400FWHP 5.3 or 6.0 for $2000 possible?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach Ca
400FWHP 5.3 or 6.0 for $2000 possible? I am gearing up to LS my 73 nova, I am now trying to decide what engine to go with.
If you wanted 400FWHP (in a reasonable RPM without nitrous) and all you had was 2K to buy a complete engine (starter to injectors and ECM) and mod it, could you do it? if not 400 how much? HOW?
I want this engine to last a while (~60K), what is the max mileage I should consider in a used engine?
Thanks
If you wanted 400FWHP (in a reasonable RPM without nitrous) and all you had was 2K to buy a complete engine (starter to injectors and ECM) and mod it, could you do it? if not 400 how much? HOW?
I want this engine to last a while (~60K), what is the max mileage I should consider in a used engine?
Thanks
Last edited by jetback73nova; Aug 21, 2009 at 11:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach Ca
As I see it my choices are LM7, LQ4 or LQ9. I know the 6.0 liters are just a cam change away from my goal but it is hard to find them with low miles and they are expensive. the 5.3's are cheep but would need a fair bit of work to get to my goal, how would i get 400FWHP from a 5.3? (mill the heads? what would that cost? add cam)
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (37)
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,034
Likes: 0
From: ocala,fl--- forest-ocklawaha
i woud personally go with lq9 add some 5.3 heads.. comp might be too high for pump gas.. or do lq4 with 5.3 heads and a cam.. with the 5.3 i dont see you making 400rwh unless with a manuel.. magizine did a write up one one.. used aftermaket expensive heads and cam intake made 480 hp at crank.. only way with 5.3 is turbo then u could make 500-600rwhp..
Low mile 5.3 complete pull out: 600 bucks
Borg Warner S400 turbo, 71mm: 600
Ebay intercooler and piping: 200
HP tuners: 500
Innovate wideband: 300
2200 and a lil ingenuity or cost saving methods and you got 500-600 hp
Borg Warner S400 turbo, 71mm: 600
Ebay intercooler and piping: 200
HP tuners: 500
Innovate wideband: 300
2200 and a lil ingenuity or cost saving methods and you got 500-600 hp
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach Ca
this car will be my DD I only want 400 at the crank. Although it would be overkill I would love a turbo but you left a few things off that list (BOV, waste, waste gate, tubing, injectors...) that would make it too expensive.
Trending Topics
5.3 w/ a small cam, ls1 intake, headers should get you close to 400 fwhp
you could always go to .040 cometics to bump compression if you wanted
but if you find a cheap, low mile 6L then that's the way to go ... but for a DD I don't think a 5.3 will disappoint
you could always go to .040 cometics to bump compression if you wanted
but if you find a cheap, low mile 6L then that's the way to go ... but for a DD I don't think a 5.3 will disappoint
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Texas/Somewhere in Southwest Asia
This might help you find one cheaper and save money for power adders w/ the install. www.car-part.com Just think about what year, model, and make, your engine would be installed in and search near your zipcode. 5.3 and 6.0s range from a couple hunderd bucks up to a couple grand. It also lists mileage, gl man!
-SS
-SS
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach Ca
I like the 5.3's because they are easy to find unlike the 6.0's where i have to wait around for a good deal. what would it cost to mill the 5.3 heads? how much would you take off? would that and a cam do the trick with the truck intake? I don't want to switch the intake and accessories.
does anyone have an idea of how long these engines last reliably?
I love Car-parts.com and will probably find my engine there.
I chose to ask about flywheel HP because I don't know the drive train loss for my car but I know about how powerful my sbc is (300HP) and I want about 100 more. my trany will be a M21 and my diff is a 8.5 10 bolt for the record and i dont know how much rwhp i would have with 400fwhp.
does anyone have an idea of how long these engines last reliably?
I love Car-parts.com and will probably find my engine there.
I chose to ask about flywheel HP because I don't know the drive train loss for my car but I know about how powerful my sbc is (300HP) and I want about 100 more. my trany will be a M21 and my diff is a 8.5 10 bolt for the record and i dont know how much rwhp i would have with 400fwhp.
Last edited by jetback73nova; Aug 22, 2009 at 01:24 PM.
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Texas/Somewhere in Southwest Asia
I like the 5.3's because they are easy to find unlike the 6.0's where i have to wait around for a good deal. what would it cost to mill the 5.3 heads? how much would you take off? would that and a cam do the trick with the truck intake? I don't want to switch the intake and accessories.
does anyone have an idea of how long these engines last reliably?
I love Car-parts.com and will probably find my engine there.
I chose to ask about flywheel HP because I don't know the drive train loss for my car but I know about how powerful my sbc is (300HP) and I want about 100 more. my trany will be a M21 and my diff is a 8.5 10 bolt for the record and i dont know how much rwhp i would have with 400fwhp.
does anyone have an idea of how long these engines last reliably?
I love Car-parts.com and will probably find my engine there.
I chose to ask about flywheel HP because I don't know the drive train loss for my car but I know about how powerful my sbc is (300HP) and I want about 100 more. my trany will be a M21 and my diff is a 8.5 10 bolt for the record and i dont know how much rwhp i would have with 400fwhp.
-SS
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach Ca
there are several ways to hook an old style trany to the LS engines, any old style bell housing for an 11" clutch will work minus one bolt I will use a Lakewood scatter shield . the biggest difficulty is that the LS crank flange is 0.4" closer to the block than the gen 1 (with i think the exception of some early 6.0's) . you can us an LS flywheel with a long TO bearing and piton bushing and any new or old 11" clutch (for the old the bolt holes must be opened to 11mm) but the clutch will ride 0.4" closer to the end of the input shaft. OR you can buy a special swap flywheel ($400) that is 0.4" thicker that put the clutch in the correct spot and uses the old style bolts. I think you cant just space the flywheel from the crank because the starter would not reach.
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (10)
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Texas/Somewhere in Southwest Asia