.
Id start by asking yourself a few questions and
ANSWERING THEM HONESTLY
WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO WITH THE CAR ONCE ITS UP AND RUNNING?
WILL IT BE A DAILY DRIVER AND WILL IT NEED TO PASS EMISSION TESTING ?
WHAT ARE YOUR REALISTIC BUDGET AND TIME FRAME LIMITATIONS?
HOW MUCH OF THE WORK ARE YOU COMFORTABLE DOING YOURSELF
(AND KNOW YOU CAN DO AS WELL OR BETTER THAN SENDING T OUT)?
WILL YOU BE HAPPY WITH THE RESULT OR WILL YOU ALWAYS WISH YOU HAD DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
the last questions damn important, I know several guys that got rather deeply involved in restoring cars and after spending tens of thousands of dollars and years of effort they had really fantastic cars , but NOT what they really the cars they dreamed of owning
Raxxis said:
so given those responses Id almost be forced too assume your going to have someone else install the engine, you select in the car and that would usually mean $1000-$1500 in labor charges eating into that $6K budget?
Having gone this route dozens of times in the past I'd point out a few facts, yes reality sucks if your having to pay someone else to do the labor, anyone who knows what they are doing is generally not going to work for free, if you go the traditional route and start flipping through a catalog, ordering the performance parts you want that are listed too fit your car,and if you turn over any existing SBC engine to a machine shop, for inspection,and machine prep work, and then add performance parts like you might expect to do building a 383 from an existing 350 block, (rotating assembly damper, clutch,flywheel or flex plate and converter, cylinder head work, gaskets, balancing,a new 7-8 quart baffled oil pan,etc. youll certainly find out that by the time your done building anything really worth owning and having it installed the parts and labor at the machine shop FAR exceed that $4.5-to -$5K budget cap:surprised
now , added to that most guys forget that the little crap accessories tend to add a considerable amount to the total cost,...things like headers, exhaust systems, accessory brackets,alternators, radiators ,water pumps ,fuel pumps carbs intakes,ignitions,distributors etc could easily eat through $2k-$3k leaving you essentially with no effective cash for the engine build of your dreams:WTF
SO what are your options?
(1) learn to do much of the work yourself
(2) join several local corvette and muscle car clubs and find qualified hobbyists, willing to help with your project at either reduced rates or in exchange for some service or goods in trade, (I know one guy who painted a house inside and out, in exchange for some parts and for the labor involved in an engine swap)
(3) so where do you get an engine?
(4) I see lots of engines at reasonable prices from late model salvage yard wrecks, if you shop carefully you can but an engine with all accessories and controllers, sensors etc. for $1000-$3500 obviously depending on year, size and condition. (do a web search on used salvage yard and rebuilt engines, and look at adds in the local bargain trader and Craigs list for wrecks for sale)
(5) Id also suggest visiting several local machine shops its not all that rare for some one to start an engine rebuild and abandon the project when it got too expensive, the machine shop generally has these projects available at really reduced cost to recoup their money
(5) Id also suggest visiting several local machine shops its not all that rare for some one to start an engine rebuild and abandon the project when it got too expensive, the machine shop generally has these projects available at really reduced cost to recoup their money
READ LINKS
Anyone going out looking for a 4.8L or 5.3L Truck based LS engine that has already been removed from the vehicleBeware, Because unless you can look into the spark plug hole with a scope or little camera to see the top of the piston or insert a wire and run it across the piston surface to feel if it's dished or a flat top It's hard to tell the difference between those two. However if you look for the 8th digit in the VIN It will tell you most everything you need to know.
