5.3 or 6.0 ?

[Double d]

What’s the benefits for both I’m thinking about swapping from my worn out 350.

What’s the easiest way donor truck or buying separate?

 

[C10MixMaster]

i think a donor truck is the way to go. That way you know you got everything you need. including the transmission. But it depend on whats available to you at the time. 5.3 are easier to find and cheaper. 6.0 well there no substitute for cubic inches . I believe they're the same size. I'm still on the fence as to which swap im going to do 5.3 6.0 or a 350 tbi. When you do yours do a build thread so we can see your progress.

 

[yevgenievich]

5.3 is good. If want more power and/or towing then 6.0 is better

 

[Doppleganger]

I've been asking the same question......have heard the 6.0 is a torque monster and better for towing.

Dunno.

 

[bucket]

6.0 owner here. It's not a torque monster, but is better than the 5.3 of course. The power for towing is very comparable to my pre-smog '78 454. My 6.0 is just an early LQ4 though. A friend has a later one ('05) and seems a little stronger.

 

[Madhorn]

I went with a 5.3 mainly because it was in a truck and I could hear it run before pulling it. Donor truck is the way to go if you can, especially if you are going to use both the engine and trans. LSx4U sells complete sets, engine-trans-harness as stand alone packages. I almost bought a 6.0 from them, but it was bit out of my budget.

 

[JoeR Jr]

Donor truck will make your life easier. Lots of little crap you can use from it. You can also save/use the harness as you see fit.

I did a 6.0 in mine. Put flat top pistons and a Brian Tooley Stage 2 Truck Cam. 4L80E Trans. Did my own tuning. With the stock 2.73 gears I got 18 MPG Highway and 15 MPG around Town.
I just swapped in a set of 4.88 gears and a Spartan Locker. Mileage hasn't dropped much around town, but I haven't been on a road trip with it since the swap. I'm sure it will go down though.

In my opinion, if I was building a daily driver, I'd use a 5.3 to gain a couple of MPG. If I was building it for power, of course get the added displacement if you can.

Whatever engine you choose, I doubt you'll regret it. The driveability improvement is so nice it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

Joe

 

[eskimomann209]

I’m in alignment with Joe.
The power these trucks get from the 5.3 alone is fantastic. It makes it wonderful and worry free. I pondered long and hard over that or the 6.0
My choice was based on the fact that I drive mine daily and over 70 miles round trip. So I opted for the MPGs and a cam
The look I get from people when I easily pass them in my 73 is priceless. And she doesn’t even struggle

 

[Jrgunn5150]

CN, doesn't matter, just get a complete one.

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[Frankenchevy]

CN, doesn't matter, just get a complete one.

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Guess I’m going to have to break down and sign up for Facebook just for the marketplace. No trucks rotting apart out here. People still want $5-10k+ for year 2000 and up silverados with 150-250k miles. There are occasional exceptions.

I come across complete engines for 1000-1500 private party. Couple of dismantlers on crack want $2500 for a 5.3 and $3000 for a lq4.

One guy I keep calling back that says he parts them out and when he does have them, he’s in the $600 ballpark.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Guess I’m going to have to break down and sign up for Facebook just for the marketplace. No trucks rotting apart out here. People still want $5-10k+ for year 2000 and up silverados with 150-250k miles. There are occasional exceptions.

I come across complete engines for 1000-1500 private party. Couple of dismantlers on crack want $2500 for a 5.3 and $3000 for a lq4.

One guy I keep calling back that says he parts them out and when he does have them, he’s in the $600 ballpark.

I tell people like you to travel to where they are cheap lol.

Or LKQ will ship to any LKQ.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[4WDKC]

i think a donor truck is the way to go. That way you know you got everything you need. including the transmission. But it depend on whats available to you at the time. 5.3 are easier to find and cheaper. 6.0 well there no substitute for cubic inches . I believe they're the same size. I'm still on the fence as to which swap im going to do 5.3 6.0 or a 350 tbi. When you do yours do a build thread so we can see your progress.

do not do a stock 350 tbi swap, you will be very disappointed. Same physical size, same cubic dollars to make fast.

I've been asking the same question......have heard the 6.0 is a torque monster and better for towing.

Dunno.

They are not.

Donor truck will make your life easier. Lots of little crap you can use from it. You can also save/use the harness as you see fit.

In my opinion, if I was building a daily driver, I'd use a 5.3 to gain a couple of MPG. If I was building it for power, of course get the added displacement if you can.

Whatever engine you choose, I doubt you'll regret it. The driveability improvement is so nice it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

Joe

cheap 5.3 and turbo will make it fast as you dare.

Guess I’m going to have to break down and sign up for Facebook just for the marketplace. No trucks rotting apart out here. People still want $5-10k+ for year 2000 and up silverados with 150-250k miles. There are occasional exceptions.

I come across complete engines for 1000-1500 private party. Couple of dismantlers on crack want $2500 for a 5.3 and $3000 for a lq4.

One guy I keep calling back that says he parts them out and when he does have them, he’s in the $600 ballpark.

Id jump on one for $600 and get the 4l80 also.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I have a guy in Ohio who does them all day for under 1k for engine and trans, he'll ship via Fastenal as well, it's less than 200 bucks there.

 

[Arkansas_V8]

The big one that interests me for my heavy Suburban is an 8.1 496.

Not alot of support. But they are cheaper, and torques monsters.

 

[roundhouse]

Don’t be afraid of the 4.8 either if you find a good deal on one
Plenty of power

Get a donor vehicle of you can find one
There’s lots of wrecked Tahoe’s

And do NOT buy an engine if you can’t hear and see it run

And if you buy it without the whole donor car I assure you they will hack up the wiring harness and remove accessories from the engine etc

I bought just the engine and it was a mistake
I thought I didn’t need a donor vehicle since I was going to use a NV-3500. manual transmission

You’ll spend a bundle on the fuel system
You will need a tank and a different pump and some expensive fittings and hoses
But the LS we eventually installed in the truck had 270k miles on it and it has easily double the power of the TBI 350 we pulled out