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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Jul 2003
      Location
      Anaheim Hills, CA
      Posts
      11,967
      Country Flag: United States

      De-Stroked aluminum 5.3

      As a possibility to power my Track Rat project...


      I was Turn Key Engines building the 427 LS engine for the Project American Heros Camaro and saw they have PALLETS of 5.3 ALUMINUM blocks. Litterally dozens of them.

      So we started chatting and decided it would be cool if we could come up with a budget minded high-reving 302ish displacement engine.

      Would be super lightweight and to keep the cost down would use all GM stuff except maybe the pistons (since we would bore the block).
      4.8 crank and rods then top it off with an LS6 intake. If we choose the cam right I'm thinking 500hp isn't out of the question.

      I've been considering a 5.3 but hated the idea of the heavy iron block.

      Thoughts?

      "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."

      1968 Track Rat Camaro:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHJ5c1yLIo&t=2s

      1971 Chevelle Wagon with a few mods:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVPR3sRgyU


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      CT
      Posts
      799
      Are most 5.3 blocks steel or aluminum??

      Which cars came with which??

      Thanks

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Dunwoody, GA
      Posts
      4,984
      Country Flag: United States
      Not bad. There way a company that built a 302 oh 8 years ago now. M something was their name and they put it in a 4th gen trans am racer.

      I'd just build the snot out of the AL 5.3 since people don't think they can spin or make power. Modern 327 if you will. There is not reason a 5.3 won't spin to 7k or higher if you want to push it.
      Trey

      "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
      ~ Jon Hammond

      1979 WS6 Trans Am stock LT1/T56 drive train out of my Formula. BMW M-parallel rims. C5/C6 brakes

      build thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=begins

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Sep 2004
      Location
      Fresno, Ca
      Posts
      379
      Interesting idea.
      I'm not super knowledgable on the LSx stuff, but isn't the 4.8 crank stroke and rod length different than all the rest?
      If so, wouldn't the piston be pretty TallxWide?

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Dunwoody, GA
      Posts
      4,984
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by skeeters65
      Are most 5.3 blocks steel or aluminum??

      Which cars came with which??

      Thanks
      Most are cast iron but they started making aluminum ones in quantity with the Impala SS, Monte Carlo SS, Buick Rainier, and now trucks have aluminum 5.3s. I think those started in 05 or 06 though.
      Trey

      "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
      ~ Jon Hammond

      1979 WS6 Trans Am stock LT1/T56 drive train out of my Formula. BMW M-parallel rims. C5/C6 brakes

      build thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=begins

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Dunwoody, GA
      Posts
      4,984
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by PonchoJohn
      Interesting idea.
      I'm not super knowledgable on the LSx stuff, but isn't the 4.8 crank stroke and rod length different than all the rest?
      If so, wouldn't the piston be pretty TallxWide?
      Correct 5.3, 5.7, and 6.0 all have the same rod and crank dimensions. 4.8 has smaller crank.

      You could get out of hand and make the engine very over square (bigger piston than stroke length) but those engines love rev's. If the block and components can handle it, it's not a bad way to go.
      Trey

      "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
      ~ Jon Hammond

      1979 WS6 Trans Am stock LT1/T56 drive train out of my Formula. BMW M-parallel rims. C5/C6 brakes

      build thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=begins

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Jul 2003
      Location
      Anaheim Hills, CA
      Posts
      11,967
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by WS6
      Not bad. There way a company that built a 302 oh 8 years ago now. M something was their name and they put it in a 4th gen trans am racer.

      I'd just build the snot out of the AL 5.3 since people don't think they can spin or make power. Modern 327 if you will. There is not reason a 5.3 won't spin to 7k or higher if you want to push it.
      Well a company in the midwest did it for GM called Westech. It was in a pewter 4th gen Camaro.

      I know I could just do the 5.3 but I was trying to think of something different.

      I will use the 5.3 aluminum block... the question is how.. hmmm
      "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."

      1968 Track Rat Camaro:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHJ5c1yLIo&t=2s

      1971 Chevelle Wagon with a few mods:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVPR3sRgyU

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Jul 2003
      Location
      Anaheim Hills, CA
      Posts
      11,967
      Country Flag: United States
      A 4.8 crank, rods and pistons would make something like a 297cui if you went 60 over it would be around a 305-307

      That's just off the top of my head, I would have to crunch numbers.

      Excited now that I found some 5.3 alum blocks. I think budget wise it could be a real doable deal.
      "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."

      1968 Track Rat Camaro:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHJ5c1yLIo&t=2s

      1971 Chevelle Wagon with a few mods:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVPR3sRgyU

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Dunwoody, GA
      Posts
      4,984
      Country Flag: United States
      check it out Steve. I found this while googling info on the 302 Trans Am I mentioned.

      https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=20495
      Trey

      "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
      ~ Jon Hammond

      1979 WS6 Trans Am stock LT1/T56 drive train out of my Formula. BMW M-parallel rims. C5/C6 brakes

      build thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=begins

    10. #10
      Join Date
      May 2002
      Location
      Southeastern WI
      Posts
      1,487
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Steve1968LS2
      Well a company in the midwest did it for GM called Westech. It was in a pewter 4th gen Camaro.

