ok so i have been working on building my 305tbi but have been told that i would see better power gains out of a lsx swap. i have been looking around the forums and found a lot of people that have done the swap but there parts list include a lot of things that seam to not be needed i was just wondering if some one could give me a parts list of the bare minimum that i would need just to get the car running with the lsx swap and prices on some of the things i know the price is going to vary im just trying to get an idea of what its going to cost and what im going to need.

thank you.

 

will a ls1 from a corvette work or does it have to be from a f-body?

 

I know nothing about the particulars of the swap, parts needed, etc. But a motor is a motor is a motor, doesn't matter what car the LS motor comes from. Could be a vette, F-body, or any other car GM put an LS engine into. Tranaxle vettes the trannys won't work in F-body cars, since they are tranaxle trannies in the rear of the car, but motor is motor is motor.

 

97-00 LS1 not so hot 305 hp 320 tq
01-02 ls1 came with ls6 intake 325 hp 350 tq

also early ls1's had some issues that the later ones did not have

 

I'll give you the same link from this site that i provided to you in the TBI section

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...third-gen.html

be prepared to spend money to do it right and have longevity.

You aren't going to do it for $2,000.

 

You can do it for 2k. But it's the bare minimum with a 5.3.

OP, go look on LS1tech. There are lot's of threads on it there.

 

LS1 engine, transmission, PCM, harness - Cost varies, depending upon miles, condition, location. Most f-body 4L60E drop-outs go for about $2-3k. T56 adds from $500-$1k to that.

LS1 engine and transmission swap mounts - From Hawks, about $200.

Exhaust modification - the 4th gen exhaust manifolds will work, but not the exhaust after that. This is usually the most expensive part of the swap beyond the engine/trans itself. Plan on fabrication of a custom y-pipe, and since TBI exhaust is horrible, complete replacement of the cat-back. Budgeting $1500 here is wise.

Fuel system mods - The TBI pump will not put out sufficient pressure and volume. Plan on at least a TPI type replacement pump. The Walbro 255 works pretty well. You will also need to raise the regulated pressure, which can be done with a Vette fuel filter (which includes a return relief valve to keep the pressure to the engine at a constant and proper level, but requires different types of fittings and fuel line mods), or an aftermarket regulator. Regardless of what you do, there will need to be a return line somewhere/somehow. You're looking at a few hundred $'s for this.

Throttle cable - non-traction control 4th gen type can be made to work. About $40.

Hoses - The radiator and heater hoses need to be changed. See the swap sticky. Looking at around $50-$75.

Wiring - You need to make some of the connections between the LS1 harness and the chassis to get the engine to start & run. Additional work needed to get gauges working (oil pressure, engine temp, tach, speedometer). If you don't have soldering equipment, you'll need to get some. You will also need to bypass the chassis VATS.

PCM reprogramming - You will need to program out VATS, and it makes sense to program out some of the emissions functions and transmission controls (torque management for 4L60E, skip shift for T56) while you're at it. Programming software is about $500-$600. You can usually find someone to do the reprogramming for around $100.

 

Realistically, I don't think you can in an f-body, especially one with poor factory exhaust. Just look at the non-engine costs above. When you start with a 5.3, you have to add the cost of f-body pan & accessories, and Vette or f-body intake. That also assumes you use an existing transmission, which just doesn't make any sense to me.

Holy cow, why go foreign when all of the resources are available domestically???

 

please pay attention to my points about "doing it right" and "have longevity"

even going the junker route with a piece of crap engine that the seller said blah blah, forged blah blah, freshened up 5k miles ago blah blah that you think you can get for $1,000 and you still can't do it for $2,000 total, complete.

 

Like Five7 said, $4-$4.5K is a good bare minimum to budget if your doing the work yourself.

 

ok thank you guys thats a good price. i was looking at the parts to make the 305 strong and it comes to about 4500 without the exhaust that i already have so thats not a bad price ill probaly be going down the ls road soon thanks for the help

 

hey 00's aren't cold fish

LS1s are underrated. mine with headers has 320rwhp.

also food for thought

LS1 = 5.7L usually the most expensive gen III for its aluminum block and displacement.
5.3L= 325 cubic inches,~20 less than the LS1, and it has an iron block. this can be bought for muchhh cheaper, and still make good power.
4.8L= the block is the same as the 5.3L. the only difference is (Correct me if i'm forgetting something) the 5.3L has the crank (and maybe pistons) of an LS1
6.0L = were in trucks, many people with LS1s swap them out for the 6.0L. they can be bought for about the same price as 5.3L.

 

I'd assume LS1tech would know about it as well.
Then explain to me how MeanYellowZ over on LS1tech has been able to do it? He even wrote a guide about it.

No, 99.9999999999999999999% of people aren't going to do it for less than 2k, there's too much other stuff that your going to want or need. I'm expressing that it has been done, and can be done. Not that he should do it.

 

Exactly. They actually have a better cam than the '01-'02.

Stock 87k mile 2000 LS1, LS6 intake, shaved 317 heads, Hawks LT headers, single 3" exhaust, free-flowing air intake, 4L60E w/shift kit & 3000 stall, 3.73 gears, no tuning (except emissions & torque management delete) - 12.89 @ 106.5 MPH. AT ALTITUDE. That translates to over 300 RWHP. Not too shabby for all factory engine parts.

 

You'll get better 3rd-gen specific info here, and the LS1 technical knowledge here is nothing to sneeze at.

 

Absolute cheapest way? Buy a running wrecked 98-02, pull the parts you need/want. Part out the rest of the car & put money in your pocket. Use some of the $ you made to tune the ECM.

In the end you will have MADE money on the deal & be driving a LS 3rd gen.

 

I'd say this is the right answer for sure. The only problem being, you need a large sum of money to invest in the donor car to begin with. But if you part it out, yeah you can make most of your money back, if not more.

 

WOW

he bought the LS1, had it rebuilt, purchased the computer, the harness, changed the gauges and controls all for under $2k????


the guy is a miracle worker

you still refuse to pay attention to my comments

I don't support installing a junker into a car unless you plan on using it at the demolition derby.

Plan on $5k, if you do it for less, great.

Also don't assume it's a piece of cake to find a donor vehicle and make back your money selling torn seats, soiled rug etc. Spending $3k to rebuild the LS1 from the donor vehicle plus the cost to buy the donor vehicle is a steep mountain if you think the other parts are going to be worth that much.

Assumptions can get you into trouble. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

 

True, true.
He uses a 5.3 LM7. Which makes 10 less HP than the F-Body LS1. Can can be found quite cheaply. Read his swap guide if you haven't. I've read it multiple times, and its the bare minimum to just get a 5.3 in the car. Obviously most of us want the most performance, so were not going to go with the bare minimum.

 

Thats where the BIG costs lie

 

Just do it bro. It's. The best thing to do to a third gen

 

LS1s are underrated. mine with headers has 320rwhp.


Both statments are true the better cam can be taken advantage of with the swap out of the ls1 intake to the ls6 that came stock on the 01-02 ls1

as for the power I was talking about rwhp rwtq numbers so 320 with headers is right on the money.

 

you still don't get it

nowhere in that thread do I see his cost for a complete engine rebuild.

for the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would go through all of that work just to toss in a junker engine. Thanks but no thanks