5.3 to 6.0 Swap on my 2001 Tahoe

[adventurenali92]

My mileage sucks lol I get 16 average MAYBE. Best at 18 long highway drives.

I bought a cheap oil filter, maybe it is the blow back valve. I didn't even think of that.

After talking more with the sellers of the engines I noticed the $550 seller says motor needs rebuilt but doesn't specify. The motor is ONLY the bottom end w/ heads (no intake or accessories).

There is another for sale a couple hundred miles from me. He's including some of the accessories, exhaust & intake manifolds. He wants $300 (maybe I could get him a bit lower) but there's a spun rod bearing so would need a new crank in the least (another $200+).

I talked with local salvage yard. They said they could sell me a complete 6.0 motor in running condition for $800. But they didn't have any in stock right now.

I'm kind of leaning towards the spun bearing guy if he'll give it to me for say $200 lol

Although this isn't an emergency situation, it's really me burning a hole in my pocket... Not sure how often these 6.0 motors show up for sale like this.

I average better fuel mileage than that in a long wheel base truck with a 6.0 on long highway drives!

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Yeah not quite sure what it is. I have a 2001 z71 tahoe. There is none of that cylinder deactivation stuff.


Has 3.73 gears 5.3 votec, 4L60e transmission. It has auto 4wd (clutch pack in transfer case to vary torque). I drive very conservatively, use 87 octane and check gas mileage on each tank. Maybe

I can turn off the auto 4wd but not sure if it messes with mileage. I should pull off driveshaft to front diff and see.

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[iamdub]

Ever shopped around for used vans or work trucks? Often times, you can buy a decent-mileage 2500 van (Express, etc.) for $1500-$2500. A lot of them are fleet vehicles or church "buses" that have been regularly maintained and not beat on. Buy the van, swap the motors around, then sell the van at a small loss for a relatively cheap but road-ready 6.0 for your truck. A 6.0 from a van can be priced less since it's "just a van motor" but the same 6.0 coming from an HD truck or something else a little flashier can be priced higher. For example, I saved a decent chunk buying a 6.0 from an Escalade rather than one from a Silverado SS. Same exact LQ9. As a bonus, the one from the Escalade was FAR less prone to have been ran hard.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Ever shopped around for used vans or work trucks? Often times, you can buy a decent-mileage 2500 van (Express, etc.) for $1500-$2500. A lot of them are fleet vehicles or church "buses" that have been regularly maintained and not beat on. Buy the van, swap the motors around, then sell the van at a small loss for a relatively cheap but road-ready 6.0 for your truck. A 6.0 from a van can be priced less since it's "just a van motor" but the same 6.0 coming from an HD truck or something else a little flashier can be priced higher. For example, I saved a decent chunk buying a 6.0 from an Escalade rather than one from a Silverado SS. Same exact LQ9. As a bonus, the one from the Escalade was FAR less prone to have been ran hard.

Wow smart thinking.

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[adventurenali92]

Ever shopped around for used vans or work trucks? Often times, you can buy a decent-mileage 2500 van (Express, etc.) for $1500-$2500. A lot of them are fleet vehicles or church "buses" that have been regularly maintained and not beat on. Buy the van, swap the motors around, then sell the van at a small loss for a relatively cheap but road-ready 6.0 for your truck. A 6.0 from a van can be priced less since it's "just a van motor" but the same 6.0 coming from an HD truck or something else a little flashier can be priced higher. For example, I saved a decent chunk buying a 6.0 from an Escalade rather than one from a Silverado SS. Same exact LQ9. As a bonus, the one from the Escalade was FAR less prone to have been ran hard.

Interesting that You payed less for the Escalade 6.0, the the ss silvy 6.0 I would have thought it would have been the other way around considering the Escalade was “flashier” lol.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Oh on mileage part. I recall my folks 1995 suburban with 4wd and 350 motor getting better mileage than this tahoe I bought so has always left me a bit perplexed.

Especially because I love driving the tahoe, just hate filling it with gas lol

I actually thought maybe is bit underpowered so engine works harder than necessary, another thought for going to 6.0.

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[adventurenali92]

Oh on mileage part. I recall my folks 1995 suburban with 4wd and 350 motor getting better mileage than this tahoe I bought so has always left me a bit perplexed.

Especially because I love driving the tahoe, just hate filling it with gas lol

I actually thought maybe is bit underpowered so engine works harder than necessary, another thought for going to 6.0.

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Another member explained it to me this way recently, the bigger motor has to work less to keep the vehicle moving so it’s using less fuel. Makes sense to me lol.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

Another member explained it to me this way recently, the bigger motor has to work less to keep the vehicle moving so it’s using less fuel. Makes sense to me lol.

Any excuse to buy more horses. My wallet will likely hate me either way lol

 

[iamdub]

Interesting that You payed less for the Escalade 6.0, the the ss silvy 6.0 I would have thought it would have been the other way around considering the Escalade was “flashier” lol.

It wasn't much cheaper because it was still a 33K-mile LQ9. But, across the board, "performance" engines (LS1/LS6 F-bodies, Silvy SS, SSR 5.3 and 6.0, etc.) generally are priced higher because of their origin. You can say "I have a Camaro SS, Silverado SS, etc. motor...". Although the Esky 6.0 is the same, it's viewed by those not in the know as "just a motor from a big, fat SUV".

 

[iamdub]

Oh on mileage part. I recall my folks 1995 suburban with 4wd and 350 motor getting better mileage than this tahoe I bought so has always left me a bit perplexed.

Especially because I love driving the tahoe, just hate filling it with gas lol

I actually thought maybe is bit underpowered so engine works harder than necessary, another thought for going to 6.0.

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But at what speeds did your parents typically drive at? With these giant bricks, aerodynamics is a mofo to contend with! There's a sizeable difference from driving at 65 versus 75.