5.3 v 5.8 opinions (1 Viewer)

[b56tc]

I am completing my OME install, have tried on the new 16" steelies and the 285/55 Cooper Discoverer AT3s - all of which I love - but I can see the future.

The tires are wide, the steel wheels plus the big tires are markedly more mass, and the truck will sit a solid 4" taller than before. I've got another truck I drive regularly with on the go adjustable air suspension; each 1" suspension height change equates to about 1.2 mpg at 75 - 78 mph. And that's with a vehicle that is pretty darn aerodynamic to begin with, i.e. the "anti-FJ60".

So, I can see fairly clearly where this is going. I'll love my underpowered, gas-guzzling truck.

Looking at the V-8 options and reading a lot of threads - I see how popular the 5.3 is - as long as you get the complete harness w the engine, and can hassle with the electronic tuning until it's right (my weakest area of my many weak areas).

Why do I not hear more about the venerable 350? put a 400 crank in it, add TBI, pick the right head and you've got a high HP fuel injected engine that you can tune for low end torque and pretty decent mileage, and start the process with a $300 block, without all the sensor and tuning issues.

Please correct my logic in how I'm looking at this, I am aware there are probably a lot of pitfalls I don't know about, that's what I want to know

 

[Lead Head]

You'd still need someone able to tune the TBI setup, it won't just automatically shoot in 50% more fuel. It'd be trying to fuel for a what? 190HP smogged up 350?

With the 5.3, you already have an engine with decent low end torque that makes 300HP. You'd really only have to tune it to disable any kind of anti-theft system it might have, and I'm sure any local tuning shop can do that. As long as you're not color blind and can follow diagrams, wiring is dirt-simple. Just do it right by soldering the wires and covering them with heatshrink.

 

[Kurtis]

i dropped in a stock 93 tbi 5.7 and a built 4l60e. It cost 3k and honestly it is plenty of hp in the 60 and I am even SOA on 35s. I like the 5.3 to but for me it wasn't worth the extra money to put it in. The torque numbers are very close between the 5.7 and 5.3 and I get surprisingly good mileage considering the lift. 13-14 around town 16-17 highway.
The TBI is simple and reliable. I had never done a swap before and it only took me 4-5 weeks only working 3 Saturdays and a couple nights a week. That was hooked up exhaust run and smogged.

It really just depends what you want in the end. I originally planned on building mine for about 330hp and 400lbs of torque but after putting it in it is plenty as is and the TBI's run well past 200k miles without a rebuild. I used to dd it and put 25k in the first couple years but now it just sits so its going to be a long time until it needs a rebuild.

You can't go wrong with a 5.3 or a TBI honestly. It just depends what your going for and what you plan to spend.

 

[dbleon]

Why do I not hear more about the venerable 350? put a 400 crank in it, add TBI, pick the right head and you've got a high HP fuel injected engine that you can tune for low end torque and pretty decent mileage, and start the process with a $300 block, without all the sensor and tuning issues.

This is BY FAR the more complicated and costly way to do it.

Think about all the steps it takes to get that $300 block running... it is not cheap.

IMO The reasons the 5.3 is popular:

1. Strong, modern platform, far superior to the Gen I chevy V8 (and the gen I is nothing short of legendary)
2. The fuel injection system is super simple and well engineered,
3. Requires zero 'tuning" besides a VATS delete
4. Will deliver great MPG for a 5K lb. truck
5. You can still find unmolested low mile engines for relatively cheap
6. Great aftermarket with replacement parts literally anywhere
7. Make good power in stock form
8. Doesnt require re-inventing the wheel (the swap is very well documented)
9. Add value to vehicle
10. PCM is flexible and easily adjusted (vs. TBI where data logging is required)
11. Clean running engine with very minimal and simplistic emissions system.

Ya, I think that short list pretty much sums it up.

Good luck!!

 

[Dynosoar]

A 350 with a 400 crank is a 383 cid engine. If you do the metric conversion that is a 6.3 liter. have driven many 383 and think it would make a great engine for a fj60. However, the modern 5.3 are stout engines that deliver better power and fuel economy.

