Trailblazer SS 6.0L intake manifold question

[79SierraGrande]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if the Trailblazer intake manifold will work with L92 heads (823 casting)? According to this article below in Hot Rod, that intake outperforms all the other factory intakes overall. I'm not at all interested in spending $500 or anywhere near $1,000 for a FAST brand intake etc. Way too much money for such small gains, especially for a daily driver pickup truck and not a street/strip or hot rod.

They say it outperforms the LS1 intake top to bottom. And also according to the article, the TB SS intake makes "more torque than the GM factory truck intake and even more power than the LS6 intake, offering the best of both worlds." This was interesting to me as I'm looking to stick this 6.0L in the old 1979 Sierra Grande build and am looking for the broadest overall curve for both HP and torque. The only thing is it does not say if any of these TB SS intakes will work with the L92 heads or if the Trailblazers all come with 6.0L engines with the smaller cathedral port heads.

Here's the link complete to the Hot Rod article: http://www.hotrod.com/features/1507-20-ls1-intake-manifolds-tested/

Thanks!

1979 Sierra Grande truck build: http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=30782.0

[LTZ C20]

I've read that article before. It's pretty good. All Trailblazer SS models came with a 6.0L engine. There was an option to special order a Trailblazer with a 5.3L engine, but it wasn't anything special like an SS package because you ordered a 5.3L. Those are rare tho and I've only seen 1 in my time at the dealer.

[79SierraGrande]

Thanks, LTZ.

Any idea if the Trailblazer SS 6.0's ever came with the rectangular port (L92) heads? That's what I'm unsure of, whether this intake is only made for cathedral port heads or also the larger rectangular port heads.

[LTZ C20]

I'm not sure, you may want to review the article again. I believe it says what heads the test engine was using. Whether it's cathedral or square, the intake is only gonna match if it's the same so that will tell you.

[frotosride]

I modified this BC I didn't wanna give you incorrect information. But when I 100% positive I will repost

[frotosride]

This image Google s just for your reference.
I have read many articles where people state the did exactly this on their TBSS like the second post here..  http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52467
The original TBSS intakes are Cathedral Ports and just by using the way mage above you can see why it wouldn't work.
I haven't verified this yet but supposedly they have a rectangle port TBSS OEM intake but I have only found one guy that says he has them...not enough reassurance for my wallet.

[frotosride]

Also remember these intakes were Throttle by Wire and they used the 4 bolt car style throttle body. Also the fuel rails are return less so you would have to modify your existing fuel rail to fit ( welding risers tubes to cross over the intake) and the return less systems didn't have a rail mounted pressure regulator. Either way rectangle ports and cathedral port intakes cannot fit the opposing head.

[frotosride]

Just a little more info for future searches on swappage
https://www.nookandtranny.com/Info_LSx.php#LSXIntakeManifolds

[79SierraGrande]

Just a little more info for future searches on swappage
https://www.nookandtranny.com/Info_LSx.php#LSXIntakeManifolds

Thanks, Froto, for all the info! I'll check these links out. My heads are the 823 casting heads (L92) with the big rectangular ports so if Chevy does not make a TB SS intake with that I'll just end up using the truck intake. Down the line (way down the line) if I ever bought an afternarket intake it would be that new MSD Atomic Air Force, which is said to put up better HP and torque gains than any other aftermarket intake. According to many publications, MSD really did their homework on this one. But most likely I'll just use the stock truck intake for quite a while since it came on the engine and is free. My other main concern is I need to know in these square body 73-80 4x4 trucks is what motor mounts to buy from hooker and what full length headers will work. Hooker has 1" offset to the rear all the way up to like 2 1/2" offset moving the engine forward. I also want some nice stainless steel headers or jet coated once I can find out what fits and clears the frame etc.

[LTZ C20]

From what I have heard, the best engine mounts to use for an LS swap into anything old GM, not just the square body trucks is the kits from Dirty Dingo. I've heard they are fully adjustable and well worth the investment.

[frotosride]

Factory location is the best all around unless you are doing a mod that you feel absolutely needs it to be moved. Most quys here use the factory location and the ones with the adjustable ones are likely adjusted just the same. Headers are a hit and miss. If you check some of the other builds here you will see that there are a lot for 2nd models and most others use Schofield headers and modify the o2 bung. Factory wise the 2010 camera headers (shorties) have been know to fit but at that point you give up that long tube sound and torque.

[frotosride]

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=27787.0 here's one for example.

[79SierraGrande]

Factory location is the best all around unless you are doing a mod that you feel absolutely needs it to be moved. Most quys here use the factory location and the ones with the adjustable ones are likely adjusted just the same. Headers are a hit and miss. If you check some of the other builds here you will see that there are a lot for 2nd models and most others use Schofield headers and modify the o2 bung. Factory wise the 2010 camera headers (shorties) have been know to fit but at that point you give up that long tube sound and torque.

Awesome, thanks! I just wasn't sure if the LS engines were the same dimension-wise in length as the old school small block chevy engines so that's why I wasn't sure of what to go with since they offer all those other locations other than the stock location - like one inch back etc. But I suppose since I'll be using the 4L80e also I will have to get a custom driveshaft made even with stock location motor mounts.

[frotosride]

Well the aren't exactly the same dimensions but the are rather close. The only downside to the mounts is you ability o use the newer LS style A/C compressor. Also you couldn't fit this same truck 6.0L in a car because the FEAD system is larger for trucks than on LS cars.
 4L80...don't forget you will have to relocate the transmission crossmember  a little further to the rear as well.