What is the current best way to acquire LS swap in 2025

I'm talking cheap iron blocks or whatever. Clapped out Tahoes on FBMP? Auction wrecked vans? Buy someone else's abandoned project car? 

Think Challenge build. How would you do an LS swap on the cheap in 2025?

The industrial LS engines seem stupid cheap.

Start with the gearbox you are willing to live with and build project around it. Don't discount the TH400 or 350 if you can live with an autobox,

Gen 3 stuff is getting silly cheap around my area cause everyone needs a 6.2 LT. Running engines with 4L60E and  all the giblets needed to run can be found for as little as  $600 especially if you will settle for the 4.8.  A 6L jumps way up to like $1000 for engine alone.

There are free ways to remove VATS and do some tuning if you are computer savy, else stuck with HP Tuners or services of a tuner. No idea how you include that stuff in challenge budget.

NOHOME said:

Start with the gearbox you are willing to live with and build project around it. Don't discount the TH400 or 350 if you can live with an autobox,

Gen 3 stuff is getting silly cheap around my area cause everyone needs a 6.2 LT. Running engines with 4L60E and  all the giblets needed to run can be found for as little as  $600 especially if you will settle for the 4.8.  A 6L jumps way up to like $1000 for engine alone.

There are free ways to remove VATS and do some tuning if you are computer savy, else stuck with HP Tuners or services of a tuner. No idea how you include that stuff in challenge budget.

Hp tuners is considered a tool and not in the budget.  Paying someone to use that tool (create a tune) IS in the budget and must be accounted for.

In reply to maschinenbau :

Buy a running driving donor.  All the little hidden things will really add up if you don't.

Bonus if you can find a 2WD truck, because you can use the transmission too.  Perfect donor would be a 2001 2wd Suburban or truck with a 5.3 (no DOD or other silliness to defeat)

Vans seem to really hold their value (at least up here) because construction guys and carpet installers really keep them going and the prices are elevated as a result.

I've also noticed vans and trucks hold value due to being work vehicles. But lots of clapped out Tahoes and Yukons near me that have slipping trans. Ideally I would buy something I can test drive and drive it home, since I don't have a truck and trailer. It's about to be air conditioning depreciation season here in the south so maybe some deals will come up as it heats up.

maschinenbau said:

 It's about to be air conditioning depreciation season here in the south so maybe some deals will come up as it heats up.

Definitely dont buy now or for the next 4-6 weeks.  Tax return season has all the shysters jacking prices up.  My BIL does it every year 

Challenge priced, it's better to get a complete donor than run down all the individual parts.

If you can find a 2003-2005 (I think) long wheelbase Trailblazer with the 5.3 LS, it will have an aluminum block. Aside from that, it's a regular truck spec 5.3  .... It may have been used in other SUVs at the same time, like the Buick Ranier, etc. Engine is designated LM4.

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

Yep.  GMC Envoy too

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

If you can find a 2003-2005 (I think) long wheelbase Trailblazer with the 5.3 LS, it will have an aluminum block. Aside from that, it's a regular truck spec 5.3  .... It may have been used in other SUVs at the same time, like the Buick Ranier, etc.

That is what I am putting in the Molvo and after rebuilding it the only weird thing I can find is that the head-bolts are all the same size and there are no specs on line about how to torque the shorter bolts. Mine came out of a 2006 Trailblazer if I can trust the computer. You will need a different oil-pan since they all come with the 4WD hole in the oilpan.

The block is a full 100 lbs lighter than the steel version. Big bonus is that the L33  also comes with the desirable 799 heads, full floating wrist pins, and an HO cam for what it is worth.

I believe that all the L33s were drive-by-wire throttle body, so you have to retrofit an earlier 411 ECM to go drive by cable. OR find one of the van ECMs that also had a driver for the IAC valve on the cable operated throttle body.

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

If you can find a 2003-2005 (I think) long wheelbase Trailblazer with the 5.3 LS, it will have an aluminum block. Aside from that, it's a regular truck spec 5.3  .... It may have been used in other SUVs at the same time, like the Buick Ranier, etc. Engine is designated LM4.

The 2003 is less valuable because it has GenIII rods.

wvumtnbkr said:

NOHOME said:

Start with the gearbox you are willing to live with and build project around it. Don't discount the TH400 or 350 if you can live with an autobox,

Gen 3 stuff is getting silly cheap around my area cause everyone needs a 6.2 LT. Running engines with 4L60E and  all the giblets needed to run can be found for as little as  $600 especially if you will settle for the 4.8.  A 6L jumps way up to like $1000 for engine alone.

There are free ways to remove VATS and do some tuning if you are computer savy, else stuck with HP Tuners or services of a tuner. No idea how you include that stuff in challenge budget.

Hp tuners is considered a tool and not in the budget.  Paying someone to use that tool (create a tune) IS in the budget and must be accounted for.

You have to buy credits for every PCM to be able to write a tune.  I'd think that is a $100 budget hit because the HPTuners dongle is a tool, the credits are a vehicle specific expense.

You can also buy universal credits to unlock all, say, 1999 Firebird PCMs, which may be budget exempt because now that's just buying a "tool", but it costs a LOT more real world money.

Depending on the VATS you may be able to hardwire a resistor to simulate the chip key and retrain the PCM to that resistance.  Or use the key and ignition switch from the donor vehicle.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

There is free software that you can download to unlock the VATS and change the tune parameters.  Do a YouTube search for"Free LS tuning".  You should run into "LS Droid" I have watched my friend flash half a dozen swaps so far so know that it works.  The engine in the Molvo was unlocked with this software and it will be used to convince the 4L60 that it wants to work with the smaller tires and rear gear.

Pete

In reply to maschinenbau :

I just had an idea.... Salvage auction Suburban.... In Atlanta..... I'll have it delivered to your house 😜.

I'll shoot you a text.

I havnt shopped for engines in about 2 years but I have scored some good deals for gen 3 6.0 off of facebook market place.  Have gotten a few in the 4-500 range and the last one I bought was $150.

Oh the "not expensive " way?

I don't know, we got ours from Gmail performance parts it was a pile of money.

we still need a starter and accessories and belts and ac lines and cooling and absolutely everything else. 
 

so maybe try not doing it that way

Normally following my purchases is a good idea but I'm in my MINI era currently.  

Should have taken the Vette duder!

I just bought an aluminum 5.3 with a 4l60 for $900. It came with a whole vehicle around it too.

In the past 5 years I have owned 8 $400 or less 5.3 or 4.8 LS engines with harnesses complete. They seem to have creeped to about $600 on Marketplace but there are still a lot of them. 

Remember that higher mileage GEN3, 3.5 and 4 engines are really just working out proper turbo ring gap. Never look at the cam bearings. Add boost plus nitrous and swap every 25 passes. 

In reply to maschinenbau :

The reality is that it is not cheap.  You really get what you pay for, hence a grease-packed pile with 300k miles and some vermin-chewed wiring in most cases when someone proclaims the score of the decade.

Come up with a good scam to trick the judges on a cleverly formatted, AI-enhanced Excel spreadsheet.