Full Answer
Can You boost a stock LS engine to a higher RPM?
The rotating assembly should ideally be rated for higher horsepower and RPM levels than you plan on running. -Daren Smithers, SAM Tech. Yes, you can make big power by throwing boost at a stock LS engine, however, if you want the horsepower party to last for a long time you’ll need to make some changes to the engine.
What's the Best LS intake for my project?
We've established that the stock truck intake on the 5.3 LS is a good one and should do the job until nearly the 500 horsepower mark, but that doesn't mean it's going to fit your project. Taller than what one would find on a passenger car LS setup, you could run into hood clearance issues that will require swapping in something different.
How much horsepower can a stock motor put out?
With a 5.3 and 6.0, you can see up to 1,000 horsepower on a stock motor if you push them. There are some who have made more, but the gaskets and internal parts are going to struggle past that level to survive.” The rotating assembly should ideally be rated for higher horsepower and RPM levels than you plan on running.
What is the best stock bottom end for boost?
Combined with the smaller bore, the 5.3 apparently lends itself to being the best LS-ish stock bottom end for boost. I really like the fact that this setup would take only about $1500 (unless I'm forgetting something major).

How much HP can a stock 5.3 block handle?
If we were to run the 5.3L in stock trim, the resulting power output would be around 360 hp (on this dyno, the way we test).
How much HP can a LT 5.3 handle?
The 5.3 liter LS engine is factory rated at about 320 horsepower with 340 pounds of torque. The regular limit for shoving a stock bottom end of the truck up to meet 500-550 reps would be reasonable and safe if you don't want to break anything, suggesting that pushing it any more than this may result in some damage.
How much power can a 5.3 LS take?
ANSWERGen III 5.3L "Vortec" Stock Rated-Output (SAE J1349)Model YearPower (HP)Torque (LB-FT)1999270 hp315 lb-ft20002003285 hp325 lb-ft20042007295 hp335 lb-ftOct 1, 2019
Can you turbo a 5.3 LS?
For a turbocharged 5.3 LS engine there are a variety of brands that will work great whether you want a little more power at low rpms, or you want a high horsepower 5.3 LS and rev it past 6,000 rpm on a regular basis.
What LS engine is best for boost?
If you're planning on boosting your project the 4.8L truck engine will be perfect for you. The 4.8L can take insane amounts of boost completely stock and will really perform well. If you don't want a barebones 5.3L or 4.8L you could always step up to a 6.2L truck block which is based on the LS3 engine.
How much HP does a cammed 5.3 make?
Equipped with the stock LM7 cam, the 5.3L produced 353 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. After installation of the LS3 cam, the peak numbers jumped to 405 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque.
How do you get a 5.3 out of 400 hp?
8:3315:32400 HP POWER RECIPES (HOW TO MAKE 400-HP LS COMBOS)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow making 400 horsepower from a 5.3. Obviously is a lot easier than making it from a 4.8. And theMoreNow making 400 horsepower from a 5.3. Obviously is a lot easier than making it from a 4.8. And the reason is because we've already started a lot closer to 400 horsepower with the 5/3 just all stock.
Can you turbo a 5.3 Silverado?
1:076:495.3 Silverado gets BOOSTED w/ Single Turbo @HPP RACINGYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo 5:3. We dynoed it two days ago on six pounds and made 500 horsepower like 501 to be whateverMoreSo 5:3. We dynoed it two days ago on six pounds and made 500 horsepower like 501 to be whatever technical if you want to be technical about it.
What is the strongest LS block?
BMP claims its cast-aluminum (357-T6) LS block is, “the absolute strongest available with important improvements that even the factory race blocks don't have.” The oiling system is priority-main, meaning that oil gets fed to the crank first and the top end last to prevent starving the main bearings of oil.
How much HP does a stock 5.3 have?
around 320 hpThe stock 5.3L is factory rated around 320 hp with 340 lb-ft of torque.
How much horsepower can a single turbo add?
A turbo can increase an engine's horsepower by 30 to 40 percent or about 70 to 150 HP. In the case of a supercharger with a direct connection to the engine, that can be from 50 to 100 percent.
What engine is an LSX?
LS7 engineThe LSX (note the capitalized “X”) is a race variant of the lightweight LS7 engine. This 7.0L (427ci) version of the Gen IV small block went into the 2006 Corvette. In contrast to the 'vette motor, the LSX has a cast-iron block that handles a lot more horsepower.
What is the camshaft on a 5.3 LS?
Given that almost every 5.3 LS was installed under the hood of a truck, it's perhaps no surprise that their factory camshaft (191 degrees at 0.050-inch lift in the LM7) is designed to balance power and fuel economy and favor low-rpm torque. Gen IV engines moved to somewhat more aggressive cam profiles (196 degrees in the LY5, for example), but still oriented towards task-focused towing and daily driving above all else.
What is a 5.3 liter engine?
The 5.3-liter LS engine is perhaps the most commonly swapped member of GM's Gen III and Gen IV family of V8s. Found in millions of pickups, vans, and SUVs, the sheer ubiquity of this LS V8 guarantees its popularity, as it's easy to find donor vehicles and the aftermarket has rushed to support the 5.3 with a huge volume of inexpensive parts.
How many horses can you put in a Gen IV injector?
Don't worry about the fuel pump on a Gen IV—you're good to nearly 500 horses with the stock unit.
Is exhaust restriction on truck motors?
The standard exhaust manifolds on the truck motors are also fairly non-restrictive. That being said, there are a few key areas where the LS platform responds exceptionally once you take down the roadblocks keeping them from achieving their maximum performance.
Is 5.3 LS a good truck?
We've established that the stock truck intake on the 5.3 LS is a good one and should do the job until nearly the 500 horsepower mark, but that doesn't mean it's going to fit your project . Taller than what one would find on a passenger car LS setup, you could run into hood clearance issues that will require swapping in something different.
How much horsepower can a 5.3 motor make?
The 5.3 is the cheapest and easiest to find, so you’ll see a lot of people use it. With a 5.3 and 6.0, you can see up to 1,000 horsepower on a stock motor if you push them. There are some who have made more, but the gaskets and internal parts are going to struggle past that level to survive.”.
What should the rotating assembly be rated for?
“The rotating assembly should ideally be rated for higher horsepower and RPM levels than you plan on running. All pressure is a resistance to flow.
What size turbo is used for a 7675?
For most street applications and engines in the 4.8-6.0-liter size range, the 7675-7875 turbos work very well. Their size creates a package that allows the car or truck to retain as many accessories as possible up to the 750-850 rear wheel horsepower zone,” Ojczyk says.
Why do drag racers like engines?
Drag racers in particular love the engines because of the great horsepower to budget ratio they provide. GM stuffed LS-based engines into virtually every truck, van, and SUV chassis they could, which means there are tons of these engines still available today.
Does cylinder head affect compressor?
Cylinder heads affect naturally-aspirated volumetric efficiency, which does affect the pressure ratio, and therefore compressor selection of the turbo,” Smithers says. An engine with the right internal components will handle big boost and horsepower with ease.
Can you boost a stock LS?
Yes, you can make big power by throwing boost at a stock LS engine, however, if you want the horsepower party to last for a long time you’ll need to make some changes to the engine. The stock components just can’t deal with the stress that forced induction can put on them when you really start to crank up the boost.
Is the LS engine boost friendly?
The LS platform is highly touted for being boost-friendly, even in stock form…it’s almost like the GM engineers wanted the engine to be a forced induction powerhouse. This boost-friendly framework and availability of the LS engine has made it one of the most popular engines to use for high-performance applications of all kinds.
