CK5
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'90 K5 - The Nevada Blazer [Post 1437: School me on alternators)

I think they're wanting to encourage people to buy a new vehicle every few years to avoid trying to go through all the headaches of keeping an older vehicle on the road in CA. That way it looks like their plan is working and everyone is just going along with it with no objections. Unfortunately that's not how it works. I'm sure they have a money-making network set up at the citizens' expense.

I wonder if they would like a swift kick in the crotch. I bet they wouldn't care about what displacement your foot was. Or what year.
 
It's California. The politicians out there for the most part aren't in any way connected to reality and few, if any, have any idea what they are passing laws about.
 
I went crate due to shorter down time, and cost. Mainly the downtime.

The crate runs good....and its still gutless. Kinda bummed. Glad i did it, but wish i had been in a position to do a 6.0L.

That being said, going through BD turnkey looked badass....but I was in the $5k range for what i wanted . A bit steeper than the 2k crate motor.

If you can afford the downtime, do a 5.3. Just look into smog requirements. In CA, you can't swap in a smaller motor than stock. SO a 5.3 in place of a 5.7 won't fly.

Dang! That's absurd. I don't think I'll ever live in California (though I'd LOVE to live in Nor Cal... actually, what I really want is to live in the State of Jefferson, but that's a whole other story. :rolleyes:) But, I should probably consider the 6.0 just in case. I don't want to spend that kind of money.

I was talking to a friend of mine in Portland, OR and he was telling me that they're seriously considering getting rid of smog requirements on vehicles here. Apparently the vast majority of vehicles on the road don't need to be smogged because they're all newer nice cars. So, it means that smogging is mostly a tax on poor people. I couldn't believe that Portland may actually be getting it's head out of it's ass on anything!

Maybe you just need to tell California that smog restrictions are just a tax on illegals, and they'll get rid of emissions standards! :haha:
 
That won't work Colby. They'll just make the citizens of CA pay for the illegals to get their ride smogged. Then it will go nationwide. Today - Obamacare. Tomorrow - Obamasmog.
 
How would they know if you had a 5.3 vs a 6.0? They look identical until you start looking at numbers.
 
How would they know if you had a 5.3 vs a 6.0? They look identical until you start looking at numbers.

Exactly! There is no way for them to know. Do a clean enough install and half of them won't know it's not original anyway! On the exhaust manifolds, I got away with the truck manifolds just fine. Tho I really wanted the trailblazer ss manifolds! They are just like the truck ones but hug a bit tighter to the block. Colby, if I was you, I would do my best to find a pre 03 so you don't have to mess with the trans.
 
DB Turnkey says he's found it REALLY hard to get a pre '03 5.3L. And, since I've essentially decided that I'm going to save up and do the 5.3 through him, for convenience, I'm sort of out of control of that. Though, I suppose I could keep my eyes out for a good 5.3 and bring it to him... :thinking: That's a pretty good idea, actually! I guess while I'm saving I'll keep my eyes open.

I'm getting more and more interested in doing a 4L65E transmission, though, so it may end up to be an irrelevant point. Both BTO and Monster offer them for just shy of $2,000. Of course, I don't know what other money I'd have to spend to get it installed.

Think I need to start reading up on Teck's build thread. :deal:
 
The crate runs good....and its still gutless. Kinda bummed. Glad i did it, but wish i had been in a position to do a 6.0L.

This sort of confirms for me what I want to do. I imagine that anything would be better than my current engine, but I don't want to be disappointed if I spend a good chunk of money. Makes it worth it to spend a bit more.
 
I used to know a guy who had swapped in the high output version of the TBI 350 that GM had offered as a crate engine. I think it supposedly had in the upper 200s for horsepower. He was pleased with it but then again that was over 10 years ago and before the rise of the LS engines.
 
if youre also planning on the trans, try to keep your eye out for a good part out candidate.
you never know when some goober will wad up his rig during a snow storm leaving a perfect drivetrain ripe for the pluckin.
 
Read up and ask anything about it, I will try and answer it.
Pm Me if you would like to call and just talk about it.
 
if youre also planning on the trans, try to keep your eye out for a good part out candidate.
you never know when some goober will wad up his rig during a snow storm leaving a perfect drivetrain ripe for the pluckin.

I perused craigslist a bit last night for that reason. I need to get a parts list and estimate cost that way so I have something to compare the wrecked truck price to.
 
I perused craigslist a bit last night for that reason. I need to get a parts list and estimate cost that way so I have something to compare the wrecked truck price to.

Of course you are on the opposite side of the country,......... an 01 5.3 with complete harness just popped up on cl yesterday for $800.

For what its worth I agree that an LS, be it 5.3 or 6.0 is honestly the best route. Ive mentioned it before in other threads, but our construction company has two 2500's with 6.0's, we just sold the 03 with 380, 000 on it and the 02 is still being used everyday and is almost at 350k. Neither has ever been apart and both have been excellent trucks, plenty of power, just as easy to work on as any other small block, just great engines.

Good luck with the project :waytogo:
 
I was talking to a friend of mine in Portland, OR and he was telling me that they're seriously considering getting rid of smog requirements on vehicles here. Apparently the vast majority of vehicles on the road don't need to be smogged because they're all newer nice cars. So, it means that smogging is mostly a tax on poor people. I couldn't believe that Portland may actually be getting it's head out of it's ass on anything!
:

Is there any validity to this? Last year one of the DEQ testers told me they were going to make the testing harder...
 
Of course you are on the opposite side of the country,......... an 01 5.3 with complete harness just popped up on cl yesterday for $800.

Sounds like a sweet deal. Too bad I can't fit the engine in my Jetta, or I'd come get it! :D I'd love to roadtrip across the country, and at 48 MPG, I could do it reasonably...

Is there any validity to this? Last year one of the DEQ testers told me they were going to make the testing harder...

I will be visiting my friend tomorrow, and I've been planning to ask him more about it.
 
I have an 05 5.3 complete with harness, pcm, accys.... In Colorado. A lot closer, if you're interested. Has slightly over 100K, I was able to drive it. I just put a hitch on my TDI and went down to albq. Hauled a 4X8 utility trailer with 6 doors in it. It loved it.... Mine doesn't get great mileage for some reason, but it didn't change much from what it was getting.
 
:thinking:

I'll have to think on that. I'm probably not ready to purchase anything yet, but from your for sale ad, it looks like a really great deal. I suppose if I bought it I'd still need to supply the DBW pedal and an appropriate transmission. Is the wiring completely untouched?
 
You can also convert it to a cable throttle body with some computer and wiring work to keep your current trans.
 
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