5-Speed

So you can get a real LS2 for $240? Not a iron block truck 6.0 engine? That seems too good to be true. Keep in mind, if it is an iron block, tack on another 80 lbs over an aluminum LS2. 450 hp is simple to hit with a mid 220's duration cam in either of them.

Something else to keep in mind, if you get a truck 6.0, the intake manifold will hit the hood. While you can get a LS2 intake and bolt it on, it is not quite that easy. The LS2 intake bumps in to the truck style water pump and alternator bracket. Sure you could swap out all the front accessories to something that came on a Camaro or Corvette but then you run in to more problems. The iron blocks are missing 2 very important mounting holes. So you would have to drill and tap the block (possibly weld on a spacer) if changing over to different accessories. It is one thing after another and things can add up quick. I would call it $4000 to do the swap. It always cost double of what you think it will.

cleenrob

depends on the throttle body, DBC versoins will clear the truck water pump, with a car style intake.

and there are other braket options then switching to car front acc. as well

i kept my 5.3 under the hood with an ls1 intake and kwick performance alt./PS pump bracket. i also opted to use an l99 water pump just because i prefered where the inlet was over the truck and ls1 pumps.

x2 on the rruck intake, they way too tall to fit under the xj hood, and cowls hoods to fit it are a bit to high and ugly for my taste

jhc7399

Good deal, You should start a build thread on here once you get started. Looking forward to seeing it.

I am planning the same swap but pulled a jy 5.3 a couple of months ago. Same hp goal, 400. Plan to do Texas Speed cam, some head work and LS6 intake, should get me to 400 easy. Going in a 96 XJ 2 door.

Good luck, keep us posted once you start!

joshua99ta

Why not opt for an a aluminum 5.3? Other than price the power increase isn't that much. The lighter weight will be more benefit than 20hp IMO. I'm an LS guy.








Imo there are much better camshaft options than anything Texas Speed offers. they might be a little cheaper but I think you will get a much better camshaft from Geoff @ EPS, Martin Smallwood, John Bewley(sp?) or Brian Tooley.


I'll be doing a built bottom end 5.7(already have it) w/ heads and an EPS camshaft and a little giggle gas (yeah turbo would be better but not enough room for an intercooler) for mine.

kyle96xj

240 for an engine and trans sounds nice but I have never seen a Chevy v8 engine sitting in a junkyard, let alone a 5.3 or 6.0 those things go quick. I'd say you probably are going to end up getting one off Craigslist for twice that.

cleenrob

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cgeiss97

After doing further research on an LS swap I realized there are much more complications than I thought. The main one being cooking problems. I will hold off for now but is definitely in my idea book

joshua99ta

Cooking problems? Nope it's not a sammich maker.

s346k

400 crank can easily be seen with a small cam in the lm7. id guess the l33 can do it with bolt ons. a 6.0 and ls1 need nothing but bolt ons to see 400.

this swap would be fairly cheap on a 2wd xj. retaining 4wd and or using an ax15 complicates things quickly with regard to budget.

cleenrob

unless you have fab skills the swap can get pricey quick.

im somewhere around 5k but i also bought some other items that i could have fabbed my self, plus my trans is garbage too

joshua99ta

Cam only 5.3s, 5.7s, 6.0s all make over 400 fwhp. There isn't just a whole lot of difference in em hp wise.

cgeiss97

Getting a 5.3 or a 6.0 in a junkyard would be a real challenge. But if they have them, Pull-A-Part sells a full V8 engine for roughly $240 before tax and the trans is roughly around $120 before tax as well. As far as the hood goes, there would be a new hood involved. A cowl induction about 4" high would do the job. Clearance from the accessories to the fan isn't a problem usually. The swap is not easy no doubt. But it is a lot of money which is always an issue hahaha. It is still on my bucket list for this thing, but it will most likely be way in the future. When I do a swap I will be sure to update and post here.

jhc7399

Still researching right now. I have the Jeep and the 5.3 with some of the engine bolt on's.


So a small daily driver cam will get you 115 hp? Sounds like an awful lot to expect from cam alone?

joshua99ta

its normally not that much. LS motors produce a good bit more power than factory claims. I remember back in 2000ish seeing an article in a magazine that did a chassis dyno session with a stock 99 trans am, auto trans car(identical to mine other than color) that put down 292rwhp when the motors were only rated @ 305fwhp. 7hp loss thru the drivetrain? aint happening. Full bolt on, ls1 auto cars with a locked converter have made as much as 340rwhp. Thats headers, ls6 or fast intake, underdrive pulley, short belt(bypass power steering), air lid,ported throttle bodies. etc.


Yeah you will see some lower numbers with the smaller engines but its not huge differences.


the 5.3 will make some pretty good power. They REALLY shine in boosted applications but will work great anywhere. If you shop around you might can find some good used parts. Check some of the truck forums like performance trucks.net or ls1tech, these days facebook groups are good sources.


I like Geoff @ EPS, he is normally a little conservative on numbers but his camshafts have made some good power. Im going to get home to send me one of his "cheater" cams for my little setup bc I want quiet.

jhc7399

I pulled a junkyard 5.3 from a totaled, rear end hit, 2001 Chevy truck. Found the registration in the glove box and it has around 170,000 miles. Sending it to my builder to see if all is good. Cost me less than $300 for engine and ecm, couldn't save harness.

I have started buying bolt ons. I have a ls6 intake, sent the throttle body for bore today. Plan to do a cam and some head work and thinking that should get me to 400 hp easy.

I will definitely call eps and see what he can do for me. I haven't settled on a cam but I do want to be able to dd so will be something small.

Also probably going to go the cheaper route on the tranny, most likely a 350 built to handle the hp.

Thanks for the info my friend!