Identifying Engines
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 24
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Identifying Engines Ok so hear goes and I appologize if I have posted this in the wrong place.
So my story is I swaped a guy for a 95z camaro for this what was supposed to be LS1 engine. I sent some friends to go and make the swap for me. When I got the engine on closer inspection it was realized that it isnt an ls1. now it is a new engine and has the same aluminum heads and parts as an ls1 so I know its a later model truck engine because of the carbon steel engine block and tall intake manifold. what I dont know is how to identify if it is either a 5.3 liter or the 6600 serious. can anyone shed any light on how to find out what I really have. and yes I know it was a bone head move to swap without knowing first thanks. I just need to know what I really have.
Chris
So my story is I swaped a guy for a 95z camaro for this what was supposed to be LS1 engine. I sent some friends to go and make the swap for me. When I got the engine on closer inspection it was realized that it isnt an ls1. now it is a new engine and has the same aluminum heads and parts as an ls1 so I know its a later model truck engine because of the carbon steel engine block and tall intake manifold. what I dont know is how to identify if it is either a 5.3 liter or the 6600 serious. can anyone shed any light on how to find out what I really have. and yes I know it was a bone head move to swap without knowing first thanks. I just need to know what I really have.
Chris
What is the casting mark on the heads?
The back of the block should either say 4.8/5.3 (5.3 has dished pistons and a different crank) or 6.0. This will at least give you the displacement. From there you can determine if it is an older truck motor if it has a cable actuated throttle body (99-2002 I believe) vs. Drive By Wire.
The back of the block should either say 4.8/5.3 (5.3 has dished pistons and a different crank) or 6.0. This will at least give you the displacement. From there you can determine if it is an older truck motor if it has a cable actuated throttle body (99-2002 I believe) vs. Drive By Wire.
Older 4.8/5.3s are especially hard to ID. Best way Ive found is to pull the pan and take the crank casting #. Trying to peek into the cyls without a boroscope never worked for me
Figuring a year is even harder and it helps to have more of the original engine parts laying around. DBC/DBW, head gasket material, headbolt length, PCM service number etc all tell more info about the engine's age
Figuring a year is even harder and it helps to have more of the original engine parts laying around. DBC/DBW, head gasket material, headbolt length, PCM service number etc all tell more info about the engine's age
You can check for dished pistons on early year 5.3 motors vs flattops on the 4.8 by going through the sparkplug hole with something to feel the shape of the piston... I used a wire coathanger to confirm if my motor was indeed a 5.3.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
i found the casting number on the block and pulled the info from the site and discovered what i suspected that instead of the guy selling me an ls1 like he said and instead sold me a 2002 5.3 but i did find out its a good platform that i can turn it into a modified ls1 ish ha.
got some machine work to do now.
got some machine work to do now.
