what about the other LS series engines?

[drewhenderson13]

i hear everyone on here talking about putting ls1s in 240s and such... but does anyone put the truck motors in them?

they fit the exact same and use the same conversion parts... and you can get them for a LOT cheaper.

ive been around LS1s and fbodys for a long time. a lot of people have been using the truck motors in fbodys... specificly the 6.0

prices on the 6.0s have started to rise because the demand has increased, but you can still get the 4.8s and 5.3s for a dime a dozen. im working on geting a 240 right now and im seriously considering a 4.8 or 5.3 when i get one.

i think a 4.8 or 5.3 would be great in a 240. their only a little less powerful and for the money you save on the purchase of a ls1 you can easily make up that power with a cam and intake manifold.

the only downside i can see is the blocks are cast iron (an advantage for everything else except weight distribution) but i dont think their heavy enough to be a nusance.

any input fellas?
Modified by drewhenderson13 at 5:55 AM 10/26/2007

[Fla240sx]

I think u covered it all
Modified by Fla240sx at 6:14 AM 10/26/2007

[drewhenderson13]

does anyone have any input?

[OutToWinPAHC]

I got my LS6 for cheap so thats why I went that way. I looked at some LQ9's and 4's. They are the same except they are iron, and they have a different intake, heads, and throttle bodies on some. You would have to switch the intake to make it fit unless you cut a huge hole in the hood the truck intakes are very tall.

They use a different head as well. Lower compression on the 6.0's, and the ECU tuning is different

But when it comes down to it LQ, LS1/6/2/7/3 they all use the same parts for the most part. A 90mm Fast Intake will fit on any of them. The heads are interchangable with some exceptions. The stroker kits are common among them.

I think most people go LS because you have to spend a chunk to get it in there so why be bothered with having to get a new intake to make it fit, you might be broke when its done anyhow.

LQ4 6.0 Truck (Iron)LS2 6.0 Car (aluminum)Vortec 5.3 LQ?LS6 in my carbecause you have to whore

[cnichols]

Put a 502 in it. It's the best motor ever.

On a serious note, it's a great plan and I would do it if I had another 240. A 5.3 can be bored to a 5.7 with no sleeves as it's iron and I agree about the weight not causing any problems (especially if you plan on going straight mostly).

LS1 intakes can be had all day for under $50.

Also, the 5.3 did come in aluminum and you might be able to snag one for cheap from a junk yard if you get lucky. But, I would not hesitate to grab a 6.0 or 5.3. I think the only difference between the 5.3 and 4.8 is the crank.

[drewhenderson13]

yep.

im workin on getting an 89 240 this week hopefully

if it works out the plan for the car is a 4.8

no matter what ls engine i got id put a fast intake and 90mm tb.

and id put a cam in it anyway.

aside from the displacement their all the same to me.

its a frigin 240sx you might as well be putting a rocket on a go-cart. my choice of teh 4.8 is just because their so cheap around here.

so what do you think... 480sx? im sure people have done it. but it entertains me.

[cnichols]

so what do you think... 480sx? im sure people have done it. but it entertains me.

One plus of the 4.8 is the shorter stroke. With the right valvetrain, 8,000 rpm would be easy.

[drewhenderson13]

out of the factory the 4.8 only has like 20 less hp than the 5.3

and i believe its only 50 less than the ls1

i believe the cost efficiency is too good to ignore.

besides, arent the ricers the ones that say displacement isnt everything!

[cnichols]

I don't know. You're a ricer...you tell me.

[Blown240sx]

I don't know. You're a ricer...you tell me.

OO burn. I agree with displacement isnt everything for a certain power level. Once you get to 100 hp mark a 5.7 or 6.0L block is plenty size with some boost.

Chris you and I need to get together and get some of these magazines to take some pictures. I think Im going to send a few in to some magazines and see what comes back.

[drewhenderson13]

nothing i own has 4 cylinders or is made in japan. (not that i dislilke either)

but dont you have to at least own a japanese car to be a ricer?

