HI IM IN NEED OF BIG HELP I HAVE A 1984 Z28 WITH A BLOWN ENGINE AND BROKEN 700R4 TRANNY. I REALLY WOULD WANT TO SWAP IN A 5.3 LM7 BUT NOT SURE OF EXACTLY WHAT WOULD I NEED AND WHAT THE PRICE TAG WOULD BE I WANA GO THE CARB ROUT. BUT I WAS WONDERING WOULD THE ENGINE BOLT RIGHT UP AND HOW WOULD POWER STEARING WORK? IM ON A LIMITED BUDGET AND WOULD LIKE TO KNO MORE OR LESS WHAT I WOULD NEED AND WHAT TRANNY DO YOU GUYS RECOMEND I USE AND I KNOW THE NEWER TRANNYS ARE ELECTRONIC SO HOW WOULD THAT WORK. THANK YOU

welcome to the boards.

Your best bet would be to ask in the LSx forum section, as the 5.3L is in the same family and will the same kind of tweaks/mods/adapters to work. Its not the easiest of installs, but a lot of people have done it or are in the process (myself included).

Moved to the LTX and LSX sub-forum.

First, read the LS1 swap sticky. What applies to the LS1 will apply to the LM7.

You will need f-body LS1 accessories and oil pan. What transmission were you going to use? While the older TH700 and the like will bolt up to the bell housing, the LSx flex plate is farther forward, so either a special torque converter is needed, or a flex plate spacer. An f-body LS1 4L60E transmission would be much simpler.

I would never put a carb on an LSx, especially one that is regularly street driven. I know there are those who do it, but it doesn't make a lick of sense to me. You can get an f-body intake system, PCM, & harness for less money than it will cost you to get a special LSx carb intake, carb, and the LSx carb ignition box. If you go carb and electronic tranny, you'll have to get a separate tranny controller as well (not cheap). Keep it simple and keep it EFI. Driveability and fuel economy will be much better, with no loss of power.

I will agree with five7 (why not? ) that carb is really not the answer for a street car. It will require as much or more to get that to work correctly than the efi will (tuning and wiring is still required for most of the carb swap setups out now).

plus those black intakes just look really cool

SO LETS SAY I BUY A WRECKED TAHOE SUBURBAN OR CHEVY TRUCK WITH A 5.3 LM7 ALL I WOULD HAVE TO DO IS BUY A LS1 INTAKE AND A LS1 OIL PAN PLUS MOTOR MOUNTS AND SUCH TO GET IT TO WORK? AND COULD I USE THE TRANNY THAT COMES WITH THE 5.3 MOTOR? THE ONLY REASON I WANTED TO GO CARB IS BECAUSE IT SEEMS CHEEPER BUT IM NOT SURE IF IT WOULD BE. I HAD SEEN THE EDELBROCK PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES THE CARB INTAKE AND MSD CONTROLER FOR ABOUT 700. THANKS FOR THE ADIVCE GUYS AND KEEP IT COMING THIS IS VERY HELPFULL TO ME .

You need front acc. off a f-body and you have CAPS ON.

so

so if i buy the lm7 i would just have to swap the oil pan to get it in? would i have to move the alternator on the motor to make it fit? my budget is 3000 and since i dont have a tranny could i use the tranny that comes with the motor? i plan on buying the motor mounts from hawks and the tranny mount is there anything else i would need. im not to sure if it would be cheeper to stay efi with the motor or go carburated.

If I have learned anything from my swap, it's going to be 2-3 times more expensive than you initially anticipate. I was hoping to do my swap with $2500 or so. Nope didn't happen. I am sure it can be done but where I am located parts are hard to come by so I gotta get everything shipped and shipping adds up. Plus I bought my motor somewhat incomplete. I should've bought a complete pullout.

Just keep in mind that a 6.0 out of a truck is very similarly priced, and has a LOT more potential.

Also, if you have a blown tranny, you can pick up a used 4L60E for less than it'll cost to get your 700 rebuilt, and it'll be easier to bolt to th 5.3/6.0 and the ECM can control it.