LQ9 intake swap

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Turbolq4

Royal Smart Person
Sep 25, 2017
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Nampa Idaho
Those fabricated intakes are a bargain, but the reviews of them performing under boost and blowing apart scared me away! My Holley is cast and much stronger.

If you're blowing up a metal intake then the plastic stocker won't stand a chance!
 
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motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
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If you need 30 "pounds of boost" to go fast, you don't have a very efficient engine to begin with. Fix that and run less pressure and more flow.
 
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mobileaudio25

G-Body Guru
Jan 12, 2012
518
161
43
columbus, ohio
You're suffering the same issue I recently went through-how to deal with that ugly intake! The good part, the truck intake flows like a beast, the bad it's just plain ugly. I have a stock intake cover for sale that will fit and cover the ugly if interested.
You're correct, only the LS1, 2 and 6 intakes will fit as there all cathedral port. If you run any of the car intakes you will have to change the water pump to a LS1/3 style. The LS6 does flow the best, but be ready to shell out $$$ for a complete unit with fuel rails and such.
The throttle body size doesn't matter as much on an FI or boosted car. It's basically just an air valve, and when boosted the air is being forced in anyway. You can find stuff on LS1tech all day of people making stupid power with a stock throttle body!

Google the LS 20 intake test done by hotrod.
I can't justify using the ugly intake either, so I splurged on a Holley Mid Ram for my 5.3. You just need to make sure you have plenty of hood clearance with anything taller than the truck unit. I still need the 92mm throttle body, and different injectors but it looks WAY better than that stock truck unit! View attachment 82441
You're suffering the same issue I recently went through-how to deal with that ugly intake! The good part, the truck intake flows like a beast, the bad it's just plain ugly. I have a stock intake cover for sale that will fit and cover the ugly if interested.
You're correct, only the LS1, 2 and 6 intakes will fit as there all cathedral port. If you run any of the car intakes you will have to change the water pump to a LS1/3 style. The LS6 does flow the best, but be ready to shell out $$$ for a complete unit with fuel rails and such.
The throttle body size doesn't matter as much on an FI or boosted car. It's basically just an air valve, and when boosted the air is being forced in anyway. You can find stuff on LS1tech all day of people making stupid power with a stock throttle body!

Google the LS 20 intake test done by hotrod.
I can't justify using the ugly intake either, so I splurged on a Holley Mid Ram for my 5.3. You just need to make sure you have plenty of hood clearance with anything taller than the truck unit. I still need the 92mm throttle body, and different injectors but it looks WAY better than that stock truck unit! View attachment 82441

i have read that it flows well thats why i am up in the air spending that much money mainly for a cosmetic part. I will let you know on the intake cover I need to go check my motor out and see what condition mine is in I think it might be broken if i remember correctly. . Do people do anything to jazz them up looks wise?

I plan on changing my water pump when i freshen up this junk yard block anyways so if i need to switch I'm not concerned with it. Can i buy a bracket kit and use all of my truck accessories or are the accessories themselves different in order to run the ls1,2, or 6 intake?

i have a 3" hood scoop so I'm sure i could accommodate for a slightly larger intake, I really like the look of yours it looks mean lol
I may keep the stock intake and throttle body and spend money elsewhere on the swap.
 

mobileaudio25

G-Body Guru
Jan 12, 2012
518
161
43
columbus, ohio
TBSS intake or nothing. Most torque, most power of any factory intake.

That being said - look at the Dorman LS2 intake results are showing it flows as well as the TBSS and looks better.
If i swap over to this intake do I need to change over all of my accessories and accessory brackets or will it work with my truck setup? Ive read some good things about the TBSS intake. What years are the best? are the fuel rails the same and throttle body or do i need a new TAC and everything?

I like that idea. fuel rails, injectors and all of that can add up i may wait and upgrade in the future but if it isn't too much i would be willing to swap.
 

mobileaudio25

G-Body Guru
Jan 12, 2012
518
161
43
columbus, ohio
I know for sure I'm going arp head studs, rod bolts, forged rods, pistons and crank, turbo cam ,and the stock 317 heads ported with springs.

is anything else a good idea when building a turbo lq9?

when you swap over to corvette or f body accessories are the accessories and the brackets different or only the brackets? basically what i am wondering is if there is an accessory bracket kit that makes the accessories fit our cars better and i can still use the accessories i have from my truck lq9? I don't mind buying a different water pump because i plan on putting a new one during my rebuild. I'm not running ac.
I just want the installation to go as smooth as possible for my friend and I!
 

mobileaudio25

G-Body Guru
Jan 12, 2012
518
161
43
columbus, ohio
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/a-budget-ls-truck-accessory-bracket-mod/

I just found this article which explains how make your truck accessories work with spacers and a little fabrication to resemble the corvette accessory setup. do people have good luck doing this?

What are the benefits to switching over to the corvette style or f body setup other than cosmetics? is the setup more reliable, or does it bring the accessories toward the middle of the motor more
 

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,659
1
12,059
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Upstate NY
Swapping away from the truck accessories is for packaging and appearance. The truck accessories can and do work in a g-body.

You asked a couple of posts ago about cleaning up the truck intake. Many have smoothed them to look, ehhh, somewhat better. But I don’t think it’s a big difference. You can put the Vortec labeled covers on if you choose and are willing to work around the cover.

From re-reading this thread here’s my recommendation : use the ugly truck intake and get it running with what you have. Once you have it dialed in and driveable, then swap the intake to what you want when you can afford it. Swapping the intake is not a big job - basically a day other than getting the charged air cooler intake pipe modified to a new location.


My two cents - add them to a $1.50 and you can get a Dunkin‘ Donuts coffee
 
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motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
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I like the FEAD options from ICT. Your chosen intake, balancer, and water pump will dictate.
 
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mobileaudio25

G-Body Guru
Jan 12, 2012
518
161
43
columbus, ohio
Swapping away from the truck accessories is for packaging and appearance. The truck accessories can and do work in a g-body.

You asked a couple of posts ago about cleaning up the truck intake. Many have smoothed them to look, ehhh, somewhat better. But I don’t think it’s a big difference. You can put the Vortec labeled covers on if you choose and are willing to work around the cover.

From re-reading this thread here’s my recommendation : use the ugly truck intake and get it running with what you have. Once you have it dialed in and driveable, then swap the intake to what you want when you can afford it. Swapping the intake is not a big job - basically a day other than getting the charged air cooler intake pipe modified to a new location.


My two cents - add them to a $1.50 and you can get a Dunkin‘ Donuts coffee
I talked to a representative at LSBrackets.com And he said that a truck motor in a gbody won’t fit unless you buy a relocation bracket for the power steering pump or it will hit the gearbox. Is this not true?

I think I’m just going to run a nice painted vortec cover . I’m going to keep the truck intake for now, but I just want to make sure the motor fits without issues when I’m ready to drop it in. I want to make sure I won’t have the motor interfering with anything during the install.
 

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,659
1
12,059
113
Upstate NY
I talked to a representative at LSBrackets.com And he said that a truck motor in a gbody won’t fit unless you buy a relocation bracket for the power steering pump or it will hit the gearbox. Is this not true?

I think I’m just going to run a nice painted vortec cover . I’m going to keep the truck intake for now, but I just want to make sure the motor fits without issues when I’m ready to drop it in. I want to make sure I won’t have the motor interfering with anything during the install.

I.m checking. I thought it would fit with the correct motor mount brackets. I'll get back to you.
 
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