5.3L mods

[bark]

well I was planning on getting a 6.0L for my swap but seem to be sitting on a stack of 5.3's lol so I was wondering what kinda HP can you build out of one??? It still needs to be a driver too, so no crazy cams, and I'm running stock efi on it. What are you guys running and what kinda power you making??

Would like 400 hp and 400 ft lbs is it possible?

[68GMCCustom]

sure. cam, headers, (different intake?) and a good tune.

[Shon]

400 to the wheels? that is going to be tough and not get a good sized cam and excellent heads.

The truck intakes are good up to 5800, then the LS6 or FAST intakes do better so it depends on how far you want to go.

I would get headers and U/D Pulley and some Advanced Induction heads and a cam in the 224 intake duration or LESS so you can lots of torq down low.

[68GMCCustom]

I'm not a fan of the u/d pullies. Put a March set on my 383 and wound up chasing battery and cooling problems. 1st it was a high flow water pump. Then a higher amp alt., followed by a standard pulley on the alt. instead of the u/d. Last was a dual electric fan setup...since it was still running warm do the the low w/p speed therfore slow fan speed.

I won't be putting u/d pullies on my new motor thats for sure. Oh....and I was thinking you were talking crank hp...thats what all us old guys are used to. If wanting 400hp/400tq at the wheels with a 5.3 you'll need to go straight to a blower or turbo.

[Shon]

i hear ya on the U/D, each person has to decide if they want it or not.

[jf781]

<threadjack>
Does the 6.0 really put out that much extra power from the ~ 40 CI it has over the 5.3 or is there something else going on that makes it that much more desirable. IE better heads/cam/etc.
</threadjack>

[OKGMC4]

An older 5.3 is 285hp and the standard 6.0 is 305hp, the difference is in the torque, which the 6.0 wins. The 6.0 HO is 345 hp and the only difference is a stock LS1 F body cam and tune. The 5.3HO GM crate motor is rated at 325hp with the same cam. SOOO it can be said that a stock LS1 cam is worth 40hp in both engines. Saw an article where 100hp was added to a 5.3 with just a HUGE cam and with headers it made 400hp on the engine dyno, but it had no bottom end and they speculated it wouldn't live very long at the extreme RPM limit they got the gain at. As far as heads the 5.3 stock heads outflow iron Vortec heads on a flow bench. This means they are pretty darn good for stock and really not a restriction until the cam and exhaust is done. I think a mild cam and complete exhaust could get a really nice 350hp motor that can still get off the line. I guess you get what you pay for. I can't afford an LS2, 5, or 7 so I'm keeping my hp goals realistic.

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by jf781

<threadjack>
Does the 6.0 really put out that much extra power from the ~ 40 CI it has over the 5.3 or is there something else going on that makes it that much more desirable. IE better heads/cam/etc.
</threadjack>

stock and mild they are just a little better but the 6.0 has large chamber ZO6 heads. With a ZO6 cam and springs, roller rockers and headers, they can get 500hp at the crank. A 5.3 can't do that. So if you're going stock the 6.0 might be more money for a little gain but if you get serious about modding it it will go alot farther cheaper than the 5.3 (if that makes sense)

[33shooter]

http://www.trickperformanceproducts....cts_turbos.htm

For $2500 you can buy the Trick stage 1 kit with an intercooler. The stage one kit minus intercooler would put you over your HP goal, but you'll have to make sure you have enough fuel and a good tune. It would need to be limited to 7psi or less because it has no intercooler. The stage 1 kit is 2k. Buy the intercooler for it for an additional $500 and you should be good up to about 12psi or so.

These kits come with no fuel system upgrades. You'd have to make sure you get the proper injectors and fuel pumps. If your planning a 5.3 swap, and get a "fuel cell guy" gas tank for the back, it comes with a walbro 255lph pump. That should be good for mild boost applications like this kit is capable of. Also, you'll be adding a fuel system to the truck anyway, to do it for boost shouldn't cost that much extra as long as you keep it mild.

