billyflantos

iTrader: (6)

any special id markings or something?

s10jake

Yeah id like to know as well

wantsum410

iTrader: (5)

The 4.8 & the 5.3 are identical on the outside,the only way to tell the dif. is the tops of the pistons .There is a new book you can get at Amazon on How To Swap a LS Motor into anything which has alot of good info in it ,pinouts , ect.

Andy1

The 4.8 has flat top pistons, 5.3 has dished pistons. I know of no other way to tell them apart; both have 4.8/5.3 cast into the back of the block, so the pistons are the only way to tell.

Andy1

flame

iTrader: (13)

Yep pull a spark plug out and turn the crank till you can see the top of the piston

rickjamesCC

iTrader: (1)

The experience that I have with the engines is that the back of the block has a 4.8 and 5.3 marking the one that it is, is usually marked with white marking and like they said if you really want to know pull a spark plug!

firstgenguy

iTrader: (6)

5.3 piston looks like this. It will have a slight dish and a 4.8 will be flat across.

Slick87Rush

iTrader: (3)

you guys are correct about the 5.3 and the 4.8 being the same block. usually there is a paint marking on the front and the back.

lovescamaros28

The eighth letter of the VIN of the vehicle that the engine came out of. Possibly the engine I.D. number(different from casting #) at the front of the block also. That is the only other ways I can imagine.

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

Pull the pan and check the casting number on the crank

Later 5.3's are also flat tops, so a boroscope cant give a definite answer. Using a rod down a plug hole to measure stroke never worked for me

1988montecarloss

iTrader: (6)

how can you tell the difference between a 6.0 and a 5.3/4.8?

brian.harmon1974

iTrader: (5)

6.0 has "6.0" cast on the front of the block in the same spot as it would say 4.8/5.3 on those blocks

94'BLKBRD

iTrader: (76)

4.8 and 5.3 engines have Head Gasket tabs that stick out and it says either 4.8 or 5.3 on it, if they are not broken off.

alexcoreas

iTrader: (1)

This is an 02 5.3 from an avalanche. So I was told

travisn

Gross, I hope you got that for scrap weight

alexcoreas

iTrader: (1)

27k miles paid 750 for it. Still have to clean it.


So what's wrong with it?

97badass

iTrader: (8)

Looks like someone took a **** in every cylinder.

alexcoreas

iTrader: (1)

I thought that was just regular carbon buildups. How does everyone's bottom end look? I've seen many look like this.

Andy1

VIN number, as mentioned earlier, is one way though it doesn't help for visual identification. IIRC, the 8th digit in the VIN, V for 4.8, and T for 5.3 for trucks except for the L33 (Z?). I'll stand corrected as this is all from memory.

Andy1

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

lmao..