**** Need A Little Help Please - 4.8 To 5.3 Swap - Is It Worth It ? **

[Silverado Desperado]

Need a little help please with the following questions:

 

 

How much increase in power and driveability will I notice after driving a 4.8 and now going to a 5.3 ???

 

 

Is it quite a bit more power and a lot better driveability? The 4.8 has always felt fairly sluggish in my half ton Crew Cab, but I have never driven a 5.3...

 

Is the 5.3 quite a bit peppier? I don't tow with this vehicle, but would like to get a bit more punch, and just more fun out of driving it.

 

 

Is it a straight swap to just put in the 5.3 (or 6.0) and just put on my 4.8 accessories and sensors, intake and exhaust, and use my original 4.8 computer?

 

I've heard 6.0 gets 10 mpg, and the 4.8 and 5.3 get about 13 or 14 mpg on average. Is the 6.0 completely like night and day on power from the 5.3 ??

 

 

Any help or suggestions from those that have actually done the swap and have driven the 4.8 vs the 5.3 and the 6.0 would be sincerely appreciated.

 

 

Also, does anyone put in LS1 or LS2 motors in our trucks, and if so, what's the pros and cons of doing it?

 

 

Many Thanks !!!

 

.

[2000DV4.8]

Need a little help please with the following questions:

 

 

How much increase in power and driveability will I notice after driving a 4.8 and now going to a 5.3 ???

 

 

Is it quite a bit more power and a lot better driveability? The 4.8 has always felt fairly sluggish in my half ton Crew Cab, but I have never driven a 5.3...

 

Is the 5.3 quite a bit peppier? I don't tow with this vehicle, but would like to get a bit more punch, and just more fun out of driving it.

 

 

Is it a straight swap to just put in the 5.3 (or 6.0) and just put on my 4.8 accessories and sensors, intake and exhaust, and use my original 4.8 computer?

It is a direct swap between any GENIII V8 (4.8/5.3/6.0/5.7(LS1)) for everything except for computer tuning. They all share the same PCM, but the tuning is very different between the different engines. Getting a tune from someone like Black Bear or Wheatley would be a good thing to do even if you're not swapping engines (that might wake your 4.8 enough to hold you over for a while).

 

With all the extra torque of the 6.0, you will be putting a lot of extra stress on your trans, GM never paired it with the 4L60e, only the 4L65e or 4L80e. If you're low mileage though, you could probably get away with a shift kit and a good aftermarket cooler for a while.

 

I've heard 6.0 gets 10 mpg, and the 4.8 and 5.3 get about 13 or 14 mpg on average. Is the 6.0 completely like night and day on power from the 5.3 ??

Compared to the 4.8, my cammed and stalled 6.0 is a completely different animal (picked up over 2.5 seconds in the quarter mile), but I'm obviously not running a stock 6.0. Even with the cam, stall (which necessitated larger injectors), my ext. cab 4x4 with mud tires still gets 14mpg in more city driving than highway, and I definitely don't drive conservatively. A stock 6.0 with a stock torque converter should be able to average 15-16mpg no problem. I averaged over 16mpg with my 192k mile 4.8.

 

Any help or suggestions from those that have actually done the swap and have driven the 4.8 vs the 5.3 and the 6.0 would be sincerely appreciated.

 

 

Also, does anyone put in LS1 or LS2 motors in our trucks, and if so, what's the pros and cons of doing it?

Like I said earlier, the LS1 is externally identical to the GENIII truck engines (other than block material), so it'll swap right in. The LS2 is a GENIV engine, so it isn't a direct swap, but can be done. There are better options though.

 

Many Thanks !!!

 

.

I've never driven a 5.3, so I can't answer those questions, but I have done the 4.8 to 6.0 swap. Answers are above in red.

 

I don't browse this site a whole lot anymore, so if you have any other questions shoot me a PM.

[EscaladePatrick]

I have a 6.0 in my AWD 04 Escalade, which has a 4L60E trans, making the previous replier incorrect about that, and I also get 17.5 mpg average. It all depends on how you drive. The 6.0 should only get about 1 mpg less than a 5.3 if driven the same. If possible I would put a new 6.2 in there.

[2000DV4.8]

I have a 6.0 in my AWD Escalade and I get 17.5 mpg average. It all depends on how you drive. The 6.0 should only get about 1 mpg less than a 5.3 if driven the same. If possible I would put a new 6.2 in there.

While it is very possible, it is a much more involved and expensive swap.

[jro909]

not worth it, unless you got a free 5.3 thats in good condition.....take your money and just mod the 4.8...the 4.8 is a more then capable engine with the proper mods

[Silverado Desperado]

Does the 5.3 actually have a good bit more real world seat of the pants felt power than a 4.8 that you can feel with a Butt Dyno ???

[TexasAl]

Don'r waste your time and money on this. You will have more headaches than anything. Just y .02

 

Al

[Mattallica]

FWIW,my old 02 1500 4wd cc was a 4.8 150k on the odometer.........I worked with a guy who had a basically identical truck,his was a brand new 06 with the 5.3,he bragged about his ability to trounce my truck.....he tried....he failed.

It was a dead heat from a 10mph roll(...and I had 3" lift and 33's).

mod the 4.8 a little...get a tune...save the hassle.

[Doug_Scott]

There is another thread here regarding 4.8 to 5.3 parts swaps. It seems the best combo is using the 5.3 con rods and crank, with the rest being 4.8. It gives you a higher compression 5.3. There is some requirements regarding year of parts though (head combustion chamber volume).

[Silverado Desperado]

Can torque management be turned off by pressing the tow haul mode button?

[lsuguy]

Can torque management be turned off by pressing the tow haul mode button?

 

You would need to get a custom tune to accomplish that

[ryan_hermanutz]

I wouldn't, I did a swap in my 98 S-10 from the 2.2 to the 4.3 and it was a great move but it wasn't exactly how it came from the factory. I didn't really have any problem with it but the motor and trans cost 2k and then I spent 5k to have a shop do the swap so it ended up costing way more than it was really worth. But V-8 to V-8 it would be easier.

[Raydar]

When I was shopping, I drove an '06 4.8 crew and thought it was a dog.

I finally bought a similar truck ('05 crew) with a 5.3, and I find the difference to be quite noticeable.

Even with a bad knock sensor, it still feels as - if not more - powerful than the 4.8 did.

 

FWIW, I'm getting ~16 MPG with a bad knock sensor. Fixing that tomorrow.

[Dozbubba]

If your towing alot i'd get a 5.3. The 4.8 will tow but it just doesn't do near as well.

[Doug_Scott]

You don't say if it is 2wd or 4wd. If 2wd, put a set of 4.10 gears in it. Then do a blackbear tune. It will be like a new truck. I have the 4.8 and did that to mine. Night and day difference for under a grand.