Is the 5.3 really cheaper than the LS1???
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 244
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From: Huntersville NC
Is the 5.3 really cheaper than the LS1??? To be fair, I'm talking about aluminum vs aluminum. The L33 vs the LS1.
The LS1 is very popular, light weight engine that can makes 325 rwhp with headers and a tune.
The L33 might be 20 lbs lighter than the LS1 (from what I've read, not sure if I believe it). It requires headers, cam and a tune to get the same numbers as the LS1. But it comes with LS6 heads, which are good.
A cam for the 5.3 will run, what, $800? And the 5.3 won't have the low end torque of the 5.7.
Plus, LS1's are pretty easy to find right out of Fbody's, which means they have nearly everything you need. The L33 will need a pan and accessories.
Is the real savings from the iron 5.3 which are dirt cheap?
Seems like LS1's are going for roughly $1800. L33's for about $800. But by the time you spend the money to get the little 5.3 up to the power of the LS1, you could actually have a stock LS1 which has more low end torque and room to grow.
My project will be a mid 90's E36 M3. 3200 lbs daily driver that'll rip up the road courses on Sunday and haul the family around on Monday. To me, torque equals fun, which is why I'm nervous about the 5.3
Learn me please.
Thanks,
Steve
The LS1 is very popular, light weight engine that can makes 325 rwhp with headers and a tune.
The L33 might be 20 lbs lighter than the LS1 (from what I've read, not sure if I believe it). It requires headers, cam and a tune to get the same numbers as the LS1. But it comes with LS6 heads, which are good.
A cam for the 5.3 will run, what, $800? And the 5.3 won't have the low end torque of the 5.7.
Plus, LS1's are pretty easy to find right out of Fbody's, which means they have nearly everything you need. The L33 will need a pan and accessories.
Is the real savings from the iron 5.3 which are dirt cheap?
Seems like LS1's are going for roughly $1800. L33's for about $800. But by the time you spend the money to get the little 5.3 up to the power of the LS1, you could actually have a stock LS1 which has more low end torque and room to grow.
My project will be a mid 90's E36 M3. 3200 lbs daily driver that'll rip up the road courses on Sunday and haul the family around on Monday. To me, torque equals fun, which is why I'm nervous about the 5.3
Learn me please.
Thanks,
Steve
Yes, the real savings is in the iron 5.3's. Also the LS1 is getting up there in age and finding low mileage ones is getting harder to do. The aluminum 5.3 is newer, thus easier to find in decent mileage. But in reality, it depends on what fits your needs best, because you're right, putting the pan and intake and all the accessories from an LS1 on a 5.3 does eat into the cheapness of the smaller engine.
Also depends on what part of the continent you are in.In some places especially the more north and west one gets,the chances of finding any LS1 in any condition are fairly slim to non-existant.
Teching In
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Steve,
I went through this decision (and the 6.0 Iron block as well) recently. If you can find a decent deal on an LS1 that runs under $1,800, it doesnt make much sense if all you want is ~350rwhp. A simple tune, cheap ls6 cam on an LS1 will do it for under 2 grand. If you are talking an agressive cam, new springs, lifters, pushrods, heads, than you are maybe looking at saving a couple hundred doing a 5.3 over 5.7. Not enough to fret about in the overall cost of the build.
I am headed down to Charlotte, NC from DC this weekend and have a good 5.7 longblock LS1 for sale....
I went through this decision (and the 6.0 Iron block as well) recently. If you can find a decent deal on an LS1 that runs under $1,800, it doesnt make much sense if all you want is ~350rwhp. A simple tune, cheap ls6 cam on an LS1 will do it for under 2 grand. If you are talking an agressive cam, new springs, lifters, pushrods, heads, than you are maybe looking at saving a couple hundred doing a 5.3 over 5.7. Not enough to fret about in the overall cost of the build.
I am headed down to Charlotte, NC from DC this weekend and have a good 5.7 longblock LS1 for sale....
Around here you rarely find LS1s under 100K miles and they're still asking premium prices. Aluminum 5.3s are not too common, but they generally ask a premium price. Although they can be found with relatively low miles.
For me the iron 6.0 and 5.3 was an easy choice for both price and milage. The only penalty is the 70lbs extra weight.
For me the iron 6.0 and 5.3 was an easy choice for both price and milage. The only penalty is the 70lbs extra weight.
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I can only speak from my experience but I have a iron block 5.3 with longtubes, ls6 intake, cam swap ($500 for barely used cam, valve springs and pushrods). In a 3150lb car I went 11.40 @ 118 with a converter set up for nitrous. I never dynoed it but online calculators put it around 360RWHP or so and there was a shop that posted in the dyno section a similar 5.3 that put down around 380RWHP. I think the 5.3 is plenty capable of making good power. I'm sure a similarly modded LS1 would put down more it just comes down to what you start to put into it from the start.
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I paid $220 for my iron block 5.3 in running condition.
Slap in a $99 Zr1(or LS9) cam and $120 on pac1218 springs, and exhaust.
