Ok, I got the final quote today. The $2,000 was for the motor and trans alone. It is $4,500 for the whole job. That is the motor, trans, cam, head work, labor, ect... He said that he would do it for $2,500 down, then finace the other $2,000. this sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Concidering all of the work that is going to be done. Now I guess that I need to come up with $2,500 dolars. Unless you guess thank that he is screwing me over.

 

So what EXACTLY is he including in this $4500.

Figure out if he's including a cam, headwork,etc and if so what EXACTLY is he doing.

$4500 can be a good deal if he's including some WCCH heads, a tr220 cam, 918 springs, pushrods, a built 4l80e and a perfectly working 5.3L or it can be a really shitty deal if it turns into just a stock 5.3L with a 4l60e behind it.

 

The heads are gonna be stock, but completely re-built with all high lift components. He said the cam is gonna be something like .512/.518 lift. Not sure on the other specs on it yet. The entire valvetrain is gonna be replaced. I think the trany is gonna be left alone. This will include new mounts for everything, a new drive shaft, and a reprogramed PCM.

Will this motor bolt up to the trany I got now. And if it will, will it hold up to the power of the new motor?

Or should I just say screw this guy and buy a 5.3 that I found for $500 and go that rout??

 

I would go bigger on the cam if I were you. A stock 4L80E is more than enough for a cammed 5.3. Here is a link that shows you what all is necessary for a conversion based on what kind of truck you have...http://speed-eng.com/store/index.php...3_78_1995_1996

It would be cheaper to piece this all together but it would also be more difficult to do yourself and take longer...

 

Well I did a little reasurch today. Trans mition in my truck is the same one the is in the 4.8. It is a New Venture Gear 3500 (MG5), the HD models used the New Venture Gear 4500(MW3) . This is used for the 04-05 half ton light duty trucks with a 4.3L V6 and the 4.8L V8. So in theory, I could just use this trany, and say ef the 4L80E. At least for now. It may not hold up as well as a 80E, but it only has to last me untill Dec. or Jan. then I deploy to Iraq. The only hitch might be the belhousing. But I think that they are the same also. So I might be abel to save a little $$$ and keep my manual trany. That is why I bought the truck in the first place. Do you guys thank that this will work or will I have it shelled to fast to keep it. It will only have to last a few mounths then it will pretty much sit for 12-15 mounths, then I will have the $ to get a 80E or a better manual.

 

I've never heard of that shop before but if I were you I'd go to Thunder Valley sometime and ask some of the racers if they know who this guy is.

 

Sounds to me like you would be better off passing on that deal and just do it yourself. I think your manual trans will hold up fine to a mildly beefed up 5.3L at least long enough to save up some more money if you decide on something else. Hell the transmission will hold up to any amount of power you want to run through it as long as you don't abuse it.

 

That kinda what i thought. Anyway when you start tearing that kinda of stuff up is when you start getting traction.Traction+too much power+week equiptment=broken ****. So IMO if I don't put like 14in wide drag slicks on it, and do a 5,000 RPM clutch drop I should be fine. Well if I don't dump the clutch at 5,000 RPM at all. That souldn't be to hard. Just don't do anything that will put hela strain on the trany. But whats the point of power if you don't use it??

 

Ya it's fun to use the power, but you can at least be easy on it till you find a better option.. I think I would be most worried about the clutch anyway and that should be easy enough to upgrade while the engine is out. Although I have to admit I don't know a whole lot about that particular transmission. If it is the same as used in the 4.8L's then I can't say I've heard of anyone blowing one up either even on a supercharged 4.8L

 

It is the same ezact one that is used on the 4.8L. I will just get a flywheel and clutch from a 4.8L. No big deal.