member help please

[68MoneyPit]

I posted this on the ls forum but have not had any reply yet. I am definitely not a carburetor guy at all and everything about a late model fuel injection system is appealing to me. I have an 87 tbi that i was going to rebuild but i recently found a 5.3 with 7k miles with the 460LE for what I thought sounded like a good price until i started seeing some of the prices posted on here.

The motor i found is from an 07 that was wrecked at 7k miles. It has everything still on it except the computer and the ac compressor, and the transmission has never been disconnected from it. It does still have the wiring harness on the engine.

I just need some help to make sure that im not screwing myself over on the deal. The guy has it up for sale for $2100. That was cheaper than the price quotes I got from engine rebuilders for the tbi, but i have seen people posting $800-1200 for these 5.3 engines, most of which had .60-100K though.

Is there any particular things that I need to look for when I go to look at the engine and trans to make sure that this thing is what he says it is?

[cdowns]

if you need to buy computer they can run $1000-$1500

[hugger6933]

The size will be cast into the block[ie,4.8-5.3.5.7 6.0] The 5.7 is a camaro engine and it will be all aluminimum [with the excection being SSR and envoy /trailblazer had a 5.3 that was all alloy] . I belive that what was said above may be the new prices for a pcm. Any one you get from that sorce or another will have to be 'flashed' or reprogramed to your needs. I have done several of these swap and you need to consider fuel systems as well. Sometimes those can be expensive. I bought a 5.3 several years ago for 350.00 because the owner of the salvage yard could not sell all he was getting. 'Unless you run them out of oil or water they just don't sell' he told me. that is a very poular swap Like I said I've done several time with greatsucess. you would be very happy with that powertrain in your ride. Jim

[mrhino]

I bought a 02 with the 4l60e 25k and the harness + pcm and paid $1200.
I felt i got a great deal, I would say if it comes with the pcm harness and pedal I would offer the guy 17 or 18 miniuim 2k he'll take it. even Still $2100 for all of it with only 7k, I would probably do it. knowing how easy the install are now. Depending on what all the TBI needs you would be close to that any way. and still only have a old TBI not knocking the tbi's but those new 5.3l or 6.0 are kickass.

[68MoneyPit]

he did not have the computer and he did not say anything about the pedal. I didnt know that the pedal was something that i would need. This is out of an 07 avalanche that belong to a friend of his and was totalled. hopefully his buddy will still have the totalled truck so i can pull the other stuff off. what else would i need besides the pedal? also you said the fuel system could be $$$$. The only thing i have seen is that you need a fuel pump that will put out at least 58 lbs. Is this an in tank pump or does it matter? I have a 68 Short wide bed and was going to go with the blazer tank .

[weircc]

one of my workers bought a 5.3 with harness and pcm for 500 and local junk yard no tranny but i believe what ur gonna be paying for is only 7000 miles thats probably pretty fair


im not sure but you may have to have the security removed from pcm for it to run more than a couple mins but dont be to worried i believe painless can do it for around 100 bucks

[68MoneyPit]

i was going to just go to a salvage yard for the computer and have it sent off to be flashed and drop some of the torque management system anyways. PCM, ECM, difference?

[68MoneyPit]

where will the numbers be cast into the block? Is there anything else that I should be looking for when I go to pick up the motor ?

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by 68MoneyPit

i was going to just go to a salvage yard for the computer and have it sent off to be flashed and drop some of the torque management system anyways. PCM, ECM, difference?

PCM- powertrain control module, controls the engine and trans.
ECM- enging control module, only controls engine, but older ones did control torque converter lock up, but nothing else.

The enine size is on the front drivers side behind the big aluminum bracket that holds the power steering pump and alternator, and also on the passenger side rear of the block, but you'll have to pull the trans to see it.

[68MoneyPit]

will the PCM from an 05 work on an 07 engine so long as it is from the same engine and transmission combo ?

[ls1nova71]

A 2005 PCM might work, but 2007 is a dual body style year. If the truck is the older body style with a seperate TAC module, then it should work, if it's a new body style without a TAC then it probably wont work. Being that it's out of an Avalanche, I'm going to say it should work. But at any rate you are going to need the gas pedal and probably a TAC also.

[68MoneyPit]

I went to look at the 5.3 i found on craigslist and had to pass on it. Turns out it was stored in a garage with a tarp on it. Even though it was under a tarp there was nothing over the openings where the exhaust manifolds bolt on and you could see the surface rust on the valves, well at least 7 of the eight valves. the other was covered in black soot. I though that might have been from the valve not making a good seat ? Im obviously not an engine guru. the water pump was full of mouse nest and crap, and even though the guy said the plug wires were all still installed and everything was good, it was not. half of the coil packs that the plug wires connected to were broken as were a couple of the spark plugs that were still there. the other plugs were gone and nothing was covering the holes. also had an array of cut wires in the harness theat was there. no tach module, computer, or accelerator.

On a brighter side, I found a 6.0 out of an 04 that was totaled with 18k miles. COMPLETE with EVERYTHING, and still bolted to the 4l80E.