cheapest 5.3 turbo setup possible
On The Tree
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix AZ
i did my truck and managed to stay around the $4000 mark with just 400 to the wheels, granite i have a not so great turbo but i could easily get more with a better one.
This included all my piping, injectors, fuel reg, 255 walbro, silicone parts, second hand wastegate, cheap bov, second hand intercooler, $200 garrett turbo, and dyno tune.
and on one more note another 4 grand on a built 4l60 and FF 14 bolt rear because lets face it stock 60's and 10 bolts don't like turbos.
This included all my piping, injectors, fuel reg, 255 walbro, silicone parts, second hand wastegate, cheap bov, second hand intercooler, $200 garrett turbo, and dyno tune.
and on one more note another 4 grand on a built 4l60 and FF 14 bolt rear because lets face it stock 60's and 10 bolts don't like turbos.
6.0 and spray, just because you cant really budget fi, you can but you have to be one crafty person, 6.0 and spray the hell out of it, or 6.0 with a used pro charger,if you have injectors and a fuel pump setup all ready you can more than likely get a used kit for around 3250 , 3500ish in the parts section, just bolt it on,tune it and go.you wont have to worry about a 500 dollar junk yard block destroying it eithier,thats just my 2 cents man, i thought turbo but the more i read about a procharger d1sc the more i realized that was for me,and i will have lots of room to grow with that setup down the road, again you choose to do what you wish, but its just tough to do a fi setup on such a tight budget,you really need to plan to spend alot more than you ever will want to lol, good luck man,
To the OP, I think you need to introduce your friends to ls1tech, esp the dyno and stickies in the FI section to show them what they all really need to get a proper turbo setup running down the road and not worrying about **** breaking every 5 minutes..
That Hotrod article is nice in the fact that they broke it down piece by piece. I see a couple places where they spent a little more money on things than you can pick them up on here as well. With the growing popularity of the LS aftermarket people are passing over a lot of stock pieces. It's only taken a few people going really quickly with these setups to show people you don't have to spend a small fortune on parts.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
To me it honestly sounds like your friend needs to put down the crack pipe. If you are going for cheap, don't do it at all. You WILL always have problems. The little things do matter a lot. You can easily blow a motor because of a stupid (going cheap) mistake.
Teching In
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I'm aiming to do the same thing as you; boosting a 5.3 to roughly 600hp for cheap but I'm learning that is gonna be way more expensive than I expected. I've decided to do it right the first time. Good luck with your project OP!
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Lehigh Valley Pa
300 for a turbo, 250 for some gt500 60lbs injectors, 100 for a walbro 400, 100 for a cheap intercooler piping kit since he has a intercooler, another 100 for a wastgate, thats 850 right still need exhaust which if they have a shop they could scrap together bits and pieces, t4 flange oil feed and drain, map sensor to do sd, and a efan out of the scrap yard. So yes I'd say 1k to like 1200 is do able with a already running truck but tight. When you want more power you'll need valve springs because they will float usually in the low 500 range then a trans, rear, cam.
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I just did a low dollar turbo build an I was right around $3500 but that was including a used cam and new lifters and new pushrods. And that was a super tight money build. I to thought I was going to get it done cheaper but all the little things like headgaskets, injectors, feed/return lines/fittings,spark plugs, new oil and filter,catch can/hoses, new fuel pump, fuelfilter, ect, ect really adds up fast. And for some people you still have to figure in professional tuning cost.
Im far from a master turbo builder person but I have done a few now and I can say for me it seems that the more better quailty parts I put in the turbo part of the build, the overall better running/less problems I have. From now on I wont be doing these "cheapest possible turbo builds" I will budjet myself atleast $4000.00 (street build) and if come up a little under than great. If I go over, well thats what it took...
I know alot of guys have good success with super low investment turbo builds and Im happy for them. Im just not that lucky with putting together a dependable turbo build for less than $3000-$3500.
Now if someone is building a complete shitbox and dont need to worry about dependablity and quality of install or has alot of experience in building turbos set ups, thats a different story.
Im far from a master turbo builder person but I have done a few now and I can say for me it seems that the more better quailty parts I put in the turbo part of the build, the overall better running/less problems I have. From now on I wont be doing these "cheapest possible turbo builds" I will budjet myself atleast $4000.00 (street build) and if come up a little under than great. If I go over, well thats what it took...
I know alot of guys have good success with super low investment turbo builds and Im happy for them. Im just not that lucky with putting together a dependable turbo build for less than $3000-$3500.
Now if someone is building a complete shitbox and dont need to worry about dependablity and quality of install or has alot of experience in building turbos set ups, thats a different story.
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Hi I'm building a 72 chevy and would really like to get our combo, I already have a 5.3 but I need some help with what turbo and other parts it going to take . lp
