[sbindley]

Price and time and wanting to keep the 6-speed. Blower is less than 6K professionally installed, tuned and out the door with 300+ flywheel hp.

I can't speak for the cost of a professionally installed, tuned and out the door 5.3 V8 with the 6-speed (and all controls retained, a/c, accessories, cruise, no CEL's, etc., etc. Not sure what you get (and don't get) with the "budget" 5.3, but know those motors provided around 300 hp stock in the GM trucks they propelled. I'd guess a professionally installed 5.3 swap with everything working 100 percent like stock, and a manual trans mated to handle the torque and some upgrades and tuning to make more than the 280-315 they make stock is going to run closer to 15K or more...

BTW, I'm no stranger to LS swaps, having put a 630 hp LS3 into a Solstice Coupe (p 2 of this thread with dyno).

As I said, I will do a 5.7 Hemi at V8HJ later this year, but need my Jeep back in a matter or days, not weeks, so the Maggie is the best option for this vehicle at the moment.

I was looking at mid teens for V8HJ's 5.7 with 400+ hp and everything working just like stock, which seems about the same for the LS 5.3, which I heard is a fantastic swap.

Like I said, so many great options. No wrong answers.

 

[Chipewa]

I put a Sprintex SC on earlier this year. Got the Sprintex at the $3k sale price and installed it myself. Other costs were $3800 for a new tranny after toasting the one I had without a tranny cooler within the first 200 SCed miles - my fault. Probably spent close to another $1k on tranny cooler, hood louvers to shed heat and Diablo Intune. Not to mention countless hours tuning to get the best performance. So, I spent close to $8k for more power that is fun to drive, worse MPG and no where near the power of a V8. If I had to do it over again I'd go the LS upgrade route. When the 3.8 dies it will be replaced with an LS. Both Maggie and Sprintex run a 5lb boost so I'd expect performance to be similar.

 

[sbindley]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with the Sprintex blower. Sounds like a V8 would have been a better option for you with all those extra parts needed, tranny problems, overheating, etc. I don't anticipate any of that with the Magnacharger. like I said, the V8 is not possible in my timeframe, but will do the Hemi later this summer on another Jeep.

 

[sbindley]

I have the Maggie on now and am loving it in every way.

 

[halo216]

Couldn't sleep tonight and stumbled on this thread! I know in the future I want to do a swap, just hoping I dont wait to long and new jeeps are out getting more focus. Friends and I all had trucks we would off road. My one buddy had a 03 gm with the 6.0 and that was an amazing engine. I am hoping to go with that or a 6.2 I would rather go bigger then a 5.3 if I can. I would definitely deal with motech, its easy to trust someone with so much knowledge.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jk007]

from what I've read and understand, it's not a simple lift kit job but can be done at home with some knowledge, am I right?

Then you need the motech kit, but when it come to the motor, what's need on it? I think the accessories are not needed as the one from the jeep are use but what's more? I know about header from a trailblazer (not sure) if I remember then new custom exhaust piping (what about catalyst converter), all the sensor too but anything else to know as some junkyard like to sell all parts separately then you only got a block.

For the tranny, if not from the same vehicule, anything from 2010-on.

then, 5200$ for the kit, some $$$ for shipping the pcm/auto console/motor harness then let say, 2-3000$ for the 5.3 motor/tranny combo and maybe 500-1000$ for new exhaust. Is it right?

So for 10K, a guy can do it at home if it's ready to have is jeep down for 2-3 weeks.

Correct anything wrong please.

 

[Jeep2.0]

from what I've read and understand, it's not a simple lift kit job but can be done at home with some knowledge, am I right?

Then you need the motech kit, but when it come to the motor, what's need on it? I think the accessories are not needed as the one from the jeep are use but what's more? I know about header from a trailblazer (not sure) if I remember then new custom exhaust piping (what about catalyst converter), all the sensor too but anything else to know as some junkyard like to sell all parts separately then you only got a block.

For the tranny, if not from the same vehicule, anything from 2010-on.

then, 5200$ for the kit, some $$$ for shipping the pcm/auto console/motor harness then let say, 2-3000$ for the 5.3 motor/tranny combo and maybe 500-1000$ for new exhaust. Is it right?

So for 10K, a guy can do it at home if it's ready to have is jeep down for 2-3 weeks.

Correct anything wrong please.

