Gotta love the LS power
 

I've taken the truck out a couple of times since I've gotten it running good. I've even managed to scare the poo out of myself (not literally) once, just "to see" what it'll do. So today I got my first chance to do what I got the truck for. That is pick up something large. A mattress and box spring. And!! the little woman was coming with me. So, being at my best behavior, I easily drove the truck to where we had to go. The beast idled softly without shake, it cruised at a nice easy speed. Very Harvey Milktoast'ish. After loading the bed, my wife said "this doesn't seem to have much power. It just sort of loafs along." Well, the inner me just about popped a gut, but I kept a straight face and said okay. Knowing this is a Jeckel and Hyde type of machine, I just eased out of the parking lot onto the main drag. Once there, I slowly but assertively applied the throttle planting her into the seat back (smiling devilishly, of course) watching her face quickly turn ashen. Oh what fun it is, heeheehee

Later...

Lee

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Haha lol that's awesome!

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Love the LS.

Was your launch like this one? http://youtu.be/FGrt4k5Crws

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Yeah, sorta kinda like that but not in the throttle for so long. The little woman's reactions were also similar to the video's. It's SO COOL!! I love it. I gotta thank everyone that helped along the way, especially here, even if just for the moral support. There's a young tech at the shop where I used to work that wants to do this, so it's time to pay it forward

BTW, what was even more satisfying to me was the look on her face when I said "It even has cruise control (yeah, it does and it works)". She just looked at me in a "Your kidding me" sort of way. Yeah, really cool

Later...

Lee

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

You just have to love on the mill , that idles like a stocker, cruises easy....but will 'rip it' at will! yes, I love my LS....longhorn :chevy:

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I'd really like to do a Sloppy Mechanics style turbo 6.0 in my C20. I just need to find the right deal on an LQ4/4L80E.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

If you are going to build a turbo setup for the love if God take some pride and dont hack together a pos thats not safe and reliable.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

meh, in a fun cheap beater, I'm not against a ghetto rigged chinese turbo for 700+ till she pops. Its actually really really fun.

But in something thats "yours" and meant to be an extension of yourself through the hobby, I'd suggest you at least spent the money in the right places.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

He uses good parts and makes great power but his tunes suck and his fab skills are an embarrassment to the hobby. Take a look at the fuel tables in his Microsquirt files; they are jagged as the Mount Everest. The guy who bought old gold fairmont gained 150 hp just by fixing his tune.

His Colorado turbo transmission crossmember is flat out junk and not sturdy or safe. I don't know anyone who would aspire to fab something of this quality.

See post number #131

http://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-ind...-700whp-4.html

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Wow, that's awful...

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I didn't actually know you where referring to a specific person/thread. I thought you just meant a cheap sloppy turbo kit lol.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Search Denmah on youtube for an extensive sample of his 'work'

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Well someone had to say it. I mean he works fast and does what everyone would like to do, go fast for little cash, but damn his namesake fab work is downright terrible.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I've seen him claim that in many cases he doesn't bother doing it pretty because he wants to show people that they can manage to do it. A perfect stacked dime weld is probably outside the ability of most shadetree mechanics, but I could certainly manage to do better than him.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

But anyways, I did a stock 5.3L swap and I gotta tell ya, these engines need the short 3.xx gearing that they had stock. I didn't change anything else, still SM465 and 2.73 gears; fine when I'm winding it out unloaded, but once I put a loaded car trailer on it, it was struggling a bit. Just need to save a few more bucks to install the 3.73's I salvaged from the parts Silverado.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Dude (Denmah) motivates many and he does not act like a know-it-all. Tons of those guys already out there. He does, what he does, hate it or not and makes it work. Where most people are sitting on the fence, like magpies, he is getting it in, ****ty welds, tune and all. I respect that.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

The 5.3 is pretty much the replacement for the 305 so it isn't a big surprise that it's sluggish with 2.73 gearing.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

He is one of my motivators to do it correctly.

Everyone is an example, some good, some bad.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Amen.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

OK, ENOUGH !!!

I just wanted to tell a humorous little tale about me, my truck, and my wife, and you guys have totally taken off on a whole 'nuther tangent, badmouthing some gent on YouTube. WTF?!

