First time engine build 5.3
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2017
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First time engine build 5.3 Hey y'all I'm new here and to engine building. I recently bought a trans am. Its got a stroked lt1, all forged internals, full roller motor, an edlebrock intake, stainless headers, an aggressive cam, bigger injectors and a tune. I was told its got somewhere around 400-450hp. Anyways I love the car and its scoots great but I want a truck. So I'm building a 5.3 iron block lm7. All I plan on doing for this first build is cam heads intake and piston heads. Headers and exhaust. That's aside from getting the block cleaned up and replacing all the seals rings and bearings. Like I said this is my first build, I'm all ears if you have any advice. Or if you have parts that might be useful for my build and wanna do business id be open to that too. My goals for this build are to be budget friendly.(5,000 in engine) I'm aiming for 400-450hp with as much torque as I can get. I want it to be able to burn tires on command and pull away from the majority of cars on the road. Last but not least I want it to sound good with a throaty lopey idle. Any advice or experience on proven head/cam/intake combinations would be nice too. I know you are supposed to match them up according to their capabilities but I don't really understand how yet.
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 487
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You have alot of stuff going on here.... 1st off if you are buying a junkyard engine with good compression / warranty there is no need to strip it to the bare block and send it for machine work.... Lots of folks running stock bottom ends for high hp applications.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4
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Well I mean its got more than 200k on it. They say it had good compression and offer a 3 month warranty but it will be longer than that before I put it in. I just figured I'd rebuild it so Itd last for years and I wouldn't have that worry in my mind. But if u say stock block with 200k on it is sufficient ill take that into consideration. I just don't want to try to build a decent motor on the foundation of some old worn out parts ya know
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 487
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You are wasting money.... if you want to bore a 5.3 then just buy a junkyard 6.0 Ly6 or LQ4 LQ9
Is the wrecking yard going to give you any paperwork on the compression test?
These ls family engines are being used in boosted applications with stock bottom ends and over 200,000 miles regularly and they are making good power.
Is the wrecking yard going to give you any paperwork on the compression test?
These ls family engines are being used in boosted applications with stock bottom ends and over 200,000 miles regularly and they are making good power.
