5.3 With Manual Transmsiion

knipper_03 · March 20, 2010

A buddy has a 2004 rclb truck originally with a 4.3 manual. He replaced the 4.3 with a 5.3 v8. Its really cool. He bought a 5.3, added drive by wire, used a 4.8 liter flexplate and clutch and also a 4.8 liter pcm and had it remapped to work for a 5.3 liter.

Dark truck on the left is the one that as the 5.3 manual. Pretty cool. He did the whole conversion for $2000

Nytemare · March 20, 2010

Would have been better off with an NVG4500 trans from a HD truck IMHO...the NVG3500 is a good trans but is not as strong, and it looks like he uses it for a little more than just your plain DD duties.

It is a very easy and cheap conversion though...seen lots of guys go with the Tremec 6-speed over on Performancetrucks.net and LS1tech. Nice street trans but you cant tow for shit with your truck after that conversion.

5 Speed is the way to go

knipper_03 · March 21, 2010

Would have been better off with an NVG4500 trans from a HD truck IMHO...the NVG3500 is a good trans but is not as strong, and it looks like he uses it for a little more than just your plain DD duties.

It is a very easy and cheap conversion though...seen lots of guys go with the Tremec 6-speed over on Performancetrucks.net and LS1tech. Nice street trans but you cant tow for shit with your truck after that conversion.

5 Speed is the way to go

I kinda agree....but I've seen some jeeps wheel with nvg3500s with 300 hp v8 no problem....I supposed its all on how you treat it. The 4500 is a beast though! The ax5 I had in my 4 banger jeep...I mangaged to snap the mainshaft wheelin' lol i researched putting in a 3500 or 4500 but ended up just rebuilding the ax5 myself and sold it. Swaps get expensive....gotta pay to play!

knipper_03 · March 21, 2010

Oh to add to that the 4.8 liter has the 3500 and performance wise the 5.3 isn't much more powerful, so I'm sure it will hold well.

But you can break anything if you try hard enough lol

Nytemare · March 21, 2010

Oh to add to that the 4.8 liter has the 3500 and performance wise the 5.3 isn't much more powerful, so I'm sure it will hold well.

But you can break anything if you try hard enough lol

Not saying the 3500 is a bad or weak trans...it will handle the 315hp of a 5.3 all day and beg for more...its not its ability to hold power I would be concerned about...its the torture its gonna get when it gets beaten like a red headed step child out in the bush. I know for a fact you can power shift with the 4500, and in the event you loose your clutching capabilities you can just jam the gears to get you home and not really damage the trans too much. Also the 4500 has a 5.61 first gear where the 3500 has a 4.06...that lower ratio comes in handy when things go really bad and you need to use your starter to inch your way out....if you couldn't tell...I've gotten in some pretty hairy situations...LOL