I spoke to trick about this kit for my truck (which I plan to add when I do the build in the first of the year). He said that he can't guarantee that the intercooler plumbing that he supplies will work for our trucks, because it's intended for a new chevy. however, with a little patience and test fitting, it shouldn't be hard to make it work. If extra piping is required, it shouldn't cost a lot.

This kit is very reasonably priced, and according to trick, should net well over 400 wheel hp. With a stock 5.3L that had a z06 cam/spring kit (roughly $300) a newer swb chevy 1500 made over 500 wheel hp with a good tune @12psi. If you don't plan on beating your truck up on the track. 10psi or less with a good conservative tune will net you the power you want. I'd expect to pay about $2800 total for the system. If you install it yourself, you'll save a bundle.

I plan on installing it on my truck when I do the swap, and it should be pretty easy. I'll trailer it to a shop in San Antonio to do the tune for me. I'm hoping for 400wheel hp and at least 400 wheel lbs of torque. I'm planning on a 5.3/4l60e and I plan on using a Z06 cam/spring kit. That cam is mild, and relatively inexpensive. I'm also planning on tuning it for pump gas/e85. Since I have E85 less than a mile from me.

[Shon]

TRICK all the way!!

[Super73]

The reason a 6.0 can make sooo much more power, well it's a 2 fold.. Obviously the cubes help in the TQ under the curve but not really the potential high rpm power. What kills the 5.3's top end power is bore. With the smaller bore, it shrouds the valve and kills air flow in to the cyl. This is why boosted 5.3's can make a lot of power, they are sort of over coming the shrouding issue by pressurizing the intake. Even with a killer set of heads on a 5.3, the heads will never flow their potential with the bore where it is. Even going from 5.7 to 6.0 does wonders with un shrouding the valve.

Are there ways around this? Sort of, but you'll never fully over come it with out boring the block out to 3.905" or bigger. Another way to aid in it, but not over come it, is an aggressive lobe. Don't think of it in huge duration numbers but rather quick acceleration and high lift. Something like a Comp LSL lobe 223* @ .050 with .610 lift intake and . This will help keep the LSL 227* @ .050 with .614 lift on the exhaust I think would be a good choice of lobes. Move ICL and ECL around based on application and I bet it could make some good power with worked heads.

Could you make 400rwhp/400ftlbs with a 5.3 through an auto, very possible (Might be harder on the TQ side of it though).. Will you do it with out very careful thought and planing.. No..

[33shooter]

Super that's good info! Thanks it explains it. Makes sense why the 5.3 really wakes up with boost.
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[bark]

ya, I was thinking crank hp, I want a 6.0L, but am sitting on a 5.3L already, and a 4.8L that no one wants...lol so was just figuring that I could build up a 5.3, but I might as well wait for a 6.0, cause it costs the same for parts but makes more power. same as building a 350 to a 305.

No replacement for displacement

thanks for all the info, I appreciate it

bark

[Ackattack]

Another advantage of the 6.0 is with the 4" bore, you can run the new L76 style heads which will outflow the LS6 and other "earlier" style LSx heads.

[Super73]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Another advantage of the 6.0 is with the 4" bore, you can run the new L76 style heads which will outflow the LS6 and other "earlier" style LSx heads.

I'm not sold on the L92/L76 heads. Sure they flow 315ish cfm box stock, but that flow also comes with a 260cc runner and a 2.16 valve. Port velocity is in the dumps compared to a head similar to say an AFR 225 or new 230, Trick flow 225-245 or even a stock casted cathedrals with decent port work done to it. Plus, putting a L92/l76 head on a 6.0 is shrouding that big huge valve yet again, and you will never see the heads full potential. Those heads would be much better on a 6.2 block or even biger bore than that.

In order for the L92/L76's to really shine on a smaller cubed motor, your would have to turn a lot of RPM. Better take some good time figuring out valve train components to control that big heavy valve.

They'd be better off on a budget 418+ cube motor. Even then I'd personally choose a better head. It's not just about peak flow numbers.

