Cold natured 5.3???

[85 Jimmy]

I'm looking at a 5.3 (at least it's listed as a 5.3) on craigslist and the description says it's "cold natured".

I've never heard of any FI engine being cold natured. What could this guy possibly mean?

I haven't called him yet, but will in a minute. Also, are there any visual differences between a 4.8 and a 5.3?

 

[skunked]

Intake manifold gaskets were an issue on the 5.3's causing them to run rough until they warmed up. Only thing I can think of....

 

[Team208Motorsports]

If its all factory, tune as well, they can have some piston slap cold.

You are right though, FI and cold natured should not go together. If everything is healthy its signs of a horrible tune. Especially if its stock. No reason for higher/bad/hunting idle, stumbling, bumbling, hesitation, backfire......

 

[85 Jimmy]

Called the number that was on the listing, got no answer. So I left a voicemail asking for him to either call me back for questions or text.

I know the 4.8 has flat top pistons and the 5.3 has dished, and the crank numbers are different. Is that the only way to tell the differences though?

 

[Team208Motorsports]

Called the number that was on the listing, got no answer. So I left a voicemail asking for him to either call me back for questions or text.

I know the 4.8 has flat top pistons and the 5.3 has dished, and the crank numbers are different. Is that the only way to tell the differences though?

Pull a plug and take a look with a flash light. Easy to see, just rotate till the piston is at the top. Its easy to tell the difference. The 5.3 will have a ring around the outside of the piston top and, well, a flat top is a flat top.

Is it in a rig still?

 

[85 Jimmy]

Ok, he said it's from a 2003 suburban and has 140,xxx miles on it and the reason it was pulled is because it has a lifter noise. Said it still ran good when pulled and didn't smoke. Says he just doesn't have the room to keep it anymore.

So does this sound a deal to yall. $450 will get me the complete engine but it's missing the ECM, alternator, and maybe the harness (if he can't find it). I'm going to look at it tomorrow and will bring a socket and ratchet to pull a plug to look at the pistons.

Anything else I need to check out?

*edit*
No, he says it's on a stand.

 

[wetoolowdingbangow]

Pull a plug and take a look with a flash light. Easy to see, just rotate till the piston is at the top. Its easy to tell the difference. The 5.3 will have a ring around the outside of the piston top and, well, a flat top is a flat top.

Is it in a rig still?

This. Check here for pics! If your serious about buying it i highly recommend borrowing a boroscope...it can tell you not only the piston type but you can get a decent look at the cylinder walls.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ou-tell-difference-between-4-8-5-3-motor.html

Not sure about cold natured. As mentioned thats usually a carb related saying. 5.3s are very prone to piston slap, which ive experienced...its not something i would want as it wears the cylinder wall and compression goes down. It just sounds a little diesel like when it starts up if it has the knock.

 

[Team208Motorsports]

Ok, he said it's from a 2003 suburban and has 140,xxx miles on it and the reason it was pulled is because it has a lifter noise. Said it still ran good when pulled and didn't smoke. Says he just doesn't have the room to keep it anymore.

So does this sound a deal to yall. $450 will get me the complete engine but it's missing the ECM, alternator, and maybe the harness (if he can't find it). I'm going to look at it tomorrow and will bring a socket and ratchet to pull a plug to look at the pistons.

Anything else I need to check out?

*edit*
No, he says it's on a stand.

Could be lifter noise, could be slap. Without it running its hard to check out a bunch. Check the intake for oil. Pull some plugs and snap some pics. If the exhaust manifolds are off snap some pics of the exhaust chambers. 450 would be a deal if everything was there. You can grab a totally healthy engine with harness and acc drive for around a grand.

 

[wetoolowdingbangow]

Ok, he said it's from a 2003 suburban and has 140,xxx miles on it and the reason it was pulled is because it has a lifter noise. Said it still ran good when pulled and didn't smoke. Says he just doesn't have the room to keep it anymore.

So does this sound a deal to yall. $450 will get me the complete engine but it's missing the ECM, alternator, and maybe the harness (if he can't find it). I'm going to look at it tomorrow and will bring a socket and ratchet to pull a plug to look at the pistons.

Anything else I need to check out?

*edit*
No, he says it's on a stand.

If its on a stand, doesnt have a video of it running and it has 140k then he needs to come down on the price. I say $300 is a fair price since theres a chance youll have to rebuild it. Thats taking into account what they go for out here. There pretty cheap here. I just looked at one with 100k for $500. Unless the problem is clear its a gamble.

