So recently I had some trouble with the v6 I had in my 96, so I was like Meh and got an lq9 from an 05 Escalade. I bought a built 4L60 for it but I might go with the 4l80 i don’t know yet. Also I’m getting a wiring harness from painless so it should wrap up what I need. Anyways when I got the lq9 they told me the only problem was that it needed a piston ring. How hard is it to get to the pistons? I’m debating on just have someone do it for me to save hassle since I don’t have a cherry picker OR do it myself if it’s not that hard when it’s inside the truck. Also question 2, a friend of mine says that all I need is v8 motor mounts from a let’s say 05 Silverado and that’s it, it’s full bolt on however somebody else told me to get a set of plates with the v8 mounts. Any suggestions or comments would be helpful, thanks!

 

Piston removal and installation can only be done by removing the oil pan and unbolting the connecting rods from the crank. Not impossible to do in-vehicle but much easier if it’s on a stand.

That said, I’d be questioning why the engine apparently only needs one piston ring (or was that supposed to be rings?). Typically the need for piston ring replacement is an indicator that the engine is due for a complete tear down - not necessarily a full rebuild, but it’s rare for only one cylinder to require piston/piston ring replacement.

Also, are you certain the 6.0 is even going to fit under the hood of your 96? There’s nearly a decade of design differences between the two, and not that the mounts couldn’t be adapted, but the intake for the 6.0 may not allow the hood to shut. I don’t know for sure which is why I ask.

Also, how do you plan to accomplish the swap without an engine hoist?

 

So when I got the engine it’s what they said that it needed rings. Yeah not just one or maybe I’m not sure because they weren’t sure either but they knew for sure it was the rings.

As far as fitment it can be done, it’s been done so I can go from there. I’m sure it’s just rerouting the intake to fit but I’ll make it work.

For the engine hoist I’ve decided to just buy one and pick up the motor and transmission and set it aside somewhere here and work on the pistons that way it’s lifted like you said because originally I was going to help a buddy of mine fit everything in and tow it to my house.

Also what cross member would yo u recommend to install for this type of swap?

 

I’m sure it’s been done before, I just wasn’t sure about the height of the intake manifold as opposed to the routing of the intake boot. Relatively speaking the 6.0 is taller than the 4.3 (or 5.7) and the engine bay on the GMT800 trucks is deeper to accommodate.

If rings are truly all it needs then at least inspect the condition of the cylinders and hone them while the pistons are out. Make sure to reinstall them in their original cylinders and maintain the orientation of the connecting rod caps.

Check for deep scratches or glazing.

With the rings removed, check the fit of each piston inside the cylinder (a little spray lube may be necessary) - these engines were originally manufactured with no more than a maximum of 0.0012” clearance between piston and cylinder, so it should be a reasonably tight fit - shining a bright flashlight through the spark plug bore will help identify if a cylinder is clearly out of round.

As for the crossmember, I expect either the original or the crossmember from an 05 truck frame (be it pickup, SUV or van) would work with minimal, if any, modification, though it may require drilling new holes in the frame. It’s probably just a matter of comparing the clearance between the crossmember and the bottom of the cab. I doubt there will be an issue except maybe for the height of the mount, but I can’t recall the differences between them at the moment.