[33shooter]

Originally Posted by Super73

I'm not sold on the L92/L76 heads. Sure they flow 315ish cfm box stock, but that flow also comes with a 260cc runner and a 2.16 valve. Port velocity is in the dumps compared to a head similar to say an AFR 225 or new 230, Trick flow 225-245 or even a stock casted cathedrals with decent port work done to it. Plus, putting a L92/l76 head on a 6.0 is shrouding that big huge valve yet again, and you will never see the heads full potential. Those heads would be much better on a 6.2 block or even biger bore than that.

In order for the L92/L76's to really shine on a smaller cubed motor, your would have to turn a lot of RPM. Better take some good time figuring out valve train components to control that big heavy valve.

They'd be better off on a budget 418+ cube motor. Even then I'd personally choose a better head. It's not just about peak flow numbers.

That explanation makes sense. So this leads me to a question. If one was gonna make a stock pullout a Turbo motor with a goal of about 400/400 to the wheels, which would you choose? 5.3 or 6.0? I'm making a daily driver so reliability is first. Mpg is second and a big reason I want the turbo.

The 5.3 would be much cheaper, but the 6.0 would probably make more power with much less boost. Which would be optimum?
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[Super73]

IMO, you can make similar peak HP numbers 5.3 or 6.0 with a turbo. The 6.0 is going to do it much earlier in the RPM range do to the cubic inches aiding the turbo spool. If I was trying to get 400rwhp+ and 400ftlbs + and retain better mileage, I'd go 5.3 with a single 66mm turbo. Find some 6.0 heads since they are 72cc cumbustion chambers, put a boost friendly cam in it and run 7-8lbs of boost with a front mount intercooler, you'll make every bit of that power.

[33shooter]

Originally Posted by Super73

IMO, you can make similar peak HP numbers 5.3 or 6.0 with a turbo. The 6.0 is going to do it much earlier in the RPM range do to the cubic inches aiding the turbo spool. If I was trying to get 400rwhp+ and 400ftlbs + and retain better mileage, I'd go 5.3 with a single 66mm turbo. Find some 6.0 heads since they are 72cc cumbustion chambers, put a boost friendly cam in it and run 7-8lbs of boost with a front mount intercooler, you'll make every bit of that power.

Cool, I'll be asking more questions when I do my build in Jan/Feb. Thanks.

The 5.3 sounds better anyway, it's cheaper.

[68GMCCustom]

I hope you're wrong about the rectangular port heads...since thats the way GM built my 6.0L LY6.

[Shon]

I have the same feelings about the L92s, the flow numbers are insane but we have yet to be out run by a car with the same cubes and L92 heads worked by the same place compared to a 243 headed set up.

ie v8muscle.net's blue GTO, he had 243s worked by Advanced Induction and made 480ish with a 23x cam from Ed Curtis. At a track event there was an L92 Ai headed GTO there making the same power and we out ET'd and out MPH'd him....

The L92 need a HUGE motor to be worth doing....IMO

[caviness]

yea i agree the 243,s are easyer to cam and make good power,the l92 have to be very speciffic on the cam to make good power,and they are better on big motors 6.2 and up,besides a trick flow cathedral head on a 6.0 will make awesome power,my ls2 6.0 made 468hp and 420tq to the ground in my camaro,with stock 243s and 6sp and 4.11 gears and big cam,with sum trick flows it be over 500 on the ground,drive it ever day all over the place.

[68GMCCustom]

well.....I'll just have to prove y'all wrong when I get my L92 headed 6.0 going. With a carb'd LSX dual plane intake using a 750HP street carb, a MSD 6LS2 firing the coil packs, a Comp LSr 223/231 .610/.617 112 cam, .650 springs and titanium retainers, and a set of headers...

I won't be able get it on an engine dyno...but I will get it to a dyno after the trucks all together and running.

[Shon]

It will make power on the dyno but we out run L92 headed cars with Advanced Induction worked 243s all day long at the track.....

[68GMCCustom]

......well that sounds like a challenge!

If you're comparing my truck (when complete) to your truck running 2.0/8.9@80...I'm thinking I 've got you covered.

[Shon]

I sure hope you got me covered with heads/cam/intake/etc....you should.....I only have the DT headers and SD Tune, unless you consider E-fans a mod too; like some do....

I still cant believe with the 100 shot it went 7.8 @ 88

YouTube - Shon's farm truck at Greer...