PCM Diagnostics & Tuning HP Tuners | Holley | Diablo

Replacing LS1 with 5.3

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 06:51 AM
  #1  
blazin's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Nebraska
Default Replacing LS1 with 5.3

I had some bad luck here recently. I am going to replace my ls1 engine with a 5.3 outta a truck. Im going to run the truck engine stock for now. I have a question abut loading a truck tune onto the car pcm. I have hp tuners with a licensed 5.3 tune. Can i just write the 5.3 calibration to car pcm? Another question is whats up with the timing tables on the 5.3 they only run 11 degrees at w0t?
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 12:41 PM
  #2  
Mike454SS's Avatar
TECH Addict
20 Year Member
Photogenic
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 9
From: South Windsor, CT
Default

Your best bet for a starting point would be to copy the tables from the 5.3 tune to the cars current tune. There are settings in the cars operating system regarding other parts of the car (how the alternator is wired, what transmission you have...) that may not be compatible with the trucks file. You will need to license the car PCM anyways in order to flash to it, so do a read entire on that, save the cars file, then copy over the spark and VE tables (as well as injector flow rate tables if you swap the injectors and so on).

The spark in the trucks is very conservative because a truck engine needs to be able to pull the GVWR of the truck and trailer up a hill, possibly at full throttle, possibly for extended periods of time, whereas a car would almost never be at full throttle just to get up a hill...cars see far far far less sustained full throttle time...trucks get weighted down with heavy payloads and trailers and whatnot all the time.

I would NOT advocate running the car spark tables with the 5.3...I would re-tune the 5.3's spark tables...but I'd do so carefully after I had the engine running successfully using it's original tables. There will most certainly be more power and more mpg in the 5.3 with tuning work above and beyond it's stock tune.
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 12:54 PM
  #3  
Frost's Avatar
FormerVendor
iTrader: (45)
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,913
Likes: 2
From: Richmond VA
Default

Originally Posted by Mike454SS
.....

The spark in the trucks is very conservative because a truck engine needs to be able to pull the GVWR of the truck and trailer up a hill, possibly at full throttle, possibly for extended periods of time, whereas a car would almost never be at full throttle just to get up a hill...cars see far far far less sustained full throttle time...trucks get weighted down with heavy payloads and trailers and whatnot all the time.
......


... trucks are calibrated for cheapo 87 octane and F-bods/Vettes/GTOs/etc are cal'd for premium fuel.
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 01:57 PM
  #4  
BLK02WS6's Avatar
9 Second Club
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 1
From: on the dyno tuning in MD
Default

Also, the trucks use tables that add more spark on top of the high octane table according to fuel enrichment - be very careful or you could end up with way too much timing!
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 03:53 PM
  #5  
Mike454SS's Avatar
TECH Addict
20 Year Member
Photogenic
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 9
From: South Windsor, CT
Default

All 3 of us are correct...but I still say it's important to use the original flash for the car and adjust it for the engine.
Reply
Old Feb 10, 2009 | 04:13 PM
  #6  
blazin's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
From: Nebraska
Default

Okay guys Ill start coping the data over.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:47 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