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#1 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Modesto, Ca
Posts: 411
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Gen III 5.3 $500
I found a 5.3L complete with ecu and harness for 500 clams. One problem. It has 120,000 miles. Worth it?
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#2 |
if they can make it so can I!
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: birmingham, alabama
Posts: 97
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
computer and harness worth that almost, and 120k on the ls1 is just gettin broke in good...lol you getten a fleet pull out from a parts store? if your truck is lowerd might want to get the car oil pan for it too, and the car intake ,it fits a lil better under the hood...we are putting one in a jeep cherokee before to long...i have heard some good things about them...hope you have good luck too!!
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#3 |
Account Suspended
![]() Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Claremore, Oklahoma
Posts: 821
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
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#4 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Vernon, Texas
Posts: 331
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Worth it
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Boise ID
Posts: 609
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Do It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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"72" Red CORVETTE 4-speed 350 "70" Chevy Short Bed early stages of resto. Edel 600 cfm carb Weiand Stealth Intake HEI shorty Headers 4/2 Drop 295 50R 15 TOYO on 10 inch wide corvette rally rims at all 4 corners. "CHEVY RULES" ![]() |
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#6 |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Great deal as long as it's in good shape.
If it were me, I'd do a cheap rebuild on it for another $600-700 or so, but that really depends on budget. If things are tight, you can always pull the caps, check things out and replace bearings and the oil pump. If I were going to replace the rings, I'd probably go a step further and get it torqueplate honed at the same time. I'd replace the freeze plugs since you probably can't tell how thick they still are.
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1972 C20, 402/700R4 - My first classic truck, bought in September 2005. 85% transformed from "Farm" to "Cool" status! ![]() 1970 Dodge Challenger 440, 4sp (my other toy) 12.67 @ 117 MPH, with a pathetic 2.022 60' 2007 Dodge Charger SRT-8 2008 Cadillac CTS All-American garage, baby! |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
I would get it!
I have wrestled with the 5.3 or 6.0 swap myself and I think I will get the 6.0 and the 4L80 in my 71LWB and start driving it daily. |
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#8 |
the boat guy
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: springfield mo
Posts: 2,339
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
you can find them for cheaper, whats the harness worth? if your not going to use it you might be able to sell on ebay $150
id personally have a hard time paying that much for one with half the miles. so far everybody else says go for it, i guess that makes me a cheap a$$.
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67, swb, fleet, tach, throttle, 5.3, 4l60e, 3.73's, fuel cell, 5 lug, p.d.b., 4-6 drop. great little truck 66, stevens drag/ski 18' silouette, 350, 2.02 doublehump heads. comp extreme marine 278 cam, vette 7 fin valve covers, old polished edelbrock intake, velvetdrive, casale v-drive, adj cavitation plate. 28, model a rpu project, |
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#9 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Quote:
I have run the numbers, for me to get the power out of the SBC 350 I got will cost me nearly $2k and I have not even got to the trans (A4 for MPGs). We buy the 5.3s for $600-$800 COMPLETE depending on mileage and put them in Rock Crawling jeeps and beat the piss out of them, and they are golden. Better than any other motor swap we have tried (TPI350, Ford 5.0, GM 4.3L, Jeep 4.0). Last edited by Shon; 04-16-2009 at 01:39 PM. |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 12
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Another one for worth it if it's in good shape.
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"God got bored on the 8th day and decided to build a pushrod engine. This engine, was codenamed the LS1" |
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#11 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Turlock California 95380
Posts: 2,075
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
I say its worth it. You can always try offering $400 and a 12 pack of beer
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72 C20 Longbed 05 1500 Z71 |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Seattle
Posts: 24
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Where do you guys find deals like this? I've searched online through LKQ parts lookup and you'd be hard pressed to find an engine for under $1000, that doesn't include the trans. I'm just doing initial research on prices and sources and haven't started pounding the pavement yet.
