swathdiver
Full Access Member
I hear ya, there's a lot of ways to go on this one. In a similar situation with our new truck. Bought a ton of parts for it and then my youngin' backed into a tree and now that has to get fixed.
2008 Suburban Engine Swap - 6.0 to 6.2
- Thread starter strokersace
- Start date
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Rayyy
Full Access Member
How is the progress on this build?
I’m considering a 6.2 swap as well, so I’ve been following along.
Have you decided for sure if you’re steadfast on the 6.2, or rebuilding the 6.0 after all?
I’m considering a 6.2 swap as well, so I’ve been following along.
Have you decided for sure if you’re steadfast on the 6.2, or rebuilding the 6.0 after all?
avalonandl
Full Access Member
Stick with the 6.0 its a good engine
strokersace
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So finally an update. Opted to redo the 6.0 verses go through with the 6.2. Talked to the machinist about new factory sleeves, and it didn't really seem all that feasible and much cost savings verses boring it and new pistons. By the time I did a new rotating assembly, it was going to be THOUSANDS of $$$ more than the 6.0. Talked to a local "friend of a friend" that has built and owns several LS' and he recommended the 6.0 for what we're using it for.
Took advantage of BTR's black Friday / cyber Monday sale and ordered everything from there. Including long tube headers and y-pipe. They had originally talked me into a Truck Norris cam. But after looking at the specs (212/224, .552/.552, 107 LSA) further and listening to countless videos of various vehicles with that cam, it was going to have WAY too lope at idle for my liking. I showed my wife one of the videos and her exact response was, "it sounds like it's either a race car, or something is wrong with that engine". So I opted for this Cammotion cam instead: https://cammotion.com/in-stock-ready-to-ship-cams/titan-2-ls-truck-camshaft-212-220-112-4/
It will be noticeable at idle, but not near as bad as the Truck Norris cam from BTR. I'm going to install the L9H injectors out of the 6.2 and put in the bigger fuel pump to match. Will trailer it to a shop in Kansas City to be live tuned. I think that's the best way to get it dialed in immediately.
Parts should all be here next week. Hope to have it back going by Christmas.
Took advantage of BTR's black Friday / cyber Monday sale and ordered everything from there. Including long tube headers and y-pipe. They had originally talked me into a Truck Norris cam. But after looking at the specs (212/224, .552/.552, 107 LSA) further and listening to countless videos of various vehicles with that cam, it was going to have WAY too lope at idle for my liking. I showed my wife one of the videos and her exact response was, "it sounds like it's either a race car, or something is wrong with that engine". So I opted for this Cammotion cam instead: https://cammotion.com/in-stock-ready-to-ship-cams/titan-2-ls-truck-camshaft-212-220-112-4/
It will be noticeable at idle, but not near as bad as the Truck Norris cam from BTR. I'm going to install the L9H injectors out of the 6.2 and put in the bigger fuel pump to match. Will trailer it to a shop in Kansas City to be live tuned. I think that's the best way to get it dialed in immediately.
Parts should all be here next week. Hope to have it back going by Christmas.
strokersace
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All remaining parts got here yesterday. Unfortunately looking more at our schedule over the next 2 weeks, there's no way I'll get this thing back on the road before Christmas. I'm guessing early January at the soonest now. We'll see. Need to call the shops up in the KC area that were recommended for tuning to see what schedules they have too.
swathdiver
Full Access Member
Melling sleeves are less than $40 each, how much did the machine shop want to install them?
strokersace
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I can’t remember exactly to be honest. By the time I bought the sleeves, new rings, and had the machine sharp do the work, it wasn’t going to be much different than just boring and putting in new pistons.
Still needed to address the crank with that scenario too. So said eff it, scrapping the whole dang idea of the 6.2 and redoing the 6.0.
strokersace
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Update without pictures....
Sold the 6.2 crap for pennies on the dollar for what I paid for it. Oh well. FINALLY spent time to work on the Suburban. The 6.0 looked fantastic internally when I opened it up. All parts are installed. Had to get new plug wires since the factory style AC Delco's are touching the headers. Went with some high dollar ACCEL ceramic 45* plug boot ones as I could get them immediately verses having some shipped from BTS or Texas Speed. Also swapping to stepped band clamps for the headers and y-pipe. The standard clamps are allowing for some leaks.
