5.3l swap
Re: 5.3l swap
It is going in my 02 ssei 105k cat and resentor delete with c 02 emulator. Underdrive pulley. Hp tuners tune. Shift kit.
- crash93ssei
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Re: 5.3l swap
It has been discussed a few times, I see no reason it can't be done, but nobody has attempted it yet. You will need to figure out wiring / PCM issues and custom motor mounts and exhaust.
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
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- nos4blood70
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Re: 5.3l swap
Yup, if you can fabricate it wouldn't be a difficult swap, but put a turbo on the 3800 and you will be quicker and more reliable, and potentially for much less money.
- crash93ssei
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Re: 5.3l swap
I would rather have a stock 5.3 and sound good then a mild 3800 that is slightly faster and sound like poopnos4blood70 wrote:Yup, if you can fabricate it wouldn't be a difficult swap, but put a turbo on the 3800 and you will be quicker and more reliable, and potentially for much less money.
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one
MattStrike wrote:It was the worst week of my life! *pause, drinks beer... smiles* But I'm better now!
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94SilverSSEi
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Re: 5.3l swap
^^^crash93ssei wrote:I would rather have a stock 5.3 and sound good then a mild 3800 that is slightly faster and sound like poopnos4blood70 wrote:Yup, if you can fabricate it wouldn't be a difficult swap, but put a turbo on the 3800 and you will be quicker and more reliable, and potentially for much less money.
After having a V8 with a proper exhaust I agree 1000%!
Clay
1997.2 40th SLE-138k
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1997.2 40th SLE-138k
1968 Bonneville 400ci w/TH-400-40k
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Re: 5.3l swap
94SilverSSEi wrote:^^^crash93ssei wrote:I would rather have a stock 5.3 and sound good then a mild 3800 that is slightly faster and sound like poopnos4blood70 wrote:Yup, if you can fabricate it wouldn't be a difficult swap, but put a turbo on the 3800 and you will be quicker and more reliable, and potentially for much less money.
After having a V8 with a proper exhaust I agree 1000%!

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- nos4blood70
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Re: 5.3l swap
Too bad then that a 3800 with an open wastegate sounds quite swell and is more than mild without any cams, oil burning DoD systems, and still has its original fuel economy numbers when you don't beat on it. 
- BBamm
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Re: 5.3l swap
nos4blood70 wrote:Too bad then that a 3800 with an open wastegate sounds quite swell and is more than mild without any cams, oil burning DoD systems, and still has its original fuel economy numbers when you don't beat on it.

2004 Bonneville GXP Crimson Tintcoat- Casual fuel gauge | Brake Performance drilled/slotted rotors front and rear| Retrofit Morimoto mini H1 | clear corners | disabled DRL | 3000K HID fogs | 5% tint | K&N | Yakima rack with fairing, bike rails and kayak rack | Intermittent radio display
1995 Bonneville SSE Deep Amethyst Pearl- SSEI tails | 5% tint | 3 12jlw3v2 in custom enclosure -Gone
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- nos4blood70
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Re: 5.3l swap
Can't blame you! The sounds rock, and so does the refinement.
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Re: 5.3l swap
Getting it in the car is the 'easy' part. But what about PCM/security system integration?
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The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax
Current project:
Something cool, trust me.
Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre
Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap
RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67
- CMNTMXR57
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Re: 5.3l swap
I would think that if you got a complete donor car (The 2006 - 2009 Impala SS is the same setup BTW), you would have all PCM, harness, etc needed to run it. Getting it to work with Bonneville parts such as dash, etc, would be a secondary issue.

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ga93sle
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Re: 5.3l swap
After having an LS4 equipped W-Body with a proper exhaust...
I'd rather have the 3800...
I'd rather have the 3800...
- crash93ssei
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Re: 5.3l swap
Why?ga93sle wrote:After having an LS4 equipped W-Body with a proper exhaust...
I'd rather have the 3800...
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one
MattStrike wrote:It was the worst week of my life! *pause, drinks beer... smiles* But I'm better now!
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Re: 5.3l swap
Other than ease of service and maybe not grenading the 4T65E, I too have to ask... Why?
But if I were going through all this, I would address the trans issue by sending it out to Chuck at FLT over in Wooddale, so that would be bullet proof.
But if I were going through all this, I would address the trans issue by sending it out to Chuck at FLT over in Wooddale, so that would be bullet proof.
Last edited by CMNTMXR57 on Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*
Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ
Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2011 Camaro SS
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2004 GMC Sierra 2500HD: Victory Red - 8.1L Big Block and Allison
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Re: 5.3l swap
Just put a turbo on the LS4, fast and V8 sounds. Boom. Also get a transmission fund jar.

-Ryan
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Re: 5.3l swap
I was going to do the ss impala engine and tranny swap together. Its basically he same setup.
- Wes
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Re: 5.3l swap
The transmission point still stands if you plan on using it in stock form.YBSLOW1 wrote:I was going to do the ss impala engine and tranny swap together. Its basically he same setup.

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ga93sle
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Re: 5.3l swap
The trans and the oil consumption. You drive the car around just knowing that the trans is going to crap out one day, not if but when, and the oil consumption was just ridiculous. The clouds of blue smoke it would leave behind itself were not only unnerving but embarrassing. It made it where the car just wasn't even fun to drive anymore.
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rkhodges21
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Re: 5.3l swap
I thought about this too, but my car is no longer pretty, so I figured I should just leave it alone and save my money for a GXP or Impalla SS instead of going through the hassle of a swap. Too bad the 4T trans are so weak though.
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Wife's Car: 2004 Gold GMC Envoy 4.2L 4x4
Yard work/ Hunting/ Tow truck: 1995 Blue GMC Ext. Cab, Short Bed Sierra SL, 305 w/ 5spd "Papa's Truck"



