LBZ/LLY Cab swap

Carsonmf14

New member
Sep 18, 2024
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I have a 2005 duramax im currently in the process of pulling motor out to put brand new heads on and a full gasket kit (I already have all of this). I just came across a 2006 cab and rolling chassis with no drivetrain on FB Marketplace that is 10x cleaner than my current truck. I’m wondering if I were to buy this 2006, what all would need to be done to get my current lly drivetrain to work in this truck, as far as wiring harness that is on that truck, ecu, etc. I’m sure I’d have to swap ecu, no big deal. My main concern is all the wiring especially going from the 6 speed trans to 5, any sensors that the lbz would have that mine doesn’t, would I basically have to take the entire wiring harness out of my 05 and put in the 06 truck? Any help is appreciated thanks.
 

PureHybrid

Isuzu Shakes IT
Feb 15, 2012
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Central OH
Just convert your current engine to run on LBZ electronics, and source parts to swap your 5spd to a 6spd valve body and NSBU. How much of the truck wiring is left unmolested on the 2006?
 
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Carsonmf14

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Sep 18, 2024
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Just convert your current engine to run on LBZ electronics, and source parts to swap your 5spd to a 6spd valve body and NSBU. How much of the truck wiring is left unmolested on the 2006?
What all would that entail? Basically just every sensor or just a select few? I’m pretty educated on electronics, but not familiar with duramax stuff. Only ever had this Lly. And all of the wiring is there too give or take maybe a couple broke plugs. I do have access to the 6 speed. It’s actually still in it he was going to pull it if I bought the truck. But with doing that I’m assuming I may as well upgrade and buy the tranny off him too.
 

PureHybrid

Isuzu Shakes IT
Feb 15, 2012
3,492
472
83
Central OH
What all would that entail? Basically just every sensor or just a select few? I’m pretty educated on electronics, but not familiar with duramax stuff. Only ever had this Lly. And all of the wiring is there too give or take maybe a couple broke plugs. I do have access to the 6 speed. It’s actually still in it he was going to pull it if I bought the truck. But with doing that I’m assuming I may as well upgrade and buy the tranny off him too.
The reluctor wheel count is different, you'll need to grind a tooth off on the LLY wheel, you'll need the LBZ engine harness and splice on the LLY injector pigtails. Obviously LBZ ecm / tcm which I'm assuming is still on the roller chassis? As far as I'm aware you shouldn't need to be splicing a bunch or changing a lot of sensors aside from rail pressure sensor and the FPR, which could really be updated in the tune file if you decide against it.

If you're building the transmission it's kind of a wash whether you'd like to start with the 6spd or just convert your 5spd if you'd still need to purchase the whole thing from him.
 

Carsonmf14

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Sep 18, 2024
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Well did a little more wheeling and dealing with the guy and I think he is going to let me buy the whole thing for the price of the roller. So that will include the motor that’s in it (melted piston) and the 6spd. Having the motor, would it be easiest to just change lbz flywheel over to my engine for that part? And then like you said splice in the correct Lly pigtails for injectors and then use the rail pressure sensor off the lbz?
 

PureHybrid

Isuzu Shakes IT
Feb 15, 2012
3,492
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Keep the LLY flywheel, the LBZ is balanced different. The reluctor wheel is on the front of the crankshaft, you'll need to remove the front cover / gear housing.

Swapping the rail sensor and the fpr should be sufficient along with the injector pigtails. But if you have the entire core engine, your possibilities are almost endless. You could swap a whole LBZ rotating assembly to your LLY block and use the LBZ heads and injectors too
 
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Carsonmf14

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Keep the LLY flywheel, the LBZ is balanced different. The reluctor wheel is on the front of the crankshaft, you'll need to remove the front cover / gear housing.

Swapping the rail sensor and the fpr should be sufficient along with the injector pigtails. But if you have the entire core engine, your possibilities are almost endless. You could swap a whole LBZ rotating assembly to your LLY block and use the LBZ heads and injectors too
I would agree with that, but the main issue is I have a low mileage Lly bottom end and brand new heads & injectors for the Lly. If I didn’t already have all of that, I would’ve probably utilized everything lbz.
 

1FastBrick

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Dec 1, 2016
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Swap the LLY Dash harness and electronics into the LBZ truck and then swap over the motor stuff including the electrical into the LBZ truck. That would keep it all LLY.

But don't trash the LBZ stuff. Some of us could use that stuff.
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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With the exception of the wires for the tap shifter and some CAN bus wires in the OBD port, the dash harness in the LBZ donor should be pretty much identical to an LLY. You shouldn't need to change anything there that I can think of off the top of my head. The chassis harness that runs to the engine and transmission will be different, but yours should pretty much plug and play into the rest of the truck. If you're happy keeping the engine LLY, that's what I would do. If you want to get rid of the FICM and move to an LBZ ECM, it's possible, but it will be a much bigger headache and require a decent amount of engine disassembly and swapping over some parts to make everything happy.
 

Carsonmf14

New member
Sep 18, 2024
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Kansas
With the exception of the wires for the tap shifter and some CAN bus wires in the OBD port, the dash harness in the LBZ donor should be pretty much identical to an LLY. You shouldn't need to change anything there that I can think of off the top of my head. The chassis harness that runs to the engine and transmission will be different, but yours should pretty much plug and play into the rest of the truck. If you're happy keeping the engine LLY, that's what I would do. If you want to get rid of the FICM and move to an LBZ ECM, it's possible, but it will be a much bigger headache and require a decent amount of engine disassembly and swapping over some parts to make everything happy.
So you are saying easiest thing to do would be swap cabs, keep my 5spd and all electronics Lly? Everything in the cab itself is plug and play?