[GreenMist70]

I have a ‘70 Malibu that I purchased 30 years ago from the original owner (little old lady in my small Kansas hometown). It has the original 350/TH350 drivetrain, but I made the normal mods like carb, intake, cam, dual exhaust and shift kit years ago.

The last few years I’ve been chewing on the idea of swapping in an LS engine with a 4Lxxe transmission. As fate would have it, I purchased a 300k mile 2006 Suburban LTZ a few months ago for $3,000. It has a 6.0L LQ4. It’s my family’s daily driver and in decent shape. My wife mentioned tonight that she would like to upgrade to a newer Suburban with fewer miles and no major oil leaks that make her think it’s on fire. 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

While I was hoping to find a wrecked vehicle with an aluminum block 6.2 gen 4 and 4L80e, I’m thinking that this suburban might be a great donor vehicle. I have a couple questions for those with experience in this area.

-Are there any major differences or advantages that the Gen. 4 LS has over the Gen. 3?
-What’s the simplest way to identify my transmission model? From researching online, it sounds like my 2006 Suburban LTZ 6.0 LQ4 could be either a 4L65e or 4L80e, but i couldn’t find a definite answer. What kind of horsepower can each normally handle in stock configurations?
-Have any of you successfully parted out a donor vehicle to help fund the swap project? I’d like to hear about any and tips and wisdom you can offer.

Thanks!

Eric

 

[B52bombardier1]

Gen 4 is mostly disadvantages. It is harder to deal with programming the PCM / TCM / BCM. That generation of engine also has Displacement On Demand / Active Fuel Management and you don't want that unless you rebuild the valve train without it. That 2006 model year is right at the year where things got harder - you could be lucky here or not. Let's hope you have a blue / green connector P59 PCM which simplifies your swap.

The shape of the transmission oil pan will identify what transmission and the Internet will have pictures.and diagrams.

Rick

 

[GreenMist70]

Gen 4 is mostly disadvantages. It is harder to deal with programming the PCM / TCM / BCM. That generation of engine also has Displacement On Demand / Active Fuel Management and you don't want that unless you rebuild the valve train without it. That 2006 model year is right at the year where things got harder - you could be lucky here or not. Let's hope you have a blue / green connector P59 PCM which simplifies your swap.

The shape of the transmission oil pan will identify what transmission and the Internet will have pictures.and diagrams.

Rick

Thanks Rick! I found some transmission pan diagrams and will crawl under the Suburban this week to see what I have. I’ll also check out the PCM at the same time.

Eric

 

[67_LS1]

I don’t know about the engines/trans but can verify from experience that the ECM issue Rick mentioned above is true.
I did not know before my last swap and it was a lot more difficult with the e38 ecm (black, gray, blue connectors) than it was with than my first swap that had the earlier (1999) 2 connector harness.
Not impossible but definitely more difficult.

 

[Alwhite00]

Is your suburban 2wd or 4wd? I used a early LQ4 with a 4L60E and couldn't be happier. Great Hp. (Cam, ported heads, intake and shorty headers) I can knock on 23mpg on a trip and drive the hell out of it till the snow flies.

 

[Wingwrench]

This is a bit extreme I know, but you should keep the basic look of your car. I like it!!!

Car Spotlight>> 1160hp Super Sleeper Nova - Speedhunters

Hiya folks. I hope you are enjoying our focus on Street Cars and Sleepers this month. Is our search for wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing street machines working for you? Personally, I quite like the notion: a car with hidden purpose and stealth capabilities. Unlike visually modified street cars...

www.speedhunters.com

 

[GreenMist70]

It’s full time AWD. This is my first Suburban with AWD, rather than 4WD. I don’t really care for it.

 

[Alwhite00]

It’s full time AWD. This is my first Suburban with AWD, rather than 4WD. I don’t really care for it.

That trans won't work in your chevelle. As-is

 

[cherokeepeople]

i was gonna say if its 4wd your gonna need a different trans.as for the displacement on demand.the 6.0 didn't get it til 2010.they do have variable valve timing though.i have been wanting to convert my 82 3/4 ton 2wd suburban and i am looking for a 2003-2007 3/4 or 1 ton express van.these will be 6.0 and 4l80e and 2wd.i can also possibly use the rear end with disc brakes

 

[Alwhite00]

i was gonna say if its 4wd your gonna need a different trans.as for the displacement on demand.the 6.0 didn't get it til 2010.they do have variable valve timing though.i have been wanting to convert my 82 3/4 ton 2wd suburban and i am looking for a 2003-2007 3/4 or 1 ton express van.these will be 6.0 and 4l80e and 2wd.i can also possibly use the rear end with disc brakes

Rearend will be about 7" too wide, different bolt pattern and no way to put upper control arm mounts on it.

 

[GreenMist70]

This is a bit extreme I know, but you should keep the basic look of your car. I like it!!!

Car Spotlight>> 1160hp Super Sleeper Nova - Speedhunters

Hiya folks. I hope you are enjoying our focus on Street Cars and Sleepers this month. Is our search for wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing street machines working for you? Personally, I quite like the notion: a car with hidden purpose and stealth capabilities. Unlike visually modified street cars...

www.speedhunters.com

Wow, that Nova is insane! Love the hubcaps. I was thinking about widening my 15x7 rear wheels to around 15x9, but keeping the original wheel wells.

By the way, I like your white ‘67. My first Chevelle was a ‘67 in high school.

 

[cherokeepeople]

Rearend will be about 7" too wide, different bolt pattern and no way to put upper control arm mounts on it.

bolt pattern is the same but i see that they are at least 5 inches wider so guess i won't be using the rear end.

 

[Wingwrench]

The white 67 belongs to AlWhite00 and yes it is a very nice looking car. My dad had a marina blue 67 new when I was a tyke. That's probably where all this comes from!

 

[Alwhite00]

bolt pattern is the same but i see that they are at least 5 inches wider so guess i won't be using the rear end.

A 3/4 or 1 ton you noted would be 8 lug axles. I believe the 1/2 ton are 6 lug on the LS era expressVan's but may not have the LQ4

 

[cherokeepeople]

3/4 and 1 ton vans use 8 bolt wheels.

 

[GreenMist70]

The white 67 belongs to AlWhite00 and yes it is a very nice looking car. My dad had a marina blue 67 new when I was a time. That's probably where all this comes from!

Ha! I just realized my mistake right before reading your comment. Must be my recent 50th birthday! 😵‍💫

For whatever it’s worth, I once had a marina blue ’65 SS. One of the Chevelles I never should’ve sold!

 

[GreenMist70]

That trans won't work in your chevelle. As-is

Ahhh, yes… I was thinking I could just swap out the tail housing/output shaft, but now that I read up on it… it might be simpler to sell it and find a 4L80e out of a 2WD vehicle. Either that or convert it while diving into a full rebuild and making some upgrades. 🤦🏻‍♂️

 

[cherokeepeople]

the pcm is different between the 4l60 and 4l80 so get the pcm and harness from whatever the 80 came out of.

 

[Wingwrench]

Some of the light duty 3/4 tons did have 6 lug. And the 4wd rear axles are a little wider then the 2wd, but not as wide as the van axles, at least on the 14 bolt sf's

 

[Alwhite00]

Some of the light duty 3/4 tons did have 6 lug. And the 4wd rear axles are a little wider then the 2wd, but not as wide as the van axles, at least on the 14 bolt sf's

Either way it's not a good option for a chevelle.