L33 5.3ho engine reliability question
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 62
Likes: 8
From: Socal
L33 5.3ho engine reliability question I have located an L33 5.3 in a Silverado truck at a junkyard. The cluster is gone so I have no way of knowing what the mileage is. The truck is not crashed, so it didn't end up in there due to being wrecked. That leads me to believe it is there due to some mechanical failure, engine or trans or ??? which has me hesitant in dropping the coin for this engine. I have turned it over by hand and it has compression and doesn't lock up.
Is there anything else I can check on this before purchasing it to know a little more, short of tearing it down for internal inspection?
Is the L33 aluminum 5.3 as reliable and high mileage capable as the more common LM7 iron block 5.3, which I've seen and heard of going 300k-400k?
Thanks.
Is there anything else I can check on this before purchasing it to know a little more, short of tearing it down for internal inspection?
Is the L33 aluminum 5.3 as reliable and high mileage capable as the more common LM7 iron block 5.3, which I've seen and heard of going 300k-400k?
Thanks.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 62
Likes: 8
From: Socal
mattt , in stock to mildly modded form it should last about the same length of time and mileage. If planning to put big cam or boost it I would opt for an iron block personally
I only pull out of wrecks, and even then I pull a valve cover to check for sludge and I will rotate the engine 2 full revolutions.
In your case I would pull the oil pan and check for metal in the bottom just to make sure.
Do you have to pull the engine yourself? thats alot of money if you do
In your case I would pull the oil pan and check for metal in the bottom just to make sure.
Do you have to pull the engine yourself? thats alot of money if you do
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Brett Foote Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 62
Likes: 8
From: Socal
I'm considering it as a replacement for daily driver Tahoe with high mileage and an existing 5.3 that needs work. I'd go thru ad refresh the 5.3ho before dropping it in place.
That cost is witch someone pulling it out of the truck for me as I'm not equipped to pull it from a 4wd truck in a yard. I have turned it over more than 2 revolutions and it is turning well, has compression and no lock up that I've felt. I haven't yet pulled a valve cover, but plan to. The oil pan is not droppable until it is out due to the front axle, and at that point I'm married to it because I still have to pay the guy who pulls it out. It's more than I'd like to spend for junkyard, but you just never see these around here.
That cost is witch someone pulling it out of the truck for me as I'm not equipped to pull it from a 4wd truck in a yard. I have turned it over more than 2 revolutions and it is turning well, has compression and no lock up that I've felt. I haven't yet pulled a valve cover, but plan to. The oil pan is not droppable until it is out due to the front axle, and at that point I'm married to it because I still have to pay the guy who pulls it out. It's more than I'd like to spend for junkyard, but you just never see these around here.
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Joined: Dec 2017
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From: San Antonio
That's the cheapest aluminum LS motor I have ever heard of. If you can get it for $500 out the door, then I would say that's a steal. Most junkyards want $2k or more for any aluminum LS motor.