The LS Engine Swap Section

[Ash]

Ash, thanks for the posts you've put up here. I know the cost of Nick's kit and spoke with him. Here's a hypothetical. How much would a shop like yours charge for an install in a truck like mine which is a V8 framed truck. We will say just regular gauges and nothing fancy besides the engine an auto box.

PM inbound. I'm happy to play show-and-tell but I'd rather tread lightly when it comes to advertising outside of the classifieds sections. Not entirely sure on protocol for that, yet.

-Ash

 

[javelinadave]

Ash,
You would be giving an estimate not a quote so it wouldn't be a for sale ad. I'm curious too.

 

[Ash]

Alright then! This is my generic response for the e-mails that I get regarding pricing on these swaps:

[FONT=&quot]There's a thousand ways to slice the conversion depending on wants, needs and budget. The fixed (and I use the term 'fixed' loosely as no two projects are exactly the same) costs on these conversions are:

[FONT=&quot]-The parts needed to physically perform the swap, outside of the engine itself. This is everything from the adapter and engine mounts, custom radiator and exhaust, and custom built wiring harnesses all the way down to fuel hose fittings, shifter linkages, mounting brackets and the like. Usually this totals out to right around the $7,000 mark. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]-My time. Or any shop performing the conversion, for that matter. I'm typically coming in right around 120 hours on the job, and I get $90/hr, so right at the $10,000 mark. That's assuming the truck is in reasonable condition and doesn't require any special means or extreme effort to tear down due to condition or rust. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]-Floor conversion. This isn't always necessary on every swap, but if the truck has an early LT77 or LT85 seat box and transmission tunnel, we'll need to convert to the later style R380 configuration so that the large transmission body doesn't have any clearance issues. All of the NAS trucks are equipped with the R380 floor, while most ROW trucks [FONT=&quot]aren't[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot] since the R380 didn't get released until 1994. It usually takes around $1200 in parts to convert, plus whatever coating is required -- be it paint or bedliner.

[FONT=&quot]From there you have your variable cost, which is the engine and transmission. For higher horsepower applications (400hp+) I'm usually coming in around $14,000 for a brand new 6.2 with transmission, while the more modest 5.3 runs around $11,000. If you want a no-hassle powertrain package with a two year GM warranty the crate motors are hard to beat, but on the opposite end of the pricing spectrum I have seen guys picking up complete used 5.3 engine and transmission packages from junkyards in the $3,000 range. If a used engine is in the cards I would expect to budget around $1500 on top of the purchase price just to freshen up things like the coo[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]l[/FONT]ing, charging and power steering [/FONT]systems and buy sensors or items that may have been damaged or lost in the mix. [/FONT]

[/FONT]

 

[JohnsD90]

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/how-to-score-a-500hp-ls-engine-for-free-1131506504

Not that anyone likes to part trucks out, but here is a way to cut costs.

 

[mgreenspan]

PM inbound. I'm happy to play show-and-tell but I'd rather tread lightly when it comes to advertising outside of the classifieds sections. Not entirely sure on protocol for that, yet.

-Ash

Thanks for the PM and the reply in the thread. There is always a lot of commotion and desire for this swap but I think a lot of people don't realize the cost if you aren't doing the work yourself. I think I'd be worth it if you plan on using the truck daily. If it's an occasional vehicle it doesn't make sense. Even a 200 or 300 doesn't make sense for a one month vehicle.

Costwise the Rover V8 should be everybody's to go engine. It's not because it isn't cool.

 

[pmatusov]

Costwise the Rover V8 should be everybody's to go engine. It's not because it isn't cool.

Kind of looks like this.

 

[Landy_Andy]

Kind of looks like this.

I did a quick tot up of my costs to date for my GenIII install. Spec is :

5.3 LM7 with about 200,000km out a written off Silverado
Used NV4500 off Craigslist
Nick's conversion kit with weld in engine mount brackets
Goat Built brackets to high mount the Alt & PAS
Allisport V8 rad with twin Spal fans
Advance Adaptor bell housing & GM slave cylinder
New (Ebay) TD5 clutch pedal
Flanges & sch40 weld-ells to make exhaust headers
All fuel & clutch hoses are stainless steel/ptfe with dash 6/3 fittings etc (I have twin tanks & a transfer pump so cost would be less for a regular setup)
Wiring & parts to modify the GM harness to standalone & have the ECM reprogrammed
Plus a fair list of all the small parts

Cost is around $6200usd

To add on still is a full 2.25" to 3" st/st exhaust system (or just a 'Y' pipe if you have a decent 2.5" one already).

On top of that I spent about $1100usd refurbishing the engine top end with skimmed heads, ARP head bolts, Summit rocker trunion upgrade, some replacement small parts & all new gaskets etc.

So, I'd estimate that if you found a reasonable 5.3 you could do the job yourself for under $10k and that would include a cam swap to pep it up a bit as well, assuming that you went manual as I did.

 

[pmatusov]

Wiring & parts to modify the GM harness to standalone & have the ECM reprogrammed

That may not be an option in California.

 

[Landy_Andy]

That may not be an option in California.

Solution... Move to a place that's not run by tree huggers

But there is no reason you couldn't keep all the anti-smog junk & still have it legal, making it stand alone just gets rid of the vehicle security etc.

 

[pmatusov]

Solution... Move to a place that's not run by tree huggers

Soon, the only place not run by tree huggers will be the East Coast. And I don't want to live on the East Coast.

 

[4wdtravel]

Dude, the tree huggers are just as bad here.

 

[stu454]

We have them contained in the metropolitan areas here in the Southeast.

 

[rocky]

Dude, the tree huggers are just as bad here.

Interesting thought. Its a V8..replacing a v8, beyond that does the state care?

 

[4wdtravel]

There is legislation on the books which gives them the right to care, but no there's certainly no enforcement like there is in CA. Luckily that is contained.

 

[pmatusov]

Interesting thought. Its a V8..replacing a v8, beyond that does the state care?

It does, and not just the state.
The donor engine must come with ALL emissions equipment installed and certified for it at the time of its production. If the engine came from a vehicle with electronically-controlled auto transmission, it likely means the slushbox and all of its electronics must come along.

 

[Surf110]

Peter. E-Rod comes to mind.

 

[chris snell]

I just saw Roverman2010's sweet FC 101 and it got me thinking: I wonder if a LS could fit in a 101. That's about the only way a 101 would be bearable.

 

[rocky]

If you're over 6ft a 101 is impossible to drive. Too dam small

 

[ezzzzzzz]

It does, and not just the state.
The donor engine must come with ALL emissions equipment installed and certified for it at the time of its production. If the engine came from a vehicle with electronically-controlled auto transmission, it likely means the slushbox and all of its electronics must come along.

That is probably the case in Cali and some other progressive states. In Virginia the emissions must meet the newer of the two, truck or engine. Transmission type is not relevant except for operational purposes such that the ecm would require flashing to match a different transmission. I did this years back when putting a 4.3 Vortec/NV4500 into my '71 IIA by locating a truck running a manual box and 'borrowing' the VIN for the flash.

 

[JohnsD90]

If you're over 6ft a 101 is impossible to drive. Too dam small

Have you ever met Howard (Guy Fawkes rally)? Pretty sure he is like 6'6" and has a 101.