Used Chevrolet Suburban Engines
Used, remanufactured and rebuilt engines for the 1989-to-present Chevrolet Suburban — tested before they ship and covered by warranty. Tell us your Suburban and we’ll match the exact engine.
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Engine Options
Which engine does your Suburban have?
Every Suburban 1500 since 1989 has had a V8 as standard. Through 1999 it was the 5.7L small-block, throttle-body injected until 1995 and a Vortec from 1996; since 2000 it has been a 5.3L, in seven versions from the Vortec LM7 to today’s EcoTec3 L84. The 1500 offered a 6.0L for 2006–2009 and has had a 6.2L gas V8 since the 2019 RST. The 2500, sold until 2013, carried the bigger engines: the 7.4L big-block to 1999, then the 6.0L and 8.1L of the heavy-duty pickups. Diesels came and went — a 6.2L to 1991, a 6.5L turbo for 1994–1999, and the 3.0L Duramax from 2021.
The table below lists what was offered when, 2500 included. The quote form lists the Suburban 1500, 2500 and 3500 separately, so pick the right one; either way we confirm the engine from your VIN.
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.7L V8 (350), throttle-body injection | Code: L05 | Standard on the 1500 and the 2500. |
| 7.4L V8 (454), throttle-body injection | Code: L19 | Suburban 2500 only. Mark IV big-block to 1990, Gen V for 1991. |
| 6.2L V8 diesel | Code: LH6 / LL4 | Built by Detroit Diesel. LH6 is the light-duty version and LL4 the heavy-duty one; the weight rating decides which. |
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.7L V8 (350), throttle-body injection | Code: L05 | Standard, 1992–1995. |
| 5.7L V8 Vortec 5700 | Code: L31 | Standard, 1996–1999. Central sequential injection, OBD-II. |
| 7.4L V8 (454), throttle-body injection | Code: L19 | 2500 option, 1992–1995. |
| 7.4L V8 Vortec 7400 | Code: L29 | 2500 option, 1996–1999. Multiport injection. |
| 6.5L V8 turbodiesel | Code: L56 / L65 | Optional, 1994–1999. L56 on lighter-rated models, with EGR; L65 on heavy-duty models, without EGR or a catalytic converter. |
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300 | Code: LM7 | Standard on the 1500. Iron block. |
| 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300, flex-fuel | Code: L59 | E85-capable twin of the LM7, 2002–2006. |
| 6.0L V8 Vortec 6000 | Code: LQ4 | Standard on the 2500 (iron heads in 2000, aluminum from 2001). On the 1500 only with the 2006 LTZ. |
| 8.1L V8 Vortec 8100 | Code: L18 | Big-block option on the 2500, 2001–2006. |
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300, iron block | Code: LY5 / LMG | 1500: LY5 gasoline to 2009, LMG flex-fuel, both with Active Fuel Management. |
| 5.3L V8 Vortec 5300, aluminum block | Code: LC9 | 1500. Flex-fuel, with Active Fuel Management. |
| 6.0L V8 Vortec 6000, aluminum block | Code: L76 | 1500 option, 2007–2009, with Active Fuel Management. |
| 6.0L V8 Vortec 6000, iron block | Code: LY6 / L96 | 2500: LY6 2007–2009, flex-fuel L96 2010–2013. No cylinder deactivation. The 2500 ended after 2013. |
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 | Code: L83 | Standard on every Suburban except the 3500HD. Direct injection, with Active Fuel Management. |
| 6.2L V8 EcoTec3 | Code: L86 | RST, 2019–2020. The first 6.2L gas V8 in a Suburban. |
| 6.0L V8 Vortec 6000, iron block | Code: L96 | Suburban 3500HD, a fleet-only model, 2016–2019. |
| Engine | Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 | Code: L84 | Standard on every trim except the High Country, with Dynamic Fuel Management. |
| 6.2L V8 EcoTec3 | Code: L87 | Standard on the High Country and available on other upper trims, with Dynamic Fuel Management. |
| 3.0L Duramax inline-six diesel | Code: LM2 / LZ0 | LM2 2021–2024; LZ0 from the 2025 refresh. |
Not sure which one is yours? Request a quote and we’ll work it out from your VIN.
Before You Order
What to check before you order
1500 or 2500
The 2500 is the heavy-duty Suburban, with heavier axles and transmissions than the 1500. From 1989 to 1999 it was the only Suburban offered with the 7.4L, and from 2001 to 2006 the only one with the 8.1L. From 2007 its 6.0L LY6 and L96 are iron-block engines without cylinder deactivation, while the 1500’s 6.0L L76 is aluminum with it. Tell us which Suburban you have.
1995 or 1996
Gas engines through 1995 — the 5.7L L05 and 7.4L L19 — use throttle-body injection. For 1996 both gave way to Vortec versions, the L31 and L29, with different intake manifolds and fuel injection and OBD-II engine management. A 1996-on engine is not a straight swap into an earlier Suburban, so tell us the model year.