Dyno

 

[tclark]

I'm far from an expert but there ain't a snowballs chance that a stock 5.3 makes better low end power than a 383. While the newer engines make plenty of power every single old school 5.7 I've driven felt much more torqy on the low end--and the 383 is a good bit better in that department. TBI is pretty dang bulletproof and while maybe not well documented in a 60 the 383 is a very common engine. I think if you had well built engine of either version you'd drive it for a long long time before it gave you problems.

 

[Elbert]

I like the 383 concept but I would look to another fuel injection setup over TBI.

Bottom line is the new style SBC are avaliable, they are fuel injected and make decent power stock and are not that expensive.

 

[b56tc]

appreciate the comments

I was just intrigued about the 383 concept; have this image of a lot of low end grunt, and like the thought of new ground to cover as well.

I'm in the process of 2 similar projects; stroking a 302 to a 337 for a 77 Bronco of mine which will become TBI; and freshening a MAF 351W for an 86 Bronco that currently has a tired speed density 302. All will need machine work; so I'm hoping for a volume discount for the 350 block?

truck will be on new tires and new susp this weekend if the time gods are friendly and I can figure out how to get this damn rear axle centering pin in place solo -

 

[Firephil]

I say stroke it. Be different, be cooler. Seems like everybody is going 5.3. Better yet put a big block in it! Don't see many of those!

 

[inv3ctiv3]

This is BY FAR the more complicated and costly way to do it.

Think about all the steps it takes to get that $300 block running... it is not cheap.

IMO The reasons the 5.3 is popular:

1. Strong, modern platform, far superior to the Gen I chevy V8 (and the gen I is nothing short of legendary)
2. The fuel injection system is super simple and well engineered,
3. Requires zero 'tuning" besides a VATS delete
4. Will deliver great MPG for a 5K lb. truck
5. You can still find unmolested low mile engines for relatively cheap
6. Great aftermarket with replacement parts literally anywhere
7. Make good power in stock form
8. Doesnt require re-inventing the wheel (the swap is very well documented)
9. Add value to vehicle
10. PCM is flexible and easily adjusted (vs. TBI where data logging is required)
11. Clean running engine with very minimal and simplistic emissions system.

Ya, I think that short list pretty much sums it up.

Good luck!!

Sorry but do you have any links to the threads that document the swap? I've been searching and searching and I can't find much, most of them are threads asking about it. But I'd love to see a thread that documents it well and explains exactly what is involved. A friend and I wanna try and do this to my 62 this summer but I wanna get all my ducks in a row first.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Sorry but do you have any links to the threads that document the swap? I've been searching and searching and I can't find much, most of them are threads asking about it. But I'd love to see a thread that documents it well and explains exactly what is involved. A friend and I wanna try and do this to my 62 this summer but I wanna get all my ducks in a row first.

Go to the search page, limit your search to the 60 section, and do a search for "engine swap." You just have to sift through the results, but I'm on page 15 now and have found several threads and a handful of really good ones. I tried "5.3 swap" first, but the 5.3 didn't really ping anything and it just listed everything that had "swap" in it.

To my knowledge, there's not really any listing of LS swaps. The link in the FAQ thread really doesn't tell a whole lot. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I was planning on creating a directory, but I don't know when I'll have a chance.

BTW, you may already know this, but when you find a good thread, click "thread tools" at the top and hit "subscribe to thread."

 

[Elbert]

as noted there are a couple of engine swap threads in the 60 section, for the 5.3 and 5.7 engines, with a lot of details and various options and good tips and suggestions. Also check out the advance adapters web sie where you can find one of their booklets on swaps and also surf through some of their parts..

 

[Ridge Runner]

Thanks, Elbert! I completely forgot to recommend this outstanding book:
http://www.amazon.com/GM-LS-Series-...354847933&sr=8-2&keywords=ls+engine+swap+book

 

[redpim1]

4.8l are cheeper and can still haul the mail... Just a thought.