      I know I could just do the 5.3 but I was trying to think of something different.

      I will use the 5.3 aluminum block... the question is how.. hmmm
      The "other" Westech, just down the road from me in Silver Lake, WI. I think they built it for Power Tour a number of years ago.

      I like the 302 idea.
      Jeff

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Lake Ontario, NY
      Posts
      1,499
      Andrew B and I suggested to you several months ago the 4.00" x 3.00" setup like the Daytona Prototype cars use.

      Another forum member here knew I was interested in a high winding destroked LS motor. He was talking to Mast Motorsports about it and wrote me this.

      'I just got off the phone with the guys over at Mast. There ECM offers a ton of stuff I've been looking for in the tuning setup, while maintaining almost all of the GM driver friendly gas mileage bits as well... The VVT is fully variable for the 62 degrees of camshaft movement. They've been focused on big power and flat torque arks with normal RPM's, but he told me they've never gotten a motor to use the full 62 degrees of adjustment in the camshaft. 10,000 RPM in a streetable LS motor ...'
      Skip

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Oct 2005
      Location
      Ferndale, WA
      Posts
      766
      Country Flag: United States
      Dooooo It. Theres nothing like a super high winding small block. There hasn't been much done by way of the LSX crowd and for you ( and your resources) It would def. be something different. Oh and maybe slap a turbo on on there for extra coolness.
      72 Chevelle Done!

      67' Hell Camino- Under the knife

      Some day: Porsche GT3/ C6R inspired 69

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Jul 2003
      Location
      Anaheim Hills, CA
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      11,967
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      Yea, but I was having a hard time finding an alum 5.3 that wasn't stupid price. Now I have a plethora of virgin blocks, so the idea is once again alive.
      "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."

      1968 Track Rat Camaro:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHJ5c1yLIo&t=2s

      1971 Chevelle Wagon with a few mods:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVPR3sRgyU

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Lake Ontario, NY
      Posts
      1,499
      Another guy who works with engine builders doing these smaller LS motors wrote me this.

      "There are probably used (billet) cranks available for a reasonable price. They tend to use fresh rotating parts for the 24 hour race, even though I don't ever
      recall hearing of a crank failure."
      Skip

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Jul 2005
      Location
      Cumberland, Maryland
      Posts
      552
      Country Flag: United States
      my friend plans on doing similar for a CP autocross car where hes limited to 310 cubes(i think) before taking a weight penalty.

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      http://www.westechauto.com/

      The 5.3L bores are just too small. Stephen, if you're going to do this, do it right. LS2 4" bore block, billet 3" stroker crank. This is a track car. The engine needs to live!

      Andrew

      P.S. Answer your PMs...LOL
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Jul 2005
      Location
      Mountain View, CA
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      9,583
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      I like the idea.

      Andrew, why is the bore such a factor?
      True T.

      Whats new with Project 1/2-Trak?


      Follow my wisecracks on Sports, Food, Politics and other BS on Twitter.

      My blog

      When they kick out your front door, How you gonna come?
      With your hands on your head, Or on the trigger of your gun?

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Nov 2004
      Location
      Colorado
      Posts
      1,260
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      Quote Originally Posted by Damn True
      I like the idea.

      Andrew, why is the bore such a factor?


      On the top end a bigger bore allows bigger valves and less turbulence from the air hitting the cylinder wall.
      The over square concept that ws6 mentioned is when the bore/stroke ratio is >1 4/3 is the b/s for the orginal 302.
      A shorter stroke is supposed to rev better as it allows a longer rod and less friction from piston movement.

      With the deck height of the LS1 block easily allowing a 6.2 rod and modern connecting rods and cranks it is easy to build a shortblock were the rev limit on the reciprocating assembly is way higher than what the valvetrain can handle reliably. In other words you are leaving power on the table not putting in the longest stroke crank you can fit. Building a 302 would be cool from a nostalgia standpoint but fairly useless in terms of efficient use of build dollars.

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Washington, MO
      Posts
      2,363
      Steve I like the idea.. Doing more with less is always interesting.

      Phil at BRP HotRods seems to know a great deal out the LS series - maybe he will chime in.

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Dunwoody, GA
      Posts
      4,984
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      MMS, Morgan Motorsports was the company that built the 4th gen Trans Am racer that had a 302 in it that I was referring to. It just so happens that it was a white with single blue stripe Trans Am just like the 70-72 TA. I don't even know if MMS is around anymore.
      Trey

      "The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
      ~ Jon Hammond

      1979 WS6 Trans Am stock LT1/T56 drive train out of my Formula. BMW M-parallel rims. C5/C6 brakes

      build thread https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=begins

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