Whats the benefits of 5.3 and ls swaps & whats a better choice

[laidoutchevitos]

I've just been reading and seeing post with trucks having these engine swaps. I consider myself a novice/beginner/shade-tree mechanic/ self taught chevy C10 enthusiast. I've started wrenching on a 69 c10 longbed that was given to me all in pieces with buckets of bolts/nuts/screws & wires (which is my 1st pic.) And just started playing with these trucks ever since. I've done total frame swaps all the way to even doing my first paint job. (2nd pic. Blue 72 Cheyenne short bed). Any how well my question is whats the difference & benefits of these engine swaps? A friend of mine keeps telling me he'll sell me a complete 5.3 with everything even tranny for my 70 C10 that already has a sb350 in it. What all would I need to do one of these swaps? And are they difficult to do? Thanks in advance for your feedback. Here's some other pics of some toys that I've had over the years and boy do I kick myself for letting them go.

[MalibuVLX]

Never done one on my stuff but have helped w/ lots.
Benefits:
light in weight
efficient- good gas mileage along w/ better emissions and dependability
lots of aftermarket support
ease of tuning
easy to get parts
lots of tech on LS sites, Pirate 4x4, Camaro and Corvette sites

downside:
electronics- may need to get ECM reprogrammed if running as stand alone
run new exhaust
have to plumb elec fuel pump and return line. No biggie.
If the motor has been sitting we have had issues w coils and injectors
plumbing new coolant lines and electrical

Bottom line:
Highly recommend- wont be sorry. With a cam swap and tuning that 5.3 will do everything you will need and then some.

[laidoutchevitos]

@Malibu,
Thanks for the response. Yeah Its definitely has sparked an intrest. I'm going to continue looking in on these

[Low Elco]

Better in every way. YOu'll be nervous till you do the first one, then you'll wonder why you waited. Click on the new heart link in my sig. That truck breaks 2nd loose towing a bass boat, runs 90+ with a 600 lb motorcycle on the bed, and gets 18 mpg. LS is the way. Start here-

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...play.php?f=206

Enjoy the Journey!

[Phill0406]

Haven't done the swap yet myself, getting ready this winter, but benefits are just about everything. If you want reliability, good MPG, and easy power; LS based engine is the way to go.

[laidoutchevitos]

Thanks lo Elco & Phill,
I'm really getting a good understanding about these engine swap.

[Phill0406]

C10 talk has an episode with prodyno, an LS based shop in California, and it's really really informative if you're thinking on doing it. I highly recommend listening to it.

https://www.ottoradio.com/podcast/c1...ll-q-and-a--47

As far as which one, you can't go wrong with any of them. A 5.3 LM7 with a 4l60e transmission is probably the most popular as that's the easiest to find.

[joeydurango]

I've had both. I enjoy my carbed 350 just for originality's sake, which you may or may not care about. I also like how simple it is to work on, and the fact that if we ever get hit with a massive EMP or solar flare my truck will still run (joking, sort of!).

That said, I do miss the 19mpg I got on my last 4x4 with an LS swap, and I miss the power. I DON'T miss the incessant whine of the fuel pump sitting on the frame rail below the driver's door. If I were to do an LS swap again, I'd relocate the tank to the rear and use an in-tank pump. Man, that was annoying to listen to all the time...