Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[nlped]

Well, any updates Bob? Or are you just enjoying drivin' Fred?

[67ChevyRedneck]

Very cool! I really like it!

[joe231]

which 5.3 did you end up with?
gen III or gen IV?
iron block? LY5 or LMG
aluminum block? LH6 or LC9

honestly i did look back in the thread, but i couldn't find the answer....
just so you know, this thread has been torturing me since I don't have the scratch presently to do a 5.3 swap.......

[lolife99]

Glock,... I'd like to know a "realistic" dollar amount to do one of these swaps. (I know you found some good deals)
But for the average guy that needs to assemble all the parts and do the install from start to finish. (engine mounts headers, harness, fuel pump or gas tank mods, etc)

I guess what I mean is,... I need "X" amount of money,... or I shouldn't even consider it.
I have looked at other swaps and between $5000-$6000 seems to be the going rate.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Glock,... I'd like to know a "realistic" dollar amount to do one of these swaps. (I know you found some good deals)
But for the average guy that needs to assemble all the parts and do the install from start to finish. (engine mounts headers, harness, fuel pump or gas tank mods, etc)

I guess what I mean is,... I need "X" amount of money,... or I shouldn't even consider it.
I have looked at other swaps and between $5000-$6000 seems to be the going rate.

I and probably others would also be interested. I have been doing some research and pricing componenets but I am sure I am missing something. Great thread/project thanks for including us!

[joe231]

I just found a 5.3 on OKC craigslist for $600 with all the accessories and the computer

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pts/1406480140.html

[menace121978]

what ever Joe.... i look everyday and the best if any at all is $1500 over here. grab it while the grabbings good buddy...

[joe231]

I wish I could grab it
I found several around here for under $1000
one with trans for $1600...

[menace121978]

a few pages back he said it ended up being $4200-$4500 if im not mistaken. that was new tanks and everything.

he's also going to put a "book" together with part#'s and where to buy stuff too.

[Manbearpig]

Scrap yards around here want to much for gen3s

Local yard has a LQ4 with 85k on it for $3k

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by Manbearpig

Scrap yards around here want to much for gen3s

Local yard has a LQ4 with 85k on it for $3k

Being the 6.0 there are less of them and they do get a premium (although I agree that is high). What are they asking for 5.3s?

[Manbearpig]

Originally Posted by thealien

being the 6.0 there are less of them and they do get a premium (although i agree that is high). What are they asking for 5.3s?

~1800

[djracer]

That is way high!

[Manbearpig]

The last time I went looking for a 5.3 it had about 50k or so and must've been made of gold.

That LQ4 has gone down in price according to that places website.

It's $2k now


BUT there is a place about 35 miles away from me that has 2 LQ4's for 950

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by nlped

Well, any updates Bob? Or are you just enjoying drivin' Fred?

LOL, I haven't been getting any email replies, so I had no idea there was this much chatter going on here! Just been driving the snot out of him! When to Denver this weekend and the truck ran perfect. The condo we rented ended up being in a not-so-good part of town, about 3 blocks north of Mile High Stadium. So it dawned on me that there is probably no street thug that could steal this truck if I pulled the ignition fuses from the PCM fuse block. Cheap anti-theft device!

Oh, with the 3.42 rear, highway mileage is right at 20-21 mpg. I think I need to have the PCM tweaked as the truck shifts 1-2 and 2-3 real quick in town. As in, it is 3rd by the time I get to the other side of the intersection. I think that is what is keeping my in-town mileage down to around 17-18. I had been tinkering with the idea of putting the 2.73 back in to try to get maximum mpg, but I really like the way it drives right now. I might experiment with 3.08's or maybe even 3.23's just for grins. But I think once I get the PCM tweaked it will get better.

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Very cool! I really like it!

Thanks Jesse!

Originally Posted by joe231

which 5.3 did you end up with?
gen III or gen IV?
iron block? LY5 or LMG
aluminum block? LH6 or LC9

honestly i did look back in the thread, but i couldn't find the answer....
just so you know, this thread has been torturing me since I don't have the scratch presently to do a 5.3 swap.......

LOL, sorry Joe! I got the average run of the mill 2006 Gen III LM7, 295hp & 325 ft/lbs.

