TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
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From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
If anyone is looking for a cheap LS family block to use for a swap, here it is! 
Check out how many blocks this guy has...
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/pts/1303301750.html
Check out how many blocks this guy has...http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/pts/1303301750.html
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
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From: Austin, TEXAS
Car: 2x1991 & 2000 Camaros
Engine: 350, 305 & LS1
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
Same computer, yes.
Same tune, no.
You can get it running with a stock 4.8 tune but don't plan on doing any major driving until you get it tuned.
Same tune, no.
You can get it running with a stock 4.8 tune but don't plan on doing any major driving until you get it tuned.
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From: Kansas City
Car: 1991 Trans Am
Engine: L98
Transmission: T56
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
The TBSS only had the LS2 6 liter. The SSR MIGHT have had the 5.3 very early on but the later years were LS2s as well. However, I think the early ones had the LS6.
AFAIK the only performance oriented vehicles the 5.3 has come in are cars and the top of the line Colorado.
FWIW, those can be had cheaper locally from what I'm told and you don't have to ship them or go pick them up. Not a bad price though for others that don't have a local yard that will sell them cheap.
AFAIK the only performance oriented vehicles the 5.3 has come in are cars and the top of the line Colorado.
FWIW, those can be had cheaper locally from what I'm told and you don't have to ship them or go pick them up. Not a bad price though for others that don't have a local yard that will sell them cheap.
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
The early SSRs had the 5.3 I remember being disappointed that they gave them the "small" motor when they first came out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR
They never came with a LS6. It was 5.3 to LS2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR
They never came with a LS6. It was 5.3 to LS2
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From: Orwigsburg, PA
Car: 94TA 87IrocZ
Engine: 350 305
Transmission: 4L60e 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 3.23
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
The TBSS = LS2, 6.0L. The 5.3's came in an optioned Trailblazer LT or LS.
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From: Kansas City
Car: 1991 Trans Am
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
The early SSRs had the 5.3 I remember being disappointed that they gave them the "small" motor when they first came out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR
They never came with a LS6. It was 5.3 to LS2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_SSR
They never came with a LS6. It was 5.3 to LS2
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: Dana M78 3.27 posi
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From: Guelph, Ontario
Car: 89 IROC/05 RX8
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
Theirs a JY local to me that sell's 5.3L's for $350 each, and 6.0L's for $600 each.
I <3 them. haha
thats in CAD pricing too, and why we've got a pair of 6.0's here
I <3 them. haha
thats in CAD pricing too, and why we've got a pair of 6.0's here
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From: 39.84N 105.11W
Car: '89 Trans Am GTA
Engine: WAS 350 - now L92 (alum. 378/6.2L)
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
I'm giving serious thought to dropping a 5.3/4L60E into my wife's '92 RS, so I sure hope that I can find an inexpensive engine like that near me when the time comes...
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From: Bertram (outside Austin), TX
Car: 87 GTA
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
You know....
I'm not sure what the weight difference is between my 87 GTA & my moms '05 Trailblazer, but the mileage rating between our 2 is the SAME 18 mpg. And I'm still getting 20mpg (original EPA estimate was 21, iirc), with 200,000 miles on the original, unrebuilt engine. Does that say good about my 22yr old car? Or bad about her 4yr old Trailblazer? 18 year difference & no better mileage? Yes, I'm sure hers makes more HP than mine, but that's not my point here.
My GTA runs GREAT. Starts before the engine even makes a full revolution. Smokes the tires easily. Sure...Its probably down on power, but you'd never know it!
I'm not sure what the weight difference is between my 87 GTA & my moms '05 Trailblazer, but the mileage rating between our 2 is the SAME 18 mpg. And I'm still getting 20mpg (original EPA estimate was 21, iirc), with 200,000 miles on the original, unrebuilt engine. Does that say good about my 22yr old car? Or bad about her 4yr old Trailblazer? 18 year difference & no better mileage? Yes, I'm sure hers makes more HP than mine, but that's not my point here.
My GTA runs GREAT. Starts before the engine even makes a full revolution. Smokes the tires easily. Sure...Its probably down on power, but you'd never know it!
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
The weight difference is pretty considerable. Also, your car is a lot more aerodynamic. That same 5.3L would probably get 24-26mpg on the highway in a GTA.
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From: Pepperell, MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: LQ9/L92
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
This thread got me looking in my area for one of these things. Think I may have found mine for around the same price ($400). We shall see....
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From: Northern Utah
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
By the way, pre-'01 engines have issues with the blocks, the rocker arms, and, when used in performance applications, the rod "bolts". Ask for '01 or newer.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: O'Fallon, MO
Car: 1991 Z28 convertible built 3/1/1990
Engine: Cammed 6.0L LSX
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: custom Ford 8.8", 4.10 gears
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
Is that for just the 5.3's? I hadn't heard that before (concerning the 6.0's anyways). Also, I would be wary of dropping a salvage yard motor in a fresh engine sway anyways, I would want to crack her open and see what's inside and replace whatever needs to be replaced.
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From: Pepperell, MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
what kind of problems are we talking here? just found a block locally that fits into this "troubled" year range and want to know what I'm possibly up against.
Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
If you dont race or boost the crap out of the engine you wont have an issue
97-98 blocks have the older style internal oil passages. Later models were slightly tweaked for improved oil flow throughout. You wont notice a difference short of roadcourse action and even then, impact will be minute
Rod bolts were standard issue problem much like all 3rd gen rod bolts. The engines were not rated past 6,000 RPMs so they were not built to go there, much like TPI rod bolts releasing at 5k. ARP bolts and cleaning up the rod journal solves the problem
As for the rocker arms, issues come and go. They are a factory roller design, but use cast bodies and they do NOT like missed oil changes. The needle bearings like to wear and lock up and the castings like to crack when neglected or abused. These problems will be present on any LSx engine 97-present
If you want more in depth reading, do a search on each on LS1tech
97-98 blocks have the older style internal oil passages. Later models were slightly tweaked for improved oil flow throughout. You wont notice a difference short of roadcourse action and even then, impact will be minute
Rod bolts were standard issue problem much like all 3rd gen rod bolts. The engines were not rated past 6,000 RPMs so they were not built to go there, much like TPI rod bolts releasing at 5k. ARP bolts and cleaning up the rod journal solves the problem
As for the rocker arms, issues come and go. They are a factory roller design, but use cast bodies and they do NOT like missed oil changes. The needle bearings like to wear and lock up and the castings like to crack when neglected or abused. These problems will be present on any LSx engine 97-present
If you want more in depth reading, do a search on each on LS1tech
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Car: seeking '90.5-'92 'bird hardtop
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
If you dont race or boost the crap out of the engine you wont have an issue
not so. even stock work trucks have problems.
97-98 blocks have the older style internal oil passages. Later models were slightly tweaked for improved oil flow throughout. You wont notice a difference short of roadcourse action and even then, impact will be minute
it's not about the oiling, it's about the parts.
Rod bolts were standard issue problem much like all 3rd gen rod bolts. The engines were not rated past 6,000 RPMs so they were not built to go there, much like TPI rod bolts releasing at 5k. ARP bolts and cleaning up the rod journal solves the problem
are you nuts? TPI rod bolts don't just fail at 5001 rpm, I've had more than one B2L-turned-carbureted see 6000 rpm reliably. As for the LSX bolts, they did get improved for '01. these are usually good for 6800-rpm upshifts in 5.7 and smaller. Bigger bore 6.0s have heavier pistons, so figure 6500.
As for the rocker arms, issues come and go. They are a factory roller design, but use cast bodies and they do NOT like missed oil changes. The needle bearings like to wear and lock up and the castings like to crack when neglected or abused. These problems will be present on any LSx engine 97-present
there was a streak of rockers, we call them a batch, that were all extra-bad, and the batch was rather large. The best way to avoid them is to use '01-up rockers.
If you want more in depth reading, do a search on each on LS1tech
not so. even stock work trucks have problems.
97-98 blocks have the older style internal oil passages. Later models were slightly tweaked for improved oil flow throughout. You wont notice a difference short of roadcourse action and even then, impact will be minute
it's not about the oiling, it's about the parts.
Rod bolts were standard issue problem much like all 3rd gen rod bolts. The engines were not rated past 6,000 RPMs so they were not built to go there, much like TPI rod bolts releasing at 5k. ARP bolts and cleaning up the rod journal solves the problem
are you nuts? TPI rod bolts don't just fail at 5001 rpm, I've had more than one B2L-turned-carbureted see 6000 rpm reliably. As for the LSX bolts, they did get improved for '01. these are usually good for 6800-rpm upshifts in 5.7 and smaller. Bigger bore 6.0s have heavier pistons, so figure 6500.
As for the rocker arms, issues come and go. They are a factory roller design, but use cast bodies and they do NOT like missed oil changes. The needle bearings like to wear and lock up and the castings like to crack when neglected or abused. These problems will be present on any LSx engine 97-present
there was a streak of rockers, we call them a batch, that were all extra-bad, and the batch was rather large. The best way to avoid them is to use '01-up rockers.
If you want more in depth reading, do a search on each on LS1tech
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
cracking is way more common, and you can't bore those early 4.8/5.3 blocks to 4" like you can the later ones, and some even won't go to 3.898" without having cylinder wall failure. Don't try nitrous, turbocharging, supercharging, high-compression, or high rpm with these early 4.8/5.3 blocks.
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From: Northern Utah
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
Is that for just the 5.3's? I hadn't heard that before (concerning the 6.0's anyways). Also, I would be wary of dropping a salvage yard motor in a fresh engine sway anyways, I would want to crack her open and see what's inside and replace whatever needs to be replaced.
Folks, this next part is opinion, but I think that until the '01 production started sometime in '00, the 4.8/5.3 block used different water jacketing than the 5.7 and 6.0 blocks, and I think finally they simply discarded the problematic version.
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From: Silverhill,Al
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
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From: Austin, TEXAS
Car: 2x1991 & 2000 Camaros
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
Supply and Demand is the basis for pricing in a given region.
.....Not really on topic.
.....Not really on topic.
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From: Northern Utah
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Re: TONS of 5.3L engines for sale
by the way, '01-up cranks have drilled journals that early cranks don't have. This reduces unnecessary mass.
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