Mild 6.0L Build Suggestions?
- Thread starter Matthew Jeschke
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Matthew Jeschke
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I felt like a kid in the candy store. Picked up the 6.0 block today. Guy was is an engine builder in Los Cruses, NM. He had all the cool stuff in his shop and was like a rolling encyclopedia of knowledge and experience on engine building. His friend was there who listed the block on facebook and they were building an engine for him. Chevy 350 with roots style blower and two massive cathedral style 4 barrel carbs on it.
He sold me the LQ4 cam, LQ9 (full float rods), LQ4 pistons, prepped and ready 6.0 Block, and a wind-age tray for $950. Not a steal but not too bad a deal either. I'm not sure what cam I want to use but he threw it in. They all swear by the LS9 cam but requires some cam sensor hackery to get it working as well as a custom tune. I have software to tune truck but know enough that it's a PITA to tune.
Only blooper was I went to get the block out of my trunk, and the damn engine hoist fell over and punched a hole in the back of my good car
I'm now doing a little body work to fix it.
He sold me the LQ4 cam, LQ9 (full float rods), LQ4 pistons, prepped and ready 6.0 Block, and a wind-age tray for $950. Not a steal but not too bad a deal either. I'm not sure what cam I want to use but he threw it in. They all swear by the LS9 cam but requires some cam sensor hackery to get it working as well as a custom tune. I have software to tune truck but know enough that it's a PITA to tune.
Only blooper was I went to get the block out of my trunk, and the damn engine hoist fell over and punched a hole in the back of my good car
I'm now doing a little body work to fix it. 
Tonyrodz
Resident Resident
Sux about the dent. How much does a bare block weigh?I felt like a kid in the candy store. Picked up the 6.0 block today. Guy was is an engine builder in Los Cruses, NM. He had all the cool stuff in his shop and was like a rolling encyclopedia of knowledge and experience on engine building. His friend was there who listed the block on facebook and they were building an engine for him. Chevy 350 with roots style blower and two massive cathedral style 4 barrel carbs on it.
He sold me the LQ4 cam, LQ9 (full float rods), LQ4 pistons, prepped and ready 6.0 Block, and a wind-age tray for $950. Not a steal but not too bad a deal either. I'm not sure what cam I want to use but he threw it in. They all swear by the LS9 cam but requires some cam sensor hackery to get it working as well as a custom tune. I have software to tune truck but know enough that it's a PITA to tune.
Only blooper was I went to get the block out of my trunk, and the damn engine hoist fell over and punched a hole in the back of my good car
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Captain Insaino
Full Access Member
I'm not sure exactly where you can buy them anymore, but you can buy upgraded trunion bearings (still needle bearings, but caged) and press them in yourself with a small harbor freight press and an appropriate sized socket. That what I did with the Camaro. I agree with others that you should custom spec a cam for your final setup. It's always tempting to buy off the shelf, But that many degrees of overlap on your original choice may not be the best for your goals. At the very least, do ARP rod bolts, the stock torque to yeild head bolts should suffice unless you are increasing cylinder pressure to the extreme. I also think (IMHO) that stock lifters would be fine.
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Matthew Jeschke
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Thx
Yeah little sad my dd is taking a beating. The block was manageable with 2 people to set it in the trunk. I think it's 215lbs. I just couldn't lean over and pick it up out of trunk alone haha. Now that it's out of car I can pick it up and move it around. Although it's a bit of a back breaker :|
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Matthew Jeschke
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I ended up ordering trunnion kit off Amazon https://amzn.to/3ksELE7
I want to fix any weak points in the motor when I build it. That's my primary goal, hope for this to be a forever motor (if there is such a thing). So I went with the bushing ones. There's no roller.
I ordered these OEM Flat Top/LQ9 pistons: https://amzn.to/3np0sag
The guy I bought block from is an engine builder. I picked it up at his shop. I asked him about balancing the crank. He said I shouldn't have to touch it so long as I build the motor with GM spec internals. I had wondered about upgrading these pistons to HyperEutectric. However, just went with the OEM flat tops.
I'm stumped right now on what lifters to get? https://ebay.to/38GVphl
The engine builder STRONGLY encouraged replacing the factory lifters. He said the rollers tend to chip on them, and that's one of the reasons they have the lifter noise. He said I think "Johnson" lifters. I tried to call him to verify but cannot seem to reach him right now.
I'm looking at upgrading the oil pump, want higher volume, not sure about higher pressure.
I'd love to get the SLP high volume pump but seems they don't make those anymore? It would be a factory part number. Bit worried about slapping on say a Melling 295HV. He said these blocks spin cam bearings because there's only one oil port on each journal. It creates a hydrolic wedge and imbalanced load on the bearing. So I want to be very careful about which pump I get. Higher pressure could push the cam harder into the other side of the bearing. I definitely want more volume, just not more pressure. Again, I wanted to ask him but I cannot seem to get a hold of him right now.
Tonyrodz
Resident Resident
Makes sense about spinning cam bearings. I had a Melling hv on mine.
Looks like you got the last trunnion kit--they're out of stock.
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Matthew Jeschke
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Were you looking to do the trunnion upgrade? I think they sell those kits all over the place, here's one at Jegs: https://rb.gy/ganuhs
Cam bearings make me damn nervous. I also have a slightly hoped up LS1 in my Corvette. It sees like 1000 miles every decade though haha. With luck I'll have a tow vehicle to take it up to the silver state classic though! A long time goal of mine
What oil pump are you looking to use this time?
Cam bearings make me damn nervous. I also have a slightly hoped up LS1 in my Corvette. It sees like 1000 miles every decade though haha. With luck I'll have a tow vehicle to take it up to the silver state classic though! A long time goal of mine
What oil pump are you looking to use this time?
Tonyrodz
Resident Resident
I also have the Melling hv in this new motor. I wasn't looking to do the trunnions. I was just checking out the link. Thx tho.Were you looking to do the trunnion upgrade? I think they sell those kits all over the place, here's one at Jegs: https://rb.gy/ganuhs
Cam bearings make me damn nervous. I also have a slightly hoped up LS1 in my Corvette. It sees like 1000 miles every decade though haha. With luck I'll have a tow vehicle to take it up to the silver state classic though! A long time goal of mine
What oil pump are you looking to use this time?
Captain Insaino
Full Access Member
“The engine builder STRONGLY encouraged replacing the factory lifters. He said the rollers tend to chip on them, and that's one of the reasons they have the lifter noise. He said I think "Johnson" lifters. I tried to call him to verify but cannot seem to reach him right now.”
I would listen to your builder. I haven’t built an LS based engine in several years.
concerns about the cam bearings are legit. I bought a block from a “reputable builder“ that didn’t line hone the block. My front cam bearing on one of my engines walked out. In the end the motor was junk. I still ended up putting 30,000 miles on it with f’d up bearings, I kept trying to blow it up and it wouldn’t break.
I would listen to your builder. I haven’t built an LS based engine in several years.
concerns about the cam bearings are legit. I bought a block from a “reputable builder“ that didn’t line hone the block. My front cam bearing on one of my engines walked out. In the end the motor was junk. I still ended up putting 30,000 miles on it with f’d up bearings, I kept trying to blow it up and it wouldn’t break.
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