Am i missing anything?

[LSis300]

Hey all, new to this group. I just bought my first Ls platform. Ill Tell you what I bought, what I plan to do, and I want to know if there is something I am overlooking.

Bought:
5.3 (LM7 12567392 Block) Short block
LS6 Heads (243 stamp)
Ls1 Intake (12560688)

The motor had a bad lifter and started to flatten the cam. previous over removed cam and lifters already. a buddy and I took the heads off to inspect everything. I plan to take the motor and heads to the machine shop to have everything cleaned and looked over for cracks. If it all passes I plan to put it together with...

LM7 lower end (stock and put back together by the machine shop)
LS6 Heads
Ls6 Cam (with measured pushrods)
LS1 intake (possibly an LS6 if I come across one low cost)

My main question is, will this all go together in harmony? I'm not trying to make a record HP motor, Just a decent one to put in my IS300. I will have PLENTY of questions to come, and I'm ready for all the advice and input from you guys (and gals).

[SMWS6TA]

yes, but a few suggestions.

Do a LS6 Intake. Better flow and volume over LS1.
Pick a better cam if you're already having to do a cam. I can look up some specs that doesn't require super tuning or a bunch of other stuff to work.
Melling 10295 oil pump & LS2 timing chain - again might as well put in better/new parts to replace the old ones have wear on.
Heads -if you got 243, good. 799 same head just made from different location.
Verify you have a 5.3 & not a 4.8. Check the pistons. I've been seeing a lot of "5.3's for sell that are 4.8's.

I may have some more suggestions but for now this will work.

What's it going in?

[LSis300]

I had just thought of the oil pump, I plan on replacing that. as for timing chain, do different ones give better performance, or is it about quality? I ran the stamp on the motor and it is a 5.3, thankfully.
So LS6 intake is the way to go. I assumed the cam would compliment the heads, is why I was thinking an LS6 cam. I don't know the first thing about cams or what to even start looking for, ill do some readying on the sticky above.

its going into an '02 Lexus IS300

[SMWS6TA]

LS6 and LS1 cams are just about the same in performance.

For a 5.3 the TS&P stg2 cam comes in 2 ways and will work with stock springs or a slightly bigger one: 212/218 with a 0.060"/0.060" spring on intake and exhaust will average 62hp & 29tq increase over stock cams. The same specs but with a 0.500" spring will yield 51hp & 23tq. The LSA - 114-115 will sound close to stock, for more chop/old school sound a lower LSA of no lower than 110 for auto will sound good. TS&P states that no tuning required for this setup but if you do get one it will benefit more from the fine tuning.

Their stg 3 cam - is a 216/220 with a 0.500" spring will yield 54hp/22tq but will require a few extra things like tune, LS6 Beehive Springs & a 2600-2800 stall.

The first set of numbers is the intake side/exhaust side where the valves will open and close profile. The LSA stands for Lobe Separation Angle - how much overlap the valves have when open.


There are a lot of shops/stores that have good info on Cams - I trust Brian Tooley, Martin Springwood, Geoff form Engine Power Systems (He's my tuner) Tick Performance, and Texas Speed & Performance. Pretty much all use CompCams to make their cams.


Just saw where you located at, Hell you have Martin Brothers near you and a few other good speed shops. I used to be station at Ft Hood a few times. Austin and San Antonio as well as Dallas were my play ground. Family lives in Denton/Dallas area.

[LSis300]

when searching for parts for this motor, what "vehicle" should I say its for? I'm looking at prices on cams, lifters, ls2 timing chains etc.

also, I plan on putting a manual trans behind the motor. probably the 6 speed that is usually behind these. would that change cam style? id like a little rumble so it sounds beefier.

[SMWS6TA]

You can go lower in the LSA like a 109 to 112 like mine.

I just happen to know of a T56 that could be for sell that comes with the Bell Housing, aftermarket shifter and slave. I'd have to check to see if it has the MC as well if interested.


What year or vehicle did it come from? You will need to check the Crank Sensor for color. Black = 24x and Grey = 58x. This is a very important factor in that you need the correct wire harness and ecm.


LS7 lifters are the go to lifters unless you are building serious power. They are the standard replacement for all GEN III/IV LS motors.


Cams (to a degree), Water/Oil Pumps and Timing Chains for GEN III & IV are interchangeable. 4.8, 5.3, LS1,2,6, LQ4 & LQ9's The oil pick up tube, pistons and rod lengths is where you start having to be more specific.

[LSis300]

Update,
Took the block to the machine shop Saturday to have them do some looking, new rings, and porting the heads. Ive also decided to go with an automatic transmission behind it, just cause I don't want to sit in traffic playing with a clutch, and that's just that much less stuff to swap.
SMWS6TA- I think it came out of a 2006 range Tahoe. I ran the block number and that's what popped up.

