4.8 vs. 5.3 Scammed
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Dayton OH
Are you milling the heads to get them to 61cc? The stock 5.3/4.8 heads are pretty potent when ported and polished. They put down good power for the buck for sure. Chamber size all depends on what direction you want to take it. If you want to stay NA, I'd bump the CR by milling.
My direction is still good driver with plenty of pep. I just don't want to get too deep into the cash on just my engine when I still have half a car to build.
The only other thing I was planning on getting was a mild cam upgrade.
A friend of mine has a cam only 4.8/th400 in a fox body mustang and it goes 11.50's on motor at 2900lbs. How much pep do you need for you daily driver? Put a cam in it and get it tuned. After the first time you put your foot in it you will be like **** a 5.3 haha. Good luck man
I'm not a big fan of LR4 Gen III 4.8 unless its going forced induction. The jump from 4.8 to 5.3 is the biggest in LS family . 4.8 to 5.3 you get you 32 cubic inches, 5.3 to 5.7 gain 21 cu. in. 5.7 to 6.0 18 cu. in. and 6.0 to 6.2 you only gain 12 cu. in. The horsepower difference can be made up fairly easy but you are giving up 40 ft lb tq in stock form. A comparable 5.3 and 4.8 cost are the same in these years , many times the 5.3 is cheaper due to the greater supply . There have been more 5.3s produced than any other displacement.
I just took a 4.8 out of my 82 malibu and put in a 6.0 ly6. Now that its all done I wished I'd kept my original plan and did the turbo on the 4.8. Don't give up on it as the 4.8 loves boost. Go to youtube and watch some vids of 4.8 turbo cars. Its pretty cool..
