Here's where I'm at:
02 Silverado
5.3 rcsb
50k miles
LS6 cam
Headers
3.73's
True track
Nitrous
Just over 400whp

Here's what I have sitting:
2005 6.0 LQ4
4l80 (needs rebuilt)
$8,000

Original plan was to build the 6.0 and drop it in. Boost it later down the road after suspension work. Now the pretzel in my head is should I just On3 twin turbo the 5.3 or keep with the 6.0 build? $8k to play with either way. And either way the 4l80 needs rebuilt and put in with part of that money as well as a stall. What would you do?

 

Location?

I would personally stick with the 5.3, but its a toss-up since you have a truck and already have the 6.0.

 

The 5.3 if your budget is 8k. With the trans rebuild, driveshaft, crossmember, tune, converter, fluids, turbos and all the other nickel and dime stuff it's still gonna be a tight budget

 

For 8K, I'll rebuild the trans, do the trans swap, and turbo his truck....

 

If you're going to turbo it, don't get garbage on3 kit. They are notorious in the truck community for working great initially but not lasting at all. Shittiy thin wall material and lazy welds don't last long term. Also, get a kit without a turbo and put a quality garret, precision, borg, etc unit on there and not a chinese journal bearing piece.

I'd recommend a Trick Turbo kit for your truck. I have multiple buddies running them for years in both low and high boost applications with no problems.

 

Calls On3 garbage, and then recommends Precision.

 

Thanks guys. I'm leaning that way as well but the 6.0 would be nasty. I figured with $8k I could bore it to a 370 and h/c/i. I wouldn't need boost right away with that set up.

I'm in Denver. Anyone know a good tranny shop local?

 

garret FTW, but you can't say precision is worse than a journal bearing china unit can you? plenty of people (probably sponsored realistically) run precision. They have brand recognition and plenty of happy customers, usually means a decent product, not always, but usually

 

Precision has a higher failure % than On3 does, and probably more failed turbos than On3 has ever had produced. There are easily 100+ failed precisions here on this forum. Their fame comes from power produced for their relative size, but when you pay $2500+ for a billet 76mm, it better perform.

Garrett is produced by Honeywell solely in China, but is still far more reliable than Precision.

 

Thanks for the info Joe, i didn't know they had THAT many problems. Appreciate the heads up good buddy.

 

Keep the 5.3 and just boost that. It's more boost friendly than the 6.0s.

Is that 400rwhp with or without the nitrous? What compression is the engine currently?

 

400rwhp with the nos. Stock compression is 9.5:1 I believe.

 

Y'all don't think that I can build the 6.0 on $8k? Have a good sounding motor with decent power? Set up for boost later and it won't break 🤐

Rough estimate:
TSP 370 Rotating assembly: $1400
Heads/cam: $2000
Intake: $700
4l80 rebuild: $2000
Yank stall: $1000
Injectors: $800
$7900 with room for extras as they come. I can handle the Nickel and dime **** as long as the big **** is done. What would my power level be with that type of set up? If not that route then what's the 5.3 capable of on safe boost? What's safe boost? I'll do my research but does anyone know off the top?

 

I'm forgetting hot tank and machine work as well.

 

I usually have a hard time wrapping my head around that.

$8k is twice what I have in my 850 HP 5.3 daily.

 

What all do you have done to your 5.3 if you don't mind me asking? I'm on board with the 5.3 I just don't know what route to go. I have this lq4 sitting here so I think that's why I'm putting up a fight lol. If I go with the 5.3 I'm thinking twins, intake, turbo cam, stock bottom end. Appreciate all your help so far.