THIS!!!!!


I was gonna be a wet blanket and say find a low mileage 5.3 for cheap, pop on 243 head to drop compression even further (maybe milled a little so it doesnt drop too much), and B( . )( . )st!! Pick your poison from there... Maggie, procharger, or turbo. You'll love them all and make more power than the 5.7 you were going to build with much better manners.

 

Stock 5.3 with some forced induction would be my first choice. My second choice would be an iron 5.7 from Thompson motorsports. Forged pistons and rods for $2500.... beats the $3000 you are going to spend without rods.

 

If you can get a assembled long block for $2500 - do it!
I have more in it than that. Yes, I used the stock heads and had them machine the seats for the new 2 in valves. It needed a valve job anyway.
If MPG is a concern, use a upgraded 4L60E. That will be more than enough. The 4L80E has a lot more drag and consumes more HP.

 

I want a N/A motor. I like the turbo's but I want my daily driver truck to be straight motor. so here's what im thinkin then..

706 heads ported, milled out for 2" intake valves, Ls6 springs
216/220 cam, is that from Comp? if so whats the name of it?
stock rods
Stock ls1 pistons
built 4l60 from FLT

With that could I run pump gas I hope?

 

Non milled 706 will put you around 11.1 which would be fine for 91-91 octane. Pretty much anything over 10.1 should run premium fuel. It would probably be cheaper/faster to just get some 243/799 as they already have 2" valves and would put compression around 10.5 like the LS6

comp cams xr269hr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWW-_X3kjTI

comp cams xr265hr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJAvKfujL0M

 

Just trying to give you advice from someone who has been there.

You wont make the same power. Not even in the same ball park down low.
You won't have the same manners... well maybe you will... but NA manners means power sacrifices for the most part.
Your mileage will be the same.
Doesnt sound any cheaper... actually just as expensive if not more.

I understand wanting to take the path you have chosen... I was the same way, but holy **** am I glad I took a U turn.

 

Amen brother!

if you were sitting next to my truck at a red light, you would have no clue that it makes almost 500hp. stock idle, tight converter, big, quiet exhaust. i think it drives better than stock too. also, dont waste your time with a built 60e. it WILL fail you. you will have about the same, or less in an 80e conversion.
actually, theres a used tvs1900 for sale in the classifieds for $4000. perfect for that 5.3. it would have all the low end torque you need.

 

XR269HR that's the cam im gonna go with, but I don't feel like spending 4g on a supercharger for a motor with 211K... that's why I'm going to build a new 5.7 with either those 243 heads or just port the 706. The 60e I have has 211k on it and it shifts perfect, so why do you say it would fail? eventually ill probably run a single turbo but I need a new motor and I want to use what I have so I don't have more parts laying around. I found some LS1 pistons on ebay for $350, there flat top pistons, 3.902 bore, for the stock 6.098 rod, with rings does that sound good? the cam would be bout $400, springs round $50 and then whatever it costs for the machine shop to bore, port the heads and put 2" valves in, that doesn't sound to bad to me, what do ya'll think?

 

you can usually find a used cam in the classifieds around the specs you want for $2-300 with a few thousand miles on them

 

Yeah im gonna look some more im not buyin yet im putting my list together but I think I have it narrowed down pretty good. Idk yet if ill run a turbo in the future or not but I know right now I want a new motor and tranny for sure. so since im doing it I might as well make a 5.7 out of it. it wont kill my wallet that bad. I don't think
im gonna figure the price range to be around..

$400 for pistons
$400 for cam
$50 for springs
$400-500 for head work
$300-500 for block boring and machine work
$400 for gaskets, bearings or whatever else
so for the motor alone right now im lookin at around $2200-2500
Then for the tranny..
$1200 FLT (I've read some good things about them and I think it's the one)
$400 for Circle D 3k stall convertor

Also what should I do about the Computer? I have another computer and wiring for this motor if I need to do something with it.

so the total be around $4200 and ill have everything brand new versus paying probably around the same for a turbo setup or supercharger and having my tranny go out or something happen to the motor then have no vehicle to drive and be out even more money. That's the reason Im not doing a turbo or supercharger setup right now, I don't want to do that on an old wore out motor. I will probably do a single turbo setup possibly in the future but Id so much rather do it on a new motor than one with 211k.