Well I bought a 2000 Silverado 2wd with a 5.3. Regular cab, short box.

I would like to modify this starting at the engine and trans. What is out there for the 5.3? does anything thats out there for the LS1 work with the 5.3? Like intakes, cams, heads, etc? I'm new to the chevy world and I know nothing when it comes to what will work with what. Would I be better off getting LS1 from a Camaro and planting it in the truck? What about wiring harness, will it work, and the computer?

And the Trans? Will this stock trans handle any type of extra HP? Do you just have it built or do you goto the 3/4 ton truck trans?

More I look into it, it looks like I'm going to go with Air-Ride setup for the truck. I think for drag racing and just all around hot rodding around on the street will be the best.

Any thoughts you guys have or do's and dont's from you pros would be great.

Thanks guys

 

If you wanted to swap motors you can get whatever motor you want. 4.8, 5.7 or 6.0. They will bolt up harness will hook up and so will the tranny. BUT it wont hold the power. Most just get a built 4L60E. But some go for a 4L80 because it can hold more power in stock form. BUT, that tranny takes alot of power to turn, its big and heavy and its first/second gears are looow. Its a good tranny for a blower or turbo. On the intakes, the truck intake really is the best choice. It has longer torque making runners. Parts from the LS1 will work on different LSx based motors except for a few things on the LS2. Cams, springs, timing gears, heads etc will interchange. Headers are a different story though. F-body headers of course wont fit on trucks. Pacesetter, Hooker, Stainless Works, Thorley and Arizona Speed & marine make long tube headers for the 99+ trucks. Pacesetters have grown to be a very popular and viable header for the price on this board. There are alot of parts out you can put on your 5.3. All the vendors on the right can sell you stuff to ease you suffering in the HP department! Get your wallet out!

Just my 2 cents.

 

Thanks for the info, its what I wanted to hear. I was hoping it would be that easy.

I would like to start out with Nitrous since its the cheapest and the easiest for me. Been running it for years on my stangs. But what I dont know is the 5.3 and the LS1 from the Camaro. Do they have Forged pistons? And what is the compression ratio on theses engines? I'd like to go to a 150hp shot if either of these engines can handle it.

If I can stay with the 5.3 whats a good head for it? Stock replacement from another engine, is there a certain aftermarket one out there everyone likes?

Is there a place I can find all this basic info, or do i just have to ask when the basic question comes up.

 

first thing you need is a book called:
How to build a high performance LS1 / LS6 V-8

this book will answer most of the questions you have and give you a idea of what to do and what parts to look for.

 

http://www.automotiverebuilder.com/ar/eb040538.htm

This may help too.
The first thing you need to do is a cam/vlv spring swap and a custom tune. A set of long tube pacesetters and a cat back exhaust would be good as well. Heads on these LSx based motor flow awsome, better than most aftermarket SBF heads. You can see gains with an aftermarket set but not what you are probably used to. You can stay really mild on a cam and get huge gains due to the great head flow. Compression is 9.5:1.