5.3 donor motor preferred year range

[JayMB]

Electronically, you probably want a 5.3 that's around 2006-2007 or older and uses a 24x crank sensor (you can tell by the color of the sensor above the starter - I don't remember which one is which but it'd be easy to google). That, plus an early 2000's pcm would work with your dash gauges, throttle cable, etc. They also don't have the AFM garbage. Newer than '02ish are supposed to be a little better. Think that's when they got floating wrist pins. And then better rods a little later, as mentioned before. Probably '05-07 nbs would be your best bet. L33's are cool but for your application I don't think an aluminium block is worth the premium price they get around here.

 

[vr1967]

On the harness, I use the original truck harness, converted to the 80 pin connectors, and you have to add about a dozen wires (mostly coil, and the 2nd knock sensor on the 305/350 harness. The Vortec 454 has 2 knock sensors)
Reroute and tidy up wiring while there, and swap connectors as needed.

 

[Shebrolet]

again, thank you to all. Appreciate the conversation and feedback.

Hoping to be posting in here one day about my own swap.

I fully intend on freshening up the engine from the donor truck, whatever that may be. I just want to get all my ducks in a row. Definitely going to be a long term project for me. Limited time with managing a collision center, two younger kiddos, running a marriage ministry at church and being a volunteer associate pastor. Time is a valuable yet rare commodity for me (like most)

 

[94burbk1500]

Time is a valuable yet rare commodity for me (like most)

If it wasn't rare, would it really be valuable?

 

[Shebrolet]

If it wasn't rare, would it really be valuable?

true, true.