 

[85 Jimmy]

You can get them here from salvage yards for $700 with nothing, or for $1000 with everything. Most of the places that have them are about 50-60 miles from me though.

I know without hearing it, and it being off craigslist it will be a gamble. Most stuff on there is.

 

[Team208Motorsports]

Food for thought.

I can supply on a pallet 5.3/6.0 with acc drive, maf, pedal/tac module if DBW, modded harness and tuned ecm for 1.5 - 2k. Harness will be stock cut down like we normally do and the ecm will be tuned to your application. I normally charge $650 for the cut down and tune.

It would be a good engine ready to rock with a harness/ecm that can run when ground/12v batt/ign are hooked up.

I can prove transmissions as well.

 

[85 Jimmy]

I don't have the funds for that right now. I planned on waiting awhile to get an engine, but if one pops up for a reasonable price I may grab it.

 

[Team208Motorsports]

I don't have the funds for that right now. I planned on waiting awhile to get an engine, but if one pops up for a reasonable price I may grab it.

Cool. Just putting that out there since most do not know everything we do.

If you have any questions while finding an engine or anything related please ask away. Can be here in the open. Its a good way for guys to get the correct info.

 

[85 Jimmy]

Here's a question for you.

For right now, I plan to use the low miles TCI 700r4 that's in my blazer. Later on I'd like to swap to a 4l80e that I already have, just need to rebuild it. What's the best way to do this with minimal changes to the harness/ecm when I do the 4l80 swap later?

 

[Team208Motorsports]

Here's a question for you.

For right now, I plan to use the low miles TCI 700r4 that's in my blazer. Later on I'd like to swap to a 4l80e that I already have, just need to rebuild it. What's the best way to do this with minimal changes to the harness/ecm when I do the 4l80 swap later?

Build it for the 4l80 now. Tie up and seal the connectors when the 700 is in there. Tune for the 700 for now. When the 80 goes in, re-tune.

If you set it up correct right now with a single wire P/N switch and a speed sender then the only thing tied up will be the round trans plug and input speed sensor. Not much...

 

[85 Jimmy]

I'm using something like this in my NP208 now for the VSS input for my TPI. will it work with the 5.3 ecm?

 

[Team208Motorsports]

I'm using something like this in my NP208 now for the VSS input for my TPI. will it work with the 5.3 ecm?

It will just need to tune for the pulses. When you build the 4l80 though have the tone ring pressed on so you can run both input and VSS from the 4l80.

Where the 4 and 8 pulse senders suck when controlling an automatic is slow speed. Since the pulse count is so far spread out and so low single can be erratic. On gen 4 anyway.... Gen 3 its not so bad. Since its easy to put a 40 pulse tone ring on an 80, its worth it.

Now that I said that someone will say, GM used low pulse count for years.. Yes they did and they fed it to a buffer before the ECM. That buffer took AC sign and turned it to DC pulse. The buffer was also configured to look for that frequency.... Then sent it to the ECM and other systems.

 

[85 Jimmy]

Well, that was a bust. My definition of complete and the sellers are different.

It was missing the alternator, ps pump, brackets, throttle body, injectors, fuel rail, oil pressure sensor, and a few other things.

 

[dyeager535]

Another craigslist jerk. Sick of these clowns who advertise things as good, complete, perfect, etc., until you spend your time and money to come out, prepared to drive away with the piece. Not much more frustrating thinking you've found what you wanted, getting an engine hoist, trailer, money, etc., only to find out the seller is a liar.

At least you found out now. This is why I (and others apparently) won't pay more than core prices (at best) for something you can't hear or see run, or thoroughly visually inspect. It might be perfect. Or it might be a total piece of junk that I won't know about until long after you have my money. Buyer beware.

 

[rjfguitar]

Well, that was a bust. My definition of complete and the sellers are different.

It was missing the alternator, ps pump, brackets, throttle body, injectors, fuel rail, oil pressure sensor, and a few other things.

He did you a favor. As I was reading through I thought "RUN."

There is a reason why all that is pulled off, because he pulled that motor, took all that stuff off, put it on the new engine, and is trying to sell you an engine that is likely junk. Obviously, otherwise it would still be in the vehicle that it came out of. People don't pull perfectly good running engines out of newer vehicles because they don't like what color the block is painted, they pull them because there is something wrong with them.