[Goat]

Truck is a work horse/play toy/hunting rig.

I pull my nova with it. However I have noticed it is severely underpowered and I need to rebuild the engine anyway.

What would yall do to wake her up and make her worth driving again?

I have a spare block to build and stock 243 heads.

 

[Fishmasterdan]

If it was me I would get flat top 4.8 pistons on your 5.3 rods. CNC the heads and mill them .030. fast 102 intake and a custom cam. Might not make 400 but I bet you would be dang close. Nice budget build and reliable.

 

[Goat]

Was just gonna stay with the truck intake

 

[Trumping]

I think I have something like your looking for in which they used a 5.3 for a N/a test build heads,cam,intake were changed. I'll see if I can find it for you. Around 450 to 480 fwhp if I'm not mistaken, the truck intake is ugly yet makes better Tq/Hp all the way around. I see you're in Shreveport haven't been that way in a while. Old Hollywood Heights by the Airport.

 

[Goat]

Yea thats a spot i aint heard of in awhile

 

[George C.]

Toss a 6.0 with cam and a GMT900 Intake

 

[Trumping]

I have a aunt that stays near the airport. Here you go from 04 so you can improve things from car craft. Found the mag and here's the web site.Sorry about the time trying to cook. Could find part1 but cam specs were 229/242 with6.31 lift on a 114.4 lobe sep. with 1 3/4 header no other major mods.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-0411-ls1-mods-little-bro-part-2-tech/

 

[Trumping]

I sent you the info thru a PM. This thing will let me post sometimes while other times not. But hopefully you got the PM. Here's part 2:

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-0411-ls1-mods-little-bro-part-2-tech/

 

[Goat]

Wanna use what I got man 6.0s are still 1,200 bucks in my area

 

[George C.]

What do you think you'll have into the rebuild of a 53

 

[Goat]

It wont be a stock 6.0

 

[carpediem]

I have been told that a LS6 cam is a great cam for a 5.3 and is a factory cam. You can usually find them as a take out from someone updating theirs to a bigger cam. Do you plan to run any boost? The 317 casting heads are a great factory head for boost and with the LS6 cam will make great power in a 5.3 for you. The truck intake is actually pretty good with the trailblazer intake being the only one better thats factory. Truck one even outperforms most aftermarket and makes lots of low end and does well up top too. I say find a LS6 cam and slap your 5.3 together with new rings and bearings if needed and you should have your 400 hp and then some. If I wasnt building a 383 for my blazer i was going to do the 5.3 I mentioned exactly. And it still might happen if the 383 falls short.

 

[George C.]

317s are not good option for any 53 in stock form

Better cams for a 53 then the ls6

The trailblazer Intake is same as gmt900 intake

 

[carpediem]

I agree with all you said but I never said a stock 5.3 I said one with boost works good with the 317 heads. And yes there are alot better cams out there than the LS6 cam but i said that one because it is normally cheap upgrade. If on a tight budget then things I mentioned will give a decent boost in power for not much coin and can normally be had for peanuts when someone is upgrading theirs. I have a friend who did what I mentioned and has a surprisingly stout running car. It was just my opinion thats all

 

[George C.]

317 drops a lm7 way into low 8s for compression
317s drop a lc9/l33 down to 9.0 neither are that great for boost

Again 317s have no place on a 53

 

[ttcamaro]

You have to be carefull what you do to add power to a truck engine. If you look at the dyno charts most mods add little to nothing 4000 rpm and down on a 5.3 which is were I run mine when pulling. When I did my engine I put a baby cam in it from crane. I tried the compcams tuck cam but it was so noisy that I removed it. I also put long tube headers in mine which was one of the few parts that seams to help alot down low. Compression is also something that helps down low and I upped mine by using flat pistons and the newer style 5.3 heads (LS6 style). Seams to work good for me. Probably 350 hp. Anymore then that and it think you would loose power in the 2000 to 4000 rpm range where you are at when pulling. Also went to 4.11 gears to. Also the tune on my year 5.3 (2003) from the factory was terrible. It would take forever to get into power enrichment and would back the timing down to keep it from pinging. Gained alot of part throttle power by totally retuning it.

 

[Goat]

Im going to throw the 243s on there and look for a cam to fit my needs. Longtubes are already ordered. I would like to stay with the 373s however might go to a 35 so I'll regear if I do that.

 

[Shit Box]

I once saw a 5.3 make 367 hp and 383 ft lbs with nothing more than a 6.0 cam on the stock tune. Amazing what a 5.3 can do with minor upgrades. Cam, more compression, and tuning with any 5.3 would make a great truck engine in my opinion.

 

[Goat]

Yea Im still on this

 

[Suicidal Racing]

Flat top pistons
243 heads
Gmt900 intake
Low 220s cam

Should be the ticket