[Redphoenix1998]

Hey sounds like a familiar project. LS in an IS! My buddy has a 403 in his IS and we're working on getting a procharger on it. Space is tight. Space is real tight! Find headers. Trust me on this! But as far as your build goes, it sounds like you want a mild sleeper beater and I applaud you sir! While you have it all out, you should consider forged rods and pistons or at least pistons. The stock hypereutectic pistons are crap and while you're there, you should at least swap them out.

[LSis300]

If I did change out pistons, any recommendations?
Still waiting to hear back from the machine shop for the green light to start buying stuff. I was going through a box that I forgot came with the motor when I bought it, but turns out it has all the rockers, lifters (minus one), and push rods in it. you could imagine the smile I had when I started pulling all this out. I cleaned all the dust and old oil off the lifters with some parts cleaner and now have them soaking in fresh oil. They look to be in good shape, no scars or obvious wear. Would it be a bad idea to reuse them and just buy 1 new lifter? I'm not sure if a roller lifter actually shows any wear. I will measure the push rods needed when I get everything together, if the pushrods from the original motor happen to be the correct size, could I reuse them as well?

ALSO, after talking with TSP, I'm probably going with the 220R Cam. Any gripes about that cam?

[SMWS6TA]

Spend the $100 and get fresh LS7 lifters. Good piece of mind.

Piston - DSS Racing makes some good forged piston that doesn't cost and arm or leg or 1st & 2nd born. I paid $360ish for mine.

Cam - go with a 228 cam. The 220 is basically a step above LS6 cam

[Redphoenix1998]

Pistons I would highly recommend Diamond pistons but it depends what you are planning to build in the end because you need to get your compression ratio set. I run Diamond forged pistons for boost at -26cc and that puts me at a safe 8.6:1 CR combined with 73cc heads. Boosting a safe 16 lbs on a big blower and still running pump gas with methanol because my compression ratio works out. I can choose to run race gas and get a bigger blower down the road because I planned ahead and did the right pistons. If you're not planning to boost and want to run an NA beast I would look into a slightly domed piston to raise your CR or stick with flat tops. But it all depends what you are planning to do in the long run. Check out their product page you'll find a lot of info. I ran Mahle pistons in the past but kept blowing ring lands. I've had the same diamond pistons in my setup going on 10 years now. As far as lifters go, that's where my failure just happened and I ended up screwing up a cam. I have a new cam going in and I'm putting in a set of Morel link bar lifters. I'm using the version with the upgraded wheel designed for high RPM engines but you can find the street link bar setup for around $400 depending where you look. You can buy a single lifter but if 1 failed from not pumping up why risk flattening a new cam if another bad lifter is not far behind? If you don't want to go Morel, the LS7 lifters will be just fine. As far as the pushrods go, if they are the factory rods going back in replace them with chromoly pushrods. You will bend the factory pushrods with an aftermarket cam! If you're not decking the block or changing heads the factory length is fine.

[SMWS6TA]

I had recommended the DSS piston cause I don't think he's going for a max effort build. They would give him a better than stock/standard

[LSis300]

Okay, new lifters it is! I only intend on running this motor NA. If for some reason I decide to start boosting or nitrousing the little rocket, I already have it in mind that I will be beefing up the bottom end at that point in time. Heck, ill be on borrowed time with the current rear end once I put this setup under the hood. Its only rated for 350hp.

[LSis300]

what is the stock bore on a 5.3? Glancing at pistons on my downtime at work.

[SMWS6TA]

You should wait to see if the block needs hone before ordering pistons.

[LSis300]

I'm not ordering anything until I know the block and heads are good. Well, I did order the LS book you recommended on another thread. I need to start selling some parts I'm not going to use. Whats the going rate for an LS1 intake (no injectors) and a truck intake (with fuel rail and injectors? or should I save the injectors from the truck intake?

[SMWS6TA]

$100

[LSis300]

Got the phone call Saturday, the motor is in great shape, looks like very low miles on it, just low grade fuel. Going to hone the cylinders, new rings, new bearings, port the 243 heads and start the build! VERY excited.
228R cam is going to be purchased this week most likely. My motor guy suspects the 228 cam will need new springs in the heads, I'll ask tsp tomorrow.
Just a very nice update. 😍

[0rion]

good choice going to the 228R.....if you're doing the work you might as well make it worthwhile. You will need new springs.

[LSis300]

With the 228R, I will need a new spring kit. can someone explain why new springs are needed with this cam? is it because its larger lobes, too much work for stock springs?