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Thread: 2009 Colorado Facotry V8 5.3L (LH8) to 6.2L (L92) and 6L80e?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Nov 2016
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    18

    Default 2009 Colorado Facotry V8 5.3L (LH8) to 6.2L (L92) and 6L80e?

    Hello all and thank you in advance for this site and the tremendous support. Being new, I don't have much to bring to the table, yet. I apologize in advance for that.

    I recently purchased a 2009 Colorado with a factory 5.3L/E67/4l60e/T42 in it. Runs great, but would like more, so looking at swapping a 6.2L Escalade engine (L92) into it. Also looking to do the 6L80e into the truck also. Was considering to do them separately, but for ease of physical replacement, may do at same time. Unsure if I want to debug 2 new sytems at once though. Open to opinions.

    I have researched several hours per day already, and have found some conflicting info. Because this is my daily driver, and I want to retain the stock setup as a standby on the shelf, I am looking to simply begin with a stock factory calibration for the 6.2L to get it up and driving quick. Want it to work same as stock, no mods yet.

    Funds are set aside, and I am ready to purchase all required, but I want to do my homework first to not make incorrect choices. I do have a GM Tech 2 scan tool, GM MDI interface and subscription, Horiba 2 channel wide-band senors, AllDataPro subscription, and an all climate 2 wheel drive EPA certified 48" roller chassis dyno (future tuning). Please check my thinking, but my questions are:

    What E67 p/n (year?) controller, operating system, and calibration would be needed to run the L92 in stock configuration? I will have to add VVT control wires in my vehicle harness since my 2009 5.3L (LH8) does not have it. I believe all other engine wiring should be 100% carry-over compatible? I don't think an E67 ever ran an L92 from GM?? Do I have to program my VIN into it? I want to remove my stock factory E67 and keep it with the removed 5.3L, should I ever need to revert back to it quickly. Looking to swap the engine, swap the E67, turn the key, and everything works, if possible. Would even consider to pay anybody here to setup the ECU ahead of time.

    On either a combined or separate note (and belongs in separate thread dept, really), same with the transmission, converting from 4L60e to 6L80e. The 6L80e controller is internal, what needs to be changed in the E67 to accommodate this change? I see some vendors selling the E67 with a conversion harness, but I already have the E67 plus obtaining another for the 6.2L, so..... It seems the conversion kits really just pass through power, ground, stop lamp, park/neutral, and CAN?

    Appears best to select a 2009 engine, trans, and E67?

    Again, thank you in advance for the help. If I missed already published threads specific about this, I apologize and simply point the direction. The V8
    Colorado is kind of unique I believe in that it uses the E67/5.3L/4L60e/T42 combo.

  2. #2
    Lifetime Member
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    I believe in order to keep some creature comforts, like your factory dash, you'll need to run the Colorado ECM OS. You can easily adjust that OS for the difference in displacement/spark/etc, the question will be can you enable VVT with the Colorado ECM OS and if you want to run the 6L80E, does it work with that OS. Taz on the forum here might be a good resource to talk to, perhaps he'll chime in and can let you know if that's possible.

    You're in a similar boat as the TrailBlazer/Envoy guys are with regards to the ECM/TCM setup, E67/T42 with either 4.2/5.3/6.0 engine options and 4L60E/4L70E trans options. Check out TBMSport.com, Jesse has worked extensively on enabling a 6LxxE/T43 TCM swap with E67 ECMs originally equipped with 4Lx0E/T42 setups, his original platform was the TrailBlazer SS.

    So, to break it down a bit:
    1) Swap 6.2/L92 engine only - simplest swap by far, just swap engines, add VVT pins to ECM, enable VVT in the original Colorado ECM OS, copy parameters over from a stock L92 file as a baseline, and do some minor tuning to get it driveable. Easy to handle on the tune side, can just create a new baseline file with the VVT/6.2 params and if you ever needed to go back to stock, just flash the factory file back in.

    2) Swap 6.2 and 6L80E - "Piggyback" - medium complexity, swap both new engine and trans in, leave the stock ECM in to run the gauges, run the 6.2/6L80E combo ECM/TCM as a standalone system using the factory ECM and TCM OS' from a vehicle so equipped (e.g. Escalade). Would allow you to get up and running quicker as you dont have to deal with most of the integration work up front and can do it once the swap is up and running.

    3) Swap 6.2 and 6L80E - "Native" - most complex, you said it yourself there are more variables here with 2 systems, need to figure out if the Colorado ECM OS has the "behind-the-scenes" parameters to run the 6L80E. You could grab another E67 and flash it with the factory Colorado OS as a spare.
    ~Erik~
    2013 Sonic RS Manual - 1.4L I4T E78, tuned, turbo mods, etc.
    2008 TrailBlazer SS 3SS AWD Summit White - LS2 E67/T42, bolt ons, suspension, etc.
    2002 Chevy TrailBlazer LT 4X4 Summit White - 4.2L I6 P10, lifted, wheels, etc.

  3. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    Thank you for the fast, polite, and informative response. I did not expect an answer in less than 24 hours, especially for being a first time member and poster. I really appreciate it.

    The 2009 Colorado V8 did not have VVT, but the 2010 and up did, both are E67. I guess the question then becomes is it possible to take a factory calibration/tune from a non-E67 L92 application and apply it to the E67 controller? Looks to be exactly as you described as option #1 above. At this point, since all I want to do is run a factory tune, I am considering to pay any experienced member here to do this to an E67 I would supply to them, vs the hours of learning and multiple mistakes it would take a level I beginner such as myself to do. Maybe I will see if TBM would be interested and able to do both (E67 for L92 and T43 for 6L80e pre-program both for compatible os's and factory calibrations to make plug and play). Please PM me if anybody else here would be interested.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Feb 2009
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    I do these all the time, make harnesses and do computer programing. Haven't done a VVT/6L80E yet, but I know how to. PM sent.

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