ok im trying to go to an lsx style engine but i cant afford a 1k $ block...

can you take a 5.3 block and make any kind of a really stout powerplant out of it?

 

Yes, you can.

Throw some boost and forged internals at it and you will make some decent power.

 

For sure. You could bore it and stick LS1 pistons in it if you want. They are also great for boosting like as been stated before me.

 

defintly

 

in the recent camaro performers magazine they did a 5.3l build and it put over 480 flywheel hp, i cant remember the exact numbers off hand. i hoping to get 380 rwhp out of my 5.3l S10 build i am doing. my 5.3 is a gen 4 all aluminum L33

 

well the reason i asked is i can pick up 5.3 long blocks for 100 or less. and i figured it would be better than starting out with a ls1 bare block for 1k...

i heard you couldnt bore a 5.3 to a 5.7? i might be wrong???

if you can bore a 5.3 to a 5.7 whats the biggest stroker crank you can put in it? im trying to get out of the 130k mile lt1 that i JUST got back on the road again lol

 

A guy down here in Nebraska built a nasty Ford Fairmont. Real budget build since it was for the show Pinks, spare parts, freebies, and junkyard parts. 5.3 block and a turbo. Car ran 9s all day long. They can make some power if done right.

 

$1k for a bare ls1 block..... since when?
you can get a complete 6.0l pull out for $1300... they usually have less than 40k miles and come with a warranty.

 

since people think the lsx engine are gold in kansas and on ebay. i can not find them anywhere cheap. just the 5.3 i had turned down a free 5.3 block a year ago because someone told me that you cant do anything with them they are slow you cant bore them to a 5.7 and so on and so forth. its in the junkyard now

 

if it were me i would be looking for a 6.0..

 

you can make a 383 out of a 5.3 block

 

you can definitely make pwoer with them. its still an LS motor basically, so of course its worth it.

 

Yeah you can bore a 5.3 to a 5.7 then put a 4.0 inch crank in and have a 383 so your all good. Like soemeone else said. Camaro Performance made 491Fwhp with a 5.3 but it had trick flow heads. But everything else was stock.

If your on a budget. Get the 5.3, 243 or 799 heads (ported if you have the money), ARP rod bolts, ls6 intake, and something like a 224/224 cam and you should put down 360 or 370 to the wheels.

 

truck LT's

 

most of the things mentioned are my plans... ls6 intake ported heads ms3 cam. . . i assume it will work? and forged internals if i go with a 5.3 im going as many cubic inches as i can. the t56 will have to be changed but with a built motor i think i will want to go with a t400 trans.

 

put a turbo on and call it a day!

 

Yes Sir that has worked out well for alot of budget minded racers.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys0Rg3Rqk5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk9uU_3VHT0&feature=fvw
All the way up to 18psi with race gas, they say the picked up 95rwhp with a Z06 cam. Total of ~630rwhp on stock heads, and STOCK BOTTOMEND!!!! They did run 110 octane.

 

I love the 5.3L its strong, look at the stock rating and compare it to a 5.7L. Mated to a T56 it would be a beast

 

went to a few junkyards today in pcola fl and seen a few 5.3 out of 99-00 truck complete for 450 with core included. it had everything except ecm, uncut harness.

6.0 are getting easier to find also. i would start with that.