My friend has talked me into swapping my 5.3 for a 6.0 instead of sinking a bunch of cash into the 5.3L. I am clueless as to what years of engines fit it what year vehicle and such. I have an 03 silverado 4x4. Do I have to use an 03 6.0? He says a 6.0 with the ECM will bolt right in. True? False? I also have spotted a couple 8.1L engines for the same money. Will those work also and which is better? Any tips and advice will be greatly appreciated..

 

8.1 will work, with alot of modifications.. 6.0 is what you want. Yes the pcm will swap.. But the 5.3 pcm will run the 6.0.. Get a 2001 up 6.0. 05 up being the best years. In 07 they went with a different reluctor wheel, you need electric adapters to make the swap.. So in your case find a 6.0 from 2001-2006.. Lq4 or Lq9 no real diff, besides a little compression.. All the 5.3 harness plugs right in. Plugs can only go in 1 place.. You have to use the 5.3 flex plate. No fancy tools needed, other then the fuel line wrenches.. If you are good with your hands, the complete swap can be done in 10 hours.. All the 5.3 accessories will bolt right up to the 6.0. If you decide to do a cam swap, headers ect, you might want to looking into new injectors, will def need a PCM tune.. BUT with your 5.3 you can make plenty of power.. So unless yours is on the way out( blowing up or blown up) I would keep the 5.3, slap a cam, some headers, the full bolt on thing.. Plenty of guys in the 12's with nothing crazy..

 

John pretty much summed it up; lq4 or l9 from an 01-06 with a tune and you will be all set. Doing a swap completely by myself I started on friday morning and drove to get lunch on saturday...

 

Thank you very much for the advice. I do plan on camming the 6.0. I just spotted a LQ9 out of a 2003 SS silverado in the classifieds on here. $1200 plus shipping. Whatcha think? Stick with 5.3? Kinda like the idea of having a cammed up 6.0! Im from the sticks where no one does that so it would be something different..

 

Look for a lq9 with low mileage I got a 80k lq9 for 1350 shipped

 

car-part.com and search in your area.

 

Thank you guys! Very much!

 

I also see alot of references to the vin# (8th digit) thing. Can someone explain this to me? Just going by what it says my 8th digit is a T. Am I way off on this interpretation? Starting from scratch here..

 

Why does the flexplate off the 5.3 have to go onto the 6.0? they arent the same? What other parts have to be swaped im a day away from the swap.

 

If the 6.0 came out of a HD truck, then it was mated to a 80E trany. If it was a SS or esky or denali, then the flex ptae that came with it can be used..