Need Help With 12566910 325 04-up crossbolted block Gen.III 5.3L Aluminum SSR Motor

LS353 · 05-07-2008, 01:31 PM

Hi I just traded a car for a complete 2004 SSR motor with out the wire harness & computer & was thinking of putting it in my 1995 caprice with the LT1 in it because it has high miles & I want more performance new technology.

My question is should I put this smaller 5.3 in compared to the 5.7 and what needs to be done to it performance parts wise, computer, bolting on to my caprice Trans ETC. to get it around 450 horse power?

Do these newer engines respond better to bolt on parts better then the old LT1?

Topspin · 05-07-2008, 08:36 PM

I don't know if you realize that the gen III is an entirely different motor. None of your accessories will bolt up, nor will the motor mounts or exhaust headers. I'm sure it could be made to work, but I'd never go that route. Heck, it would be way easier, and probably much cheaper, to stick a big block in it. Need factory or aftermarket computer for the gen III also. 5.3 has small bore so it's limited to small valve heads. Good Luck!

JimGnitecki · 05-10-2008, 12:34 PM

I agree with Topspin. There is no way to do this inexpensively, due to the major dfferences in computer and sensors. To make it work, you would spend WAY more than you think.

The recent availability of carburetor-equipped manifold and ignition kits for the LS series of engines makes them perfect for engine swaps in PRE-emission vehicles, but for vehicles subject to emissions laws, the costs of making the package work is ridiculous.

Jim G

AusTexKid · 05-10-2008, 02:10 PM

But it can be done.

There is a '95 Impala SS with an LS1 in it running around Austin. I've looked at the car but did not get to talk to the owner about what harness and computer he used. Check with Painless Wiring. They make several stand-alone wiring harness kits to install Gen III small-blocks in other vehicles.

JimGnitecki · 05-10-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AusTexKid

But it can be done.

There is a '95 Impala SS with an LS1 in it running around Austin. I've looked at the car but did not get to talk to the owner about what harness and computer he used. Check with Painless Wiring. They make several stand-alone wiring harness kits to install Gen III small-blocks in other vehicles.

Yes, but as I said above, the costs are ridiculous. That harness is not cheap, and that is only one component of many required.

You can do almost anything if you spend enough money . . .

Jim G

AusTexKid · 05-11-2008, 01:56 PM

Assuming you use the accessories and belt drive from the Gen III engine, we're talking about fabricating 2 motor mounts, exhaust to connect to the manifolds and a stand-alone wiring harness and computer. The harness is about $500.00 and the computer is a wrecking yard item. All told, parts should not total more than $1500.00. To me that is not "ridiculous" for a project of this type. I've seen people spend way more than that to do projects that made less sense Jim.

Of course, if you don't possess the necessary fabrication and welding skills that cost goes way up. And if you are one of those "drop it off at the shop and write a check when it's done" guys, then for YOU it is cost prohibitive. Real hot rodders have been doing these non-standard engine swaps for years. You just have to be able to do it yourself instead of paying someone else.

JimGnitecki · 05-11-2008, 02:23 PM

Austexkid: You forgot a few items, like for example the programming of the "salvage yard computer", and the matching of sensor voltage ranges that don't match (the LT1 architecture and sensors were far different than the LM4 architecture and sensors). $1500 would indeed be acceptable, but I don't think anyone can do that unless they have many skillsets not commonly resident all in one person.

I stand by my assessment, but would be thrilled to see someone do it, just so that we could know what IS involved.

As for your comments about being someone who pays someone to do everything, I assume you are taking one of your cheap indirect shots at me, trying to imply that I am one of "those". I pay people to do stuff I know I would screw up, but I as anyone who has been reading my SLURP series can easily see, I am getting plenty personally dirty, and even when paying someone to exercise a skil I lack, I pick darn near every component personally.

Someday you'll learn that we all do a lot better when we help each other versus trying to look superior. I keep looking for you to share some of that supposedly superior knoweldge and experience, but you always seem to withhold the crucial details (like your dragstrip tuning thread advice which implied a lot but passed on precious little specific information, lest someone else, Heaven forbid, uses it to race against you).

Jim G

Topspin · 05-11-2008, 08:56 PM

I guess the problem I have with this swap is, It's going to cost significant money for no significant performance return. If he would put the same money into freshening and upgrading the LT-1, he would end up with a much stouter package than the stock 5.3 in a heavy Caprice. To me it seems like a maasive headache for at best a lateral move. I notice he hasn't responded to anyone so he's maybe scrapped the whole project already. I'm a get dirty hotrodder of thirty years, but some things just don't make sense. This project falls into that category in my opinion.