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6.0 vs 6.2 LS: what's the difference?
Both share the 3.622 in stroke; the 6.2 has a larger 4.065 in bore vs. 4.000 in on the 6.0.
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- 6.0 L (364 ci): mostly iron-block truck engines (LQ4, LQ9, LY6, L96) plus aluminum car/SUV versions (LS2, L76, L77, L98). Most use cathedral-port heads; the LY6/L96 use rectangle-port heads.
- 6.2 L (376 ci): all aluminum Gen IV (L92, L9H, L94, LS3, L99, LSA, LS9) with rectangle-port heads. More power NA (e.g., LS3 425–436 hp) but more expensive to buy.
Rule of thumb: a junkyard iron 6.0 is the budget torque/boost choice; a 6.2 is the naturally aspirated power choice. Check AFM (L94, L99) and 58x/drive-by-wire electronics on Gen IV engines when planning the ECU.
Every 6.0 and 6.2 in our engine table
- 6.0 L: 11 Gen III/IV engines; iron block: LQ4, LQ9, L96, LC8, LY6; aluminum: L76, L77, L98, LFA, LS2, LZ1; AFM on the L76, L77, LFA, LZ1; up to 400 hp from the factory.
- 6.2 L: 7 Gen III/IV engines; aluminum: L92, L94, L99, L9H, LS3, LS9, LSA; AFM on the L94, L99; up to 638 hp from the factory.
| RPO | Family | Years | Size | HP | Block | Compression | AFM | VVT | Crank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LQ4 | Gen III | 1999–2008 | 6.0 L | 300–335 | iron | 9.40:1 | No | No | 24x |
| LQ9 | Gen III | 2002–2007 | 6.0 L | 345 | iron | 10.00:1 | No | No | 24x |
| L76 | Gen IV | 2006–2010 | 6.0 L | 348–367 | aluminum | 10.40:1 | Yes | Yes (truck applications only) | 58x |
| L77 | Gen IV | 2010–2017 | 6.0 L | 349–362 | aluminum | 10.40:1 | Yes | No | 58x |
| L96 | Gen IV | 2010–2020 | 6.0 L | 361 | iron | 9.70:1 | No | Yes | 58x |
| L98 | Gen IV | 2006–2010 | 6.0 L | 362 | aluminum | 10.40:1 | No | No | 58x |
| LC8 | Gen IV | 2010–2020 | 6.0 L | 342 | iron | 9.70:1 | No | Yes | 58x |
| LFA | Gen IV | 2008–2009 | 6.0 L | 332 | aluminum | 10.80:1 | Yes | Not confirmed | 58x |
| LS2 | Gen IV | 2005–2009 | 6.0 L | 390–400 | aluminum | 10.90:1 | No | No | 24x or 58x (by year) |
| LY6 | Gen IV | 2007–2013 | 6.0 L | 361 | iron | 9.60:1 | No | Yes | 58x |
| LZ1 | Gen IV | 2010–2013 | 6.0 L | 332 | aluminum | 10.80:1 | Yes | Yes | 58x |
| L92 | Gen IV | 2007–2008 | 6.2 L | 403 | aluminum | 10.50:1 | No | Yes | 58x |
| L94 | Gen IV | 2010–2013 | 6.2 L | 403 | aluminum | 10.40:1 | Yes | Yes | 58x |
| L99 | Gen IV | 2010–2015 | 6.2 L | 400 | aluminum | 10.40:1 | Yes | Yes | 58x |
| L9H | Gen IV | 2009–2013 | 6.2 L | 403 | aluminum | 10.50:1 | No | Yes | 58x |
| LS3 | Gen IV | 2008–2017 | 6.2 L | 425–436 | aluminum | 10.70:1 | No | No | 58x |
| LS9 | Gen IV | 2009–2013, 2017 | 6.2 L | 638 | aluminum | 9.10:1 | No | No | 58x |
| LSA | Gen IV | 2009–2017 | 6.2 L | 556–580 | aluminum | 9.10:1 | No | No | 58x |
From our engine table: GM ratings as published, which varied by year and vehicle. Each RPO links to its page with donors, swap notes and real-tune ranges.