Help me prepare for my motor swap.

[tRidiot]

Motor is supposed to be shipped today, I am swapping from a 5.3L (L59) to a 6.0L (LQ9).

What parts am I going to need to be prepared? I think I want to replace my air conditioning stuff, too, while I'm at it. Compressor and such, since I'm going to be keeping this vehicle for another 100-200k miles or more. So help me pick out and pick up the parts I need to get this swap done.

The motor is a "long block" which should include the oil pump, has oil pan and timing chain cover, valve covers, etc. I'll reuse my old intake. I am told I should replace "all the sensors" - supposedly there are kits out there for this, but I don't know how to find them.

Going to RockAuto and looking up the sensors and wiring/connectors for them, it adds up to nearly $300 worth of stuff.
Knock sensors and harness/connectors
Camshaft position sensor (and connector)
Crankshaft position sensor (and connector)
Temperature sender/sensor (and connector)
Oil pressure sensor


All that stuff together comes out to $282 or so (all AC Delco parts when I could). Now, I used the Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0L motor to look these up, not my 5.3L - is that right? Or how do I make sure these are the right parts? Are they the same for the 5.3 and the 6.0? My computer has been reprogrammed, I sent it out to the builder and he put a stock Escalade tune on it to go with this motor. I've already done an electric fan swap on my Tahoe before all this, so I am hoping this will just plug and play.


New water pump, probably? There's an AC Delco Gold/Professional for $83 or so, and the AC Delco GM Original Equipment version for $147. Is the OE really better than the "Gold/Professional" version?


For the A/C I was thinking of THIS KIT - complete kit with compressor, condenser, new o-rings and such, as well as drier and orifice tube. Flush the tubing, hook everything up and it should be good, right? Of course, pulling vacuum, letting it sit, retesting, etc, all before adding refrigerant. I used my 5.3L to look up these parts, again, not sure if there's any difference. There is no option (on RockAuto) for AC Delco parts for this. It's about $240.


I'm sure I'm forgetting some things...

 

[1BADI5]

Offset box wrenches to get those torque converter bolts on the flywheel

 

[fasteddy]

That's a lot of A/C stuff.

Don't forget Sparkplugs! I don't know how your wires are.
Maybe a new serpentine belt.
Oil
Oil filter.

 

[tRidiot]

Yes I will be doing new plugs and wires. And I think my belt is ok, but it is only a couple years old and is a special belt - with triple alts I had to get a super long one.

 

[OR VietVet]

Get the work area ready. Get the tires and wheels off and get closer to the ground but still leave enough room for you and others underneath. Get all fluids drained out and the work area dried up after. Get a work bench area cleaned up and straightened so you can lay parts that will be unbolted and reused and place to lay all reusable bolts and nuts. Plus lots more you will forget.

 

[iamdub]

Motor is supposed to be shipped today, I am swapping from a 5.3L (L59) to a 6.0L (LQ9).

What parts am I going to need to be prepared? I think I want to replace my air conditioning stuff, too, while I'm at it. Compressor and such, since I'm going to be keeping this vehicle for another 100-200k miles or more. So help me pick out and pick up the parts I need to get this swap done.

The motor is a "long block" which should include the oil pump, has oil pan and timing chain cover, valve covers, etc. I'll reuse my old intake. I am told I should replace "all the sensors" - supposedly there are kits out there for this, but I don't know how to find them.

Going to RockAuto and looking up the sensors and wiring/connectors for them, it adds up to nearly $300 worth of stuff.
Knock sensors and harness/connectors
Camshaft position sensor (and connector)
Crankshaft position sensor (and connector)
Temperature sender/sensor (and connector)
Oil pressure sensor


All that stuff together comes out to $282 or so (all AC Delco parts when I could). Now, I used the Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0L motor to look these up, not my 5.3L - is that right? Or how do I make sure these are the right parts? Are they the same for the 5.3 and the 6.0? My computer has been reprogrammed, I sent it out to the builder and he put a stock Escalade tune on it to go with this motor. I've already done an electric fan swap on my Tahoe before all this, so I am hoping this will just plug and play.


New water pump, probably? There's an AC Delco Gold/Professional for $83 or so, and the AC Delco GM Original Equipment version for $147. Is the OE really better than the "Gold/Professional" version?


For the A/C I was thinking of THIS KIT - complete kit with compressor, condenser, new o-rings and such, as well as drier and orifice tube. Flush the tubing, hook everything up and it should be good, right? Of course, pulling vacuum, letting it sit, retesting, etc, all before adding refrigerant. I used my 5.3L to look up these parts, again, not sure if there's any difference. There is no option (on RockAuto) for AC Delco parts for this. It's about $240.


I'm sure I'm forgetting some things...

LQ9- nice! You do know that the LQ9 requires 91 octane or higher, right?

Good job on having an Escalade tune and electric fans already done.

IIRC, there were a couple different options (maybe just two) for the A/C compressor. So, be sure you get whatever's compatible with whatever you get. Really, you could get whatever is stock replacement for your L59 as it'll all bolt up and operate as normal on your LQ9.

Using your LC9 intake manifold would mean you'd have the FlexFuel injectors, so you have more than enough volume to feed the LQ9 even if you were to mod it later.

The only sensors to really be concerned with are those that are difficult to access later. Unfortunately, this is most of them. The coolant temp, MAF and and MAP sensors are the only ones easily accessed later should one fail. All others should be replaced, and with ACDelco or Delphi. Don't forget the knock sensor harness and use a little silicone under the flaps to seal them to the valley pan.

I don't believe there are any differences between the L59 or LQ9 in the sensors or the wire harness.

After myself and at least one other very recent story just on this forum of aftermarket water pumps failing in short order, I'd strongly advise you get an OE water pump. "Professional" is supposed to be "good" aftermarket, but it's still aftermarket. How often do you hear of OE pumps failing short of 200K miles? If you have to replace that Gold/Professional pump within a few years, you'd have $160+ invested into the water pump, not to mention replacing the coolant, the hassle and the risk of the cheaper pump failing at an inconvenient time. That $147 should be a "one and done" investment.

About all I can input on the A/C is that you could be downgrading with those components. Really, if your A/C is working fine now, I'd say to just reattach it to the new motor and let it ride. It's not like it'll be any easier or harder to service with it installed and in service. But, if you insist, I'd recommend that you at least not cheap out on the heart- the compressor. I have a soft spot for the Denso option as far as a factory compressor goes.

 

[tRidiot]

Ok, point taken... best water pump I can get. We have a lift to do the job, so we'll be up and down between motor and trans, but it should be ok.


So I've heard there is a kit or package that includes these sensors and/or harnesses and connectors, but I can't find anything like that. I picked out the parts I could find on RockAuto, like I said above, this came out to about $300 - is there somewhere else I should be getting them that is more economical, or can someone point me to the replacement 'kit' somewhere? I tried looking on Summit and can't find anything like this, but I don't really know what to search for.

Should I get a motor mount kit and do those too, while I'm at it? The ones a RockAuto have 2 motor mounts and a transmission mount. I can't see that it would hurt to do this, they shouldn't be too hard to change if the motor and trans are out

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes, do the mounts while you are apart.

 

[Greg Kulbick]

Don't forget to take the old one out.

 

[tRidiot]

Can anyone point me out a better place than RockAuto to get my parts? As @fasteddy told me the other night, on a motor swap you get "hundred dollared to death" - every time I turn around, it's another C-note for something or other. If I can save a couple, it'll help a lot.