87 chevy ls swap

[Jsieger89]

what veheicle would be best to pull a ls moter out of a pick in pull?
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[68GMCCustom]

A full size '99up truck or SUV.
'04-'06 GTO's, '98-'02 & '10up Camaro's/4th gen firebirds etc. get pricey.

get one that you can get everything to go with......harness, accessories and drive assembly, exhaust pieces, fuel pieces, pedal and TAC assembly if needed.....everything that makes it function and preferably say 100k or less miles? Earlier have cable throttle bodies, later models will have DBW.

[Jsieger89]

is there any one better then other? would say one out of a gto be any different then one out of a suv
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[Jsieger89]

also what could I expect to pay at a picking ill it junkyard.... ball park of corse
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[68GMCCustom]

prices are wild/rough guestimates... on a rough scale and can be found for way less (or way more)

truck motors (full size truck, SUV, Van, Avalanche) - 4.8L $500-$1500, 5.3L $750-$3000, 6.0L $1000-$4500, 6.2L $1500-$6500.
car motors (f-body, GTO, CTS-V, Vette) - 5.7L $2000-$4000, 6.0L/6.2L $2500-$6500

what trans will you use? If you get the one that came from the factory with it...an auto/truck trans could be like $500 for 4L60e family, and $1000 for 4L80e....or more. You might even find a complete setup for $1000 or even less (more likely from a truck/suv/van)....just have to look and weigh the options.

[Jsieger89]

what would be best for my 87 chevy swb, it's just a toy but wanting some seat of your pants fun , would a moter that came out of a truck be best? or are the car moters going to provide more horsepower, what is the difference between them as for the tranny probely going to try and get the matching set when i pull them, althow i do have a turbo 350 can this tranny work?thanks in advance
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[Clyde65]

IMO, if you have the 350tbi now, a 5.3/4l60e with a cam and tune will really wake up that square!

if your pockets are deeper, then an LQ4 with a 4l80e and if you have real deep pockets an LS2-7 with the same 4l80e or a 5/6 speed manual.

Good luck!

[68GMCCustom]

just comes down to what you want to spend. Newer motors, more horsepower, etc. just makes the tab go up. Is 300-350hp enough? Then go with a 4.8L or 5.3 and 4L60e.

[Mr. 250r]

Anything other than the truck/van and maybe some 4th gen camaro motors are highly over priced

[dec010974]

hello to all. picking a lsx engine combo is very debatable. my first lsx swap i selected te 5.3/4l60e. it was great good power with good fuel economy. i could drive it to work every day. if it was my choice for a non daily driver and wanted to do it once, go for the lq4/lq9 and swap out the camshaft. thats is the recipe for +400 hp all day long. good luck. keep wrenchin'.

[Jsieger89]

What's would I be looking for at a junk year to pull a lq4/lq9
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[Clyde65]

LQ4's 3/4ton van/truck/suburban/tahoe. LQ9's are in the Denali's and Excalades

[BR3W CITY]

I try to look for the big vans; vans were made with weird combinations of parts sometimes, but its not unusual to find a lq4/4l80e combo, with a nice long wiring harness and the longer trans dipstick. The harness is better if you plan on modifying it yourself, and van parts are less desireable. You can have a g2500 next to a K2500 and the truck will be stripped bare, while the van sits mostly in tact....a little junkyard anthropology for ya.

[Jsieger89]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

LQ4's 3/4ton van/truck/suburban/tahoe. LQ9's are in the Denali's and Excalades

What's can I look for a lq9 and tranny to run me?
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[BR3W CITY]

Have you even looked?
Kinda hard for us to tell you what a pullout engine in your own state would run. Take a look at what the pullouts go for online; and figure that because of perceived desirability, they are about 20-30% more than the more common lq4 (Same thing happens with the ls1/2's)
Engine alone can run anywhere from 500-2000 depending how complete it is; then figure in transmissions, ecm and misc parts. I've seen pullout (engine and trans w/accessories) going for as little as $15-1700, but as high as 3-5500$ for complete LQ9s.