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72 Chevy 2wd lwb 350/TH350 72 Chevy 4wd lwb 454/TH350 ![]() |
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#13 |
I'M TRUCK CRAZY!
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sachse, TEXAS
Posts: 1,737
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
get it
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#14 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Modesto, Ca
Posts: 411
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Ok, the yeahs have it. I have a Megasquirt stand alone computer, but it will take alot of time to tune the maps as I wound be starting from scratch. I built a 305 with alum l98 heads and multi-port FI for a daily driver but just ran across this. Now I guess I'll part out a 'never run' motor and hopefully won't take too bad of a beating on the ol Gen I. The motor is in good shape, but i'll still pull the pan and have a look. I guess its time to use the search feature for 5.3 install. Maybe I'll take photo's and share my experience.
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#15 |
Gen III Power
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Hesperia CA
Posts: 318
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Do It !!
A little paint and some time will go along ways ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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---Bob--- '81 Long Box. 2005 5.3l Vortec and 2005 4L80e coming soon... |
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#16 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Turlock California 95380
Posts: 2,075
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Hessian18,
That is SWEET !!! ![]()
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72 C20 Longbed 05 1500 Z71 |
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#17 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SAN FERNANDO VALLE SOL CAL
Posts: 1,064
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
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#18 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Modesto, Ca
Posts: 411
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
I wish I had come across this very informative site a few years ago. I would have never guessed you guys were swapping Gen III motors in. Much less I would have laughed at the thought of MYSELF doing it! But after hangin' out here I might just pull it off. I'm goin' to give it a go.
Thanks for the encouragement to change plans... again! ![]() |
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#19 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Quote:
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#20 |
I'M TRUCK CRAZY!
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Sachse, TEXAS
Posts: 1,737
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
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#21 | |
the boat guy
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: springfield mo
Posts: 2,339
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Quote:
why did i get quoted, im doing a 5.3/4l60e swap on my truck right now. complete engine, harness, pcm, and rebuilt trans $700. im not saying i didnt fall into some awesome deals. im just saying id pass on that particular motor unless youre in a bind. what you save on the inital buy you can spend on $wap header$, cam, and tune.... tires!
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67, swb, fleet, tach, throttle, 5.3, 4l60e, 3.73's, fuel cell, 5 lug, p.d.b., 4-6 drop. great little truck 66, stevens drag/ski 18' silouette, 350, 2.02 doublehump heads. comp extreme marine 278 cam, vette 7 fin valve covers, old polished edelbrock intake, velvetdrive, casale v-drive, adj cavitation plate. 28, model a rpu project, |
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#22 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: sc
Posts: 1,203
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
Quote:
Now we are wondering if the cyl walls will be all rusty.....that would not be good.....so we might go find something with more miles that just came out of a vehicle... |
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#23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 346
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
$500 is a pretty good deal. I wouldn't sweat the miles at all. These motors hold up very well. I just built a 6.0 for a guys rock buggy and we started with a short block that had around 80k on it. The cylinders were still in such good shape we could have used standard size pistons. Another example, I had a 98 Trans Am with 90k miles when I bought it. Put a blower on it at 9 psi, straight pump gas. I put about 10k hard miles on it in less than a year with no problems at all.
The swap is pretty easy and well worth it, GO FOR IT!!
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1971 Suburban 4x4, LQ4 6.0L, 4L80E, etc. |
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#24 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Modesto, Ca
Posts: 411
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
It seems as though alot of rock crawler and sand rail guys use Gen III powerplants. They must be tough to live in those environments. I really appreciate everyones input.
BTW, that chevy orange painted motor looks awesome! Very clean! ![]() |
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#25 |
Eat My Rust
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Cypress, Texas
Posts: 3,362
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Re: Gen III 5.3 $500
120k is nothing on these motors. Shoot my crappy firebird's 2.1L V6 lasted 275k miles, and a genIII is far better built.
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