LS ADVICE NEEDED

[e-fin]

I may be able to pick up a 2000 5.3 out of a Burb that was run very low on oil. Truck still ran and drove with it but nocked pretty good. Brother in law pulled it and swapped in a junkyard 5.3. He hasn’t given me a price yet but if this was one of you guys would you consider buying a “nocker” to rebuild and if so at what price?
I have a 96C2500 desperately in need of a horse power injection and I’m starting to put together a plan to work towards. Gonna start with a free flowing duel exhaust and electric radiator fans in the next month or so and figure a plan to stay Vortec or go LS. Isn’t the 404 cal out of an LS anyways? Would love to upgrade cal before getting into motor but only if it isn’t platform or motor specific.
As far as power expectations I really don’t know what’s considered fast anymore but I just want to have spin the tire fun and still have mpg close to what it currently gets “15avg”. Currently truck has 196K and runs great but it barely can break the 265/45/20s loose. Got in a semi road rage incident on the freeway with a fleet level Chevy Cruiz and he gave me all’s I could handle and then some. Never expected this truck to be a speed demon but that was a hard pill to swallow! Honestly weight wise guessing this truck would compare pretty similar, even less than a Charger or 300 with a hemi and i think that level of power would be easily done with a 5.3. What do you guys think?

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I may be able to pick up a 2000 5.3 out of a Burb that was run very low on oil. Truck still ran and drove with it but nocked pretty good. Brother in law pulled it and swapped in a junkyard 5.3. He hasn’t given me a price yet but if this was one of you guys would you consider buying a “nocker” to rebuild and if so at what price?
I have a 96C2500 desperately in need of a horse power injection and I’m starting to put together a plan to work towards. Gonna start with a free flowing duel exhaust and electric radiator fans in the next month or so and figure a plan to stay Vortec or go LS. Isn’t the 404 cal out of an LS anyways? Would love to upgrade cal before getting into motor but only if it isn’t platform or motor specific.
As far as power expectations I really don’t know what’s considered fast anymore but I just want to have spin the tire fun and still have mpg close to what it currently gets “15avg”. Currently truck has 196K and runs great but it barely can break the 265/45/20s loose. Got in a semi road rage incident on the freeway with a fleet level Chevy Cruiz and he gave me all’s I could handle and then some. Never expected this truck to be a speed demon but that was a hard pill to swallow! Honestly weight wise guessing this truck would compare pretty similar, even less than a Charger or 300 with a hemi and i think that level of power would be easily done with a 5.3. What do you guys think?

Your 350 will outrun the dog of an engine known as a 5.3 fairly easily. Go 6.0L or bigger if you go LS. My buddy has an Avalanche with a 5.3 and the only way it will break a tire loose is to agressively throw it around a corner at WOT. Such a dog of an engine. Personally I would build a L31 based 383. I never once had a stock 5.3 pull away from my tuned but otherwise stock 5.7 Vortec when my Express still had the 4L60E in it. After the 4L85E swap they could pull on me a little in 1st gear then I would leave them in the dust. Big heavy Express conversion van for what it is worth. Once I put a cam, 1.6 rockers and tri-y headers on the 350, I would walk away from them off the jump and pull away hard.

 

[letitsnow]

In order to make your truck better for freeway road race episodes, you would need to double the hp and replace the entire suspension, lowering it.

I recommend that you just chill out while driving the truck.

Funny story - I was a delivery driver in st louis park for 6 years. The nicest people on my route had moved there from New Jersey... Minneapolis is a **** hole. You aren't gonna win. Chill and laugh.

 

[e-fin]

Instant judgment is very amusing. While it wasn’t one of my proudest moments pretty sure most of us have been there a time or two. I mostly agree with the MPLS statement and feel very sorry for those home owners in MPLS proper. Not many places as beautiful as MN especially in the summer though. Till recently been a great place to raise children. Politically there’s no chance of even common sense anymore. No way our elected officials reflect the thoughts of the majority.
Already have lowered it and done wheels. Just want to be able to lay a posi patch without doing a brake stand. Little more power backing up the look. Not looking for a racer or a pit maneuver vehicle.

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[L31MaxExpress]

While it wasn’t one of my proudest moments pretty sure most of us have been there a time or two. I mostly agree with the MPLS statement and feel very sorry for those home owners in MPLS proper. Not many places as beautiful as MN especially in the summer though. Till recently been a great place to raise children. Politically there’s no chance of even common sense anymore. No way our elected officials reflect the thoughts of the majority.
Already have lowered it and done wheels. Just want to be able to lay a posi patch without doing a brake stand. Little more power backing up the look. Not looking for a racer or a pit maneuver vehicle.

You must be registered for see images attach

Gears, stall converter, headers, exhaust and a tune will really wake up the old L31. I also like E-Fans on a truck you are not towing with and the Volant CAI system on these trucks. If you go into the engine to freshen it up a small cam around 214-218@ 0.050 intake duration, Pac 1218 springs, Comp787 retainers, 0.050" offset locks and a set of 1.6 rockers. It is not hard to get 400 hp and a boat load of low-midrange torque out of a solid running 350 vortec. It is the torque that moves a heavy truck, not the horsepower. The L31 already makes a ton of torque, just needs to breath better to broaden the curve to make more hp.

 

[e-fin]

Thanks for the advice, you’re talking my language and I will look into what your throwing down. Any links would be appreciated. Have loved every 6.0 I’ve driven but fearful of the cost of just purchasing a “god knows the condition” of used one. Not too mention isn’t there an AC compressor clearance issue with LS’s in our trucks? AC is a must for me. This is really close to a daily driver for 7 months of the year for me.

 

[kenh]

Not too mention isn’t there an AC compressor clearance issue with LS’s in our trucks?

From what I understand the AC compressor hits the frame in the GMT 400. At least with the 5.3. Don't know about the 6.0

Maybe I miss understood your statement???

 

[Schurkey]

Perhaps a moderator will move this thread to "LSx + Carb Swaps".

I agree--a 5.3 without a turbo is going to be a backwards step.

 

[letitsnow]

Instant judgment is very amusing. While it wasn’t one of my proudest moments pretty sure most of us have been there a time or two. I mostly agree with the MPLS statement and feel very sorry for those home owners in MPLS proper. Not many places as beautiful as MN especially in the summer though. Till recently been a great place to raise children. Politically there’s no chance of even common sense anymore. No way our elected officials reflect the thoughts of the majority.
Already have lowered it and done wheels. Just want to be able to lay a posi patch without doing a brake stand. Little more power backing up the look. Not looking for a racer or a pit maneuver vehicle.

You must be registered for see images attach

There is a guy on this forum that is selling a whipple that (I think) fits your truck....

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Perhaps a moderator will move this thread to "LSx + Carb Swaps".

I agree--a 5.3 without a turbo is going to be a backwards step.

I have ZERO love for a naturally aspirated LS in a heavy truck especially the 5.3 and even less for the 4.8. OP is concerned about losing to a Cruze that came with a turbo 4. I have had 3 different newer 2012+ 5.3 trucks, including a brand new direct injected try to cut me off this week in my 2014 Sentra I commute 30 minutes each way to work in. I ended up showing tailights to all 3 by the time I was grabbing for 4th gear. None of them could pull an inch on that Sentra, lol. The 135hp 1.8L hamster wheel wraps up and moves pretty good with the 6spd manual in the lightweight base model car. I can boil the tires in 1st and get 2nd and 3rd gear tire chirps pretty easily with the 6spd. Really confuses people especially other Sentras that try to keep up that have the POS CVTs.