ss performance

iTrader: (17)

I'm wondering why so may people chose the 5.3's over the larger 5.7, 6.0 & 6.2 engines.

Is it thier availability & price?

Are they stronger?

Just looking for information for future builds.

Thanks.

Jay Gadsby

iTrader: (3)

I chose mine due to price and availability. And for the price, they are a heck of a bang for the buck.

NOS LS1

iTrader: (3)

They say the 5.3 is a great engine for turbocharging.
The short stroke allows the 5.3 to Rev up & Build Boost Quickly.

LSGUNSS

iTrader: (41)

Price
Availability
Iron block for boost
Makes good power with small cubes NA, sprayed or boosted
Responds well to mods like all the other LS motors

Beatdown Z

iTrader: (18)

The stroke is the same as the larger engines. The 4.8 is the short stroke.

Regardless, they're both great bang for the buck engines, with the 5.3 obviously having the torque advantage.

Italianjoe1

Stroke is the same on the 5.3 and 6.0, but the thicker walls on the 5.3 due to smaller bore makes it inherently more stable and stronger (the block).

You can also find a 5.3 for a fraction of the price of any aluminum block LS, and they are usually a good bit cheaper than an iron 6.0.

1slow'70

I picked mine up for cheap, and after running it I don't think id ever go back to my older small blocks, all I have done to mine is a cam and intake and headers and it feels like there's more power there then my semi built 355

i r teh noobz

iTrader: (4)

Cheap, easy to find, and make big power on boost.

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Price and availability. The 6.0 i bought for my caprice was twice as much as the 5.3 i got for my C10.

78QuickSilverTruck

theres another advantage to the 5.3 block, if anyone ever wants to go to a 347 cubes, they can.. thats how thick the block is.

CattleAc

iTrader: (7)

Did anybody mention they are cheap...???

Exidous

iTrader: (11)

LoL yes cheap but the thick cylinder walls make for a reliable boost block. Plus the ability to bore it more without a re-sleeve like the LS1/6. You can actually go bigger than 346 with it.

78QuickSilverTruck

there cheap and readily available. didnt know you could go bigger the 347 cubic inchs, that means you could take the 4.8 and bore it to the 5.3 and have something that could rev to the moon and back.
In my area, the junk yards are selling the 4.8 liter for cheaper. i paid $250 for my LM7.. it came with intake to pan. Seen some 4.8s for less, around 150-200 dollars

1964SS

iTrader: (1)

The 4.8 and 5.3 have the same bore size. It's the stroke that's different.

b.lee

iTrader: (6)

another vote for thick cylinder walls, great for FI applications

ss454327

iTrader: (10)

The 5.3 can be bored to 3.89 and stroked to a 383. It's CHEAP and loves boost. I think a cam only 5.3 vs a cam only ls1 is nearly the same power. Oh and a 4.8 bored to 3.89 with the same stroke would be crazy with boost...look at the COPO setups...

4eyedcoupe

iTrader: (3)

I chose mine because it was CHEAP horsepower

tired2valve

I think this should be stickied. I see so many of theses threads I'm wondering why there isn't one haha.

Italianjoe1

If I had the spare parts and time i'd pop a 4.8 crank into a 6.0 block, you'd end up with about a 5.3 but a way under-square engine that would be super rev happy and very good for boost/nitrous.

jfisher

iTrader: (1)

One big thing I see missing here is that everyone is assuming that all 5.3's are iron blocks. Most of the fastest 5.3 cars are running the aluminum blocked L33's.