Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

5.3 With Ls1 rotating assembly

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 06:13 PM
  #1  
Ls1bmwe36's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
Default 5.3 With Ls1 rotating assembly

So I'm thinking about this 5.3 from this guy who says it could use a rebuild. He also stated that it will come with the ls1 rotating assembly. Now I'm new to this whole LS world. Didn't know it was this huge to be honest lol. But I'm buying the motor to swap into my e36 because I want more power for drifting now. Anywho (I sidetracked a bit) will that rotating assembly bolt straight up to the 5.3 or is there any boring that needs to be done to get it to fit or how does that work? Thanks in advance!
Attached Thumbnails 5.3 With Ls1 rotating assembly-photo957.jpg  
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 07:01 PM
  #2  
ragtopz28's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (57)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,014
Likes: 11
From: Ft. Myers, FL
Default

Assuming the 5.3 is iron, you will need to bore to 3.902. Crank is the same stroke. I would do new rings and have the whole assembly balanced.
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 08:12 PM
  #3  
KCS's Avatar
KCS
Moderator
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,859
Likes: 323
From: Conroe, TX
Default

Like ragtop said, it will need to be bored and honed. The 5.3L and 4.8L engines are all 3.780" bore and the LS1 bore is 3.898".

Keep an eye on how far the pistons stick out above the deck because the truck blocks are often .010" shorter in deck height compared to the aluminum blocks
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 08:19 PM
  #4  
Ls1bmwe36's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
Default

Okay cool. I believe it is a truck block so what should I do if the Pistons come above the deck?
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 08:25 PM
  #5  
KCS's Avatar
KCS
Moderator
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,859
Likes: 323
From: Conroe, TX
Default

Originally Posted by Ls1bmwe36
Okay cool. I believe it is a truck block so what should I do if the Pistons come above the deck?
It depends how much. The stock GM headgaskets are .052" thick so I would run it no more than about .015" out before going to a thicker gasket.
Reply
Old Aug 26, 2016 | 08:39 PM
  #6  
Ls1bmwe36's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: Kansas
Default

Oh sweet. So hopefully I could just run the stock gasket if it doesn't come out too far.
Reply
Old Aug 29, 2016 | 04:32 AM
  #7  
Quick Ranger's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: Akron, Ohio
Default

Originally Posted by KCS
Like ragtop said, it will need to be bored and honed. The 5.3L and 4.8L engines are all 3.780" bore and the LS1 bore is 3.898".

Keep an eye on how far the pistons stick out above the deck because the truck blocks are often .010" shorter in deck height compared to the aluminum blocks
KCS, have you found all the iron truck blocks to be 9.230 deck ht? Everything I've seen, they still list them at 9.240.
Reply
Old Aug 29, 2016 | 07:03 AM
  #8  
KCS's Avatar
KCS
Moderator
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,859
Likes: 323
From: Conroe, TX
Default

Originally Posted by Quick Ranger
KCS, have you found all the iron truck blocks to be 9.230 deck ht? Everything I've seen, they still list them at 9.240.
I'm 90% sure the 4.8/5.3L blocks are, but I'm not sure if I've actually measured. With the 6.0L iron blocks, yes.

When I built the iron 6.0L with the LS3 Corvette rotating assembly, the pistons were about .015" out of the hole.

The 6.0L I just built has an aftermarket rotating assembly that would be zero deck in a 9.230" block, and the pistons were about .002" in the hole before I surfaced the block.

I can check some blocks this weekend and verify though.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 31, 2016 | 04:41 AM
  #9  
Quick Ranger's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: Akron, Ohio
Default

Originally Posted by KCS
I'm 90% sure the 4.8/5.3L blocks are, but I'm not sure if I've actually measured. With the 6.0L iron blocks, yes.

When I built the iron 6.0L with the LS3 Corvette rotating assembly, the pistons were about .015" out of the hole.

The 6.0L I just built has an aftermarket rotating assembly that would be zero deck in a 9.230" block, and the pistons were about .002" in the hole before I surfaced the block.

I can check some blocks this weekend and verify though.
That would be great if you could verify that. I have a 5.3 block I was considering using for a turbo build. It makes planning out CR ahead of time. I'm sure for others, the info would be hepful.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2016 | 06:27 AM
  #10  
Tuskyz28's Avatar
TECH Veteran
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,892
Likes: 703
From: Mississippi
Default

It's plenty of iron 5.3 motors going to 5.7 internals. ATK racing engines is doing it, so is Thompson motorsports. I've also seen it done and tested by Richard Holderner . He ended up making 530 horse at the crank on motor with the right cam/head/intake etc.....
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2016 | 10:01 AM
  #11  
ATK Engines's Avatar
FormerVendor
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 369
Likes: 24
Default

5.3 is essentially the Iron LS1/LS6, just in a smaller bore size. Everything will swap over, figure out which piston size you're going with, re-balance, bore it and put it together.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:12 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE