Just bought an '03 S10 w/ LS1 swap

**esams** · 08-29-2005, 10:23 PM

Hey guys,

I just went off the deep end and bought a 2003 S10 pickup that is undergoing an LS1 style V8 conversion.

I was looking for the ultimate compromise between something that could be my daily driver, get decent gas mileage, be quick enough to surprise some stock F-bodies at the drag strip, and tow the heck out of my 20' boat.

The coolest thing about this truck is that it only has 3500 miles on it. The owner bought it with the full intention of doing this conversion right away.

Here are the vitals:

'03 S10 extended cab
5.3 bottom end
LS1 intake
LS1 heads
Z06 cam
1 3/4 long tubes into true duals
3.42 posi rear
Custom tuning with HP Tuners on the dyno

Stuff I chose to add:

Fully builit 4L60 trans.
Yank 3000 stall truck torque converter
18" chrome 5 spokes with 255/40/18 rolling stock

The truck will be done in 3 weeks.

So what do you think? I'll post pics. when she's done.

**onefastss223** · 08-29-2005, 10:37 PM

The truck sounds sick man...what a sleeper. Are you going to do any other mods to it? Congrats on the nice buy...

Chris

Sky042 · 08-30-2005, 12:05 AM

Sounds pretty sweet. Curious though that they'd use a LM7 instead of a true LS1.

**GatorSS** · 08-30-2005, 06:07 AM

Nice buy and swap, although it is not really an LS1. However, "daily driver...decent gas mileage" and "drag strip" don't go together. But it will "tow the heck" out of your 20' boat. BTW, what kind of boat is it?

**BIG D's SS** · 08-30-2005, 06:18 AM

Sounds like a nice ride. Too bad chevrolet never done this from the factory like Dodge did. That's why I had bought two Dakotas before I got smart and got my 00SS. Even though both had v-8's, 5spd, and 3.90 posi.

**esams** · 08-30-2005, 08:27 AM

Guess that needs to be re-phrased to "LS1 style" conversion. It's actually a 5.3 bottom out of a Denali. I know gas mileage and race car never go together, but I have always been amazed with the fuel mileage the LS1 cars get compared to all the other V6 and V8 vehicles on the road. I know the truck is a good 200-500 pounds heavier than the Corvette and f-body, but I'm hoping that after we tune it, it will get the same mileage as the stock 4.3 V6 did (19 avg). I've been called crazy for thinking that but we'll see.

The boat is a '96 Bayliner cuddy cabin w/ 350. Turning that into a sleeper too.

I'm planning on throwing slicks on the factory wheels and hitting it with a light shot of nitrous periodically at the track. (I know, look out rear end). But that's why I chose to have the trans built to the max.

Thanks for the replies !

**BIG D's SS** · 08-30-2005, 08:44 AM

I like the gas mileage mine gets. 21 mpg is not bad, but a little difference with 4.10's, but I'm not complaining.

**GatorSS** · 08-30-2005, 08:57 AM

Oh sorry to hear it's a Bayliner. Just make sure not to venture past the sight of land.

Re:gas mileage, I meant that gas mileage and drag racer do not go together. Road racers can get good mileage. My '00 SS M6 (3.42 stock rear), with custom tune gets 32 MPG highway (running 80MPH in 6th gear and on cruise control) and 21 city with average driving (less if I'm getting on it obviously, but still pretty good for all that HP).

mustanggt35th · 08-30-2005, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by esams

Guess that needs to be re-phrased to "LS1 style" conversion. It's actually a 5.3 bottom out of a Denali. I know gas mileage and race car never go together, but I have always been amazed with the fuel mileage the LS1 cars get compared to all the other V6 and V8 vehicles on the road. I know the truck is a good 200-500 pounds heavier than the Corvette and f-body, but I'm hoping that after we tune it, it will get the same mileage as the stock 4.3 V6 did (19 avg). I've been called crazy for thinking that but we'll see.

The boat is a '96 Bayliner cuddy cabin w/ 350. Turning that into a sleeper too.

I'm planning on throwing slicks on the factory wheels and hitting it with a light shot of nitrous periodically at the track. (I know, look out rear end). But that's why I chose to have the trans built to the max.

Thanks for the replies !

Denalis have a 6.0

**GatorSS** · 08-30-2005, 05:57 PM

Actually, there are more 5.3 Denalis than 6.0s.

Sky042 · 08-30-2005, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by esams

Guess that needs to be re-phrased to "LS1 style" conversion. It's actually a 5.3 bottom out of a Denali. I know gas mileage and race car never go together, but I have always been amazed with the fuel mileage the LS1 cars get compared to all the other V6 and V8 vehicles on the road. I know the truck is a good 200-500 pounds heavier than the Corvette and f-body, but I'm hoping that after we tune it, it will get the same mileage as the stock 4.3 V6 did (19 avg). I've been called crazy for thinking that but we'll see.

The boat is a '96 Bayliner cuddy cabin w/ 350. Turning that into a sleeper too.

I'm planning on throwing slicks on the factory wheels and hitting it with a light shot of nitrous periodically at the track. (I know, look out rear end). But that's why I chose to have the trans built to the max.

Thanks for the replies !

Technically you don't even need to call it a ls1 style.
It's a Gen III engine. If you changed the crank you'd have an LS1 basically. a 5.3 sounds like a nice match to the S-10 though with putting the ls1 heads on it actually would have lowered the compression a bit reducing power

if anything I would have kept the 5.3 heads and had them ported they'd have produced more power maybe have them decked a touch as well or just a get of patriot 5.3's or FFHP 5.3's already ported and sell the cores you'll have left.

**esams** · 08-31-2005, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by GatorSS

Oh sorry to hear it's a Bayliner. Just make sure not to venture past the sight of land.

I think half the country hates Bayliners lol. What cracks me up though is that my buddy has the exact same boat but had it repainted with tribal flames where the Bayliner emblems used to be, so you can't tell what it is and it looks sweet. He gets all kinds of thumbs up and compliments on it. When people ask him what it is, he makes up some name that sounds cool and people are like "right on!"

My boat on the other hand, gets no respect whatsoever.

I guess I should have it painted too huh ?

To me, it's just a piece of floating fiberglass with a Chevy 350.

**esams** · 08-31-2005, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Sky042

Technically you don't even need to call it a ls1 style.
It's a Gen III engine. If you changed the crank you'd have an LS1 basically. a 5.3 sounds like a nice match to the S-10 though with putting the ls1 heads on it actually would have lowered the compression a bit reducing power

if anything I would have kept the 5.3 heads and had them ported they'd have produced more power maybe have them decked a touch as well or just a get of patriot 5.3's or FFHP 5.3's already ported and sell the cores you'll have left.

The heads are getting shaved to hold 10:1.

Hey what RPM do you guys think that engine may hit its hp peak at?

**GatorSS** · 08-31-2005, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by esams

I think half the country hates Bayliners lol. What cracks me up though is that my buddy has the exact same boat but had it repainted with tribal flames where the Bayliner emblems used to be, so you can't tell what it is and it looks sweet. He gets all kinds of thumbs up and compliments on it. When people ask him what it is, he makes up some name that sounds cool and people are like "right on!"

My boat on the other hand, gets no respect whatsoever.

I guess I should have it painted too huh ?

To me, it's just a piece of floating fiberglass with a Chevy 350.

I wasn't talking about the looks, I was talking about quality. As far as structural integrity goes, Bayliners are about cheap and weak as you can get. They use very little of the cheapest/weakest fiberglass and the cheapest/weakest resin on the market. All of the components in their manufacturing are the cheapest/weakest. They make them look a little flashy so the average consumer (who knows little or nothing about boats) will buy them since the price is so low.

