Ben Pagano

I am building a 2001 turbo 5.3 lm7 with goals of 800-1000hp i am trying to do this as cheap as possible or a "budget build" but please don't tell me to just build a 6.0, i am not spending upwards of 800$ for a decent 6.0 block plus i already have the 5.3 never mind the more expensive parts as well. never the less i have a few specific questions
can i put aftermarket callies on a stock 5.3 with weisco pistons
what would be the best heads to use for streetable use for under 1200
what size pushrods should i buy or what information is needed to figure this out

JoeNova

800 at the wheels or flywheel?

Stock crank and heads will do either.

Ben Pagano

To the wheels going through a t56

helga203

Just open up ring gaps and your ready to go leave everything as is. buddy has stock crank and pushing over 1k rwhp on a gen3 stock engine except cam and heads. He''s running f1-x he's around 27ish of boost.

Tuskyz28

Look at all the threads Joenova have started... To me he the smartest person ive seen on board with the turbos.

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

from what I understand after years of research and experiments all you need is something like this:

L33 aluminum 5.3L engine w/ Gen4 internals
88-92lb/min turbocharger
228/232 @ .050 range duration camshaft, less than .600 lift
PAC 1218 valvesprings
2x Walbro 450 in-tank fuel pumps on E85
Heat range 7 NGK spark plugs gap around 0.025"
~50psi fuel pressure base
boost controller

Thats it, cam spring fuel turbo and off you go. 500-600rwhp happens around 93-octane levels (13-18psi of boost) but the good stuff is 25-36psi of boost on E85

Couple stipulations I've noticed:
-peak dyno pulls with these turbo combos usually have an open, proper-sized downpipe running out the fender. So subtract power expectations as necessary for full exhaust systems.
-4l80e is the transmission of choice for budget racer. Not sure about T-56 in this situation it might be tedious with the power curve of a large turbo (if you call 90lb/min large).

forcd ind

iTrader: (7)

.080 wall PR's should be fine, and the correct length based on preload.

The BallSS

iTrader: (9)

Gen IV LM7 or L33 will easily get you there reliably.
I'll be putting a LM7 in front of my T56 here shortly as well, with that being said T56 architecture really reaches it limit at 750whp so you may want to take a closer look at what your doing and how much you want to spend to keep that T56 alive.
I've listed my built T56 with the thought of going 4L80E for reliability and cost.
I know guys will tell you don't waste money on ported heads but I'd suggest either a 243 or 317 CNC ported head (317 needs flat tops).
I'm using a CNC ported 317 on my LS1 and make right about 700whp on pump gas at 13 lbs. so I think there's gains to be had there as such I'll be using them again on my LM7.

stevieturbo

If you want as cheap as possible...why bother with pistons ? As cheap as possible is boosting a stock junkyard motor, replacing no, or as few parts as possible.

And WTF is streetable use ? What heads do you think you could possibly find that would not be streetable ?

Ben Pagano

I’m not using stock pistons I wanna be able to race this for more than a year I’ve done plenty of research and aftermarket pistons and rods is what I’m going with your not changing my mind if you wanna give me advice that’s great if you wanna **** on my build and tell me I should be doing it differently please leave those thoughts to yourself, and by streatable use I mean what will give me the most round numbers, with stock heads you can make power but how well will it drive on the street and what will the compression be like compared to a good set of aftermarket heads that are meant to be boosted.
And one last time I am building a 800hp lm7 with aftermarket bottom end parts, I am doing this for as cheap as I can this is not a junkyard build, I want to put good parts on this motor so it will last a very long time making high numbers, there’s so many people who throw a cam turbo gap the rings and do studs on these 5.3s and they run like hell and make 700+ but for how long 4 runs down the drag strip before you send the rods through the block? It’s the age old story by now

Ben Pagano

Thankyou for that advise seems like most people on here just like to tell you not to do things, I’ll definitely be doing some research on the 243s and 317s Ive heard cnc ported heads are some of the best you can get

stevieturbo

If you think a 5.3 ( ideally Gen4 ) will **** the rods at only 700hp after 4 runs, you really havent done any research at all.

And compression will be whatever you build it do be....and what compression do you think will not be "streetable" ? It's a dumb notion.

Get a good Gen 4 alloy block, RH seems to favour 706 heads from some of his posts. Whatever rods/pistons you want, but Gen4 stuff has been well proven, and 700hp is not any concern to them.

And cnc porting is just a process, nothing whatsoever as to how good the end result may be. The best you can get will be a good set of aftermarket heads....although best is a relative term, as it's doubtful you want to spend that much for a budget build

liquidmx

“As Cheap as possible” and “streetable use” are relative terms. You will get more constructive feedback if you:
1. provide a rough budget for the motor/power adder combo
2. Clarify if the plan is to grow into more power (I suspect that’s why you mention 1200hp heads) and

3. More details on what purpose the car will be used for.

Example: I have a 6.0 turbo with fender exhaust, full cage, etc. Imho it’s still streetable; some
people would disagree.

