Cars'n'Guitars

What kind of power can I make with a 5.3 LS? Also what all would I need to bolt it to a TH350? If I do this I plan on running a carb so what is the best cfm carb for the 5.3 LS motor that is basically stock? Also what is the difference between the LS1, LS2, LS3 and so on?

Cars'n'Guitars

Also can the 4th gen LS headers be used on 3rd gens? Because I don't want to spend $600 on headers from Hawks Camaro, and if not are they're other cheaper solutions?

Cars'n'Guitars

No one knows anything?

roflchard

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...2/viewall.html

cuisinartvette

You can make plenty of power with it responds to head/cam work just like anything else.

Cars'n'Guitars

What kinds of heads and cam are good for it? I'm used to the gen 1 small blocks not LS so I don't know what heads are good for these motors.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

In the correct forum, we know a LOT.

Moved to the LTx and LSx Engine Swap sub-forum.

Start by reading the LS swap sticky, https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...third-gen.html . Pay particular attention to the link about starting with a truck engine in post #5 (all 5.3's were in trucks, except the FWD versions).

With the exception of a few early 6.0's, the LS-series of engines use a crankshaft with an output flange that is .4" shorter (relative to the bell housing face) than the SBCs and BBCs of old. The bell housing also moves one transmission mount bolt from behind the passenger side cylinder bank to the top center. To mount an older GM Chevy pattern transmission, you will be giving up one bell housing bolt, and you will need a .4" spacer between the crank and flexplate, and longer flexplate mount bolts.

In order to recommend heads and cam, more details on what you plan on using the finished product for is in order.

4th gen LS long tube headers will not fit in a 3rd gen chassis unless you cut out the angled subframes under the 3rd gen. Most people choose not to do that. 4th gen shorties made to replace 4th gen stock manifolds will fit in a 3rd gen.

Why in the world anyone would want to put an ancient fuel/air metering chunk of metal in place of a sophisticated electronic feedback system is beyond me, but if you insist, a 650 CFM carb will handle a 5.3 that is streetable.

If you Google "LS1", a Wikipedia link "GM LS engine" will come up that has a good explanation of the different LS variants.

88FormulaKiller

iTrader: (8)

lol. it's like whippin a dead horse man

novaderrik

because electrons are finicky, and you can fix a carb with a smack from a screwdriver..

88FormulaKiller

iTrader: (8)

Finicky electrons in ls motors huh? That's a new one to me.

Cars'n'Guitars

I know of many people running LS carbed motors making more power and throttle response then any of that electronic crap.

25th327RS

iTrader: (2)

From the most non-biased position I can take:
Old school carb guys will typically stick with what they know. Carbs do work, and can work well for those who are great at tuning them. Problem typically is that only 3 out of every hundred who think they are masters of carbs, actually are. Thise 3 guys have awesome running cars. The other 97 guys...... They get to enjoy hard starts after heat-soak, loadin up in city driving, and less fuel economy, and temperamental street manors and still think its "right". If you like carbs, that's cool and nothing more need be said. Somebody may not have agreed with the carb decision, but its your car, do what you want. Just don't justify going carb by saying EFI is finicky and less responsive. When properly tuned, that is just not at all the case.


Personally: after my first injected ls build project, I'll never go carbed again in a performance street oriented application. I have more power, throttle response, and 4 more MPG than with any of my carbed sbc combinations.

Cars'n'Guitars

More people on this forum need to be like you.. And I prefer to have the least amount of electronics as possible. I'm buying a Dodge Cummins for my daily driver so my Camaro is becoming my fulltime toy. So I think I'll be doing a full build for this car that will include a 6.0 LS with atleast 1 turbo involved.

kcducttaper

That 6.0 is an LS3 motor. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone sticking a carb on them. Personally, I'm not a fan of carbs anymore for the aforementioned reasons, but if you wanna go for it, be sure to keep the rest of us in the loop on how it goes.

With an LS3 motor, cam, turbo, and supporting mods, you're probably looking in the neighborhood of 600-700rwhp. It's 'essentially' what GM did for the Corvette ZR1. It's basically a regular LS3 with a supercharger dropped in there and it's got 640 at the crank.

Cars'n'Guitars

I know a bunch of people who have done it for drag racing. And I know that was my idea for it, I'm not too worried about carb problems because I know a guy who has been building carbs for 40 years and can do my work no problem. And I will keep you guys updated on everything I do with it, thanks everyone.

kcducttaper

If you're going all-out drag style with it, you could push close to 1000hp on pump gas with the right setup.

Cars'n'Guitars

Yep haha this is my idea.. I will let you guys know what happens.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

In your original post you said "basically stock" 5.3. Now your idea is 1000 HP.

Yes, do let us know how it turns out.

As for "electronic crap", that's how racing sanctioning bodies keep cars slowed down - forbidding electronics.

BTW, LS3s are 6.2 liters. 6.0s include LS2, LQ4, LQ9, LY6.

Cars'n'Guitars

Haha yes this was before I was getting a new daily driver. And that's what I thought LS3 didn't seem right to me, not to knock anyone.

kcducttaper

Yeah...definitely had a brain fart right there. My bad.