I found a deal on a 2005 5.3 motor with 70,000 miles (LM7). Would this be a good motor for a LSX into a 1987 iroc? I am new to this swap but am open-minded I just need a little direction!!!! Any information would help! Thanks

 

If you have a dont have a small budget, go for it.

 

i have a 5.3 swap and i love the 5.3s great motors and great deals on them....BUT if i were to do the swap again id buy a wrecked 99-02 ls1 car and use what i need from it for the swap. it was a pain locating all the right parts to make it fit and more expensive. would be cheaper in the long run to buy a wreck and part what you dont need.

 

If you did a 5.3 swap, you might be like many and ask yourself why you did not do it sooner.

 

I am not worried about chasing down the parts because the swap is not going to be fast. Roughly how much did yall spend on the swap? Is that year engine a good swap motor? Did yall build your a bit before putting it in? If so, what did u do? Thanks everyone

 

my reason for doing the 5.3 swap is i didnt have the large amount of money to drop at once on a donar car with doing the 5.3 i could buy what i needed as i had the money. i swaped in the hot cam in my 5.3. the power for the money and reliability is a no brainer. may end up doing a ls1/4l60 swap in my 92 z28.

 

So is a 2005 LM7 a good motor for this conversion?

 

Yea even stock it's a good upgrade over a stock L98

They love hair dryers too...

 

Thanks what kinda heads would yall put on a 5.3 to get decent numbers?

 

Ditto to the above. Any LS motor is better then a L98 stocker. I'm all into my car again after this swap to the 6.0L Its like a brand new car. + LS engines run forever. My 6.0 Shortblock had 65-70K on it when I did the H/C LSX swap into my Formula.

 

they can make great numbers on stock heads but there is a large aftermarket for the ls series motors. a good upgrade ive seen is a set of 243 heads milled and mildly ported with the right cam gen get the 5.3 close to 400whp.

 

You could spend anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000 depending upon who does the work and what you eventually decide to do with it. It's easy to think you just want to piece together a bare-bones 5.3 and trans for cheap but remember that it's addictive. Before you even get your engine and transmission mated together you may wind up buying headers, and a cam. The next thing you know you realize the front springs will need changed because the LS is so much lighter. Then maybe you get sub-frame connectors, a good torque arm and high $ cat-back. Suddenly you realize you need brakes to whoa her down. Don't forget about the potential for bodywork, paint and interior upgrades to pop up. The list can go on and on and you need to spend some time researching exactly what parts you need and then make a plan based on the minimum you will have to spend. Either way, assuming you have the funds needed and the work is done properly, you should be extremely happy (temporarily) with the gains even a stock 5.3 will net you. Until it starts feeling slow. Then you can mod it as you can afford to
Ask me how I know.

 

I just finished the interior and suspension.....these are all re-done! I am now moving to the engine and tranny so I shouldnt expect any extra cost other then those two!

 

Did you allow for the weight difference between the engines? If not your front end is going to raise maybe as much as and inch to an inch and a half.

 

TO BE: i started up my L33 5.3 today, best thing i ever did and i havent even driven the damn thing yet. Vid is up on utube and in another thread. Do it. Period.

 

Bought the 5.3 today and the transformation starts!

 

GO GO GO GO.........and NEVER look back. You will not regret it.....