5.3 ?

[CrewCabMan]

Hey guys I have a 2000 Z71 with a 5.3. It has 185000 miles and runs like a sewing machine but was thinking in the future when needed about a rebuild.

I know everyone says a 6.0 with cam and a tune can get 400 hp but can you get the same out of a 5.3 and be durable and reliable? If so what would have to be done to achieve that much horsepower?

[DjS71]

Cam, exhaust, maybe some head work and a tune. Outside of factory specs, you may or may not get another 185K out of it. Check out ls1truck.com & performancetrucks.net for a whole slew of other peoples trial and error.

[bigd65]

Mine has 245k and runs like a TOP....but it's only had MOBILE1 synthetic run in it.... I don't know if this 5.3 has an ending to it. I am second owner, my wife knows the person we bought it from
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[71K20chevy]

I keep hearing these LS motors are good for 300k (give or take)

My dad's got a 99 Silverado (5.3) with 250k, still original plugs and gets 19 mpg!


If you've got a 4L60E tranny, I can't see it living at much more than stock HP. My dad's truck I was talking about, has had the tranny rebuilt twice. First time was the sun shell (very common problem with 4L60's--beefed up replacements can be easily found), and the second time, the planetary was cracked.


That's the problem, the motors will handle anything you throw at them, but the transmissions in stock form are kind of weak!

[hugger6933]

I saw an avalanche at the sale the other day I started to buy for parts it had 379K and the motor had not been touched as far as the valve covers or motor mounts. I sold a 3/4 ton [6.0] to a neighbor and he had 590k on it when it just gave up right by his driveway one day. He bought a 5.3 from me [cause it was cheap] and replaced it and kept driving. I have also seen several railroad truck at the salvage sale I go to that were in the 400-500k mile range. That is one reason the ls truck motors were so cheap for a while[ I was buying them at [250-300 pretty loaded] is because nobody was selling many of them and they needed to move them to have some room for more inventory. Jim

[slowcpe]

185k is just getting broke in. I've got 233k on mine and runs like a champ. Pulls my boat nearly every weekend to boot.
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