Got a Serious Question
07-01-2012, 11:15 AM
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Got a Serious Question Hey Gearheads i got a serious question i got a 01 Impala Non S/C (3.8 V6)and i want to do a motor Swap and i was wondering if i could get a LS4(5.3L V8) and drop it in my car if its possible and what all i would need in order to do this engine swap sucessfully i heard that the motor would work with the transmission i have but just wondering if i could do this SWAP
07-01-2012, 06:34 PM
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The motor WILL NOT work with the trans you have, at least not without major surgery.
The LS4 cars use a transmission-mounted starter, as there was no room to put one on the LS4 block and still have it fit in the car. The transmission case would need serious modification, plus some custom brackets to mount the starter in the right place. Secondly, you'd need the half-shafts out of an LS4-spec 4T65-HD, as they're different than the ones on your 3800 trans.
And if you decided to swap in an LS4 with it's transmission, better budget an additional $3000 for a built transmission, as the 4T65's in the LS4 cars typically don't go much beyond 60,000 miles, even in with an un-modded motor and easy driving.
Quite frankly, this whole thing is a bad idea. When you factor in the costs of a new trans, as well as the fact there's a very weak aftermarket for the LS4 cars, why not just get an L67 supercharged motor and swap it in? There are TONS more mods for that motor, and the SC 3800 has gone a lot faster in the 1/4 than LS4 car ever has. I think the fastest LS4 ever was low 11's and that was with a turbo. L67 supercharged cars have been deep into the 9's.
They're also more reliable.
Just my .02.
The LS4 cars use a transmission-mounted starter, as there was no room to put one on the LS4 block and still have it fit in the car. The transmission case would need serious modification, plus some custom brackets to mount the starter in the right place. Secondly, you'd need the half-shafts out of an LS4-spec 4T65-HD, as they're different than the ones on your 3800 trans.
And if you decided to swap in an LS4 with it's transmission, better budget an additional $3000 for a built transmission, as the 4T65's in the LS4 cars typically don't go much beyond 60,000 miles, even in with an un-modded motor and easy driving.
Quite frankly, this whole thing is a bad idea. When you factor in the costs of a new trans, as well as the fact there's a very weak aftermarket for the LS4 cars, why not just get an L67 supercharged motor and swap it in? There are TONS more mods for that motor, and the SC 3800 has gone a lot faster in the 1/4 than LS4 car ever has. I think the fastest LS4 ever was low 11's and that was with a turbo. L67 supercharged cars have been deep into the 9's.
They're also more reliable.
Just my .02.
