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5.3 swap questions??

chevyuser74

chevyuser74

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Mukwonago, Wi
i tried searching but apparently i dont know what to exactly to type in to pull up what i want, but here goes, i'm entertaining the 5.3 swap, just wondering is there any way i can keep my 700 trans, will it bolt up? and is there bracket out there for the tv cable. also the ac, is there manifold adapters out there? anything else i should know, i know i can get a seperate computer to control the lockup on the tranny, or make it hydrallically controled. or would i be better off going tpi?
 
your 700 will bolt up to a newer LS series engine. you will need a spacer for the flexplate, as for the kickdown i have no idea. For the lock up you can wire the trans so it just needs a voltage source and it will lock up in 4th gear in its own look at my build thread theres lots of 5.3 pics
 
If all you got is the block, and you intend to go injection, I suspect it will be cheaper to go TPI, but you'll have to price the electrical side of the LS swap to know for sure. LS motors are far superior, there is no question, but to what extent are you willing to pay for the superiority?

How much is that LS block worth compared to what you bought it for...might help finance your other swap idea. :)
 
if i go the 5.3 i will get the complete motor with sensors/wiring/ and computer. id be looking at like boneyard stuff, at the local scrapyard they got one for 800 out of a 01 with the wiring/sensors/computer/ serpentine setup, i told him i would think about it.
 
i would go newer, around here they are selling complete for 500-1200 for as new as 06 set ups
 
huh, ok if i do this i was going to try to keep it under 2k, if i had to spend more i would but that is the budget i was going to try to stick to.
 
Try http://www.car-part.com/

Looks like the 5.3s are dang near a dime a dozen in your area as well!! The 6.0s aren't really any more so get the biggest you can afford!!

You'll need a pre 04 engine with a throttle cable to use your 700r4 TV cable. Connecting a TV cable on a drive by wire system would be difficult at best.

You'll need a flexplate and a spacer from a 6.0l w/4l80e. The torque converter holes will need to be reemed slightly for the bolt holes to line up.

The wiring is a little tricky so make sure you have a factory wiring diagram before you do any cutting.

Start checking around to find someone who can eliminate the antitheft and emission related codes from the PCM.

All in all if you do all the work yourself 2 grand is a fairly realistic goal.
 
yup car-part.com was my source

figure couple hundred for your fuel pump and an fittings, the corvette filter/regulator is something you should read up on two

figure 250-700 to have your harness reworked, tuned and a data plug in port included

you should be able to use a factory air box and filter set up, or build or buy one ad keep it open

motor mounts on the block are a few inches forward, there are templets online or you can order the brackets for 65.00 from summit

the crank spacer, you can get from summit or gm. there are two ways to do this, some argue that just the spacer is not sufficient and you need the right flexplate or the spacer to support the 6 bolts rather that just push into the flexplate in the middle. this ranges from 43.00 to 80.00

you need to have exhaust made with 02 sensors in it, get the o2's if you can when you get the motor as they are 80 bucks a pop, figure 200-450 to have the exhaust bent up and reworked, my guy quoted me 200.00 other said more


there is a 5 bolt that you wont have for the bell houseing on the right side rear go into the block... dont try to make one go in or tap it or it will damage the motor

dont buy a motor with out all accessories, you can easily spend 600.00 between a alt, waterpump and starter!

try to get a cable drivin one to simplify this for you with you wanting to maintain the 700r4, pre 2003, but take note the years the 5.3 and 6.0 made more power, it changed somewhere around 02 iirc.. and wicopedia "sp"has a good amount of info on these motors and the family of them.

i have about 1700.00 in mine, it can be done for a little less, or much more!
 
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the exhaust stuff i shouldnt have to worry about i can just weld in some bunges, as for the computer reprogramming, i can do that at work since we have the gm software there, so hopfully i can do it that way. im still uncertain if i want to jump into this or not. im still deciding if its worth it or not.
 
I can't think of a better way to get a modern aluminum headed, roller cammed, fuel injected and easily upgradable engine, can you? While it's not as easy as dropping in another 350 I don't think it's much more difficult than trying sort out a TPI system and the rewards are a lot greater.
 
personally I think its got to be the easiest motor to swap once you have a reworked harness, its very straight forward.

learn the basic parts and after that it all makes sense


tps, maf, etc
 
im just going to start looking for a crashed 02/03 that way i will have everything i need for sure, what would it take for me to use the 4l80/60e with my 208 t-case. also this maybe a stupid question for some, but i mostly just do oe work, will headers from my current engine, 350 tbi, bolt to a 5.3/6.0 i have my doubts.
 
You really don't need a whole truck unless you can get it for way cheap. The wiring harness is pretty well one piece that simply plugs into the main PDC under the hood.
Make sure the donor motor has alternator, P/S pump, starter etc. There really isn't anything else you need or can use from the donor truck.

If your 208 is bolted to a 700r4 then it should (having never tried it) bolt to the factory 4l60e adapter. If your 208 is bolted to a sm465 it should (again never tried it) bolt to a 4l80e adapter. Having said that the 208 wouldn't be the best choice with an electronic trans because it would be quite difficult to set up a speed sensor. A 90-91 style 241 with VSS would be a better choice, But you'll have to get the 90-91 electronic speedo. The other choice is to get a speed sensor kit from Advance Adapters that installs in the transmission case. There are other possibilities as well, so it is very doable. Just make sure your trans matches the engine and computer that you get and all will be well.


The headers are completely different between a gen 1 and a gen 3 small block.
 
well i can get a whole truck cheap if im patient, as far as a speed sensor, the 208 already has one, dont know if it will be what the 2000 is looking for, only reason i want to keep the 208 was just rebuilt, and i have 2 new driveshafts on it, so im not looking to go through that again, especially with the crap be 6 mos old.

thats what i kinda figured on the headers as well. maybe i will just plumb in the manifolds, i really hate my headers as it is they always leak fix it and a couple months later they start making noise again., and im sure upgrading to 5.3 or 6.0 is going to be a power improvement with headers or not.
 
I am not aware of any Chevy 208s that had an electronic speed sensor. It should be mechanical, but that can be adapted as BigBlock said.
 
the 208 as mentioned is a mechanical cable that spins, the 241 would have what you desire.

or you can call the guys at jtr.com jags that run. they sell cable to eltronic conversions.
 
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