I got mine from howbill in elma. Just got it for the block crank and heads. Should have never taken it apart the stock internals were like new. Give them a ring, they always have 5.3’s not sure about the 6.0’s.
Difference is going to be the pistons. LQ4 has dished pistons and is the common engine in just about ever GM HD truck and vans. The LQ9 has flat top pistons and is higher compression and only found in the Silverado SS and Cadillac Escalade. The LQ9s usually pull a premium compared to the LQ4. There is a complete cammed LS1 for sale on wnyfbody.com
I’ll take the price drop rather than the extra 20whp when comparing lq4-lq9. The motor will be getting a cam and head parts anyways.
I saw no point in buying an LQ9, the LQ4 is already somewhat hard enough to find locally in good condition, and I had the heads milled to bring compression right back up to LQ9 specs without paying the huge premium.
When I was searching for my motor I also found that most junkyards in WNY had no idea what they had, or where to look.
Refining my search to vehicles that were available with all the motor sizes was the best way to go. 2004ish Silverado 2500-3500, and 2003-2005ish Chevy Express Van 2500-3500.
As I recall the Mark’s Auto Parts on William St had a big white 2004ish Silverado 2500 or 3500. Quad Crew cab or whatever, long bed, really big truck. I think it was used as a landscaping vehicle or something. That was in July, so it might be gone now. The guys there were semi helpful but didn’t seem to know where any vehicles in their yard were, we walked around for 20 minutes trying to find it.
Also hop on LKQ Online and look there. They have a location off William or Walden (visible from the 290). You can walk in and they’ll search it for you as well. Prices are semi decent but I think they quoted a core charge of 350 as well.
Car-part.com isn’t too bad but you still have to call up the retards at the yard, and they almost always don’t know what they have
Somewhat local, go for a ride
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/3579361672.html
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/3506972116.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/pts/3568454144.html
Beware of the early LQ4s with iron heads, you can’t stick a T56 on them due to the crank flange being too long.
What’s this going in hmmmmm?
Thanks for the heads up and all the info.
I found a reman lq4 I’m most likely going to go for. It’s around 2k delivered to my house.