flange area. They used a spacer between the crank flange and fly wheel to compensate for the extra thickness need to get the fly wheel to bolt up with the 4L80E Torque converter. As a result the Bolts are also longer... 01 6.0L was also the first year for the Aluminum Heads on the 6.0L
The camshaft is the same in the LQ4 and LQ9. It has same part number on it.... The diffrence is the pistons and rods... The LQ4 which is pretty standard for the truck line up has a slight dish in it while the LQ9 has a flat top piston... The LQ9 is ussually found in the High end caddy SUV, SS Truck, and the VHO optioned crew cabs
Now in the first designLQ9 piston I believe they used a standard LS1 rod with a pressed pin. They Later (04 LQ9) switched to the beffier LS2 rod with a Floating pin flat top piston.
Yes the LQ9 piston Is the same flat top piston used in the LS2. They have a floating Pin. The conecting rods are also the same.
The difference In power comes from the added compression and the factory programing. The LQ9 is tuned for more performance with the bump in compression.
Factory camshaft part numbers
The 99-00 LQ4 6.0L used the 12560967 - this is also used in the 5.3L
The 01-up LQ4 6.0L used the 12561721
The 02-up LQ9 6.0L also used the 12561721
Factory Camshaft specs are:
12560967 191/190 duration at .050 0.457/0.466 lift on a 114 Lobe center
12561721 196/207 duration at .050 0.467/0.479 lift on a 116 Lobe center
This link will show and answer the crank Question - http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/1096/Gen_III_GM_Small_Block.aspx
Now to adress the 5.3/4.8 Since it was mentioned also...
They can be bored from the stock 5.3L/4.8L 3.779 (96mm) to Factory LS1 3.898 (99mm) bore in some cases up to 3.905. It is however recomended that you have the block sonic checked First before trying to go that far. Some blocks may have casting flaws or core shift issues that may not allow that much of an over bore...
Now in some very early cases there were 5.3/4.8 blocks that were cast with a large 6.0 above the 5.3/4.8 These blocks are few and far between but can be bored to the stock 6.0L 4.00 bore (101mm). There is not a whole lot of info out there on them as they seem to be hard to find.
So now you ask whats the diff between a 4.8L and 5.3L and why do they use the same block???
They use the same Bore but a 4.8L has a shorter stroke with a longer rod.
LR4 4.8L=3.267 (83mm) Stroke with 6.275 rod
LM4/LM7 5.3L=3.662 (92mm) stroke with 6.098 rod
LQ4/LQ9 6.0L=3.662 (92mm) stroke with 6.098 rod
As far as the 5.3L and 4.8L piston go a 4.8 is a flat top piston and the 5.3L is dished....
Can you use a 4.8L piston with the 5.3L Internals???? Of course you can!!!
Infact Gm has already done just that with the L33 option 5.3L engine...
4.8 Specs
4.8 stroke: 3.268
4.8 rod : 6.275
4.8 deck height: 9.240
5.3 Specs
5.3 stroke:3.622
5.3 rod: 6.098
5.3 deck height: 9.240
Now do the math: the centerline of the cank is half the stroke of couse and the deck height is measured of the centerline of the crank.
5.3 Stroke 3.622/2 = 1.811
4.8 Stroke 3.268/2 = 1.634
5.3:
1.811 + 6.098 = 7.909
9.240 - 7.909 = 1.331 Pin Height
4.8:
1.634 + 6.275 = 7.909
9.240 - 7.909 = 1.331 Pin Height
It works out to the same exact pin Height. They use the same flat top 4.8L pistons in the 5.3L L33 optioned engines... The Gm part number is exactaly the same...
Two Thumbs Up! There is a ton more info out there If you want to learn. One of the better books out there is by Will Handzel. Even that has a lot of typo's in it but has the most info in one place... Tons of web sites to...