If you wanna look for an engine or rant about something, start your own friggin thread

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

relax bro, it's just a bunch of guys talking. jeesh.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I'd say they're a little hotter than a 305. Go to 2:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sQJPZYSoUI

In stock form, the 5.3 isn't much, I agree. 15.5 degrees advance at WOT, poor AFR's. "Million mile tune" as they say. With very basic breathing mods (headers, free flowing intake to the TB) and a good tune they'll probably put down more power than a lot of "built 350's" on the road.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I'm not saying they aren't faster, just that they're the same concept - the smaller V8. I don't think there are many people out there who wouldn't prefer a 5.3 to a 305. I imagine a 5.3 does better than just about any truck 350 even.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Well I went with a stock tune at first since I didn't want any issues right off the bat, I was underwhelmed when I loaded it down, felt like my RV cammed 305 had more torque down low. But I've known for years I need better gearing anyways. A tune might come later if I get bored. :lol:

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I wouldn't put any of the LS motors in the same category as 305. Not even the 4.8. The 4.8 in stock form out performs ALMOST any 350 that came in stock form.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

I have the ls bug and never going back . I sold ever piece of first gen stuff I had . There is no comparison in my opinion . I started with a stock 5.3 in my 82 and loved it . Now I have a ls2 ( 381rwhp ) with cam , intake , exhaust . Apparently that was not enough . I have a set of gm 243 heads cnc port from total engine air flow and new cam from Brian Tooley . Goal is 450rwhp . I think when I get to that point i will be done . Yeah right .


It amazing the power you can get from these engines .

I also have a carbed stock bottom ls2/ls3 top end ( ported ) at about 600fwhp . Talk about fun to drive .

Leestruk , I know where you are coming from . I think I have gone a little farther though and having a blast doing it .

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

:haha: You must have never owned a 305. Stock vs. stock, the 4.8 is like the replacement for a 350.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

My impression is that 305 and 5.3 are the most common engines - certainly the most common V8s - in vehicles that offered them. Yes, the 5.3 makes a lot more power, but there were reasonable 305s as well.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE THE 4.8, mine runs like a beast in stock form.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Honesty however, after towing a couple times more, it is a marked improvment over the 305. However with the 2.73's and the SM465, it's like driving a Semi loaded, gotta use all the gears.

http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/...psee1aecv9.jpg

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Yeh, 4.8L never put out much power and are not worth messing with.


http://youtu.be/MwJYPsJfDvE

Not bad for a 4800 pound truck.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Glad I found this post. I was worried about the truck i just bought as a doner for my 1968 Suburban. Its a 2003 with a 4.8 240000km got the complete truck for $500 delivered to my shop. Really wanted a 5.3 but the price was right and the truck has no noise starting from cold at -8. I should be able to sell $500 worth of parts off it :)
We do use the suburban to tow with. I figured that i will try it out and with a proper tune it should be better than the stock 327 thats in it currently.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

That's about the amount of mileage my 5.3L has on it. Tows great as you can see, and thats on the stock tune. You should have no issue selling off $500 worth of parts. Don't forget cores! Cat converters, brake calipers, master and booster, wiper motor, all worth money at a recycler. I made $200 back on just the cats alone!

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

About the only thing I'd be worried about is the transmission. The 4L60E isn't known for it's longevity.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

Here's a great example of just how badly the "old-school" engines are starved for air.

Everyone knows Hot Rod does all their dyno testing at Westech, and they've recently done a couple of totally non-related articles/shows that are fairly eye popping.

Example one:
383 Chevy, Vortec Heads, 230/236 hydraulic roller, dual plane intake, carb.
440.1HP@5600 / 464.9TQ@4200

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-uV61qilqU

Not a bad combo, and obviously due to the cubes excellent torque numbers.


Example Two:
Junkyard LM7 5.3. Stock dished pistons, stock 862 heads (small valve, known for being "junk" in the LS world), tiny 224/232 cam.
442HP@6200 / 412TQ@5000

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/...st-comparison/

Same dyno, incredible results. The 383 certainly made more torque, and would undoubtedly be faster in a vehicle going down the track. But for a run-of-the-mill, garden variety LM7 5.3 (I bought for for $550) with a cam change it is impressive and really illustrates how much potential lies in even the small cube LS engines.

Re: Gotta love the LS power
 

The 4l60e does pretty good if you take care of it . Most high performance mods does beat on them pretty good . Heat is the biggest killer .

Get the biggest trans cooler you can fit in there and run it thru the radiator as well as the cooler . Don't skimp on the cooler . Also if you are getting a tune get the torque management turned off or reduced . It will keep the clutches from slipping as much when towing during shifts .