1999-2006 Trucks, Vans & SUV
4.3L, VIN. X or W(2003+) (8th digit)
6.0L, VIN. U (8th digit), (LQ4) Trucks, Vans and Denali
6.0L, VIN. N (8th digit) (LQ9) Escalades & SS Silverado
4.8L, VIN. V (8th digit)
5.3L, VIN. T (8th digit, opt LM7)
5.3L, VIN. Z (8th digit, opt L59)
5.3L, VIN. B (8th digit, opt L33 05+ HO Aluminum and Iron Block with 243/799 heads)
2007+ Trucks
classic body style, 6.0L, VIN. U (8th digit, opt LQ4), Compressed Natural Gas and Gasoline
classic body style, 6.0L, VIN. N (8th digit, opt LQ9)
classic body style, 4.8L, (VIN. V, 8th digit, opt LR4)
classic body style, 5.3L, VIN. T (8th digit, opt LM7)
classic body style, 5.3L, VIN. Z (8th digit, opt L59)
classic body style, 5.3L, VIN. B (8th digit, opt L33)
classic body style, 4.3L, (VIN. X, 8th digit, opt LU3)
new body style, 5.3L, (VIN. 0, 8th digit, opt LMG)
new body style, 5.3L, (VIN. J, 8th digit, opt LY5)
new body style, 5.3L, (VIN. 3, 8th digit, opt LC9)
new body style, 5.3L, (VIN. M, 8th digit, opt LH6)
new body style, 6.0L, (VIN. Y, 8th digit, opt L76)
new body style, 4.3L, (VIN. X, 8th digit, opt LU3)
new body style, 4.8L, (VIN. C, 8th digit, opt LY2)
5.3L
2003-04 GMC Truck Envoy XL
2003-04 Isuzu Ascender
2003-04 Chevy TrailBlazer EXT (all with VIN "P", 8th digit)
2005-06 (all with VIN "M", 8th digit)
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...em-will-eventually-cost-you.11810/#post-56645
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/storing-a-spare-engine.614/#post-46169
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-think-thru-your-car-choice.10120/#post-40382
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...e-yard-engine-just-some-info.3183/#post-30401
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ge-yard-engine-just-some-info.3183/#post-9403
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-and-re-think-thru-problems.10551/#post-44921
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...illy-road-blocks-to-progress.8958/#post-31918
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ing-parts-and-a-logical-plan.7722/#post-26314
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...n-over-your-head-in-projects.4687/#post-12679
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...tting-started-in-the-car-hobby.339/#post-6868
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ess-make-you-insane-depressed.3066/#post-8109
If you look over the threads on this and most other sites related to cars you'll see a recurring theme,and that theme is related to the total frustration many guys seem to feel when the car engine won,t run or run correctly, and for some reason the average response is to start throwing random guess work list of new parts at the problem, rather than stepping back, and doing a logical list of tests and braking out the shop manual, multi meter, vacuum and fuel pressure gauges and a timing light and using the tools too isolate the source of the problem by testing sensors,electrical connections and function of each related component , AFTER RESEARCHING the problem.
the basics remain the same
you need compression ],
which means the rings and valves must seal the cylinder and the cam lobe timing must be CORRECTLY indexed to the crank rotation
YOU NEED FUEL
which means the carburetor or injectors on the engine must get an adequate flow and consistent pressure, and must atomize that fuel and mix it with air flow in the proper ratio.
YOU NEED ignition
which means the spark plugs must fire, or arc, at the proper time in relation to piston location as the crank and cam rotate,with a spark or adequate heat and duration to ignite the compressed fuel air mix
YOU NEED AN UN RESTRICTED AIR FLOW ]
which requires that both the intake manifold and exhaust system allow near unrestricted flow into and out of the engine
YOUR ENGINE MUST BE PROPERLY LUBRICATED
which both reduces heat and wear and keeps the engine from seizing up, or getting into detonation or having parts fail from heat stress
YOU NEED A COOLING SYSTEM
to maintain the engines operational temperature in its intended range, and reduce wear and parts failure so the lubrication and cooling systems, operate together.
ALL THE SENSORS MUST WORK, SO CHECK YOUR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS, FUSES AND GROUNDS
if one or more of these functions or the sensors that control these functions fails your engine won,t operate correctly so its your job to isolate the problem
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