Silverado 4.3 swap to 6.0

[gunowner930]

I wish this swap was as well known and documented 6 years ago when I built my 383 stroker. A 6.0 would have great power and would have been much cheaper than the direction I ultimately took.

What did the 383 stroker go into to?

 

[Mf2racer]

Never heard of "the Beast" sunshell huh? Never heard of a Z-pack clutch kit huh? Never heard of the 4L65e ? Ever even built a 60e? Been inside one?
A 65e is good for up to 500hp and no stock 6.0L is going to be putting out 500hp.

I do not think the op is looking to build a trans. The way I read it the op just wants a v8 powered truck not a hotrod. I was speaking for a stock 60e. Personally I have never been inside of a 60e as I choose to let Finish line transmissions build my transmissions. A built 65e might be rated for 500hp but you put that in a heavy truck with just a tuned 6.0 it's gonna break eventually. There is a reason gm puts a 4l80e behind the 6.0 in 3/4ton trucks. Camaros and trucks are two different animals. Been there done that with broken sunshells and burned up clutch packs.

 

[marrell1482]

Yeah I'm going to build the motor not the trans. I'm going to buy a built trans eventually. I recently got another vehicle and have wanted to swap the truck since the day I got it.

 

[gunowner930]

Never heard of "the Beast" sunshell huh? Never heard of a Z-pack clutch kit huh? Never heard of the 4L65e ? Ever even built a 60e? Been inside one?
A 65e is good for up to 500hp and no stock 6.0L is going to be putting out 500hp.

The PCM connectors have to have the same amount of pinouts in order to be reused with the 6.0L. My 99 GMC Sierra PCM is NO GOOD for a LSX engine. There is a spacer that is needed between torque converter and the 6.0l for it work.

LS1tech.com has all the information you will ever need for a swap. There are already people on there that have documented what it took to do their swap to 6.0l.

You never know... I trashed the planetary gear in a built 4L60E that was supposedly rated to 700 hp with a 402 cube LS2 in a 3500 lb car. I'd feel more comfortable with the 4L80E, especially in a heavier truck.

 

[Tactical Dave]

Yeah I'm going to build the motor not the trans. I'm going to buy a built trans eventually. I recently got another vehicle and have wanted to swap the truck since the day I got it.

Those trannies don't last long stock with built motors...

Your eventually will probably turn into a few weeks after.

 

[marrell1482]

Those trannies don't last long stock with built motors...

I know,I don't expect it to. Specially considering the fact that there's 256xxx miles on it now.

 

[downzero]

What did the 383 stroker go into to?

This^

 

[remauto1187]

I do not think the op is looking to build a trans. The way I read it the op just wants a v8 powered truck not a hotrod. I was speaking for a stock 60e. Personally I have never been inside of a 60e as I choose to let Finish line transmissions build my transmissions. A built 65e might be rated for 500hp but you put that in a heavy truck with just a tuned 6.0 it's gonna break eventually. There is a reason gm puts a 4l80e behind the 6.0 in 3/4ton trucks. Camaros and trucks are two different animals. Been there done that with broken sunshells and burned up clutch packs.

Nonsense. The 65e comes stock behind the corvette LS motors and those sure the heck put out more torque and HP than any truck. You broke the sunshell because you were using the stock units....You burnt the clutches because you didnt put the right ones in there to begin with that are for those with "heavy feet" and/or the valve body updates were not done along with the corvette servo being installed. Camaros and 1/2 ton trucks come off the showroom floor with the same transmission. 4L60e which is formerly the 700r4.

 

[remauto1187]

You never know... I trashed the planetary gear in a built 4L60E that was supposedly rated to 700 hp with a 402 cube LS2 in a 3500 lb car. I'd feel more comfortable with the 4L80E, especially in a heavier truck.

4 pinion or 5? 4 is stock...5 is in the 65e and can be used in the 60e.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I know,I don't expect it to. Specially considering the fact that there's 256xxx miles on it now.

 

[Don]

The nice thing about GM is their transmissions are one size fits all.

4L60E is 4L60E regardless of the car its in. Same for the 4L80E.

Just like the old 700R4s were all the same too.

