AKtundra

My first post, (please exuse me if there is a better place to post these questions or a answer I could have coaxed out of the archive)

I had a long sappy intro typed out, but suffice to say, with one notable exception I have never driven anything but toyota products, and never worked on anything newer that 1995 !! The big world of chevy's and laptop tuning is rather intimidating (in my day, if somebody "flashed" your car in usually involved a rain coat and running shoes !).

I am researching doing a LSx swap into and older Toyota Land Cruier. Based on my research so far, I think I want the 5.3L L33 with DBC. Many of the initial swaps in the Toyota forums, folks started with some version of a 5.3 and during the course of the build discovered one thing or another about their specific 5.3. Which casued them to cycle through various adapters, DL configurations, PCM/harness configurations, and aftermarket parts. With the cost of shipping to Alaska, this could be an expensive process. Would like to source the engine right the first time.

Based on the info in this forum and on-line, looks like I am looking for 2005-2007 Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500 Vin code B to get the L33.

Q1 How big of a concern is the Castech Head Failure issue? Is there a VIN range for the head casting number 706? Can I see the head casting number on an engine not yet removed from a donor vehicle?

Q2 I am not clear when DBC changed to DBW. If I get a 2005-2007 engine/tranny, will I have to get a TB and PCM from an older truck and include that as part of my conversion?

thanks in advance

cobalt964

l33's have 243 ls6 casting heads. 2003 and newer trucks used dbw. but to go to dbc just change the tb and get the correct pcm.

fox12303

iTrader: (7)

Only casting 706 4.8/5.3 heads from Castech were faulty per GM tech bullitin #06-06-01-019B. Not all castechs were faulty. Most anything after '06 should be fine(according to the bulletin). Why not put some LS1 heads on it instead of the stockers since they are pretty check. I think DBW came along '03-04. Contact Jon at PSIconversion, 732-691-6531 to get your TB PCM combo answers to DBC swap.

Cobalt964, if the L33's have the 243 heads do they have the larger valves too?

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

DBW became standard in pickups in 2003, and the L33 came out in 2005 if I recall correctly, so if you're set on the aluminum L33, it's going to be DBW. Do note that just swapping a DBC throttle body from a '99-'02 truck you will run into some obstacles, like the PCV provision on the DBC throttle body was moved to the intake in '03, so you'll have to remove the one from the DBC throttle body and plug the hole. Also, you'll have to find a throttle cable bracket, and put some threaded inserts in the intake to bolt it to, as the DBW intakes don't have them, there's a place for them, but no inserts. That said, if you can find a throttle body from a '03-'06 van, they are a direct swap with the pickups DBW throttle body. Or to make it easy, just get a whole DBC intake and TB since they're cheap and readily available and save yourself some trouble. Hope this makes sense and didn't confuse the hell out of you!

cobalt964

fox, yes the l33 had the 243's or 799's. they are the exact same head and valve size as the ls6, but did not have the hollow valves or upgraded springs. nova I was thinking the van tb and intake as well. but I did not explain myself thoroughly. or as nova stated put a 99-02 intake on it. or go ls1/ls6 so on. not a difficult swap.

post script; I have several l33 engines in some of my swaps, good little motors.

cobalt964

the l33 is an aluminum block 5.3. it has flat top pistons, 243 heads, a high profile cam, and higher compression than the iron 5.3. its like a baby ls6 basically. now with a ls6 cam, ls6 springs, ls6 intake and a tune I have seen a otherwise stock l33 dyno at 394chp. decent for a mix of stock components.

AKtundra

So if the L33 was only available 2005-2007, and the TSB is limited to 2006, if my heart is set on a L33 I need to look for a 2007? Is the head casting number visible on the outside of the head, or is it under the valve cover?


When I look through the engines available on-line, some engines are designated "new style", "classic", "old style"

What do these descriptions mean?

cobalt964

If it is a factory l33 you don't need to worry about the heads. 706 are regular 5.3 parts. l33 did not have 706's. l33 had 243's or 799's. I have several gen3 l33's they have 243 heads and I have one with 799 heads which are the same as 243 heads but a rough cast. if it is a l33 it wont have 706 heads.

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

In 2007 they changed the body style of the trucks with the "new style" but they also made the old body style that they called the Silverado Classic. The old style will have the GenIII engine and the new body style will have a GenIV.

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

Also, not that it really matters, but yes, you can see the head casting number on the head. Its on the right head towards the front below the valve cover and toward the rear on tje left side. Its hard to miss.

250z10

+1 the l33 will (ONLY) have 243 or 799 casting heads. and yes you can check the casting in the car/truck befor its pulled. its right on top of the heads cast into a little flat sliver of metal. you can find it on the right or left front corner of the heads.

AKtundra

Maybe should start a new thread for this Q, but kinda relates to engine selection.

What are the stock compression numbers out-of-the gate for the L33? I think i have seen some of the used engines with numbers ranging from145 psi to 215 psi! Assume 10% variation withing a single block is reasonable ?

cobalt964

while compression numbers are important, you will also want a leakdown test

AKtundra

But what are the stock compression numbers ?