pwrtrip75

iTrader: (8)

Cast or forged or whatever process it was formed... if it is a good quality of aluminum it welds fine....Aluminum is aluminum... Lesser grades get more impurities burning out of it when you weld it, depending on what else is in it. but the thicker stuff like heads and blocks people think are poor quality because they are thick. You need to know how to weld thick aluminum. It tranfers heat so fast that a lot of people cant do it. Preheat the **** out of it . The blocks are cast yes but they are not poor quality at all. They weld like butter. The heads are even better. Anything thats had oil on it for awhile you'll need to burn the oil out of it. A couple passes with a TIG to heat and burn it out and then clean each pass good, grind it out, and then once its flowing good and clean you can put a nice fillet in there.

The hear-say that "cast" is harder to weld probably comes from welding cast iron. A lot of people have problems with that as there is a procedure to doing it right. Its not actually harder... its just that you need to know the process.

TXjeepTJ

iTrader: (8)

700+ hp on stock bottom end? I've been reading that once you pass the 500HP mark on either engine, it starts to get sketchy. That's why I figured forged pistons/rods would be a must. I'm actually looking to get 500HP to 600HP at the wheels.

what would be your reasoning for choosing 5.3 over 5.7 for a turbo? Besides cost

thanks man!

Regarding my LS1 block, I called a couple professional shops. They both said they would weld up the block, but both also sounded like it wasn't a good idea. That pretty much pushed me away 100% from that option. I would be getting a used LS1 block and transferring parts to that from my LS1. Thing is if I were to get a 5.3, I would need to rebuild it also to add the new pistons/rods and to check everything out. So it comes down to just which would be a better choice for a turbo, which would gain power more easily, reliability, etc.

2nd Gen Fl 'bird

iTrader: (13)

^ what he said