The internals are the same, now about the bell housings and tail shafts. I.e. you can not use a 4.3L transmission on a 2.2L s10 nor can you use a 2wd transmission on a 4wd truck transfer case. Short story is get a v8 transmission behind your v8.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I'll stick with the trusty TH-400 hahaha.

Last car had one with a 2.10 first gear, 4.10 rear gear and a 28 inch tall sticky... A lot of fun and was highway driven a few times...

 

[Mf2racer]

Nonsense. The 65e comes stock behind the corvette LS motors and those sure the heck put out more torque and HP than any truck. You broke the sunshell because you were using the stock units....You burnt the clutches because you didnt put the right ones in there to begin with that are for those with "heavy feet" and/or the valve body updates were not done along with the corvette servo being installed. Camaros and 1/2 ton trucks come off the showroom floor with the same transmission. 4L60e which is formerly the 700r4.

You sir are the only one spewing nonsense.

 

[Mf2racer]

double

 

[remauto1187]

You sir are the only one spewing nonsense.

Love the generalized statement. Thats typical of someone who doesnt know what they are talking about. You already admitted you dont even build your own tranny. I use to build them for a living after i got out of the service. I still continue to build my own and will continue to. My last rebuild was my truck's 4L60e (first rebuild since new) and that was in 2008. I tow a 5400lb camper with mine. Mysteriously my sunshell (The Beast) is still in one piece...and my 2-4 band is still holding tight in overdrive. Planetary still together too... All clutch packs still do what they are suppose to and when they are suppose to. 140K on that tranny currently.
Once I finish restoration on my Corvette I'll be sure to build the 4L60E behind its LSx too.


"You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink"....you also cant tell someone that what they have read all over the internet isnt true....because someones cousin of a cousin, sons, fathers, uncle had it happen to him.

 

[Mf2racer]

You do not understand any part of this thread. You came into this thread acting like the op was going to build a trans right away. He simply asked a question regarding the pcm which I answered. I was just giving a warning that a STOCK transmission will not hold up if he decided to remove torque management from the tune. VERY few people build there own transmissions and it is a great skill but very intimidating for most. For your application a built 4l60e is great as for many others. I also have a built 4l60e in my truck it is a flt level 4 it has a beast sunshell too and a circle d stall in front of it....who would of thought it! You have a stock engine and use it as a truck. On the other had if you have a modified truck for use as a hotrod running 450-500hp a built 4l60 is going to have a very hard time holding up to abuse in a 4000lbs + truck. That is why many people upgrade to a 4l80e or a th400. The weight of a truck vs a corvette is huge. A truck is also turning a much heavier wheel combination. This is not stuff I have read all over the internet. I have done it.


If you really need proof here ya go.....not sure why

 

[remauto1187]

You do not understand any part of this thread. You came into this thread acting like the op was going to build a trans right away. He simply asked a question regarding the pcm which I answered. I was just giving a warning that a STOCK transmission will not hold up if he decided to remove torque management from the tune. VERY few people build there own transmissions and it is a great skill but very intimidating for most. For your application a built 4l60e is great as for many others. I also have a built 4l60e in my truck it is a flt level 4 it has a beast sunshell too and a circle d stall in front of it....who would of thought it! You have a stock engine and use it as a truck. On the other had if you have a modified truck for use as a hotrod running 450-500hp a built 4l60 is going to have a very hard time holding up to abuse in a 4000lbs + truck. That is why many people upgrade to a 4l80e or a th400. The weight of a truck vs a corvette is huge. A truck is also turning a much heavier wheel combination. This is not stuff I have read all over the internet. I have done it.


If you really need proof here ya go.....not sure why

Didnt see any proof of anything other than you MIGHT know how to install a tranny yourself..... Big difference between installing and knowing what you are talking about building one and giving people advice on what to do and not to do with it. You are simply repeating what others have told you....which is incorrect.
4th Gen Corvettes weight 3300lbs...so they arent exactly light.

 

[Tactical Dave]

Lets just agree that stock modern gm trannies don't hold much power and call it a day...

Everyone knows it and the op even said he knows it probably won't last long so move on.


Never saw a real point in building and OD tranny, my bbc car had 4.10 gears and a tall tire with a 400 and at 60mph they were maybe 500rpm higher then the small tire OD guys...