Originally Posted by lolife99

Glock,... I'd like to know a "realistic" dollar amount to do one of these swaps. (I know you found some good deals)
But for the average guy that needs to assemble all the parts and do the install from start to finish. (engine mounts headers, harness, fuel pump or gas tank mods, etc)

I guess what I mean is,... I need "X" amount of money,... or I shouldn't even consider it.
I have looked at other swaps and between $5000-$6000 seems to be the going rate.

Here is my post from quite a few pages back:

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

OK, here is the final damage so far.....

Just the basic parts needed to do the swap including the 37° flare tool and both new gas tanks was about $1479. So total with engine/trans package (w/shipping) is $3679.

When I add up ALL my receipts, which include things like the gas pedal and harness, paint, degreaser, solder, bulbs, bumper bolts (still haven't found them damn things!!), fuel hose and clamps, heater hoses, all the AN fittings and SS braided hose for the fuel system and trans cooler lines, gas tanks, complete fuel system, adapter plates and the gauge cluster, blah blah blah.... totals $1904, total swap price of $4104.

I am $396 under budget!!!

My engine and tranny cost me $2200 including shipping from California. I used the stock truck manifolds that came on the engine, also the stock 2006 upper and lower radiator hoses. I bought most all parts that I needed new, although I'm sure there are a few things that I could have bought used and saved some money. The most expense was in the fuel system. Two tanks, two fuel pumps, high PSI hose, high PSI switching valve, AN fittings, filter/regulator....all that added up quickly and was right in the neighborhood of $500 IIRC. Do this with just one tank, and that price drops dramatically! I budgeted $4500 to do this and came in under budget.

I haven't got a lot done on the "book". We have been really busy at work, and busy at home too now that momma's schedule changed and she now has weekends off for the first time in almost 10 years!!. It's coming though, just not real soon.

[HuggerCST]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

with the 3.42 rear, highway mileage is right at 20-21 mpg.

Wow, that's great mileage Bob. If it would have gotten that kind of mileage when I had it, I'd still own it.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

LOL, sorry Joe! I got the average run of the mill 2006 Gen III LM7, 295hp & 325 ft/lbs.

well now I'm confused ....the info I'm reading online says that GM went to the Gen IV (LH5 iron block, LY5 aluminum block) in 2005?

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by Thumpin455

Im thinking of a 6.2L 4L80E swap in the 76, I can get one surprisingly cheap up here. They cant move the thing and its just sitting there. Maybe in the spring I'll do it.

Did you ever get it running on E85? Im making fuel at home from cattails and potatoes, so that part of this thread interests me most. I found with my 98 Formula Firebird that the LSx engines need a bit of tuning and a little larger injector to run E85/E100 without a piggy back. I can run 60% ethanol in the Formula without a lean code on stock injectors. Sorry I came in the thread late, and reading 45 pages would be a bit much.

Haven't done the E85 piggyback yet. I wanted to get all the bugs worked out first before I do that. And, the truck will probably stay parked most of the winter unless the weather is nice, then it might come out for a cruise. I don't want it to sit all winter with E85 in the tanks, collecting moisture.

Originally Posted by joe231

well now I'm confused ....the info I'm reading online says that GM went to the Gen IV (LH5 iron block, Y5 aluminum block) in 2005?

5300

* Generation III– the LM7,LM4,L59, and L33 or the Vortec 5300 is a V8 truck engine. Offering 285-295 hp and with 325-335 ft lb torque. The 5300s are but in Canada, Us, and Mexico.

• LM7 – introduced in 1999 and considered the common variety of the 5300s.

• LM4 – was only produced for a short time and was an aluminum version of the LM7.

• L33 – this was an aluminum block version of the LM7. It offers 15 hp more. It was only available on extended cab 4WD pickup trucks.

• L59 – introduced in 2002, this was a flexible fuel version of the LM7.

* Generation IV – first introduced in 2005. There are four versions of the 5300 in production. The LY5 and LMG are iron block version. The LH6 and LC9 are aluminum block versions.

• LH6 – this version replaced the LM4 in 2005 and was the first of the Generation IV small block V8 truck engines to be produced. This is an aluminum block model.

• LY5– new in 2007, this Vortec 5300 is a replacement for the LM7 Generation III. In the SUV vehicles it offers 320 hp with 340 ft lb of torque. In pickup trucks, it offers 315 hp with 338 ft lb of torque.

