wreckit87
Feature Winner
I'm here to get smashed and bang in public
Posts: 1,023
|
Post by wreckit87 on Apr 2, 2017 16:33:16 GMT -5
I was always plenty happy with a beat up old roller 5.0 for a derby engine. $200 for the engine and $200 for the carb conversion and ran that thing at redline for DAYS with no water. Sure, it used some oil and wasn't a huge powerhouse, but I ran the same engine for literally 8 years and it still purred like a kitten. A greasy, angry kitten.
With that said, I decided to build a twin turbo setup for a 5.3L swap in a box Vic (street sleeper) and after seeing what these LS mills can take, I now have 5 of them. None will be going in a derby car; but 2 are boosted to 12 and 16 psi, one is seeing 6500RPM in a baja race truck, and one is doing the same in a mud truck on 44's. They all get thoroughly abused and just keep taking it. 400HP small block for $800 is quite appealing to me, nevermind the 900HP boosted one with only a cam and valvesprings. All of them are bone stock besides, springs, and head studs.
I hate to admit it because I bleed Ford blue, but GM did a good thing with the LS platform
|
|
n8
Feature Winner
Posts: 1,147
|
Post by n8 on Apr 3, 2017 15:23:51 GMT -5
LOL......$1300 FOR CONVERSION KIT FOR IGNITION AND CARB SET UP, $700 FOR USED ENGINE, $150 FOR STEEL OIL PAN, AND ITS STILL AN ENGINE THAT IS USED WITH OILING ISSUES AND WONT RUN WORTH A CRAP WITHOUT WATER.. SURE, SIGN ME UP...LOL.. NOT BICKERING AT ALL. JUST SAYING THAT THERE IS NO "SWITCH TO LS POWER" GOING ON IN THE MAINSTREAM DERBY WORLD. NOT WHEN YOU CAN STILL BUY 4 CHEVY 350 ENGINES FOR THAT SAME MONEY AND TORTURE THEM WITH A CARE IN THE WORLD..... BIG SWITCH TO LS ENGINES?? SAYS WHO?? If you are spending 700 per engine, you are doing it wrong. I can go to a junkyard right now, and pull a 5.3 for 200 bucks, exact same price you would pay for 350 if you can find one. They may not be all over the junkyards down south yet, but they are all over northern Illinois.
|
|
lincoln
Feature Winner
Posts: 3,176
|
Post by lincoln on Apr 4, 2017 7:06:51 GMT -5
I'm in Illinois and have literally never seen an LS anything for $200 bucks.
Nor in Virginia when I spent 5 years in the USAF and those yards were cheap as hell on everything.
|
|
|
Post by dean88 on Apr 4, 2017 7:10:00 GMT -5
I'm in Illinois and have literally never seen an LS anything for $200 bucks. Nor in Virginia when I spent 5 years in the USAF and those yards were cheap as hell on everything. The pick-a-part closest to me (which is 2 hours away in Lubbock Tx), sells any and all engines for $250.
|
|
|
Post by STROMI 121 on Apr 4, 2017 7:38:33 GMT -5
They are $350 for an efi engine at our local pick n pull. If they have a decent one.
|
|
n8
Feature Winner
Posts: 1,147
|
Post by n8 on Apr 4, 2017 15:20:01 GMT -5
I'm in Illinois and have literally never seen an LS anything for $200 bucks. Nor in Virginia when I spent 5 years in the USAF and those yards were cheap as hell on everything. I was at a LKQ pull your own yard today. They had four 1500s with 5.3s and a few suburbans with a 4.8 or 5.3. Every fuel injected engine was 200 bucks. That's the normal price, not sale price.
|
|
|
Post by 4sasquach on Apr 5, 2017 20:04:52 GMT -5
When you really get down to it they are a cheap option for horsepower.. Having said that horsepower rarely comes into play with winning.. A smogged out 160 hp smallblock vs a 340 hp (pretty easy) Ls stock.. I dont want anything to do with them.. But for a grand or so you can have a nice engine.. There going the way of the old smallblock as far as I see.. There are so many around its not even funny.. When they first came out it was expensive to deal with.. Now parts and engines are everywhere cheap.. It will be the next best smallblock chevy engine.. The dime a dozen, Everyone has one, go to choice for cheap, quick power.. I sold a 4.8 to a guy for $400 with matching trans.. Ran like a top.. Couldnt wait to get rid of that thing.. I'll stick with old stuff..
|
|
|
Post by barn78 on Apr 8, 2017 10:51:38 GMT -5
Hey guys I don't want to be an a$$, but the engines you are talking about are not LS engines. They are generation 3 or generation 4 small blocks.
There is a big difference between the 4.8/5.3 engines you are talking about and the LS engines. The LSA, LS3, LS7, LS9 etc have a different bottom end, different valve angles etc.
I am in central Alabama and can find gen3/gen4 engine for 250-350 depending on salvage yard. Then add your conversion kit.
I know joker hasn't been on here much, but this man knows his stuff. If you are considering the gen3/gen4, read the thread.
|
|
|
Post by crusher71 on Apr 9, 2017 19:34:40 GMT -5
233 BUCKS FOR ENGINE YOU CANT HEAR RUN PLUS 80 BUCKS FOR A CORE...AT LKQ..... FORGOT TO ADD THAT IN RIGHT??? THERE IS NO CHEAP HORSEPOWER IF IT WONT LAST WITHOUT WATER......... NO WAY TO GUARANTEE THAT ITS GOOD AT LKQ AS THEY NORMALLY DRAIN THE OIL AND COOLANT BEFORE IT HITS THE YARD.... BUT GO AHEAD AND BUY THEM ALL.....SMH.
|
|
|
Post by nick18sf on Apr 9, 2017 21:10:03 GMT -5
So how long will these motors or any stock motor run with out water? I must have lucked out that I don't have to worry about heating a motor up. Derby's here are 10 minutes usually. I guess out west they don't have tap fest's
Nick
|
|
|
Post by STROMI 121 on Apr 9, 2017 21:50:51 GMT -5
Hell if the derby was only ten minutes Id run junkyard 318 mopars with looped hoses. And I don't even like mopars. LOL
|
|
|
Post by nick18sf on Apr 9, 2017 21:54:16 GMT -5
I figured I needed 400+ horsepower baldwin where I run and I love it!!! Nick
|
|
|
Post by STROMI 121 on Apr 9, 2017 22:08:44 GMT -5
Does it have piston squirters? LOL
|
|
|
Post by nick18sf on Apr 9, 2017 22:13:53 GMT -5
Haha yeah it does and that baby f'n screams!!!!!!
Nick
|
|
Wheelman402
Heat Winner
Anythings possible with a drill, torch and welder.
Posts: 372
|
Post by Wheelman402 on Apr 10, 2017 1:53:08 GMT -5
Put 4500$ into a 6.0 and put 4500$ into a 400 and let me know what ya come up with. Small blocks can't hold a candle to the ls in any way shap or form. You can build a 6.0 to run the numbers of a built big block on pump gas if you do it right. And yes that's what I'm doing...
|
|