You're in the right ballpark. Motech's list of parts needed is here. BUT, it depends on how much you can get included on your donor. If you have a great donor with all the parts, it is possible to do this swap for $8k or $9k.

You can do this in your garage. Lots of us on this forum have. With it being your first time though, I wouldn't bet on 2-3 weeks. Plan on a month, maybe 6 weeks, depending on what parts end up holding you up & what issues you have. Robbie generally plans on 2 weeks or thereabouts, and he's done a bunch.

The accessories come off the JK. Motech's kit includes the brackets. Rumor is there's a new kit coming out soon that support the GM accessories if you have enough lift to clear the AC pump on the suspension. (Motech will have to speak details to that)

Best to get tranny & motor together, or at least from same year, to prevent having to reprogram the TCM. Motech has an upper exhaust kit that bolts to the Trailblazer manifolds & your stock JK exhaust - or will sell you a full custom exhaust - or a local exhaust shop can take care of you. But you must have all 4 O2 sensors for it to run.

As for the motor: you want complete, oil pan to intake manifold, flexplate to water pump. No accessories, no wiring harness, no ECM. But DO get the throttle body & coil packs - one of the motors I had a line on they tried to pull those & call it a complete motor. You DO need the starter, and the one from the yard was $50 - the rebuilt one from the parts store was $175, so get the starter with it even if you have to pay extra. Best to get the transmission still attached if you can - saves you odd sized metric fasteners.

You can use the stock JK radiator & exhaust with the 5.3. the 6.2's require the HD radiator & performance exhaust. I did both on my 5.3, just for insurance against any possible problem. If you want the 6.2, the crate motor is just as cheap - often cheaper - than what the junkyards want for the motors.

But yes, you're close. Feel free to ping us for any other questions - we're happy to help.

 

[RZNCAIN]

Recommendation(s)

Guys, let me chime in here. I completed my Motech-kit LS 5.3 swap about a month ago (the night before leaving for Moab). My build thread can be found elsewhere here under "Central Texas LS Swap Party", so I won't detail those items here. What I will offer is two key points:

Point 1: Motech - I spent nearly 3 days in Vegas at Motech's shop after Moab. I guarantee you will not find *anyone* out there that has Motech's two key features: a) Depth of technical knowledge, and b) Support, honesty, and helpfulness.

Did you look into supercharger (intercooled) kits before going with the LS Swap? Thoughts? Is there a shop in Austin that you would recommend for either an LS, Hemi swap or installation of a supercharger kit?

Thanks Rick

 

[kballjku]

im planning on buying a totaled vehicle and using the engine trans and tc out of it. would it be possible to use a 5.3 engine with a 4l60e trans and probably a silverado tc and keep all the accesoriess from the ls motor on the engine instead of using brackets and reusing the 3.8 accessories? im trying to do the swap as cheap as possible without cutting corners...i really need a list of all the things i would need to do this swap besides the engine, transmission, transfercase and wiring harness...any help would be appreciated thank you

 

[Bacon]

im planning on buying a totaled vehicle and using the engine trans and tc out of it. would it be possible to use a 5.3 engine with a 4l60e trans and probably a silverado tc and keep all the accesoriess from the ls motor on the engine instead of using brackets and reusing the 3.8 accessories? im trying to do the swap as cheap as possible without cutting corners...i really need a list of all the things i would need to do this swap besides the engine, transmission, transfercase and wiring harness...any help would be appreciated thank you

Wow!! Bringing back a thread from 44 months ago. Well played. This might be the old "back from the dead" thread I've ever seen. As for answering your question...read, read, read. There are dozens of ls swap threads on this forum and others around the internets. Good luck!

 

[coilrod]

No expert here, I do run a 5.3 6l80 Motech combo so i read a ton of threads.
Get a newer totaled truck with a 6.0 or 6.2 and the 6 speed. The 6 speed auto is one of the most benificial aspects of the swap. 4 speeds meh.
My opinion only.

 

[petethekiller]

I did mine using a 07 Truck motor and the JSS kit for about 9k. Im a thrifty shopper

 

[jvandy50]

I did mine using a 07 Truck motor and the JSS kit for about 9k. Im a thrifty shopper

Very nice! Can you give us a little breakdown of how you pulled that off by chance?


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[bigredjeep1]

I remember reading some people getting away under 10K but that is really hard for me to believe. I guess it all depends on the donor engine/trans costs.

