78power

I have a 78 Oldsmobile Delta 88 I am really thinking about putting a LS Engine in my car. It is a full 4-door car, which I will be getting stereo system and rims added to the car. I want to get a stock crate motor just not sure if I should go with a LS1 or anything different. I have had the car for a while and ready to drive it more than anything. In the future would pull the engine and get more performance out of it. Last question if I went to say O'Reilly's how would I even search for a motor their?

prokilllsx

Oh my! Not a common question at all? I am assuming you are very young.
First off why would you do ANYTHING with a 78 olds 88? Not exactly a performance platform. If you are limited on funds don't even consider an LS swap. If funds are not a problem then sell the 88 and get a sportier olds if that's what you like. LS engines in the older cutlass' are awesome projects.
If you insist on the car/engine combo then you may wanna find your engine at a local parts yard. You will need it, the computer, engine harness and a compatible transmission for starters. Then you need to find all the swap parts.
Good luck either way. Hope you don't take offense, just trying to understand where you're trying to go and why.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

id check some sponsors here as far as engine pricing and other stuff youll need.

78power

I'm 33 years old and never did anything to an engine at all. Why not do anything to a Delta 88. Someone has did a little to a 85 dELTA 88 and Caprices. Everybody has Cutlass so why would I do another! I will be keeping my Delta and I wanted to know a good base LS engine to start off with. Upgrades will be done later.

prokilllsx

Alright then. Any LS engine would be sweet but your best option will likely be determined by 1. Your intended use, 2. Your desired HP level, 3. Your intended future mod.s, and 4. Your budget.
You could go with a 4.8 and see good performance in stock form or even turbo it to the moon for not too much money or you could go for a high dollar H/C/I max cube LSx.
Whatever you decide, you found the right place to learn. Read as much as you can, check the sponsors, and don't be afraid to use the search box.
Sorry if I offended you. Only trying to help.

78power

No offense taken. I like cars nobody else wants. My wife has a 84 Cutlass that will get the swap after my car. The car won't be a everyday car but it will see some road time as I would like to drive to GA from VA on ocassions. The car will see a track. I already have 3:73 gears which I can always upgrade to 4:10 if need be. I would like to have at least 450hp to wheels. Budget is not too bad as my mom work at a auto parts store so she gets a discount. Not sure if it's worth to piece it together or buy crate

prokilllsx

At least 450 and decent budget yet something different that likes to go to the track occassionally: Hmmm, Let me think here. LOL That's easy. Get a junk yard 4.8 and turbo that beast to the tune of about 16-18 lbs. Should be good for about 550 or more at the wheels and shouldn't hit too hard coming off the line unless you aim for that.

78power

^^^^^^^r u serious. (i just cought the shakes) 550 horses. I've been trying to find a 4.8 on cragslist here and kind of scared to pull one from a salvage yard. My bad got to figure what the 4.8 comes out of.....(yeah i'm a rookie, time to hit the search button)

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

IMO, a big heavy car needs torque, get a L92(6.2L) if you can or a 6.0L LS2.
The LQ4(6.0 L) iron block found in 3/4 an 1 ton trucks are also a good option if you're really trying to stretch your dollars.

78power

Is their a year range I should be looking for? I know that some of the Tahoe, Suburbans and Silverado's came with the engines just not sure years.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I agree.

For this application, I would want more than 4.8L. I'd want 6.0L or bigger if you are set on doing an LSx swap.

Frankly, I'd do an Olds 455ci with heads/cam/intake upgrade for ease of installation and all the gobs of torque. A small shot of N2O could also be added for even more power.

NC98Z

iTrader: (1)

I would find a takeout 5.3 truck motor. They have plenty of torque to pull around a big lead sled like your talking about.

78power

I originally wanted to go with a 455 but their hard to come by out here in Virginia and the only one I could find, the guy wanted $900 for a engine that didn't even run. As for the LSx swap I've been trying to figure out what year trucks to look for. I know Tahoe, Yukon, Suburbans and Silverados.

BudRacing

iTrader: (3)

I'd find a 5.3 from a truck like you've mentioned. It'll be the most common and likely least expensive. Stick a more performance oriented cam in it and you'll be closer to your power goal. Some porting here and there will do some good too.

If you can find a 6.0 by all means use it, but from what I've seen they're significantly marked up over 5.3s.

Good luck with your project. If this is your first engine swap, remember these words. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

That's unfortunate to hear. I just did one of these swaps with a friend last year, we put an Olds 455 in an '83 Cutlass. The engine was a '70 block with worked '70 heads and aftermarket aluminum intake, was rebuilt with aftermarket pistons (10:1) and mild cam upgrade, and came with a rebuilt TH350 trans attached. Everything worked great and the engine/trans was able to be test driven from the donor car before being pulled. $1500 for the whole engine/trans package, with a carb, distributor and everything needed to run. This was a very mild build that runs and drives like stock but with huge gains in power and torque. With such big displacement, the engine would be capable of significantly more power with some aftermarket heads and a bigger cam (and with a bigger cam, more compression would be possibile with pump gas as well).

An LSx swap will obviously make big power as well, and your budget will be the only limit to power potential. Just a different set of challenges and characteristics going that route.

prokilllsx

Yeah, I'm serious. Trucks

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Look for a 2002-2006 LQ4 an LQ9(H.O.).

prokilllsx

Yukon Denali also?

78power

may have found a 03 Escalade Vortec 6.0 motor with under 78K miles for $1000.00 and they want $700 for transmission & $450 for Transfer Case=push button on dash

TyCZ28

are you insane! 16-18 lbs on a 4.8 with 317 heads should be closer to the 8-900 range if not more with the right cam... my buddy did almost 500 on 7lbs bone stock and then with heads and cam he made 600 still under 8lbs of boost..

look into the MS3 5.3 foxbody with nitrous.. carb budget build with and MS3 and 150 shot broke 9's