[cnichols]

nothing i own has 4 cylinders or is made in japan. (not that i dislilke either)

but dont you have to at least own a japanese car to be a ricer?

It's a common misconception by dumbestic owners that a ricer is defined by the make or # of cylinders. Being a ricer takes a certain state of mind and really bad taste. Anyone and any car is capable of being ricetastic.

Chris, sounds good man. I've got some pretty decent pics of my car if you want to include them. We can just pretend I'm from Bowling Green (not really a lie). I even have KY plates and a KY license so it won't be hard.

[drewhenderson13]

ur kinda rude for a moderator... you should ban yourselfe! lol

im jk i dont care.

no vehicle i own can in any way be considered ricer

on the same subject... i saw a 98-up camaro with a huge aluminum ricer wing bolted on top of the factory spoiler. it had stickers on it too. it was possibly the gayest car ive ever seen in my life.

[cnichols]

ur kinda rude for a moderator... you should ban yourselfe! lol

im jk i dont care.

no vehicle i own can in any way be considered ricer

on the same subject... i saw a 98-up camaro with a huge aluminum ricer wing bolted on top of the factory spoiler. it had stickers on it too. it was possibly the gayest car ive ever seen in my life.

Yeah, but I know you and therefore you should know I'm just messin' with you.

See, I would consider that Camaro domestic rice. It's all about the car/owner, not even about the make or engine anymore. That is how the term was originally used. But, over time, the word rice came to be a more derogatory term referring to distastefully modified cars.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Like stick japanese writing on you Mustang is instant rice......... Or lowering my merely cutting your springs and getting some serious negative camber is rice yet again

[drewhenderson13]

Yeah, but I know you and therefore you should know I'm just messin' with you.

See, I would consider that Camaro domestic rice. It's all about the car/owner, not even about the make or engine anymore. That is how the term was originally used. But, over time, the word rice came to be a more derogatory term referring to distastefully modified cars.

i know... i was just kidding

[Toshima]

I have a dumb question. What engine comes in what year model trucks, and cars are you talking about. I know what years and models the lsx comes in. But what trucks come with the 4.6, 5.3, 5.7, 6.0. I guess all chevy, gmc trucks 98 and up? Also what standard trannys come with them. And does the t56 bolt up to all of them? Sorry for all the question but thanks.

[drewhenderson13]

they call them vortech engines when they put tehm in the trucks.

heres the wikipedia article on them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Vortec_engine

some of them, like the 5.0 (5000) and 5.7 (5700) are actually generation 1 sbc with vortech heads.

the 4.8 (4800) 5.3 (5300) and 6.0 (6000) are the LS design.

heres a link to the wikipedia article on the LS engines in the cars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_LS_engine

[drewhenderson13]

and yes, the t56 bolts up to them just the same.

[Toshima]

Thanks theres some good info in there. So all the engines use the same motor mounts? Some have different head but can be swap, and will bolt up no problem like vortec head for ls1-6 head? Really the only difference is the bore and stroke on some?

[cnichols]

All the blocks should be almost identical...mounting points included.

The 4.8 has a shorter stroke (different crank), the 5.3's bore is smaller, but uses the same crank as the 5.7. The 5.3 head is a common bolt-on for the 5.7 because it is cheap to come by and raises the compression because it has a smaller combustion chamber.

Texas Speed, along with others I'm sure, sell modded 5.3 heads as an upgrade for LSx owners. Just bolting them on w/out port/polish, etc. really won't be worth the effort.

There are big differences when it comes to the accessories and intake manifolds, etc. The truck intake manifold is not as efficient as the LS1 or LS6 versions. Also, the accessories mount differently and may not offer as much hood clearance. Fuel injectors I am not sure about.

The 6.0L truck motor series has a very good flowing head, but it may not be a great idea to try and bolt these onto engines with a smaller bore.