Abendx - are you going to keep your "JK" smog legal? If not, your cheapest route is to gut the thing, and just do a stand alone LS. New gauges etc... ala River Raider's project Phoenix. That way no chrysler head aches and you dont have to buy a swap kit.

I keep hearing how expensive a Hemi swap is from AEV as I looked at their Brute conversion and you can also have them put in a Hemi for like the price some people pay for a JK new...I only paid $25K for my 2015 JKU sport new from the dealer with Chrysler loyalty program...my 1st/only new vehicle ever at 39!

I have 2 YJs I either bought or traded for with Chevy LS 6.0L V8s and if I was going to put a LS 6.0L I'd probably sacrifice the YJ to put in a JKU...but they are hard to find cheap even wrecked 07s for example! I will probably in the near future buy a basket case JKU with a clear title hopefully and transfer my 1 ton YJ drivetrain over to is...6.0L fuel inj/TH350/203/205/soa d60/4 link 14 bolt on 40" IROKS. Move it all over to the JKU, with all that wheelbase it shouldn't be 2 hard! I have that all in my 104" wheelbase YJ these is plenty of room with the 116" stock WB of the JKU :wink2:

Why is the Hemi V8 such an expensive swap?! I guess people with $ to burn have brief cases full of $ to give to AEV or even Mopar will do the conversion and you can factor that and Ultimate Dana 60s into the price of your "New" Jeep Wrangler loan!

 

[da20captain]

I had $8700 in my Hemi swap using a JSS kit and that was before selling leftover parts. That includes nuts belts and fluids. Sold the old trans and 3.8 for 1500 and the Xfer case that came with the Hemi for a little over $400. I looked into the LS swap but I don't see how it could be cheaper than a Hemi swap.

 

[ExWrench]

I keep hearing how expensive a Hemi swap is from AEV as I looked at their Brute conversion and you can also have them put in a Hemi for like the price some people pay for a JK new...I only paid $25K for my 2015 JKU sport new from the dealer with Chrysler loyalty program...my 1st/only new vehicle ever at 39!

I have 2 YJs I either bought or traded for with Chevy LS 6.0L V8s and if I was going to put a LS 6.0L I'd probably sacrifice the YJ to put in a JKU...but they are hard to find cheap even wrecked 07s for example! I will probably in the near future buy a basket case JKU with a clear title hopefully and transfer my 1 ton YJ drivetrain over to is...6.0L fuel inj/TH350/203/205/soa d60/4 link 14 bolt on 40" IROKS. Move it all over to the JKU, with all that wheelbase it shouldn't be 2 hard! I have that all in my 104" wheelbase YJ these is plenty of room with the 116" stock WB of the JKU :wink2:

Why is the Hemi V8 such an expensive swap?! I guess people with $ to burn have brief cases full of $ to give to AEV or even Mopar will do the conversion and you can factor that and Ultimate Dana 60s into the price of your "New" Jeep Wrangler loan!

Dude, what the ****? :nono:

Joined 12-09-14, made a post on 9-18-15, and then you pasted that same blob of text into 3 necro threads today :flipoff:

Sleeper-cell product shill account being activated? :cwm13:

Even if you're just excited, or remembered the password to the magic internet light-show box, that shit is not cool.

PICK. ONE. *******. THREAD.

 

[20yroldjeeper]

So, im 20 years old & just now getting into the jeep community. Like the rest, i hate the low power 3.8l v6 in my 2wd automatic 2010 jeep jku sport. My jeep is i guess u can say bone stock. No power windows, no cruise control, nor remote start, none of the cherry things that comes in the newer jeeps. I've come here not for price ranges, but to find out what parts do i need to do an l83 5.3 swap. I dont have to go through inspection where i live so not worried about the smog. Also, where can i find each item to buy separately over time?

 

[DJ1]

So, im 20 years old & just now getting into the jeep community. Like the rest, i hate the low power 3.8l v6 in my 2wd automatic 2010 jeep jku sport. My jeep is i guess u can say bone stock. No power windows, no cruise control, nor remote start, none of the cherry things that comes in the newer jeeps. I've come here not for price ranges, but to find out what parts do i need to do an l83 5.3 swap. I dont have to go through inspection where i live so not worried about the smog. Also, where can i find each item to buy separately over time?

I would start searching and reading through these threads...

https://www.jkowners.com/forum/gtsearch.php?q=ls swap