2003 Tahoe engine replacement in ATL

[tahoe7689]

I have a 2003 Tahoe 5.3L vin Z that recently started having engine noise…misfire #6, mechanic thinks rod bearing or similar. I have read the threads here about going to a 6.0 and I’d love to do that but I am currently living in Atlanta and don’t have space or tools or time to do a swap myself.

Can you guys recommend a shop that could do a 6.0 swap? I have found a couple shops that will put in a rebuilt 5.3 but if I’m going to replace the engine I’d like to upgrade. shop it’s currently at balked when I mentioned 6.0 swap so will keep searching. Per my searches a rebuilt 6.0 is hard to find, so I’m thinking I’d have to find a junkyard one and rebuild that? Any thoughts you all have would be appreciated

 

[rockola1971]

You can scour salvage yards across the U.S. for a 6.0L car-part.com Dont know why shops are worried about a 6.0 swap. They are direct bolt in. Externally a 4.8L,5.3L,6.0L are all dimensionally the same for Gen3 engines.

 

[nonickatall]

Because most shops are afraid, that there is some incompatibility with electric, sensors, ECM or whatever.
And most shops have no time or addiction for research and no interest of recruiting problems.

And I can understand it a little, because I have as well the experience that I do something at a car, the customer comes in one week later, with a different problem and tells me: "You was working last week on my car, that has to do with you work. "

For example: I swapt last week a water pump of an BMW, which was leaking and the customer comes one week later and tell me, that a week after my repair, he has and error of the ESP and ABS System.

I told him that has nothing to do with my work I didn't even removed the wheels, but he stated: That was one week after you worked on my car. You are responsible...

Luckily i'm in the situation, that I can choose my customers very well, so I told this customer: *** and find another shop...

 

[tahoe7689]

Yeah I partially get that…like you guys said it dimensionally will fit. I’m still searching for a shop in the area.

I assume I’ll need to use the 6.0 ECU or flash mine to run the 6.0?

One engine I’m looking at online looks like it has hydroboost brakes…I should be able to run my regular power steering pump on the 6.0 and use my existing vacuum boost brakes off of the 6.0 right? I recently replaced the booster and master cylinder, and have a newish power steering pump so don’t really want to convert to hydroboost (but not opposed lol).

Regarding transmission- it’s a 4L60e and has 234,000 but was rebuild at 185,000 by with all borg warner parts and some upgrades from original. My plan is to use this for now knowing it may go out faster with the bigger engine. Sound reasonable? In a perfect world I would go all out and put a brand new monster transmission or similar

 

[nonickatall]

The LQ (6.0) and the LS (5.4, 5.3) a basicly the same engine. The block is the same, just has a bigger bore at the 6.0. So everything like your servo pump, intake manifold, generator and gearbox are compatible,
with the difference, that the 6.0 uses the 4L65e which is a reinforced version of the 4l60e to handle the bigger torque.

As far as I know, even the ECU is compatibel....

 

[Mudsport96]

The 5.3 computer will run the 6.0 alright as long as you don't use e85. You will definitely need a tune for that. And bigger injectors

 

[Tonyrodz]

The 5.3 computer will run the 6.0 alright as long as you don't use e85. You will definitely need a tune for that. And bigger injectors

Definitely bigger injectors. You don't want to run it lean.