All over the map: 1FZ Head Gasket vs. 5.3 Swap (1 Viewer)

[6lug]

Head Gasket vs. 5.3 Swap - just a discussion.
I have a 97 FZJ with 218K on it. Nothing wrong with it, runs great, but no known maintenance history. I want to do some traveling with it around the southeast with a small camper with my family. That will require, for my sake of mind, doing some preventative maintenance. My thought has always been to just do the headgasket. But I want it done right and no shop I have talked to has given me a warm and fuzzy or any detail how they will do it. Which means I'll have to do it. My parts list is going to be around $1000 plus the head will have to go to a shop to get reworked and I think at this point we all know how much work that whole job is. But I was prepared to spend $2500-3000 for the HG job at a shop.

Now just last night for the first time I started to do a little reading on V8 swaps. And it doesn't seem that far fetched. I'm thinking a used iron block 5.3 DBC, get a refurbished 4L60E 2WD trans, Mark's adapter, PSI harness, bolt in mounts, used electric fans on factory radiator, etc. Keep it stupid simple.

I think by the time I sourced this stuff and sold the good running 1FZFE and trans that I'd be in for minimal money and have a much more capable hauler.

For the sake of this discussion, let's assume the HG on the 1FZ is not optional. I WILL do that at the very minimum.

Am I way off the mark? I think a budget swap if I do the work is possible. Is it worth the extra effort for the swap over doing a HG change?

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[White Stripe]

I have a 97 FZJ with 218K on it. Nothing wrong with it, runs great, but no known maintenance history. I want to do some traveling with it around the southeast with a small camper with my family. That will require, for my sake of mind, doing some preventative maintenance. My thought has always been to just do the headgasket. But I want it done right and no shop I have talked to has given me a warm and fuzzy or any detail how they will do it. Which means I'll have to do it. My parts list is going to be around $1000 plus the head will have to go to a shop to get reworked and I think at this point we all know how much work that whole job is. And I almost pulled the trigger on my online parts cart but started to question the effort vs. the outcome. A lot of work for the still slow 1FZ. I do a LOT of highway driving and a stiff headwind makes me downshift every single time up even a slight grade....


Now just last night for the first time I started to do a little reading on V8 swaps. And it doesn't seem that far fetched. I'm thinking a used iron block 5.3 DBC, get a refurbished 4L60E 2WD trans, Mark's adapter, PSI harness, bolt in mounts, used electric fans on factory radiator, etc. Keep it stupid simple. I think by the time I sourced this stuff and sold the good running 1FZFE and trans that I'd be in for minimal money and have a much more capable hauler.


Am I way off the mark? I think a budget swap if I do the work is possible. Is it worth the extra effort for the swap over doing a HG change?

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If you are keeping the truck for another year or 2 do the headgasket. If you are keeping it for 10 years or so do the V8 swap. Remember you have to integrate the factory gauges or install aftermarket, exhaust, hvac plumbing etc. Read the v8 swap thread and drive a v8 swapped cruiser or a 5.3 Tahoe so you know what it will feel like.

 

[6lug]

If you are keeping the truck for another year or 2 do the headgasket. If you are keeping it for 10 years or so do the V8 swap. Remember you have to integrate the factory gauges or install aftermarket, exhaust, hvac plumbing etc. Read the v8 swap thread and drive a v8 swapped cruiser or a 5.3 Tahoe so you know what it will feel like.

I've driven a ton of Tahoes and Burbs as rentals for work. They are great in my opinion. Good advice on the selling it part though.....

 

[6lug]

$750 motor, $2K trans, $1500 Marks Adapter(?), $530 PSI harness, ancillary $2000? +10%? $7500 for parts? Sell the 1FZ and trans for $2500? $5000 in?

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Drive it until the head gasket fails or something else serious keeps it from running. Than V8 swap it.

 

[White Stripe]

$750 motor, $2K trans, $1500 Marks Adapter(?), $530 PSI harness, ancillary $2000? +10%? $7500 for parts? Sell the 1FZ and trans for $2500? $5000 in?

Might as well spend another 700 and get a 6.0, but that's really up to you. Your going to want to replace all the seals on the LS before installing.

 

[6lug]

Drive it until the head gasket fails or something else serious keeps it from running. Than V8 swap it.

I was just thinking I'd get more money put of a good running engine...

 

[6lug]

Might as well spend another 700 and get a 6.0, but that's really up to you. Your going to want to replace all the seals on the LS before installing.