You've got over 325hp.
Have you seen the cam test car craft just did on a "Stock" 5.3? Suposidly engine had nothing but valve springs, cam, and Holley EFI.
The $99 zr1 cam swap alone netted over 400 crank hp.
Then spend the remainder of your savings from not going with an LS1 on a cheap turbo kit. Thats what I did anyway... 
Slap in a $99 Zr1(or LS9) cam and $120 on pac1218 springs, and exhaust.
You've got over 325hp.
Have you seen the cam test car craft just did on a "Stock" 5.3? Suposidly engine had nothing but valve springs, cam, and Holley EFI.
The $99 zr1 cam swap alone netted over 400 crank hp.
ls9 cam 211/230 .558/.562 122.5lsa
420hp/6200
393tq/5100
-41tq 2500
-20tq 3500
-2tq 4500
+51tq/53hp 5500
+90tq/112hp 6500
420hp/6200
393tq/5100
-41tq 2500
-20tq 3500
-2tq 4500
+51tq/53hp 5500
+90tq/112hp 6500
And a $800 cam swap? You're doing it wrong.
What are you smoking? They will both make nearly the same amount of power given the same mods. The LS1 is 346" and the L33 is 325". A difference of 21". That's not very much. The difference between the two engines will be maybe 20hp all other things being equal.
And a $800 cam swap? You're doing it wrong.
And a $800 cam swap? You're doing it wrong.
A 5.3 is more of a hassle to get compression out of a if you're doing a n/a build. Pistons aren't as readily available for the bore, and they come factory with small chamber heads. But I agree for a mild cam build, not a lot of difference. For a max effort, a ls1 will have the advantage.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Huntersville NC
Steve,
I went through this decision (and the 6.0 Iron block as well) recently. If you can find a decent deal on an LS1 that runs under $1,800, it doesnt make much sense if all you want is ~350rwhp. A simple tune, cheap ls6 cam on an LS1 will do it for under 2 grand. If you are talking an agressive cam, new springs, lifters, pushrods, heads, than you are maybe looking at saving a couple hundred doing a 5.3 over 5.7. Not enough to fret about in the overall cost of the build.
I am headed down to Charlotte, NC from DC this weekend and have a good 5.7 longblock LS1 for sale....
I went through this decision (and the 6.0 Iron block as well) recently. If you can find a decent deal on an LS1 that runs under $1,800, it doesnt make much sense if all you want is ~350rwhp. A simple tune, cheap ls6 cam on an LS1 will do it for under 2 grand. If you are talking an agressive cam, new springs, lifters, pushrods, heads, than you are maybe looking at saving a couple hundred doing a 5.3 over 5.7. Not enough to fret about in the overall cost of the build.
I am headed down to Charlotte, NC from DC this weekend and have a good 5.7 longblock LS1 for sale....
Around here you rarely find LS1s under 100K miles and they're still asking premium prices. Aluminum 5.3s are not too common, but they generally ask a premium price. Although they can be found with relatively low miles.
For me the iron 6.0 and 5.3 was an easy choice for both price and milage. The only penalty is the 70lbs extra weight.
For me the iron 6.0 and 5.3 was an easy choice for both price and milage. The only penalty is the 70lbs extra weight.
I can only speak from my experience but I have a iron block 5.3 with longtubes, ls6 intake, cam swap ($500 for barely used cam, valve springs and pushrods). In a 3150lb car I went 11.40 @ 118 with a converter set up for nitrous. I never dynoed it but online calculators put it around 360RWHP or so and there was a shop that posted in the dyno section a similar 5.3 that put down around 380RWHP. I think the 5.3 is plenty capable of making good power. I'm sure a similarly modded LS1 would put down more it just comes down to what you start to put into it from the start.
What are you smoking? They will both make nearly the same amount of power given the same mods. The LS1 is 346" and the L33 is 325". A difference of 21". That's not very much. The difference between the two engines will be maybe 20hp all other things being equal.
And a $800 cam swap? You're doing it wrong.
And a $800 cam swap? You're doing it wrong.
A 5.3 is more of a hassle to get compression out of a if you're doing a n/a build. Pistons aren't as readily available for the bore, and they come factory with small chamber heads. But I agree for a mild cam build, not a lot of difference. For a max effort, a ls1 will have the advantage.
And a cam build is exactly what I'd be doing.
I appreciate all of the information. I'm planning a budget E36 M3 build next year. Part of that planning is figuring out how much things will cost. Weight is also a big issue.
I plan on taking my time and hopefully I'll find a deal on an aluminum 5.3 and put a mild cam in it. I'd also love to find a way to keep the 5 speed that's in the M3. It only weighs 60ish lbs and can handle supercharged M3s power. Im sure itll handle a mild cammed 5.3. Plus they are dirt cheap. I'm just not sure if its possible to mount it to the LSX.
I read someone's iron 5.3/T56 swap and gained 150 lbs in his E36. Too much for me.
Last edited by Steve91T; May 31, 2013 at 04:16 PM.