• LMG - this is the Flex Fuel version of the LY5.

• LC9– This is the FlexFuel version of the LH6 and is used for 4WD models. In SUV models, it offers 310 hp and 335 ft lb of torque.

[Thealien]

Thanks for the update and costs. Pretty reasonable if you consider a crate engine in the neighborhood of $1500-2000 without intake or serpentine belt assy and about $1000 for a transmission and you still need sme wiring and fuel tank work its kind of in the same ballpark?!

How many hours do you think you have in it, or what do you think would be a good estimate for a first time installation?

If you do a book, put me in line I will happily buy one.

Who did you have do your computer?

[Thealien]

Just got off the phone with a local wrecking yard. They can sell me a complete 5.3 with a 2WD (or 4WD) transmission, harness, DBW pedal assy, TAC and computer complete, shipped for $1500 with about 50K on the clock. I am having a hard time finding a reason not to do this?!

The only reason I would consider 2WD is I could install and get running while I rebuild the transfer case and can eventually afford to have a transmission rebuilt with an output shaft and adapter that would allow connection to my NP205.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by Thealien

Thanks for the update and costs. Pretty reasonable if you consider a crate engine in the neighborhood of $1500-2000 without intake or serpentine belt assy and about $1000 for a transmission and you still need sme wiring and fuel tank work its kind of in the same ballpark?!

How many hours do you think you have in it, or what do you think would be a good estimate for a first time installation?

If you do a book, put me in line I will happily buy one.

Who did you have do your computer?

I think I figured that I had 9 total working days in the swap. That just includes actual time spent on the truck, but not prep like cleaning and painting. I owe the relatively short amount of time to all the studying I did before I ever loosened a bolt. I had a plan before I ever started. I could have done it a little faster I think, but I wanted it to look like a well planned install, not just a quick weekend swap fest.

Jessee at wait4meperformance.com did the harness and PCM. He has done several other PCM tunes for me over the years, and he has always done right by me.

Originally Posted by Thealien

Just got off the phone with a local wrecking yard. They can sell me a complete 5.3 with a 2WD (or 4WD) transmission, harness, DBW pedal assy, TAC and computer complete, shipped for $1500 with about 50K on the clock. I am having a hard time finding a reason not to do this?!

The only reason I would consider 2WD is I could install and get running while I rebuild the transfer case and can eventually afford to have a transmission rebuilt with an output shaft and adapter that would allow connection to my NP205.

That is a very good price! I will be doing a swap in my 70 K10 in the future, and may just swap the engine instead of doing the trans too. This truck gets driven very little, mostly when it's needed to work. The TH350 was rebuilt about 15 years ago, but has less than 10,000 miles on it and work great and still shifts very hard. Just a cheap torque converter adapter and I won't have to change a thing with the trans/transfer case, just need to get the engine mounted. I'll do a cable TB too, that will help keep the cost down too.

Originally Posted by HuggerCST

Wow, that's great mileage Bob. If it would have gotten that kind of mileage when I had it, I'd still own it.

LOL, I bet!!! I love driving this truck, and it gets a lot of compliments with the lower stance, new rear bumper and the way it sounds with the tailpipes and tips now. Even more so when I open the hood!

[Jonboy]

The output for the front driveshaft is on the wrong side to go 4wd on an older truck.

[glock35ipsc]

There are several companies making adapters/output shafts that allow you to bolt up the truck's existing transfer case to a 4L60E or 4L80E.

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

There are several companies making adapters/output shafts that allow you to bolt up the truck's existing transfer case to a 4L60E or 4L80E.

Excellent. We bought a donor at the salvage auction, and after looking at it and the '71 Blazer, decided to go another route. We didn't look real far into the swap after that. Cool to know, though.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

There are several companies making adapters/output shafts that allow you to bolt up the truck's existing transfer case to a 4L60E or 4L80E.

For the 4L60E you can just find an 90 to 91 Suburban transfer case and adapter. It uses the NP241C transfer case with the passenger side drop we need and has the electronically controlled speedometer you need for the conversion too.

For the 4L80E you can use a custom adapter flange to fit the 2-wd trans to a T-400 NP205 transfer case and adapter housing. Take a look at NP205.org for this.