Which diesel
The 1989–1991 6.2L diesel was built as the light-duty LH6 or the heavy-duty LL4, matched to the truck’s weight rating. The 1994–1999 6.5L turbodiesel is a different engine, and the 1992 and 1993 Suburbans had no diesel at all. Give us the engine code, not just the size; the eighth character of the VIN shows it.
Which 5.3L
Seven 5.3L V8s have gone into the Suburban 1500 — LM7, L59, LY5, LMG, LC9, L83 and L84 — in iron and aluminum, gasoline and flex-fuel, with and without Active Fuel Management. We match the RPO code, not the displacement.
Flex-fuel or gasoline
The L59, LMG and L96 are the E85-capable twins of the gasoline LM7, LY5 and LY6, and the LC9 is flex-fuel as well. A flex-fuel engine is not the same part as its gasoline twin, so replace like with like.
Cylinder deactivation
Every 1500 5.3L and the 6.0L L76 from 2007 have Active Fuel Management, and the 2021-on L84 and L87 have Dynamic Fuel Management. The 2500’s 6.0L never had it. A replacement has to match what the computer expects.
Have your VIN ready
With the VIN we can confirm the engine code, model year and whether it is a 1500 or 2500 before we quote, which avoids ordering the wrong version.
Common Problems
Common Suburban engine problems
Intake-gasket coolant leaks — Vortec 5.7L, 1996–1999
The L31’s intake-manifold gaskets are a known weak point: they let coolant out, either down the outside of the block or into the crankcase. Found early it is a gasket job, but an engine run with coolant in its oil soon wipes its bearings and has to be replaced.
Cracked blocks and heads — 6.5L turbodiesel, 1994–1999
The 6.5L is commonly scrapped for a block cracked through the main-bearing webs, or for cracked cylinder heads. Stalling and no-starts, on the other hand, usually come from the pump-mounted driver (PMD) on the injection pump, which fails from heat — check it before blaming the engine.
Cracked heads — Vortec 5.3L, 2000–2006
Some Gen III 5.3L cylinder heads cast by the supplier Castech crack and lose coolant, often into the oil with no leak to see. Low coolant with no obvious cause is the warning; ignored, the coolant in the oil ruins the bearings and the engine is beyond saving.
AFM lifter failure — 5.3L and 6.0L L76, 2007 on
A sticking lifter on a deactivating cylinder causes a misfire and limp mode and, if driven, wipes the camshaft. The repair is lifters, guides, camshaft and oil manifold with the heads off, so many of these engines are replaced instead. It affects the LY5, LMG, LC9 and L76, the L83 from 2015 and the L86 in the 2019–2020 RST.
Oil consumption — aluminum-block 5.3L LC9
Many LC9s use oil between changes: it gets past the piston rings, helped by oil sprayed from the Active Fuel Management valve. Left unchecked it fouls the spark plugs and can leave the engine running low on oil.
6.2L L87 bearing failures — 2021–2024
GM recalled 2021–2024 Suburbans with the 6.2L L87 because manufacturing defects in the crankshaft and connecting rods can damage the bearings and cause engine failure. At the dealer the engine is inspected: one that fails is repaired or replaced, one that passes gets 0W-40 oil, a new oil filter and a new oil fill cap. Check by VIN whether the recall work has been done.
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FAQ
Suburban engine questions, answered
Which engine does my Suburban have?
A 1989–1999 Suburban 1500 has the 5.7L — the L05 to 1995, the Vortec L31 from 1996 — unless it has a diesel. Since 2000 it has almost always had a 5.3L: LM7 or L59 to 2006, LY5, LMG or LC9 to 2014, L83 to 2020 and L84 since. The exceptions are the 6.0L on the 2006 LTZ and as a 2007–2009 option, the 6.2L on the 2019–2020 RST and on upper trims since 2021, and the 3.0L Duramax from 2021. A 2500 has the 5.7L, the 7.4L or a diesel to 1999, then the 6.0L or, from 2001 to 2006, the 8.1L. The eighth character of the VIN identifies it.
Did the 1992–1993 Suburban come with a diesel?
No. The 6.2L diesel ended with the 1991 square-body Suburban, and the 6.5L turbodiesel did not arrive until 1994, so a 1992 or 1993 Suburban has a gasoline 5.7L or, on a 2500, the 7.4L.
Did the Suburban ever get a 6.2L gas V8?
Not until the 2019 RST, with the L86; the 6.2L of 1989–1991 is the unrelated diesel. The 2007–2009 Suburban 1500 offered the 6.0L L76 as its larger engine, and 2010–2018 Suburban 1500s are 5.3L only. Since 2021 the 6.2L L87 has been standard on the High Country and available on other upper trims.
What engine is in the Suburban 3500HD?
The 3500HD was a fleet-only model sold 2016–2019 with the iron-block, flex-fuel 6.0L L96 and the 6L90 six-speed — the engine the 2500 had used until 2013. Choose Suburban-3500 in the quote form and give us the VIN.
Is the engine covered by a warranty?
Yes. Every engine we sell is covered by warranty, and extended cover is available at extra cost. The full terms are in our Warranty Policy.
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