Yeah I mean I could. Not opposed I guess. What changes to the install are required vs 5.3?

Front and rear main seals, valve covers, and??? on whatever goes in?

 

[White Stripe]

Yeah I mean I could. Not opposed I guess. What changes to the install are required vs 5.3?

Front and rear main seals, valve covers, and??? on whatever goes in?

Oil pick up oring, oil pan gasket, valley gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gaskets, front and rear main seals. Nothing crazy. The 5.3 and 6.0 are the same externally, same wiring, same transmissions bolt on, they have different fuel injectors. The 6.0 will have more low end torque and tow better. If you'll be doing road trips you'll want to wire up cruise control.

 

[thatcabledude]

I doubt you’ll get anywhere near 2,500 for the 1fz.

 

[6lug]

Oil pick up oring, oil pan gasket, valley gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gaskets, front and rear main seals. Nothing crazy. The 5.3 and 6.0 are the same externally, same wiring, same transmissions bolt on, they have different fuel injectors. The 6.0 will have more low end torque and tow better. If you'll be doing road trips you'll want to wire up cruise control.

Thanks. Is there a drive by cable 6.0? So that I can just use what I have?

 

[White Stripe]

Thanks. Is there a drive by cable 6.0? So that I can just use what I have?

2002ish was the last year I think of drive by cable. Some had already started to go away from it depending on vehicle it was in. You can convert a drive by wire to drive by cable as well if you research it.

 

[mjosoba]

I’m probably the minority here, but I don’t see the 4l60 as an upgrade in any way. 5.3, for sure, but not the tranny.

 

[6lug]

I’m probably the minority here, but I don’t see the 4l60 as an upgrade in any way. 5.3, for sure, but not the tranny.

You mean over the stock trans? I would love to keep the Toyota trans but the problem is it doesn't shift well behind the 5.3 and apparently standalone control of it is expensive and difficult to do.

 

[Corbet]

Unless your head is giving you signs of old age I personally wouldn’t dive into a HG job as PM. I’d spend that money on other aging external components. I’d do the timing chain at 218K over the HG based on the tear down of my old 1FZ. how old is your water pump? Any leaks that could be fixed?

 

[SaturnAscends]

Drive it until the head gasket fails or something else serious keeps it from running. Than V8 swap it.

That might be a while. I know of at least 4 1fz’s with 350k miles on the OG head gasket, and they haven’t exactly been babied all their life either.

 

[SaturnAscends]

Anyway I’ve been pondering doing the head gasket myself as part of a resealing of my leaky fumy 230k 1fz.

Most reputable Cruiser shops charge 3500 for a top end rebuild, but I’m not sure if the oil pan gasket etc are much extra labor on top of that..

 

[mjosoba]

You mean over the stock trans? I would love to keep the Toyota trans but the problem is it doesn't shift well behind the 5.3 and apparently standalone control of it is expensive and difficult to do.

Yes, correct on both counts. IMO, which is worth exactly $0.00, if I was going to go to the time and effort of an LS swap over a rebuild of the 1FZ, I’d go the Gen IV Route and use a 6l80.

 

[flintknapper]

At 218K its very likely your entire lower end is in excellent shape. A new head gasket and head rebuild would almost certainly give you another 200K on the engine you have now.

My OEM head gasket held out until 316K. Even at that mileage my lower end was still good. The A343F trans (if regularly serviced) will go long time as well. Mine is still going fine at 330K miles.

Unless you need/want more power for towing.....I'd be inclined to put a new head gasket on it, freshen up the head and keep on truckin'.

Start accumulating the parts for a V8 swap later. Once you have everything acquired (and have studied up on it) then do a swap.

But your engine has a LOT more life in it.

 

[6lug]

I am definitely not worried about the bottom end, the reliability of the motor, the head gasket job itself, etc. I'm simply comparing the effort of the job to the what could be just a little extra effort (haha dumb?) to do a swap. The point of the swap to me is exactly what you are saying @flintknapper : I want to tow a light camper expecting longer interstate hauls around hilly / small mountain areas in the eastern US. The HG job will certainly keep the engine going forever, but do I want to go through the expense and effort for the same 200 HP engine that downshifts going up small hills in a headwind? haha. And like I said, I have no armor, no drawer systems, no roof rack, etc. Its as light and aerodynamic as it will ever be, so anything else will just compound that issue. I'm totally sold on the swap, but its a matter of if I can do it for a net addition of 2-3000 over paying a shop to do the HG job on the existing engine.