Are "High-Feature" GM V6 engines any good?

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/03/2016 at 21:46 • Filed to: None

LY7, LFW, LLT, et cetera?

I ask because there are many salvage V6 Camaros out there and for a first attempt at a modern engine swap, one of these drive trains into an early 70s Nova might be a nice place to begin.

(This might be a Holden...)

DISCUSSION (33)

lone_liberal > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 21:55

I don’t know what their reliability is like, but I like that swap idea. That would be one sweet Nova.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > lone_liberal
06/03/2016 at 22:00

I think it would be brilliantly practical and sensible and fun. And salvaged V6 Camaros are ubiquitous.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 22:12

Now that’s a crazy idea! I like crazy ideas.

The water pump in the 3.6 in the ‘11 Malibu I had for a bit shit the bed at 41k miles. I wasn’t too impressed with that. That was a rev happy motor though!

samssun > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 22:22

The only “high features” I acknowledge on a V6 are turbos and direct injection. Imagine the Camaro with the TT 3.6 and the Mustang with the TT 3.5 (or at least 2.7)...

dogisbadob > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 22:29

GM should make a DOHC V6 that’s a HF with two cylinders added on. If they couldn’t keep making the Atlas, the HF would be the second choice for the Silverado. But instead, they use 3/4 of an LS. It would also make an awesome Northstar replacement for Cadillac.

Too bad they stopped making the Atlas I6. It would’ve made a great base engine for the Silverado, Tahoe, and friends; and a fantastic option for the Colo/Canyon.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 22:32

I’ve been seriously pondering the al-oo-min-yum inline 6 with a 5 speed from a basement Colorado. Now I just need something to put it in.

LongbowMkII > lone_liberal
06/03/2016 at 22:35

I imagine they're fairly good since they've been in damn near every GM car for about 6 years with little to no outrage.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 22:43

What about a Shortstar? (LX5 DOHC 3.5L 90-degree V6) They were in the 2nd gen Aurora and the Intrigue from 99 (some trims, standard across-the-board 2000+). My dad had an ‘01 Intrigue with one. Smooth engine, enough power (215 hp/234 lb-ft) and ours was quite reliable. Not as powerful or common as the HFV6, but you can get an entire Intrigue for a around a grand.

gawdzillla > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 23:20

pretty sure the 3.6 in the camaro / CTS is decent swap option

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
06/03/2016 at 23:20

Thanks for the suggestion.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gawdzillla
06/03/2016 at 23:21

I just don’t want to spend the money on an LS when a Six ought to make for a nice family car and have more HP and more MPGs than whatever 40-year-old V8 is already in there.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/03/2016 at 23:35

A lot of me has wanted to find a cheap, but clean late-70s Nova (because they’re cheap) and put a modern powerplant in it. I had the ecotec turbo 4 in mind, but I like the High Feature idea.

I’ve heard of crazier more harebrained concepts coming to fruition.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
06/03/2016 at 23:57

Lots of those sixes around. Isn’t GM offering a straight six these days in some SUVs?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
06/04/2016 at 00:02

My first car was a ‘76 Nova. Inline six with the integrated intake manifold. I like the hood line on the ‘76. I live in California and the smog cutoff year is 1975, so the ‘73 that I’m looking at doesn’t need a smog test.

wafflesnfalafel > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 00:20

The 3.6 in the new Impala we rented a couple weeks ago was a nice motor - not super torquey down low, but once wound up it would pull surprisingly hard for having to carry a 2ton sedan. In an early 70's Nova with a thousand lbs less to pull around it’d be quick.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > wafflesnfalafel
06/04/2016 at 00:25

Yes, but would it drift... ? I’d be wanting some MPGs, also.

I’d be interested in maybe using an Atlas engine, but I think those only went into 4WD vehicles.

wafflesnfalafel > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 00:29

keep the stock 6spd auto with the super high gearing and it would get great mileage, now as for drifting....maybe not the best option...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > wafflesnfalafel
06/04/2016 at 00:33

Right. Can’t have it both ways, I suppose.

camaroboy68ss > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 00:37

some of the trailblazers in the mid 2000's had an I6, piece of junk though. My parents had one and it was a gutless wonder and didn’t get very good mpg. It probably didn’t help that at the same time my grandparents had a trailblazer SS with the LS2 in it.

camaroboy68ss > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 00:39

what about a 4.8 or 5.3 chevy pickup V8? just an iron block LS motor and you can get complete swaps pretty cheap as well.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > camaroboy68ss
06/04/2016 at 02:43

Looking into that.

gawdzillla > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 07:34

the 4.8 / 5.3s are like $250

the swap kits (mounts) are readily available for under 200

i am not sure if you can say the same about the v6 swap mounts

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gawdzillla
06/04/2016 at 09:14

$250 for the engine? I'd need computers and such as well.

gawdzillla > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 09:35

800 for a complete pull out with the 4l60e usually

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gawdzillla
06/04/2016 at 09:46

Out of what sort of car? Camaro?

Dave the car guy , still here > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 11:45

You would have to keep the computer and harness to control the variable valve timing, ETC. If you went with a stand alone controller it would not be an easy install. Just sayin’. Then you would have to worry about timing chain wear and VVT solenoid valve issues for the entire time you owned the swapped beast. There are likely simpler options out there with less headaches. First hand knowledge here since I’ve worked in GM shops over 30 yrs.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Dave the car guy , still here
06/04/2016 at 12:03

If I went that route, my thought would be to buy an entire donor vehicle get all if the electronics from it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Dave the car guy , still here
06/04/2016 at 12:04

What do you think of those “high-feature” V6s generally? Good power? Efficient? Dependable?

Dave the car guy , still here > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 12:17

Generally, yes , yes and yes but I’d run full synthetic instead of Dexos. We see most of the issues with timing components which is probably from using extended service intervals or cheap oil. If it was my own car it would get something other than blended oil and no long intervals. Dexos is better than most blends but running a car too long on it might be contributing to some of the parts we are selling,

gawdzillla > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/04/2016 at 12:32

hell no camaro pull outs go for 2k+

4.8 / 5.3 silverados

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Dave the car guy , still here
06/04/2016 at 13:09

Good information. Thank you. Yes, I am with you on the oil thing. Something that new I would definitely run a full synthetic.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gawdzillla
06/04/2016 at 13:10

Do you think I could get an aluminum block with one of those?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gawdzillla
06/04/2016 at 13:10

Do you know the engine code for those? LS1, LT1, whatever?