594HP from a 5.3L For $3,252

[canuckz71]

594HP 5.3L Gen III Small Block for $3,252 - 594 Horsepower For $3,252

The Magic Of A 5.3L Gen III Small-Block From The Junkyard And A Turbo From China
From the April, 2011 issue of Hot Rod
By Stephen Kim
Photography by Stephen Kim

GM has built millions of trucks and SUVs equipped with iron Gen III/IV small-blocks since 1999. They come in 4.8L, 5.3L, and 6.0L configurations, and among them, the 5.3L engines are by far the most plentiful. There are nearly a dozen variants within the 5.3L family, rated between 285 and 320 hp, including flex fuel, aluminum block, and newer Gen IV models. The garden-variety LM7 is the most readily available 5.3L in junkyards, hence its bargain price tag. Low-mileage LM7s sell for roughly $500, while motors with 100,000-plus miles can cost as little as $250.

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Hypothetically speaking, let's say you had the wrenching skills necessary to build a 600hp Rat motor for $6,500. With the astounding airflow potential of today's conventional, 24-degree, big-block Chevy cylinder heads and the multitude of dirt-cheap rotating assemblies cluttering up the Summit catalog, this caliber of horsepower-per-dollar heroism is certainly attainable-try hard and you could even do it with stock rec-port heads. Even though that would qualify as an impressive budget build by most standards, how many people have an extra $6,500 to throw around on anything, let alone an engine, these days? Since we've all had to recalibrate our affordability scale in recent years, it's only prudent to pursue truly budget-friendly engine combos that most hot rodders can build without running up the credit cards.
While that concept is, like, so cliché, we're serious about turning up the wick on dollar-stretching performance. How does a junkyard 5.3L Gen III small-block, boosted to 550 hp with a do-it-yourself turbo setup, built for $3,069, suit your fancy? That tally includes a tuned factory computer, a wiring harness, bigger fuel injectors, and every last nut, bolt, and U-bend to make it happen. If you've got another $183 to spend on a stock LS6 camshaft, the power jumps to 594 and the price tag to $3,252. We built it and you can, too, so let's fire up the welder and throw some sparks.

Gen III truck exhaust manifolds flow extremely well, which, combined with their rugged, cast-iron construction make them prime candidates for a DIY turbo system. Some 5.3L motors have EGR passages integrated into the exhaust manifolds while others do not. EGR passages can be plugged, but starting out with a set of non-EGR manifolds reduces the potential for leaks (something you really don't want with a turbo) and makes for a cleaner installation. To save ourselves some hassle, we tracked down an LM7 with non-EGR manifolds. While the plugs were still easily accessible, we installed a set of NGK TR6s.

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The Dirtball Special
Throwing boost at a 5.3L Gen III small-block just makes too much sense. Secondhand OE hardware stockpiled in junkyards has always represented the pinnacle of cheap performance, and the LS-series small-block takes this universal truth to the extreme. Unlike in the early days of LS engine swaps, where hot rodders paid a big premium just for the cool factor, these motors are now just as cost effective to build as a Gen I small-block Chevy. Aluminum variants still command a premium-with plain-Jane, 5.7L, LS1 long-blocks costing upwards of $2,000-but their iron counterparts are much more plentiful and sell for a fraction of the cost. The hot ticket in the Vortec truck engine lineup is the 6.0L LQ9, which was originally installed in 3/4-ton trucks and SUVs. It packs an additional 18 ci over the 5.7L (364 versus 346) and comes equipped with aluminum, LS6-style cylinder heads. The LQ9's 4.000-inch bores mean that it's compatible with GM's L92/LS3 rectangle-port head castings that flow a stunning 320 cfm out of the box. Matching them with a mild hydraulic roller cam nets an easy 550 hp for about $5,000, even after factoring in the cost of a single-plane intake manifold, a carb, an MSD ignition controller, and headers.
If the 6.0L is so great, then the obvious question is, why even bother building a 5.3L in the first place? The biggest downside to the 6.0L truck motor is scarcity, and some early ones had piston-slap issues. GM built way more 1/2-ton trucks and SUVs with 5.3L engines than it did 3/4-ton models with the 6.0L. Consequently, junkyard 5.3L motors can be had for $250, while their bigger brother fetches $1,000 to $1,500. For a naturally aspirated engine build, the 6.0L is a more appealing option due to its additional displacement and superior cylinder heads. On the other hand, what if you took the money saved by buying a 5.3L motor and put it toward a DIY turbo system? To make things more interesting and further drive down costs, let's hang one of those Chinese eBay turbos off of the factory exhaust manifolds and see if it holds.

This is just page one, to view entire article follow this link: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/...p_53l_gen_iii_small_block_for_3252/index.html

 

[Bigredmariner]

 

[agjake11]

Sweet

 

[azmidget91]

i would really like to do a ls swap into our chevy...

 

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Cool. At least for me it seems to be better than those superchargers still widely cult-followed by some V-8 enthusiasts.

 

[dietz4ibanez]

What a beast.

 

[fortplainman]

first problem....turbo from china. i dont want that detonating on me pinned at 6000 rpms

 

[daddy]

Brain, do this to the old Black truck!

 

[buRRp]

Should put that in the burb.

 

[Alljackedup408]

turbo will not last. friend of mine went that route on his nissan... BAD BAD BAD.