Cody89RS

So it has been decided and I am buying a 5.3 Lm7 to swap into my 89. Pulling the 355 with a th350 for a 5.3 lm7 attached to a th400 with a trans brake.

The plan is for it to get a 76mm turbo since thats the largest the class I am targeting will allow. I have ideas on all of those parts as to what I am looking for. But I am questioning a few other parts. I am trying to keep it as "affordable" as i can. I am going to run stock bottom end for next summer and then tear it out again and rebuild.

My few questions are:
I do not want to run a stock truck intake, any suggestions? Any better than others that aren't extremely spendy?

Any heads better than others to swap out with or are the stock heads with aftermarket springs, rockers, and push rods good to go?

And for those that have turbo'd them, do they tolerate boost well? If so how many pounds give or take?

And finally what is a good cam to run for a turbo set-up?

Thanks for all the help guys!
Real excited to finally get the build under way at the end of the week!

NemeSS-TyranT

iTrader: (1)

intakes:
fbody ls1. cheap. common. prone to leak under boost cuz egr hole.
c5 ls1. looks like an ls6. cheap. harder to find. no leak like an fbody
ls2. need 4 bolt 90mm tb and way to run throttle cable. if using dbc tb. cheap. but rail is different from ls1/ls6 intakes
ls6. getting harder to find. prices are going up. the best flowing gm cathedral port car intake.

get btr springs and pushrods. new seals.
rockers are debateable. if they are high miles. wise to get new gm rockers or trunion kit for existing rockers. your call. a lot of folks run em as is. even w hi miles. including me. your call.
better heads are 317/243/799. better than the stock 4.8/5.3 heads.
some ppl use 241. which are better than truck 1.89 intake valve heads.
the 317 will drop the scr the most. 243/799 are more desireable.

how much boost it will take/make depends on prep/tune and fuel system capability. and heat management. too many variables.
there are many proven cams for turbo 4.8/5.3 motors. its your call.

heres an example of my "budget" build.
2009 4.8 short block. stock bearings. stock rods. stock pistons. stock ring gaps. stock rod bolts. stock cam.
2006 317 heads milled .005. stock valve job. just cartridge rolled to remove flash and high and rough spots in chamber and ports. btr dual springs.
gm ls9 head gaskets copper sprayed
summit dbl roller timing set
self ported and shimmed stock truck oil pump
ebay head studs
using an old set of jesel 1.7 ss rockers. im gonna spin 7000-7500rpm full trim. so had these laying around.
7.4 .080 wall hardened push rods
using turbonetics tc78 1.15 a/r turbo good for 800hp.
non intercooled. scr is pretty low. using pump gas and pre compressor alky injection. for street. and e85 and alky injection. for track.
I think it will make about 650-700rwhp thru 12 bolt and built th400. full trim. at what psi? idk yet. mayb in 13-18psi.
its a budget thrown together with parts I alredy have. im in about 800$ for longblock. turbo and parts cost me more than the entire longblock.
it will make for a decent lil runner. im using this motor to learn to run with and get used to the suspension going on the car. before the big boy TT motor goes in. car is getting mini tub serious race suspension. but will still be a street car.

mmadden55

I like your budget build.

Cody89RS

Somethings I do have figured out. Its between 2 wahlbro 255s or a a1000 for a pump with the Siemens 80lb injectors. Im gonna intercool it to a 76mm. I am gonna open the ring gap a little bit.

I know I wanna do new heads, cam, springs, and intake for sure. I have heard some say you need to do rockers, some say otherwise. Its hard tomtell what does and doesnt need to be done. I wanna keep stock rods, pistons, and crank.

cam-

You'll want LS9 head gaskets or at the very least 5 layer newer style 5.3L stock MLS gaskets or even copper. ARP head bolts or studs. Run the stock rockers with a trunion upgrade imo.

As for swapping heads, why do you want to do this if your on a budget? Theres 8 second cars out there on stock castings, just saying. But if you want some good stuff a lot of fast guys run TFS heads.

Cam wise? Err on the small side rather than big. Something around 218 with a 110 or 112 lobe sep. LS6 cam ver2 works well for a goof proof solution.

A1000 vote here

Cody89RS

I wanna do it on a budget to start. Get the turbo set up in the car and then really play with it. I know the cars put down a decent number stock turbo set-up so I want to get that done first. Then tear it apart and go for numbers. The car isnt going to be cheaply done. It already has a fab 9 moser rear end with 31 spline axles and a tube torque link set-up. The car has came a long way just think it's time to step up more.

I like the a1000 just is so damn loud haha

Flip 2

iTrader: (1)

Have a C5 LS1 manifold….$140- shipped, if you go that way.
Good luck. Sounds like fun.

Cody89RS

Ifyou have that in a few weeks I'll be getting ahold of you

Flip 2

iTrader: (1)

OK

NemeSS-TyranT

iTrader: (1)

The a1000 is pretty loud. If its gonna b a dd the hum will get old quick.
The holley dominator pump is quieter. And flows about same as a1000.
I cant stand that hum. I got a pair of bosch 040 in tank. Together they should b good for 13-1400bhp. So prolly safe at 950-1000rwhp.
Idk if u can fit em in a 3rd gen tank. But its no thing in a 4th gen tank

Cody89RS

I may look into that! I know a few guys that run the a1000 on te street and its so loud itd drive me nuts