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5.3 or 6.0

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Old Apr 8, 2022 | 12:00 PM
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Default 5.3 or 6.0

Hey everyone, I have a buddy that tells me I need to skip the 5.3 and go 6.0 so that I can run the LS3 heads. He says that I will never make 700whp with a street able turbo 5.3. I don't believe this is true. I told him that a 5.3 with rods and pistons and heads and cam will make this no problem and probably a lot more. What do you guys think, am I wrong is the expense of the 6.0 and LS3 heads really worth it? Thanks
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Old Apr 8, 2022 | 12:16 PM
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You will absolutely be able to make 700whp with cathedral heads if you have the right turbo. You could make 700whp with a 4.8L and cathedral heads if you wanted to. Show him any number of Richard Holdners videos where he does just that. In those equations the turbo being able to support the HP number is the key.

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Old Apr 8, 2022 | 09:49 PM
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Your buddy knows nothing
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Old Apr 9, 2022 | 07:49 AM
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If I have the choice, I always go big, but if the 5.3 is what you have, use it. What fuel are you going to use, prob will need E85 to get there.
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Old Apr 9, 2022 | 08:01 AM
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Time to build the 5.3l to show him he's wrong.
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Old Apr 9, 2022 | 08:32 AM
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It’s always fun to prove someone wrong.. If you already have the 5.3, then use it. Lots of those combos out there making 700+
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Old Apr 9, 2022 | 09:01 AM
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The right turbo IS the replacement for displacement, within reason. Build the 5.3 and prove this...
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Old Apr 9, 2022 | 11:10 AM
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I did about 900 wheel on pump/meth on a stock 5.3 with a billet S475 with a small cam and it drove great.

I did 900 wheel on a stock 4.8 with a larger cam, some China turbos and E85, surprisingly on less boost than it took me to do it with the 5.3. Also a street car.

The right combo and tune, you could build a daily driver with a 5.3 well above 700 wheel.
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Old Apr 10, 2022 | 10:54 AM
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Thanks guys I got a 5.3 for $150, thats why I want to build it. The 6.0’s are way more expensive then you've got to get the ls3 heads he wants to use. I will be running pump 93 and don't mind running meth to get where I need to be.
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Old Apr 10, 2022 | 11:45 AM
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You can always bore and stroke the 5.3. 382 cubes or 395 if your adventurist.
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Old Apr 12, 2022 | 09:15 AM
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There's been videos on youtube where a tuner took a 200k mile 4.8, pulled it down, cleaned it up, put all the stock components back in (gapped rings, I'm sure, but still the stock rings/pistons/rods/crank), put a cam and twin turbos on it and dyno'd at over 900 rwhp. Your friend sounds like an old school thinking guy.
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