Josh R

iTrader: (1)

I found a 4.8L LS1 LR4 for $375. Should i buy it? It has 120K on it. Its outta some wrecked silverado. Its leak tested and everything. I want to rebuild it but I know its only the 4.8L. Alot of people say not to bother with it, just like the 305. But it can be bored out to use LS1 pistons. Whihc would make it a screaming 327.

Or even just a stock rebuild. With a new cam and springs, headers. It would be a fun little car.

So is it worth it?

Klortho

If you don't want to do any mods to it...sure it is, but if you are wanting to mod later down the road, hold out for at least a 5.3

That motor can't be bored for 5.7 pistons, or 5.3 pistons at that.

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

Like you said yourself, it would be the equivalent of swapping a 305 into the car, it's a turd. At least get a 5.3 but even then I'd suggest a 5.7

Pocket

iTrader: (24)

Wow what misinformation

4.8/5.3 use the exact same block, all bottom end will swap directly. The difference is in the stroke

Several iron 5.7's have been made using 4.8/5.3 blocks
4.8/5.3 use the same bore

They are NOT to be compared to 305's as they still put out 270-285hp in stock trim

To the OP, buy it if you are planning a swap. You dont have to bore it out to make power, ALOT of people on TGO are running a 4.8

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

I was speaking in relative terms, not literal.


The 305 is the turd of the small block family, and the 4.8L is the turd of the Gen III family. Why settle for less when you can have more?

3.1EyeCandy

iTrader: (3)

LSx swaps can be expensive. For all that money you'd spend - might as well get one of the nicer motors (cammed 5.3, 5.7, or the 6.0).

andrew69_04

iTrader: (1)

4.8 is not an LS1....

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

You're right, it's a GenIII smallblock like an LS1. For the sake of arguement though, it's in the same engine family.

F-Body Demon

iTrader: (1)

More like for the sake of conversation. With the new GenIII/IV engines, what the heck are we really supposed to call them? I mean LSx is becoming more popular. But darnit man then you have the truck engines and all thier whackey variations and now the new GenIV car engines. What are we REALLY going to call this family of engines that doesnt take ten minutes to say. :end rant: lol

V8Rumble

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, & that would work GREAT - except that some freakin' mental midget at GM approved "LSX" as the marketing name for their (admittedly bad-###) heavy-duty LS-series block, which does a great job of muddying the water...

Hell, I dunno, I've wondered the same flippin' thing... Gen-III or Gen-IV is correct, but how many people know what you're talking about when you say that???

And just to keep the thread SORT OF on-track - what the hey, buy that sucker & then turbocharge the ever-lovin WEE out of it! Formula 1 cars have small displacement too, right??

techrunner

search car-part.com, and the internet in general, i'd bet you could find a 5.3 for very nearly the same price. although in the right car, a turboed all to hell 4.8 may be fun, if the bottom end was ok for a lot of boost. if it was me, i'd go at least 5.3 (obviously, i actually went 6.0). by the time youre done, an extra $100 for the 5.3 would be worth it i think.

1bdbrd

iTrader: (1)

Even after some info was cleared up, there's still a LOT of misinformation here. The only bottom end difference between this engine and the 5.3 is the crank. Buy a 5.3 or any LS1/LS2 crank and it will be a 5.3L which can then be bored to accept LS1 pistons (and techinically rods). Throw in a set of forged 5.7 pistons on the stock rods and crank and you will have a great engine. Use ARP hardware to put it together and you will have a bottom end thats capable of a LOT of power and run about the same price as a stock bottom end LS1 (with heads and cam upgrade) but will have no miles on it.

Josh R

iTrader: (1)

okk so i could have gotten that 4.8 up to a 327 or even a 383 at this point. Hell make it a 400. Its definetely a future project for me now.

I got my 305 out.

Anddd i bought a 60 over 350... for 200 bucks. So im gonna use the extra savings that i may have spent on a crazy variant of the LS family engine and go ahead and get a 6 speed to bolt up to that 350...

Should be fun.

Thanks for all your help.