[Jsieger89]

is there any moter option I'm missing besides the ls1/2 or lq4/9??? any other opinions out there on what moter to swap?
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[Robznob11]

well though if I had the money I would go for a newer motor, but if you want the most bang for the buck I would go with a 2001-2002 hd. because they have a lQ4 6.0. my reason is because the earlerier versions had iron heads, and after 02 you get drive by wire instead of cable. I like the 6.0 because if you want in the future you can run the bigger heads/or valves you cannot with a 5.3 or 4.8. I know that some vans after 02 did have cable tb aswell. most salvage yards will pull what ever tranny you want. Its been a few years but my 6.0 came out of a 4x4 02 2500 hd rolled with 48000 mi it had an 80E but I said I wanted 2wd so they pulled an 2wd 80e out of another truck for me. engine/tranny harness and puter shipped to local warehouse for 1900$ I have vin#s to confirm miles but as we all know anybody can pull a fast one. mine was very clean and runs great. I also specified that I wanted all the bolt ons I got the complete thing ready to run even the front O2 sensors. got it from aaa wrecking in dallas

[Robznob11]

as far as other options if you have the dough get a new 6.2 but really a 6.0 with a cam and good set of heads is hard to beat. and the bottom end will hold pretty much what ever kinda power adder you want to throw at it. I would not jack with a overpriced aluminum block my self!

well though if I had the money I would go for a newer motor, but if you want the most bang for the buck I would go with a 2001-2002 hd. because they have a lQ4 6.0. my reason is because the earlerier versions had iron heads, and after 02 you get drive by wire instead of cable. I like the 6.0 because if you want in the future you can run the bigger heads/or valves you cannot with a 5.3 or 4.8. I know that some vans after 02 did have cable tb aswell. most salvage yards will pull what ever tranny you want. Its been a few years but my 6.0 cam out of a 4x4 02 2500 hd rolled with 48000 mi it had an 80E but I said I wanted 2wd so they pulled an 2wd 80e out of another truck for me. engine/tranny harness and puter shipped to local warehouse for 1900$ I have vin#s to confirm miles but as we all know anybody can pull a fast one. mine was very clean and runs great. I also specified that I wanted all the bolt ons I got the complete thing ready to run even the front O2 sensors. got it from aaa wrecking in dallas

[BR3W CITY]

I will suggest again you do a little more general research.
4.8's, 5.3's are the cheaper and most commonly found.

Start here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_LS_engine


Rob, I don't know if suggeting the iron head lq4's is the best. Some of those early engines 99-01/02 were the ones known for oil consumption, and had the crank spacer built in meaning they can only be used with a 4l80e, which is cost prohibitive for some. The 03+ engines can be had with drive by cable, and usually cost no more than the 01-02's unless I suppose your buying a whole truck for parts.

[Clyde65]

what are your goals/plans for the trucks future?

When I did mine, I was going for the economy/cheap route. I got a 4.8\4l60e for about $1200.00 total, all accessories,PCM and harness. I get about +/-300HP at the crank. that is about double what the tired 350 I had was putting out, I also average 17MPG mixed, have gotten 20.5 on a long highway trip. I have no complaints at all.

Im not a hot rod type of guy, no offence to those that are, I had those when I was younger and I burned through alot of gas and money. I have just moved away from that although I do like to see and hear some of those BA trucks with the BB and fatties out back. Good luck!

BTW I got my motor from LKQ here in Hutchins Texas, just FYI.

[Robznob11]

Im suggesting only the aluminum headed engines! Yes at heart im a hot rodder and as stated its all in what you want to do with the truck. Me persionally i like an engine with room to grow! If you get the smaller engine you may find yourself looking for another if you get the fever for power! That said the 01-02 6.0s should be priced about the same because of age. I was not aware of the tranny mounting issue mentioned but again lets face it. If you like power you want the bigger tranny anyhow! Lastly to my knowlege vans and service vehicals are the only thing cable after 03 and most have been used for comercial and are beat to deth. Cable is the easier and cheaper rout for a swap! But again if 300 ponies is enough for your cruizer a low mile 4.8 for the cheap may be the ticket! Lol!

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

I will suggest again you do a little more general research.
4.8's, 5.3's are the cheaper and most commonly found.

Start here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_LS_engine


Rob, I don't know if suggeting the iron head lq4's is the best. Some of those early engines 99-01/02 were the ones known for oil consumption, and had the crank spacer built in meaning they can only be used with a 4l80e, which is cost prohibitive for some. The 03+ engines can be had with drive by cable, and usually cost no more than the 01-02's unless I suppose your buying a whole truck for parts.

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[thotfulspot]

I'm going through the same process right now. I picked up a 2001 LQ4 complete for $800 off of Craigslist about a month ago. It has 120,000 miles on it but ran good. Came with the computer, harness, and fuse box still attached. Since we really haven't had any warm weather I hadn't done anything to it yet. I was considering doing a rebuild, but since it isn't installed yet, I talked myself into stroking into and putting L92 heads and a LS3 intake with the MSD Atomic LS EFI system so I wouldn't have to deal with a wiring harness and tunes. Realizing about the only thing I would be keeping is the block and maybe the accessories, I checked Craigslist again and found a 6.0 already machined for a couple hundred. Now I have to decide what front accessories and brackets to run. I can either take them off the complete engine and use adapter brackets for the car intake, or sell the complete LQ4 and go all car components.

It never ends.
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