Still haven't installed the L9H flex fuel injectors, largely because I haven't figured out exactly what I need to do to modify the tank. And I'm having trouble finding a flex fuel tank out of a Suburban or Yukon XL to just swap in. If anyone has any insight on that, please let me know!!
Still haven't landed on a tuner just yet. Was going to trailer up to the Kansas City metro area, either to Justune or Killer Performance for some dyno tuning, but we'll see.
Sold the 6.2 crap for pennies on the dollar for what I paid for it. Oh well. FINALLY spent time to work on the Suburban. The 6.0 looked fantastic internally when I opened it up. All parts are installed. Had to get new plug wires since the factory style AC Delco's are touching the headers. Went with some high dollar ACCEL ceramic 45* plug boot ones as I could get them immediately verses having some shipped from BTS or Texas Speed. Also swapping to stepped band clamps for the headers and y-pipe. The standard clamps are allowing for some leaks.
Still haven't installed the L9H flex fuel injectors, largely because I haven't figured out exactly what I need to do to modify the tank. And I'm having trouble finding a flex fuel tank out of a Suburban or Yukon XL to just swap in. If anyone has any insight on that, please let me know!!
Still haven't landed on a tuner just yet. Was going to trailer up to the Kansas City metro area, either to Justune or Killer Performance for some dyno tuning, but we'll see.
strokersace
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Found a flex fuel tank local. And picked up a brand new oem flex fuel pump from a guy in town. Got all that swapped in last weekend. Waiting an a few injectors to show up to the dealership so I can finish installing those. Was recommended to call a local guy about tuning from a buddy of mine that is in the race car scene. Going to give him a shot. He’s in the town I work in so easy to trailer the car there. I’m hoping early next week.
strokersace
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I never updated this thread last year after getting the Suburban back on the road, so here goes...
Had it dyno tuned locally here in south central Kansas. I thought he did a great job on the 1st pass. 385ish rwhp if I recall. He was having issues with the fuel pump control module not commanding enough flow to take advantage of the L9H injectors. The plan was to address this issue by either having it reflashed with for the larger injectors or replace entirely, then strap it back to the dyno for another round of tuning to get if fully dialed in. It ran and sounded good, but could have been better. Low end power needed adjusted a bit more and as well as lope. Occasionally it would start and die or when pulling out of a parking lot or similar, it would die when coming to a stop. Not all the time, but sometimes. Fuel related for sure.
UNFORTUNATELY, that never came to fruition as my shortly afterwards, I filed for divorce and the now ex-wife took the Suburban with her. I tried multiple times to swap her vehicles so I could wrap everything up on it, but she refused. Almost 25,000 miles and a year later, she's still driving it as-is. I hoped to have a dialed in success story to share last year, but failed. It's a good story, just not the one I'd hoped for!
Just picked up a 2010 Yukon XL Denali with a #7 AFM lifter failure at 143K miles, so getting ready to tear into that. I'll have more time to get it as close to perfect as I can before giving it to my Mom and Stepdad to replace their 2006 Suburban with 290K miles on it!
Had it dyno tuned locally here in south central Kansas. I thought he did a great job on the 1st pass. 385ish rwhp if I recall. He was having issues with the fuel pump control module not commanding enough flow to take advantage of the L9H injectors. The plan was to address this issue by either having it reflashed with for the larger injectors or replace entirely, then strap it back to the dyno for another round of tuning to get if fully dialed in. It ran and sounded good, but could have been better. Low end power needed adjusted a bit more and as well as lope. Occasionally it would start and die or when pulling out of a parking lot or similar, it would die when coming to a stop. Not all the time, but sometimes. Fuel related for sure.
UNFORTUNATELY, that never came to fruition as my shortly afterwards, I filed for divorce and the now ex-wife took the Suburban with her. I tried multiple times to swap her vehicles so I could wrap everything up on it, but she refused. Almost 25,000 miles and a year later, she's still driving it as-is. I hoped to have a dialed in success story to share last year, but failed. It's a good story, just not the one I'd hoped for!
Just picked up a 2010 Yukon XL Denali with a #7 AFM lifter failure at 143K miles, so getting ready to tear into that. I'll have more time to get it as close to perfect as I can before giving it to my Mom and Stepdad to replace their 2006 Suburban with 290K miles on it!