The only good thing you have is that Chevy engine. Not even the outdrive is very good, as they use the lowest level Mercruiser outdrive on the market. It's a good thing boat manufacturers don't manufacture their own engines, or you'd be really hurting.

It doesn't matter how you paint it, any boat connoisseur can spot a Bayliner. As far as "just a piece of floating fiberglass" goes, it's not much of a piece of floating fiberglass. Not all fiberglass is the same. Nevertheless, I wouldn't sink a lot of money into it.

mustanggt35th · 08-31-2005, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by GatorSS

Actually, there are more 5.3 Denalis than 6.0s.

ALL Denalis are 6.0s .
Denali options list

MrMiracle · 08-31-2005, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by esams

The heads are getting shaved to hold 10:1.

Hey what RPM do you guys think that engine may hit its hp peak at?

Well, you have the same stroke, but with a smaller bore. Car Crafts charts show the stock 5.3 and 5.7L engines hitting peak hp and tq at the same points (5200 and 4000, respectively). With the improved airflow and compression, your peak torque will be higher, but also further down the rpm range. The curve will also be a bit wider. I'd wager the hp will peak at 5500, and the torque at 4200. Cam timing falls into play quite a bit too, but that's too complex to deal with in one paragraph.

**GatorSS** · 09-01-2005, 06:59 AM

Originally Posted by mustanggt35th

ALL Denalis are 6.0s .
Denali options list

He wasn't talking about only 2005 Yukon Denalis, neither was I. All Denalis aren't 2005 Yukon Denalis, are they? There are also Envoy Denalis, which are only available with a 5.3.

**esams** · 09-01-2005, 12:12 PM

You really think it will peak at 5500 with the Z06 cam ? That would be great if it did, but I was thinking it might want to peak clear past 6. The less I have to rev it the happier I'll be.

I also am wondering what the optimum shift points might be for max. ET at the drag strip. I get to choose all of my parameters on the initial dyno tune, but after that I will have to pay extra because the tuner is using his HP tuners master program. I won't have my own version that is assigned to the VIN. That's why I want to try to get everything right while we're there.

And mustanggt35th, the 5.3 is in fact out of a few year old wrecked Denali. Can't remember the year but it's probably an '00 to '02.

MrMiracle · 09-01-2005, 09:05 PM

Okay, I've got a little more help for you. Turns out, last year Car Craft did a two issue buildup of the 5.3L engine (October/November). They don't have the articles on their website, but I can give the gist of it to ya.

Issue 1:

Long Tube Header swap (no brainer)
2 Different Cam swaps, both by Lingenfelter:
First: 206/221 Duration, .571/.578 Lift 118.5 Lobe Separation
Second: 229/242 Duration, .631/.631 114.5 Lobe Separation

All tests were done on an engine dyno. With the headers and first cam, they got 378hp @6000 rpm and 366 ft/lb @4800 rpm. Second cam, 413hp @6600 rpm and 369 ft/lb @4800 rpm. The gains were substantial, 100 horses with the second cam. Keep in mind, though, that both of those cams saw losses around 0 to 20 horses between idle and 4000 rpm.

Issue 2:

Fuel injectors upgraded to improve cam performance.
Ported LM7 (stock on this engine) cylinder heads.
Heads decked to provide 57cc combustion chambers. (10:1)
Comp Cams FAST LSX intake, stock throttle body.

Final Result: 458 HP @6600 rpm, and 392 ft/lb of torque at 5800, with gains across the board and no losses in the entire range.

You say you have the LS1 cylinder heads, so you already have superior flow numbers. You might want to pocket-polish them before you have them decked for even better flow.

The LSX intake sits lower than the stock truck intake. They had to move some of the accessories around to get the obstructions away from the throttle body. The LSX intake also comes with pre-drilled bosses for nitrous injectors, hint hint, wink wink.

Of course all of the above modifications are going to run in the hundreds of dollars, so budget accordingly.