Use 2009 5.3 in 2005 to replace blown 5.3?

[PatDTN]

I can get a 2005 Silverado 1500 cheap with a blown engine. I have the 5.3 I took out of my 2009 Tahoe that's a known engine I'd like to swap in.

Given that I can swap some of the parts from the 2005 onto the newer engine what will I run into? Planning to use the 2005 ECM and eliminate the AFM while I go. I've seen a couple of cam threads I'll look at for that.

 

[iamdub]

I can get a 2005 Silverado 1500 cheap with a blown engine. I have the 5.3 I took out of my 2009 Tahoe that's a known engine I'd like to swap in.

Given that I can swap some of the parts from the 2005 onto the newer engine what will I run into? Planning to use the 2005 ECM and eliminate the AFM while I go. I've seen a couple of cam threads I'll look at for that.

Extend wires for the cam position sensor and I THINK reverse the polarity (just re-pin two of the wires)

Extend wires and splice for the relocated knock sensors

Use the 1x cam gear from the Gen3 in place of the 4x on the Gen4. If you get a stock or aftermarket Gen3 cam, it'll have the 3-bolt gear pattern

Aaaand the big un: Either swap the Gen3 crankshaft into the Gen4 (measure, inspect and maybe polish the journals and get new bearings) or swap the 58x reluctor wheel on the crankshaft for the older 24x one (you'll still have to disassemble the rotating assembly and put the crank in a press) or use the Lingenfelter TRG-002 (these generally "work", but have been known to cause annoyances).


...I think that's all.

 

[swathdiver]

L33 cam, same grind as the old LC9 but without AFM and is Gen III 3-bolt pattern.

 

[iamdub]

^^^Yup. An L33 would require the least amount of tuning since you would just need a stock L33 (Gen3) tune.

 

[PatDTN]

Aaaand the big un: Either swap the Gen3 crankshaft into the Gen4 (measure, inspect and maybe polish the journals and get new bearings) or swap the 58x reluctor wheel on the crankshaft for the older 24x one (you'll still have to disassemble the rotating assembly and put the crank in a press) or use the Lingenfelter TRG-002 (these generally "work", but have been known to cause annoyances).

Ah, I thought I'd seen something about the reluctor before. Might cause me to look for another engine. There should be lots of junkyard versions out there. I know there's also a change to drive by wire.

Thanks all!

 

[iamdub]

Ah, I thought I'd seen something about the reluctor before. Might cause me to look for another engine. There should be lots of junkyard versions out there. I know there's also a change to drive by wire.

Thanks all!

Yeah, that's usually the kicker. If you disassemble the rotating assembly, you've pretty much crossed the threshold to a full rebuild. With the crank outta the way, you're close enough to the cam bearings that it'd be kinda dumb to not replace them. With the block bare, you might as well have the cylinders checked and maybe at least honed. Then you're at new rings, rod bushings, etc.

For the DBW or whatever, you can just slap the original intake manifold on the newer block so you'd have no injector or fuel rail differences. Keeps all that plug-and-play.

IMO, you either do a full-on rebuild or find a good Gen3 (5.3 or 6.0) and drop it in.

 

[PatDTN]

Yeah. My thoughts pretty much. I'll get the truck and pull the engine to see just what's up with it before I go further. I'm confident that I can work this out on budget.

 

[Mudsport96]

The big question is what is a blown engine?

I picked up a "junk" 350 that had zero compression on a cylinder. Turned out ti be the intake rocker nut on that cylinder backed off and without the valve opening there is nothing to compress. Put a new rocker and nut on from my junk drawer and put it in a truck... still running 6 years later.

 

[PatDTN]

There's a chance that the truck I was looking at could be easily fixed but I lost trust in the seller. He dodged my question about whether it could drive replying only that it has a bad "nock" (sic) . I told him I was going to come to look at the truck yesterday and asked what time worked for him. He told me he would be there all day and I could come anytime. I drove 90 minutes to see the truck and he wasn't there.

The truck was unlocked so I started looking it over. Except for a creased right front corner the truck was in fabulous shape with virtually no rust. I popped the hood and found the engine was partially disassembled. That might preclude driving it. He had told me 4x4 worked well and the trans was fine but now I couldn't check those things.

I contacted a neighbor who I found didn't have a high opinion of the guy. I was still going to buy the truck just to use my '09 5.3 but since it would be prohibitively expensive I searched for a junkyard engine and finally searched and found numerous trucks I could buy that don't need repair. I called him and let him know I wouldn't be buying his truck.

 

[Mudsport96]

Yeah sellers that say one thing and do another make me wary