LQ4 Engine Specs: Performance, Bore & Stroke, Cylinder Heads, Cam Specs & More
The LQ4 is a common engine found junkyards, yet is capable of building impressive power with the right upgrades. (Image/Super Chevy)
Mechanically similar, General Motors’ LS and LS-based Vortec engines wound up on almost every branch of the GM family tree: Chevy, Pontiac, GMC, Cadillac, Buick—heck, even Saab, Hummer, and Isuzu got some LS love.
Since LS and Vortec engines are so common, they’ve become the go-to performance and swap engines of the modern era.
These motors are capable of making a lot of horsepower, and respond well to upgrades like turbos, superchargers, high-flow cylinder heads, intake systems, cams, and nitrous oxide.
The aftermarket is strong, crate engines are available, and used motors are often cheaply sourced through junkyards.
Summit Racing has created a series of comprehensive guides for each engine in the LS family, so engine builders and tuners can have a handy reference for their projects.
This guide is specifically for the GM LQ4 engine.
[Looking to upgrade your LQ4 engine? Check out LQ4/LQ9 Engine Upgrade Guide: Expert Advice for LQ4 & LQ9 Mods to Maximize Performance.]
You can explore all of our LS engine spec guides and LS tech resources here.
(Summit Racing’s Brian Nutter and Paul Spurlock contributed to this article.)
Chevy LQ4 Engine Specs
The LQ4 is a Gen. 3 small block engine used in GM trucks between 1999 and 2007. For marketing purposes, it was also known as the Vortec 6000. The information listed here is for the stock engine.
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Thank you very helpfull
Thank you very much. I am in the process of adding ls3 heads and boring to 4.065” to convert my 6.0 to a 6.2. I am going to make a cam change to hopefully build an engine to produce a pretty flat power curve for daily driving but help when pulling a 6100 pound travel trailer. The information you provide is invaluable to me.
Ken, It seems that I am having the same issue as you. I have a 27 ft travel trailer and my 2500 with the 6.0 struggles to get up the mountains here in AZ. My truck has the .411 rear end too so I am also looking for ways to increase hp and torque for easier pulling. I would be interested in more details to what you are doing to your engine to gain that extra umph to pull your rig. Thanks -Brad
I am getting ready to do a ls swap to a 1984 1ton dully for pulling trailers and I am try to find the best heads and cam and things to build a very good pulling truck
Very helpful looking forward to turning my lq4 into a race motor for my 67 nova thanks
Thanks for this very detailed information. I too am going to build my LQ4 for my 66 Nova. This info will be helpful.
You’re welcome, Rusty. Thank you for reading.