I've got an '02 Stratus I'm going to sell and I'll some of the cash from that to finish the motor. Of course with the current economy I might have a hard time selling the darn thing.

 

After doing the math it makes more sense to buy a running motor than to bore this block, buy more pistons, valves, lifters, cam.....

So as much as I love wrenchin', it just doesn't make sense to poor more money into this mess. live and learn....and am I ever learning.

The new game plan is pull the stroker and the tranny and sell 'em. I've already listed them in the Classified Section. I'll start shopping around for a decent 5.3L from one of the local salvage yards and make sure it has some kind of warranty on it.

 

Try www.car-parts.com.

Worked for me.

 

Looks like I'm back in the groove, as it were.

I'm going to pick up a complete 2000 5.3L, harness, PCM, brackets, bolt-on's, etc. this Friday. $850 and it has 70-80K on it.

 

Let me know if you need any help. I've done three. 4.8 and AX15, LS1/4L60E and 6.0/4L60E.

Best of luck.

 

Thanks Jim! Rest assured there will be questions asked.

 

What kind of Cherokee? My favorite SUV is a 96-98 Grand Cherokee Limited, of course the 5.9 is the best choice! I'm currently hunting for one, they can be found so cheap now. But i definitely want to do a turbo LS1 in the future!

 

This kind:

 

Well folks, I got my engine today. Not just the engine, I got alot more than I expected.
I was expecting a complete '99 5.3L with a harness and a PCM. Here's what I actually ended up with:
2003 5.3L
Complete harness for the engine, tranny, Drive by Wire throttle, peddle assembly and the thru the firewall harness for the entire dash.
All Fuse and relay blocks
All front end bolt-on's
Starter
All fuel lines
All electronic contol modules

4l60E 4x4 Transmission, flexplate, torque converter, and transfercase adapter (tailcone).
All tranny wiring including the NSS (aka PRNDL Switch)

Even got the tranny and engine oil dipsticks.


All for $850.

So what do ya think? Did I do okay?

 

Compared to the first motor, you're doing great!


As long as this one is sound, it sounds like you're in business.

Congrats!

 

I wasn't going to say it first. Don't wanna jinx the project.

If everything works, you stole it. Sell off parts you don't need and recoup some funds now.

May the force be with you.

 

Looks like I'll have a few parts to sell. I'm going to wait and sort through everything in the next couple of days figure out what I need and don't need. Since the parts are from a tahoe I doubt anyone here will be interested, but then again.....???

 

Can't wait to see how it turns out. I'm putting the same '03 5.3 in my '98 Grand Cherokee right now. While I'm at it I'm throwing coil overs on too. And I'd said you did damn good on the engine/trans find, I got mine for a grand and was stoked.

 

That sounds like a good deal to me!!!

 

Just slap a transfer case on it and go have fun.

 

Sounds like a plan...I wish it were that easy too.

 

Why don't I see your NAXJA.org sticker? Your not representing us very well

 

The Only sticker on my rig ia a PFC. Seth Santon sticker.

 

At long last....PROGRESS!!!!!! And a few pictures.

This is what I started with this morning. The first order of the day was to remove the Evap Canister, A/C lines at the firewall and accumulator, and the hoses for the heater.


Next up was the original motor mount brackets. I pulled the OEM brackets and installed the Novak adapters.






After seperating the tranny from the engine I installed the motor side of the Noval kit.


The first attempt at dropping the motor in didn't go to well. The OEM manifolds are just to big.


I pulled the motor back out and removed the exhaust manifolds and tried again.
SUCCESS!!


With the motor in place you can see that there simply isn't room for the stock manifolds. I'm going to research some block hugger headers and will post up which ones I decided to use.
Passenger side...


A few pics with the wires moved off the top of the motor.

 

Just FYI. On my Wrangler swaps I've used two. Speedway and Hooker.

The Speedway rrrrrreally tuck in tight and somewhat forward. They may run into the motor mount. The Hookers sweep more to the middle of the block.

If your swap is like the Wrangler, you are going to want to move the engine over as far as possible to the passenger side. Look at the clearance of the left upper control arm and the alternator.

Good luck