4.8 swap
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 17
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From: Lynnville, Iowa
4.8 swap I have a 4.8 motor out of a 2000 chevy truck and I am going to be swapping it into my 98 k1500. If I were to take the crank out of a 5.3 and put it in the 4.8 with stock 862 heads what kind of compression will I be looking at? This is with the 4.8 pistons. I also want to know a good way to get right at 400hp with this motor. I will be pulling trailers with it.
Thanks for any input
Thanks for any input
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
From what I've read, the cranks are all the same between 4.8, 5.3 and 5.7. Only difference between the 5.3 and 4.8 are the pistons and rods if I remember correctly.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
Jordan
Someone correct me if I'm wrong!
Jordan
The block is the same for 4.8 or 5.3. Crank and rods are different on the 4.8. You could use the 4.8 flat top pistons with the 5.3 crank and rods. Usually it takes compression up to 10:1 or so.
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Glaze break the cylinders with a ball hone and file fit new rings. He said worked, not bored.
Worst case scenario is there's too much taper and then you just go with a stock replacement oversized piston and punch it out.
Worst case scenario is there's too much taper and then you just go with a stock replacement oversized piston and punch it out.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Lynnville, Iowa
400 on a 4.8 is a tall order, and you'd have to sacrifice torque to get there. Since you'll be pulling trailers, you can't afford to sacrifice low end torque.
Assuming you go with the 5.3 build. First, get a set of 243 or 799 heads. For reference, I've seen 4.8's with 243's outrun 5.3's with 706 heads in otherwise similar Tahoes.
Contact a vendor like Cam Motion or EPS or Tick for a drop-in cam. They're very good at developing a surprising amount of power out of some "smallish" cams. When you decide on a cam, also ask about a matching torque converter stall speed to best take advantage of the combo.
I think that's your best bet for a truck that can tow and still be fun to drive / show-off in when not towing.
Assuming you go with the 5.3 build. First, get a set of 243 or 799 heads. For reference, I've seen 4.8's with 243's outrun 5.3's with 706 heads in otherwise similar Tahoes.
Contact a vendor like Cam Motion or EPS or Tick for a drop-in cam. They're very good at developing a surprising amount of power out of some "smallish" cams. When you decide on a cam, also ask about a matching torque converter stall speed to best take advantage of the combo.
I think that's your best bet for a truck that can tow and still be fun to drive / show-off in when not towing.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Lynnville, Iowa
400 on a 4.8 is a tall order, and you'd have to sacrifice torque to get there. Since you'll be pulling trailers, you can't afford to sacrifice low end torque.
Assuming you go with the 5.3 build. First, get a set of 243 or 799 heads. For reference, I've seen 4.8's with 243's outrun 5.3's with 706 heads in otherwise similar Tahoes.
Contact a vendor like Cam Motion or EPS or Tick for a drop-in cam. They're very good at developing a surprising amount of power out of some "smallish" cams. When you decide on a cam, also ask about a matching torque converter stall speed to best take advantage of the combo.
I think that's your best bet for a truck that can tow and still be fun to drive / show-off in when not towing.
Assuming you go with the 5.3 build. First, get a set of 243 or 799 heads. For reference, I've seen 4.8's with 243's outrun 5.3's with 706 heads in otherwise similar Tahoes.
Contact a vendor like Cam Motion or EPS or Tick for a drop-in cam. They're very good at developing a surprising amount of power out of some "smallish" cams. When you decide on a cam, also ask about a matching torque converter stall speed to best take advantage of the combo.
I think that's your best bet for a truck that can tow and still be fun to drive / show-off in when not towing.
Thanks on the input about the 243 heads also, good info.
As Darth_v8r suggests, if you are going to be pulling trailers, you need to consider low end torque over horsepower....especially if you are factoring in gas mileage. It's not as glamorous building a truck specific motor but you'll get some good satisfaction out of it. Here is what I did to my 5.3. I installed 4.8 pistons to raise the compression (along with honing an already low mileage motor and balancing the rotating assembly). I installed a Comp Cams truck specific cam. I had the 706 heads "truck ported". That is little attention was paid to hogging out the ports for top end breathing and more attention was paid to working the valve pockets and chamber for low lift breathing...where a towing truck mostly lives. Added headers, high flow cats, and exhaust. Then I went with a truck specific tune for the ECM.