LB7/LBZ hybrid....

[LtEng5]

I have found a good low mile LB7 minus the turbo and was thinking of swapping out the LB7 heads/injectors and lines, a few electronic sensors with LBZ heads and electronics and a LBZ turbo. I'm thinking this should be a very simple swap over and would be able to get a truck back up and going fairly easily.

Yes the LB7 is of a 17.5 cp ratio compared to the LBZ 16.8 and the LBZ rods are thought to be a bit better than the LB7 rods. Has any one been able to physically prove the LBZ rod are better?? I am not concerned with a EGR system as that will be removed/reworked.

Just trying to see what hiccups you guys might see in this set up...

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

LBZ rods ARE stronger(but not by much), but LB7 pistons are stronger(this is a well documented fact). The compression ratio difference will be negligeable if you swap heads over. Don't forget you will also need to swap out the timing reluctor wheel on the crank as the LBZ has 1 more tooth on it than a LB7 has(01-05 uses a 56 tooth whereas 06+ uses a 57 tooth). Also keep in mind there are a few different blocks out there. I believe the MD blocks can be used in the 2500/3500 trucks, but the 2500/3500 blocks will not work in a MD application. Also there are 2 different LB7 blocks out there for pick-ups. The 01-02 block, and the 03-05 LB7/LLY block. The 01-02 block has the oil pressure sending unit mounted up on the front drivers side whereas the 03+ blocks mount the oil pressure sensor back on the middle of the block on the drivers side after the oil filter and cooler(this is why 01-02 blocks show higher oil pressure than 03+ blocks do. The 01-02 blocks don't have the oil passage in the middle to hook in the oil pressure sensor, and the port in the front I believe is a different thread than the oil pressure sensor uses(not 100% certain on this one though). There are ways around this as you can buy a 00 BUICK oil pressure sensor which is a 1/4" pipe thread like the oil pressure sending unit for an 01-02. Give Guy at socal a call as he would know alot more about the differences than I do.

 

[LtEng5]

are the cam reluctors the same?? Im thinking the cam itself is just slightly different as the 7's sound a bit different than the Z's. I didnt know the block changed in 03. besides a couple of tap hole locations is there more structure in the 03 an up blocks?? I know in the LML block there is significantly more structure in those blocks compared to Z's and M's.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

As far as strength they are all about the same up to the LMM. I want to say the cam reluctor is the same as well as the cam, but not 100%. The LB7 has it's own sound due to the basic 2 injection event system, larger injectors, and the wastegated VS VVT turbo.