LT1 vs. Vortec vs. LSx

[stroker87]

Dont do what I did (TPI 350) I dropped a ton of money and time to get the power out of it and in the long run it would of cost less to do a 5.3 swap and have more power for less money my engine stock had 210hp(TPI 350) when I was done it made 300hp @ the wheels the 5.3's start around 300hp+ (flywheel) but with tuning and simple bolt on's you can get an easy 60 to 70hp more

I didnt cheap out on my engine stealth ram injection, forged internals, splayed caps, aluminum heads & Etc. $10k invested and just redone it for more power another $3k way deep in it!

a 5.3 with the same HP would of cost about 1/2 as much! when I was shopping for an engine 4 years ago the 5.3 aftermarket was just taking off and every thing was very hi cost now its cheaper to do and with the conversion kits made easy not to mention how many 5.3's you see out there with over 150k miles on them getting 15mpg+ but the down fall is all the electronics the air intake tube on my 07 suburban fell off and true a engine code and the truck was not shifting right lol

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by travis401

its definitely a realistic option. its only as difficult as a head swap and and intake swap. the thing with the vortec heads is they flow GREAT at low lift. so you dont need a high lift cam to get decent power out of it. the L31 ( the vortec headed truck engine) made as much as 230hp/330tq with a small lift cam. theyre a 64cc head, so you need to make sure the pistons you use/have wont push the compression ratio up to high.

The eninge was rebuilt by the previous owner of a truck I no longer have so I don't really know much about it, except it was rebuilt as stock but with an "RV" cam.
I ran pump regular gas on it with no problems

Originally Posted by stroker87

Dont do what I did (TPI 350) I dropped a ton of money and time to get the power out of it and in the long run it would of cost less to do a 5.3 swap and have more power for less money my engine stock had 210hp(TPI 350) when I was done it made 300hp @ the wheels the 5.3's start around 300hp+ (flywheel) but with tuning and simple bolt on's you can get an easy 60 to 70hp more

I didnt cheap out on my engine stealth ram injection, forged internals, splayed caps, aluminum heads & Etc. $10k invested and just redone it for more power another $3k way deep in it!

a 5.3 with the same HP would of cost about 1/2 as much! when I was shopping for an engine 4 years ago the 5.3 aftermarket was just taking off and every thing was very hi cost now its cheaper to do and with the conversion kits made easy not to mention how many 5.3's you see out there with over 150k miles on them getting 15mpg+ but the down fall is all the electronics the air intake tube on my 07 suburban fell off and true a engine code and the truck was not shifting right lol

My goal is stock with bolt on/tuning so maybe I need to reconsider that LSx option...

[meter swinger]

I just ran across an add here in richland on CL. Can't post link from phone though. The add reads;
"6.0L LQ4 OUT OF 2500 TRUCK. HAS 60K MI. 509-539-2973 /WARRANTY."
May be worth a phone call, and with the hanford layoffs hurting the economy he may not be all that firm on the price.

The add is a couple pages back under parts KPR Craigslist and has pics.
Posted via Mobile Device

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by meter swinger

I just ran across an add here in richland on CL. Can't post link from phone though. The add reads;
"6.0L LQ4 OUT OF 2500 TRUCK. HAS 60K MI. 509-539-2973 /WARRANTY."
May be worth a phone call, and with the hanford layoffs hurting the economy he may not be all that firm on the price.

The add is a couple pages back under parts KPR Craigslist and has pics.
Posted via Mobile Device

Is this the one:
http://kpr.craigslist.org/pts/2738448373.html
$1800 for just the engine and it looks like just a long block?
I am interested in a engine tranny combo, thanks though!

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by meter swinger

I just ran across an add here in richland on CL.

I may have just changed directions... again...

I was browsing around the KPR CL and saw a Suburban for sale that said it had a low mile 350hp 5.7 with vortec heads.
I sent a message asking if it was the GMPP 350HO and the turns out the guy selling it is my uncle!

After talking to him (he had no idea I was a truck guy?), he doesn't know much about the engine, only that it was a "turn-key" crate engine that he bought about 10 or so years ago from a Chevy dealer in Hermiston, OR, that at the time was supposed to be the biggest crate engine retailer in the country.
He said he is pretty sure it is not the 350HO and that it is not a roller cam, but that is about all he really knows.
He did say it had worlds more power than the 350 it replaced.
I am going to look at it next weekend, and probably drive it home; he said the only reason he is selling it is that it only gets driven a few weekends a year camping/hunting and that after telling him what my plans were he would adjust his asking price to the "family" discount
So maybe EFI is a little further down the line for now...

[stroker87]

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

I may have just changed directions... again...

I was browsing around the KPR CL and saw a Suburban for sale that said it had a low mile 350hp 5.7 with vortec heads.
I sent a message asking if it was the GMPP 350HO and the turns out the guy selling it is my uncle!

After talking to him (he had no idea I was a truck guy?), he doesn't know much about the engine, only that it was a "turn-key" crate engine that he bought about 10 or so years ago from a Chevy dealer in Hermiston, OR, that at the time was supposed to be the biggest crate engine retailer in the country.
He said he is pretty sure it is not the 350HO and that it is not a roller cam, but that is about all he really knows.
He did say it had worlds more power than the 350 it replaced.
I am going to look at it next weekend, and probably drive it home; he said the only reason he is selling it is that it only gets driven a few weekends a year camping/hunting and that after telling him what my plans were he would adjust his asking price to the "family" discount
So maybe EFI is a little further down the line for now...

saving money is a good thing but will it satisfy you? I also learned the hard way to control myself and hold off to get what I really want not just pickup a good deal that in the back of my head i knew would be a waist of cash

thats some thing you need to ask yourself only you can answer that lol

[kevinr1970]

Also, an Edelbrock Performer TBI manifold popped up on CL this weekend so I picked it up. Even if I don't end up using it I should be able to get my money back out of it.

So, here is my new thought for my crewcab; my rebuilt engine with "RV" cam, have my TBI heads rebuilt, or just buy rebuilt ones and this new TBI manifold.
Is my non-TBI 350 long block (it was in an '84 K5 and I was told it was the original engine that was rebuilt) and a rebuilt set of TBI heads compatible?
Since I do not have any specs on the cam, should I replace the cam at this time so we know what we are working with when having the ECU(?) reprogrammed?

Maybe just sell the engine in the garage and have the TBI engine in the truck now rebuilt???
My head spins a little when trying to figure out which direction I need to go...

[stroker87]

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

My head spins a little when trying to figure out which direction I need to go...

I been there man you know what you want and your pocket tells you what you can have LoL!

I still think 5.3 is your best bet your starting with 100hp more then your currant engine I know around here theres always seems to be a 5.3 with the belt drive system for under $1000 and others with every thing even a ECU for $2000 to $2500 and it blows me away since I have to much tied up in my 383 stroker