Seriously considering a 5.3.. tell me why not.

[jonus079]

If you really want to go 5.3L and replace the truck parts, look for an '05 or newer Impala SS to scavenge parts from. The SS runs the 5.3L without the complications of taller manifold, pan, etc. and it would be legal in case you need to deal with the smog police like we do in CA.

 

actually, i dont think that engine will work. first off the water pump is very strange looking because its mounted diffrently than a rear wheel drive engine. i also rember reading that i has a diffrent crank shaft to mount up with a fwd transmission.

[Lason]

There was a member, I think Lason, who always advocated the truck motors. He was supposedly doing a truck motor swap, but I don't know if he ever posted the finished product. He was going to replace the truck intake with a carb.

 

Wasnt me, I went with a LS1 out of a '98 camaro but the 6.0l iron block motors are as stout as they come. I did put a carb on my car and got about 95% done and hit a financial brick wall. Car should be done by spring Im hoping. Will be running N/A for now and blow through carb when its all said and done. Pics are here

 

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/Lason/240Z%20Conversion/

[gmed]

Lason, I have been lurking on this site off and on for a while but after seeing your photos I had to register and post. I 've been collecting parts for a couple of years to build a car very similar to yours, 73 240 parts I have so far 6liter, t56, narrowed 9",Top Gun 4-link, wilwood brakes 15x12 super lights, 80 mm turbo, two NOS foggers and other assorted hardware. My problem is having time to work on it as I own a chassis shop and customers cars come first.I noticed you will be running the MSD box, thats one of my major indecsions, blow thru carb or fuel injection. I am partners on a turbo true ten vette as well as having several customers that run true ten five so we will be running the new true ten five series in the DFW area next year. Which track do you frequent, I would love to see your car, good luck with the final product.

[Top Secret]

There was a member, I think Lason, who always advocated the truck motors. He was supposedly doing a truck motor swap, but I don't know if he ever posted the finished product. He was going to replace the truck intake with a carb.

 

I'm not sure, but I believe that was me as it sounds like me.

 

I honestly think the best bang for the buck engine in the world right now in terms of performance, reliability, upgrade ability, and gas mileage is the LQ4/LQ9.

 

1. They are CHEAP. LKQ Corp sells them used for 1,100 dollars with a dyno sheet.

 

2. They can make 480 FWHP with nothing but a cam swap. (That's over 400 WHEEL horsepower for under 1,400 bucks, if you're reading this.)

 

3. 25+ highway Miles per gallon is in no way unattainable.

 

4. The stock short block is good to 600 horsepower. Even more with the LQ9.

 

5. The stock crank is good to 1000 FWHP

 

6. If you're making high horsepower, you don't need to buy expensive injectors, you can simply use the ones for the 8.1 liter big block.

 

7. They are IRON. IRON IRON IRON. (Sorry, I hate Aluminum blocks.)

 

8. The stock head casting 319's are GREAT and give you a lot of options. Going NA? Find a guy running a boosted LS1 and he'll trade you in a heartbeat for his heads and maybe a little cash. Putting you at 10.8 (If I remember correctly.) Gonig boosted? Stock heads are just fine! (If you're going to boost, I would stay with the LQ4...)

 

 

 

 

So why did I duck out of the third gen? Well for a few reasons.

 

1. The T-56 transmission. Don't get me wrong, they are great transmissions, but they are EXPENSIVE. If you knab a working used one up for under 1,200 bucks I'll be impressed.

 

2. I don't like EFI. Hence the reason for the carb conversion. The problem? The conversion was going to cost 600 by itself.

 

3. I had a great offer on the existing setup I had bought. 2.3 times what I had payed for it!!! Damn right I sold it!

 

4. It was too hard to resist that 350/Muncie my neighbor had across the street for 1,100 bucks. 30,000 miles, tons of new parts.

 

5. And a few minor reasons I won't get into. Bottom line, I am too poor for a third gen swap. But if I had only a little more money, it's how I would go.

[ZoomZoom]

Soooo, based on jonus' post #16 it sounds somewhat feasible to use a truck intake if custom mounts are built so the engine sits lower, no?! Is that really practical? Isn't it best to put the motor as low as possible anyway for CG? Everybody says the Ls1 intakes are cheap (ebay avg seems to be 150ish with rails, inj, TB) but the other little things add up and I'm assuming you also need an ls1 harness to cut the injector plugs off of since I hear they are a different connector (i'm assuming the 5.3 factory harness and PCM is the way to go?)? I don't care what it looks like and I'd rather not cut the hood so if I can make this work then I think it's the way I'll go for the uber low budget build I'm trying to do. These 5.3's are stupid cheap. Are the 6.0's the same height?

[ZoomZoom]

Ok, I may try this with the truck intake and custom mounts and if it doesn't fit then LS1 intake it is.

 

Another question. I've searched everywhere and can't figure out one simple thing. Are block hugger headers required for the 5.3 and 6.0 swaps? Are these engines considered SBC in the general sense or is that reserved for the old 350 stuff? Not too knowledgeable on Chevy engines.... are the heads the same dimensions as the Ls1/LT1?

[Slammed68]

LS1 is a whole different ball game compared to a Chebby Tree Fiddy..

 

You are going to need the Jagsthatrun Headers to put a 5.3 5.7 6.0 in a Z car.

[milesz]

LS1 is a whole different ball game compared to a Chebby Tree Fiddy..

 

You are going to need the Jagsthatrun Headers to put a 5.3 5.7 6.0 in a Z car.

 

 

I am not saying you are wrong, but I used the exhaust intake from a 02 Camaro. I had to moditfy them, but they work fine. In fact, I like them alot. I amit it may not be the best way of going, but it worked for me. I will try to produce some pictures at some point.

 

Live well and be strong.

[bschiltz]

I am not saying you are wrong, but I used the exhaust intake from a 02 Camaro. I had to moditfy them, but they work fine. In fact, I like them alot. I amit it may not be the best way of going, but it worked for me. I will try to produce some pictures at some point.

 

Live well and be strong.

 

What's you use the exhaust on? Slammed68 was talking about old school SBCs and LT1s which use entirely different heads (and pretty much everything else) from the vortec and LS engines. SBCs and LT1s use head configuration so the center two and outer most ports are exhaust and the second, third, sixth and seventh are intake.