ok so iv looked all over for info on swapping a v8 in a 04 colorado but have had no luck. i have already bought a 5.3 from a 06 silverado and i know current performance has two parts i need for the swap but if any body could help out with any other parts i will need it will be very helpful for me and my bank. because im going to do the swap either way, i just dont want to buy parts that im not gunna need.

 

Current Peformance harness, ignition switch, motor mounts, the a/c lines need to be shortened, you'll need a pcm and sometimes tcm (it's screwy), a gas pedal to match (you cannot use the stock pedal), you might need e-fans, you'll need a new bell-housing for your trans. as well as a different input shaft, steering lines, battery cables, new pcm bracket most likely, a new mod fuel sending unit (because the 04 and 05's will read backwards), exhaust hacking, heater hoses for the motor, possibly a new vaccuum hose for the brake booster, knock sensors (LS2 specific), a few little wires/hoses here and there, you might need to make some adjustments on the fuel lines/system, and you'll of course need a tune. I'm sure I left some things out, but feel free to message me if you have any questions. It's not the easiest swap, and it's not cheap.

 

Rather than swapping the sending unit, couldn't you just transfer the fuel level tables in the tune?

 

Idealistcallly, you should be able to. That's what would usually make sense. There are a lot of gray areas in this swap. Some things that work for one, might not work for another. Don't ask me how. Not straight-forward at all.

 

Honestly got a Colorado...it may be cheaper in the long run to buy a factory V8 truck. A buddy of mine has a Colorado and we looked into swapping a V8 a couple years ago.

 

I'd actually advise staying with the current truck, and spending a good $4K-$5K, rather than stepping into payments with a slow ***, de-tuned factory 5.3. They've got potential, but they're just too for the $25K plus.

 

If you are going to do the swap, I would look at 355nation.net. They have an entire section devoted to the 5.3 swaps (also the current performance Colorado build thread too, as well as others).