Hello everyone - I'm looking for a remanufactured 5.3 LM7, with all the different suppliers (Jasper - Powertrain products - Blue Print - S&J Engines - Powertrain Max - Engines direct - ATK and on) With a ton of mixed reviews and questionable suppliers, trying to sort through the clutter. Does anyone have any recent experience or opinions on who to consider and who to avoid?
he means a 99-07ish Chevy truck 5300 LS engine. They're still around used. Why spend so much money? I picked up an LQ4 last year for $750 a few miles from me on fb marketplace. Took it apart, replaced just a few parts, put it back together, and with a little boost it's running tens.
It's a GM 5.3 LS engine from early 2000 GM trucks - just so many builders stating the quality engine builds but mixed information and customer reviews. Hate to buy a boat anchor or extra problems.
I replaced the cam, valve springs, timing chain, pushrods/rockers, gaskets/seals, and head bolts. Reused the pistons/rods, rings, bearings, lifters, etc. It had 150k miles on it, which is about half way through their normal lifespan.
I've honestly found the sweet spot on mileage for an LS based engine is around 125k lower than that I've seen bizarre failures (I have an 01 5.3 piston ashtray from a 102k Silverado that broke a rod and split a piston) and higher than that you just have fewer miles left on it
Do you work @ a Gm shop / dealer ? I am around quite a few Ls seeing 200k To 3 k Oil pump weak link on earlier Ls Oil New I think 0-20w or 5-20 as miles go to 100k over changing oil weight to higher w # ,, to many I think rely on on board Oil change recommendations. 500 -550 hp Ls pretty reliable
My 2000 Silverado 5.3 shit itself a few months back (oil pump/cam bearings I'm told) at 125K, I ordered the truck in mid 1999, so regardless of others' high mileage claims I guess twenty five years isn't bad, had an ATK engine installed, freshened injector set, new sensors etc, they suggested a new radiator to cover everybody, never quibbled, runs like new, never got my hands dirty! Funny thing about this truck is, (I read some years ago they can only be bought in Saudi Arabia). Because it's a standard cab short bed people hit me up fairly regularly wanting to buy it, I tell them what I just spent on it and they walk away talking to themselves, they don't realize how much it would cost to replace it with a new one, which I don't really like anyway.
My grandson worked at a Chevy dealership, he tells everyone not to buy a used LS unless it has at least 125K miles on it. He says if they make it to that mileage, they are usually good for 250K-300k miles. Under that, they are a gamble. He also says that if you know it has been overheated, you don't want it.
If buying used, I'd look for one thats been in a wreck that didn't hurt the motor. That way they can start it up for you and you can see the mileage. Buy the whole truck if possible and then sell the carcass after you get what you want. Only thing is that most of the ones you find will have 200,000 by now. Yes, many go farther but its a crapshoot that something won't go wrong..........like the timing chain or the rear seal. Then you have tow bill and a lot of other expense. A lot depends on how you are going to use it. Short commutes or occasional driving close to home. On the other hand if you want to put it in a truck and plan to drive it a lot..........go with a professional rebuild from one of the major companies and check the warranty as well as the price. If you plan for this to be your next long time/high mileage sweetheart, spend the money to get a known good engine with a warranty. In the long run its a better choice to bite the bullet one time than to get one that may last a year +/- and then need to be replaced or rebuilt.
Did he tell you why ? I'm not aware of anything different from any other engine that overheats. I just bought one (a 6.0 cast iron block LY6) that had been driven with a blown head gasket for quite a while. Guy told me it had been in a flood and didn't run right when he started it, so he replaced it. Probably true that it had been in a flood, because it had brown silt all over it ....but the reason it didn't run right was the coolant gushing out from under the head. He had bought a work truck and apparently ran a small junkyard from behind his house. He could not have missed it if he ran the engine. I basically bought it because I wanted the rectangle port alum heads and the odds and ends. When I got it home and removed the heads it was obvious that the engine had been driven a long time that way as one head had a large area that had eroded. Probably leaking so fast they couldn't drive it any more. Anyway I think I ended up with a good block instead of good heads for $300. One good head tho, so I'll most likely still come out OK. The point here is directed at the OP.........people selling used engines often lie. This was cheap enough I took a chance and I think I'll be ok since I planned to ohaul it from the beginning and used 6.0s usually bring $1,000 or more.
I bought a 5.7 LS with trans, column, rear end, wiring and box for $350 and me pulling it from the crashed TA. deals are out there I found this one cause I wasn’t looking.
My previous SWB (parts getter 2) had a 5.3L. 310 HP, ran fantastic, towed a lot of cars with it on open trailers. The only reason I sold it was to get a bigger trailer and a bigger truck to tow it with. Great little engine, takes a turbo with ease.
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