I have my OE 5.3 with less than 40K mile just stitting in my shop collecting dust.Decided to build a budget 5.7 back up motor.Found a set low mile clean Ls1 heads and also found a set of low mile clean Ls1 pistons/rods/rings.I will pull the 5.3 apart and pressure wash it and then take it in to be bored,I believe that will be about $135.I have a 2K vette cam I can use.This way i will have a motor i can use if the 6.0 unravels,then i can take my time and build a stroker out of my current 6.0.There have been a few people here that have punched a 5.3 right?

 

I've seen a few iron block 5.7s done this way. I think work-in-progress and reckless have done the same thing. Sounds like a cheap way to get more out of the 5.3.

 

Just make sure that you have the crank rebalanced for the bigger pistons.

 

Aye, a few of us have....
I went with the 4" stroker bottom end, could not resist the temptation. Budget wise tho you should have no problem. The 5.3 shares the same crank and rods as the 5.7 and 6.0 for that matter.
I have a used set of LS1 pistons and pins from the aborted 5.7 build. If in no hurry ( I am traveling in Scotland with work right now ) I will send them to ya free, just pay the shipping. Need to clean out the garage.

 

CRAZYCUTER4.8 is in the process of doing a iron block LS1 as we speak so you might want to PM him!

 

KTM
I knew you had the 5.3 stroker,I cant imagine it to have been on a budget.Did you ever get it to run good on top?Thanks for the piston offer,that would have saved me $.i have been watching for sometime,In all the time i had never found a cherry set for cheap,let alone given them for free.
00z71
I have gone back an fourth on whether or not to spend another $160 to balance it.They would have to press off the used pistons and they may crack.It wouldnt be a matter of life and death to run the 5.3 crank because the current 6.0 I have many a reved miles has been swinging a 5.7 crank for years.If I came across a Ls1 crank for a steel then I would end up with a better balanced motor.

 

Ya, it started as budget but exploded from there. Probably spent close to $3000 in the end for everything.
I did retune it and got a lot of the power back. It did show me that my alleged tuning abilities were not up to snuff. Gonna go with Allen or TX Speed whenever my wayward brother gets his life back on track.
The pistons are not too bad, they had about 10K miles when the original owner went stroker/overbore. No nicks or scarring, the crowns have been cleaned of all carbon. Would be ideal for budget build.

 

That would have been a sweet deal for me,thanks for the offer.Now for $3K you could have a bad *** 408.Hell C3C5 ran 12s with his NA 408,you know he would have layed down some serious dyno #s.

 

Fedex showed up today with my used 241 castings,mint condition low miles and a pretty decent buy.

 

Yep Tex, a cheap way to do something good out of almost worthless 5.3 thats been collecting dust.My 6.0 doesnt owe me anything,if it went tomorrow i wouldnt bat an eye.Although it's showing no signs of weakining