Aurora/other V8 engine swap?

sqrivi wrote:

I think the sound from a v8 would be cool. I have also read about 400hp being fairly easy to achieve with the n*. Plus it would be something different.

GM made 2 riv's with N*...... it would be different but not crazy new.......

Turtleman and I were discussing the possibility of an LS4 swap, which is the 5.3L V8 (303 hp, 323 lb/ft) found in the latest Impala and MC SS's, as well as the GP GXP. It's mated to the 4T65E-HD so it should bolt right in! Who's gonna do it? And furthermore how cool would that be??

Its been discussed before...

Its possible but so far no one has really tried. Its not like the 3800 can't produce a whole boatload of power anyway.

woops my bad

I still think it would be cool if someone tried. Honestly though, I rented an Impala SS once - it didn't feel that fast at all. I'm sure the 300 HP was there, but something was missing from that motor.

I had one of those in my 2001 tahoe. loads of torque, even though it was a truck and I know its not that great to compare with but, didn't have that much upper rpm power imo. but its still a truck so I don't know if that helps.

97rivsc wrote:

I had one of those in my 2001 tahoe. loads of torque, even though it was a truck and I know its not that great to compare with but, didn't have that much upper rpm power imo. but its still a truck so I don't know if that helps.

The LS4 has a little better breathing than the regular 5.3 due to the use of LS6 heads, but i agree it is more of a low end motor.

AA wrote:

I still think it would be cool if someone tried. Honestly though, I rented an Impala SS once - it didn't feel that fast at all. I'm sure the 300 HP was there, but something was missing from that motor.

Excessive torque management. I've heard they have a ton of it.

TonySmooth89 wrote:

AA wrote:

I still think it would be cool if someone tried. Honestly though, I rented an Impala SS once - it didn't feel that fast at all. I'm sure the 300 HP was there, but something was missing from that motor.

Excessive torque management. I've heard they have a ton of it.

Nothing a little tuning couldn't fix.

it sounds like its not impossible. I would like to know how easy it would be to "bolt in" this engine, and how much these engines are going for.

I bet if you keep your eyes open you can get one cheap from a yard.

that would be awesome.

Jack the R wrote:

I bet if you keep your eyes open you can get one cheap from a yard.

yupp the local pick and pull had one, go for 100 bucks.

If it went that cheap its because there's plenty of them out there. Keep your eyes peeled!

FWIW a buddy of mine recently saw a 440 w/transmission, 30,000 miles, go for $600. People are hurtin'!

TonySmooth89 wrote:

AA wrote:

I still think it would be cool if someone tried. Honestly though, I rented an Impala SS once - it didn't feel that fast at all. I'm sure the 300 HP was there, but something was missing from that motor.

Excessive torque management. I've heard they have a ton of it.

probably a very good reason for that if we can rip up those transmissions with our 280lb-ft motors...

Anyone know if there's any worthwhile differences between these newer 4T65's and ours? Still no LSD in em?

looks like only different ratios

* 2.93:1 MN7
Pontiac Bonneville SSEi L67
Chevrolet Impala L67
Chevrolet Monte Carlo L67
Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
Buick Regal GS
Buick Riviera L67 (97-99)

* 3.05:1 MN7
Buick Park Avenue Ultra

* 3.06:1 MN7
Chevrolet Impala SS
Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

* 3.29:1 MN7
Buick Regal GSX (SLP)
Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G
Pontiac Grand Prix GXP

I also heard the GXP drive chains were a bit beefier...but beyond that i don't know what improvements were made , if any.

How would the obdII work with the ls4 swap? Also does anyone know how much modification it would take to swap engine and trans?

sqrivi wrote:

How would the obdII work with the ls4 swap? Also does anyone know how much modification it would take to swap engine and trans?

Besides fabbing up your own mounts and brackets and making your own CV shafts, you'll probably also need to take the wiring harness and PCM from the donor car. It's one of those things where if you have to ask these questions, this kind of swap is probably not for you?

deekster_caddy wrote:

sqrivi wrote:

How would the obdII work with the ls4 swap? Also does anyone know how much modification it would take to swap engine and trans?

Besides fabbing up your own mounts and brackets and making your own CV shafts, you'll probably also need to take the wiring harness and PCM from the donor car. It's one of those things where if you have to ask these questions, this kind of swap is probably not for you?

If you use the stock trans, you're only shy one mount to deal with on the motor and still using the same cv shafts, unless I'm totally missing something? With the ls4 pcm and wiring, I could imagine there might be at least some touchup to do in the area of tuning and wiring to keep the stock trans, however.

I have seen several engines that come with the trans, PCM, and uncut harness. Just trying to get a feel for what might be involved in doing the swap.

turtleman wrote:

deekster_caddy wrote:

sqrivi wrote:

How would the obdII work with the ls4 swap? Also does anyone know how much modification it would take to swap engine and trans?

Besides fabbing up your own mounts and brackets and making your own CV shafts, you'll probably also need to take the wiring harness and PCM from the donor car. It's one of those things where if you have to ask these questions, this kind of swap is probably not for you?

If you use the stock trans, you're only shy one mount to deal with on the motor and still using the same cv shafts, unless I'm totally missing something? With the ls4 pcm and wiring, I could imagine there might be at least some touchup to do in the area of tuning and wiring to keep the stock trans, however.

If you put the stock trans behind an LS4, you'll be buying a new trans soon enough...

LS4 323lb-ft @ 4400rpm
L67 280lb-ft @ 3600rpm

I wouldn't necessarily say that. The LS4 really just makes more top end than the 3800 which means with factory tuning, the LS4 might bite the trans a little more when shifting at WOT but that can easily be compensated for, via stock or LS4 programming.

Don't forget it's basically the same transmission.

I'm trying to encourage this swap, Derek

DO IT UP...