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...l#post19525070


https://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/s....php?t=2401762


"stock is reliable on the track"
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...2&postcount=63


Engine building (machine shop/paying for work instead of doing it yourself)
https://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/s...2527749&page=8

5.3L Al engine
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...l#post19257314

RonSSNova

iTrader: (3)

So you come here and ask for advice and get defensive? Really? A fair amount of good knowledge here, be respectful. If you already have it figured out, well...…..
It doesn't matter what I've run.
I'll tell you though it's pretty damn fast with stock L33, and all went to **** when I tried to improve it.

So T56? So what does "race" mean. Drag race? I doubt it. Roll race?

So go for it on pistons and rods. Gen 4 rods, excellent. L33 pistons, do fine. They fit right in your LM7.
Aftermarket, well, choose carefully.

799 or 243 heads work well. Hand port if you like. CNC ported is not budget. 317 if you like lower CR.

You will spend more on an adequate fuel system. And that's critical.

Big *** turbo, BS.
Pump fuel BS.

So what fuel?

What ECU? Can you tune? If you can't I suggest learning or be married to your tuner.

If ya want some really frank answers, head over to YB.

I see my yb post was quoted....ha! funny.

Ron

truckdoug

iTrader: (26)

#1 ******* excellent troll post OP "what is the cheapest way to 800 hp, DoNt TeLL mE WhaT To dO"

#2 holy **** king talon is back!

#3 hey whats up Ron?

Ben Pagano

I may have been alittle vauge I had no intention of being defensive I was only trying to get my point across without people hating on my build, I’ve read lots of good information on here no disrespect was intended. Anyway I have a 06 ctsv and an lm7 and the Holley dominator with the t56 that I eventually do wanna be able to turn up to 1200+ in the future I don’t mind spending the extra money for the better bottom end so it’s bullet proof And I won’t have to buy a new block or rebuild it when I do decide to turn it all the way up

LetsTurboSomething

The truth is you can do this build by just by searching old threads, especially if you are prepared and experienced enough to make a 1200+hp monster from a 5.3l. It's just the nature of the beast in a place like this, first thread ever is an opener about a 1000hp cts with no history...

But I think you will get some people, lots of people actually, telling you to still use the gen 4 rods and pistons at 1000hp and gap the rigs right because the only failure anyone sees with them even at those numbers are broken ring lands. All sorts of issues with machining the damn bores perfect to each piston individually with a torque plate and all the head bolts in and tight, etc...going to a full after market forged bottom end is just not cheap, parts or labor. And the odds of it being better than the stock one are not good if you look at all the evidence around here. There is a reason the junk yard pluck is sooo popular for turbos.

Unless you have made a car with anywhere close to these numbers, stock bottom internals are safe because the odds of you touching 1200hp with no experience are basically none. This is territory people usually get to after a couple builds. This is like 3 fuel pump, e85, firehose size injectors with a turbo so big you will strain to find space in that thing for it.

the push-rods you need are the ones the camshaft manufacture says you need for the springs rockers you buy with it, this **** is different in every setup unless you are cloning something
the best heads are the ones that give you the lowest CR, because 30psi reasons....1200hp, even 1000hp is making so many concessions to be on the road the street-ability is what ever you get outside of boost. I can't even touch 5psi in a 5.3 and not spin street tires....past 600hp is just bonkers for the road.
as for the callies, call them and ask. The people that make the parts will always know better than anyone, guarantee they have had the question asked before.

stevieturbo

So you are still vague....you don't want to spend $800 on a block, you first want 800-1000...and now 1200+, which is what ? 1201 ? 2000 ?

You're all over the place.

yenkomike

iTrader: (2)

sounds like you have an idea about what you want already. all I can say is if you are going to tune it yourself start with a good gen 4 engine with the rings gapped. it will not matter at all if you have the best forged lower end or a stock short block if the tune is off the engine will die just as fast or in some cases faster. the reason I say this is it is proven that a gen 4 stock bottom end will hold as much as the head gaskets on a 4 bolt block can hold if the tune is right. i think Capizzi is getting 150 passes at 1300 ish hp and 8800 rpm with l33 sbe.

it's your build go forged if you want but be carefull the machine shop has everything to do with if it lives or dies. there are a million shops that can do machine work for your daily driven pickup but getting a shop to bore a block that is as straight as the stock bore is not as easy as you might think. there are good ones but good work is not ever the cheapest. do your research on piston to bore clearance as they have different clearance's for boost vs n/a. good luck.