LQ9 6.0 LS swap into my 2001 TJ

BigToe

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Jun 10, 2019
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Greenville, sc
High guys! New to the team but wanted to share my experience with my LS swap! I am currently swapping an LQ9 6.0 LS into my 2001 TJ. I am doing away with the inline 6. The donor came from a 2004 escalade. My buddy and I, mike, who recently opened up his own shop (ASAP Automotive) have taken on the task and am currently recording and posting as we go. I am keeping the 5 speed nv3550 and marrying it to the GM engine. We are using novak conversions for the parts. Their customer service is bar none, btw! Its hard to find anyone documenting the whole thing from start to finish and even harder to find someone retaining the nv3550. Any questions feel free to ask!
 
I look forward to seeing the progress.

I'm not super familiar with the LS series of engines, but I looked into a 5.3 swap into mine once. What made you go with the 6.0 from the Escalade?
 
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Very nice! Are you concerned at all about the NV3550 holding up to the extra power? An LS swap is on my list but figured the NV3550 wasn't strong enough...
 
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I, also, am interested in seeing how the 3550 will hold up...as well as the bits and pieces immediately adjacent to it. Novak's words to me were "you'd better plan on an automatic."
 
I look forward to seeing the progress.

I'm not super familiar with the LS series of engines, but I looked into a 5.3 swap into mine once. What made you go with the 6.0 from the Escalade?

The lq9 offers higher compression with flat top pistoms so if i wanted to do something down the road fir more power, it can handle it.
 
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Very nice! Are you concerned at all about the NV3550 holding up to the extra power? An LS swap is on my list but figured the NV3550 wasn't strong enough...

I made sure i looked into it and i did not want to give up my 5-speed by any means. I consulted with novak conversions and surprisingly, the nv3550 has been able to hold up to the power very well based on their past experience.
 
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C
I, also, am interested in seeing how the 3550 will hold up...as well as the bits and pieces immediately adjacent to it. Novak's words to me were "you'd better plan on an automatic."
Check out the build series on youtube.
We are documenting and posting everything from start to finish beginning with the teardown of the donor engine.
 
Very nice! Are you concerned at all about the NV3550 holding up to the extra power? An LS swap is on my list but figured the NV3550 wasn't strong enough...

The NV3550 is strong enough. The more popular choice seems to be the AX-15, but the NV3550 is also up there as well.
 
I have the dana 35 up front with the dana 44 in the back. The inlime 6 weighs more than the 6.0

Do you mean that you swapped in a TTB Dana 35 front, or did you mean to type "Dana 30"...?

I wasn't asking about the weight; I was more interested in whether or not you were planning to run a high pinion axle at some point.

The NV3550 is strong enough. The more popular choice seems to be the AX-15, but the NV3550 is also up there as well.

When I was discussing dropping my LQ9 into my TJ with Novak, they strongly encouraged me to stay away from both the 3550 and the AX-15; they said that although each was acceptable for the more conservatively-rated 5.3 Vortec swaps, the increased torque output of the LQ9 was going to tax both of those transmissions in short order. My next question involved swapping in a built AX-15, and that got met with equal skepticism...so either I was getting inaccurate information, or they've since revised their position on the gearboxes in question (and this was a few years ago, so that's certainly possible). They really, really wanted me to go with a 4L60, 65 or 70, and although I certainly don't mind an auto off-road, I wouldn't enjoy it much on the pavement...so I've been delaying a swap for that reason, among others.
 
When I was discussing dropping my LQ9 into my TJ with Novak, they strongly encouraged me to stay away from both the 3550 and the AX-15; they said that although each was acceptable for the more conservatively-rated 5.3 Vortec swaps, the increased torque output of the LQ9 was going to tax both of those transmissions in short order. My next question involved swapping in a built AX-15, and that got met with equal skepticism...so either I was getting inaccurate information, or they've since revised their position on the gearboxes in question (and this was a few years ago, so that's certainly possible). They really, really wanted me to go with a 4L60, 65 or 70, and although I certainly don't mind an auto off-road, I wouldn't enjoy it much on the pavement...so I've been delaying a swap for that reason, among others.

Good point! I keep thinking we're talking about the 5.3, as that was the swap I was planning on doing, in which case the AX-15 and NV3550 are very commonly used.

When you get into those higher horsepower V8s, the best bet is almost always to get the transmission that came with the engine. In my case I was looking at the 4L60, but that's just because I wanted to stick with an automatic.
 
Good point! I keep thinking we're talking about the 5.3, as that was the swap I was planning on doing, in which case the AX-15 and NV3550 are very commonly used.

When you get into those higher horsepower V8s, the best bet is almost always to get the transmission that came with the engine. In my case I was looking at the 4L60, but that's just because I wanted to stick with an automatic.

Yeah, that whole "380 lb-ft, stock, and don't even think about tuning it" thing is really fucking cool until you try to find a five-speed manual that will work with it. Thus, my interest here.
 
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Yeah, that whole "380 lb-ft, stock, and don't even think about tuning it" thing is really fucking cool until you try to find a five-speed manual that will work with it. Thus, my interest here.

Yep, no kidding!
 
What axle are you planning to run up front?

Dana 30
Do you mean that you swapped in a TTB Dana 35 front, or did you mean to type "Dana 30"...?

I wasn't asking about the weight; I was more interested in whether or not you were planning to run a high pinion axle at some point.



When I was discussing dropping my LQ9 into my TJ with Novak, they strongly encouraged me to stay away from both the 3550 and the AX-15; they said that although each was acceptable for the more conservatively-rated 5.3 Vortec swaps, the increased torque output of the LQ9 was going to tax both of those transmissions in short order. My next question involved swapping in a built AX-15, and that got met with equal skepticism...so either I was getting inaccurate information, or they've since revised their position on the gearboxes in question (and this was a few years ago, so that's certainly possible). They really, really wanted me to go with a 4L60, 65 or 70, and although I certainly don't mind an auto off-road, I wouldn't enjoy it much on the pavement...so I've been delaying a swap for that reason, among others.

I'm sorry, I currently have a dana 30 up front. May swap it down the road.
 
I'm sorry, I currently have a dana 30 up front. May swap it down the road.

No apology necessary; I just wanted to know whether or not you had 1) already done an unconventional axle swap, or 2) worked out the nightmare that happens if you go high-pinon with an LS engine. It'll be interesting to see how the stock LP30 handles the power from the LQ4, despite the easier packaging; what's your planned tire size?
 
No apology necessary; I just wanted to know whether or not you had 1) already done an unconventional axle swap, or 2) worked out the nightmare that happens if you go high-pinon with an LS engine. It'll be interesting to see how the stock LP30 handles the power from the LQ4, despite the easier packaging; what's your planned tire size?

I plan to stay with my current tire size, 33" dick cepek muds. Novak has reworked the harness already and needed the tire size as part of the required info.