[Toshima]

Are the intake manifold from a ls1-6 swappable with the vortex intake manifold? Well the good thing about being in the heart of tx is that I found all the truck motors yesterday. The 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, and a ls1 with t56 all in my little 5mile by 5mile town. The good news is that I can get 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 for real cheap from $200 to $800. The bad news is they will only sell the ls1 with t56 transmission. He told me to come back tomorrow. But alot of the junk yards around want like 2-3000 for just the ls1 by itself. So im guessing he will want a lot for it. And sorry dont mean to thread jack.

[OutToWinPAHC]

The LS1/LS6 intakes are changable with the Vortec intakes.

Like Cnicols said the accessories are different. The way that alternator sits so hight I think you would have some serious clearance issues. But nothing a cowl cant fix. Most of the truck motors will be paid with a 4L65E. Try and just get the engine and find the T56 elsewhere.... Try classifieds at LS1.com, LS1Tech.com, LS2.com

The heads off the 6.0 are larger and more free flowing. Many people use these heads as a starting point to forced induction on a LS. They do need springs, rockers, and a port and polish however. But alone if you picked up a set of these heads you might see a power loss if you just bolted on.

[drewhenderson13]

ur not thread jacking, this is what was supposed to happen.

the vortech intake manifold for teh gen 1 sbc will not fit a LS engine.

id get a FAST 90/90 intake manifold (includs a 90mm throttle body)

the heads from any gen III LS engine will interchange.

and the front accesories of any LS engine are interchangible, you just have to use all of them. they use different brackets (bulky gay ones on the trucks) but they can change.

thats the way gm does their engines. everything can be made to interchange if its a part of the same generation of engine.

the LS engines below 6.0l of displacement are gen III and the ones above 6.0l of displacement are gen IV. (except a few 6.0 truck motors taht are still considered gen III)

im not sure how easily parts exchange across those generations.

i believe some of teh parts interchange but things like the intake manifolds dont at all, but i think FAST makes manifolds for both.

the last parts i cant call 100% acurate. those are the parts that get a little iffy on me.

[Toshima]

The easy and cheaps for me to get is the 5.3 but the 6.0 is not that much more its just they have more 5.3 then they do 6.0 by me. They said I can just buy the 5.3 without the transmission, Just the ls1 they dont want to let go with out the transmission. And Ill make sure to stay with the the gen 3 ls. Thanks for making this thread because I would of never thought of using the truck engines. Also should I get the ecu, and wiring harness when I pick up the engine?

[drewhenderson13]

yea, youl definetly need the ecu and wiring harness if your going to leave it fuel injected.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Gen 3 And Gen 4 are about the same. The parts are interchangable among them as well.

The LQ series is the Same as the LS just Iron. They will say Vortec 5300 or 6000 and a stock LS1/6/2 intake will bolt right on to them.

You deff want the ECU or harness or plan on spending another 600+ finding one somwhere else.

[drewhenderson13]

i think the main diference between the gen III and gen IV is the gen IV has variable valve timing or something like that.

[cnichols]

i think the main diference between the gen III and gen IV is the gen IV has variable valve timing or something like that.

There is no variable valve timing. I think you're referring to displacement on demand.

The primary difference between the Gen IV and the previous Gen III engines is a new block casting. It actually is just a revised version of the Gen III's cylinder case. In fact, the blocks are so similar that many of the Gen III parts carry over, including LS6-style cylinder heads used on the LS2.

Other differences include the intake manifolds, throttle bodies w/ electronic controls, knock sensor locations, number of reluctor wheel teeth, improved ignition coil-pack system, and other slight tweaks.

Note: The FAST manifold can be bought separately (w/out a throttle body), but the LS6 manifold is a good, budget option.

[drewhenderson13]

lets just have the oficial answer...

from wikipedia article on GM LS series engines.

"In 2004, the Generation III was superseded by the Generation IV. These big-bore engines are some of the largest small-blocks yet, and were quickly phased in to replace the previous generation. Displacement ranges up to 7.0 L and output to 505 hp (373 kW). Building upon the Generation III design, Generation IV was designed with displacement on demand in mind, a technology that allows one bank of cylinders to be deactivated. It can also accommodate variable valve timing."