My first e30 ls swap try

[Mkcustoms88]

Let me start off with, I have a mint condition 1987 e30 that I want to do an ls swap in to, I have 2 motors to choose from 1998 5.7 Vortec and a 2004 5.3 which motor is the better swap? 2nd I have a good nv 3500 that I would like to use, can the nv3500 work? I have read over pretty much everyone’s post on doing a ls swap and have learned a lot , a t56 is the way to go but finding one in my area could be tough and also I have to make my own mounts , the 450 for mounts to Canadian money and shipping and customs can Easley add up to 800-900 Canadian for 2 mounts just out of the question. Any help you guys can provide would be much appreciated.

[varg]

Let me start by saying you are not doing an LS swap here. You're choosing between two iron block vortec truck engines, calling them LS engines is like calling an M60 an S65. Neither are ideal, they're cast iron and are very heavy. Basically, you'd be replacing the M20 with an engine that on its own weighs more than the M20 does with transmission attached. We're talking about adding over 100lbs to the front of the car. Unless you're going drag racing and don't mind the handling penalty a cast iron smallblock's weight will impose, I'd suggest using a significantly lighter ford 302 or saving until a real LS engine, which has an aluminum block and heads, is feasible. Or look for an L33 or LM4 - both of which have aluminum blocks and will save over 80lbs over the front wheels, which is the best place for weight savings. Don't let your anxious search for a V8 trick you into ruining one of the best parts of your E30, its handling, over a cheap engine.

As for the NV3500, the shifter is pretty far forward on the case. The placement of it relative to the shifter hole in the transmission tunnel will probably complicate things. See below:



And the gear ratios might be weird in a car.

The mounts are expensive, but they are not a complicated part, you could buy a used MIG welder and weld some up yourself for less than the $450 price, let alone $900. You could probably find a capable person to make some custom mounts for you for a reasonable price if you're not comfortable with that. Ask around.

[Mkcustoms88]

You are right my 5.7 is all iron and the 5.3 is an iron block but has the aluminum heads. I see and get what your saying and thank you , maybe time to hit the drawing board again.

[flyboyx]

m60's and m62's are cheap. g420's aren't very expensive but admittedly hard to find.

if you have a beautiful car, it would really suck to make bad choices with your build. its one thing to build your car for yourself how you like it, but its another thing to try to sell it one day once the damage is done.

personally, i would never buy a car someone swapped one of those engines into. i would have a hard time buying anything someone put an ls/lm in but at least its something i might consider.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Let me start off with, I have a mint condition 1987 e30 that I want to do an ls swap in to, I have 2 motors to choose from 1998 5.7 Vortec and a 2004 5.3 which motor is the better swap? 2nd I have a good nv 3500 that I would like to use, can the nv3500 work? I have read over pretty much everyone’s post on doing a ls swap and have learned a lot , a t56 is the way to go but finding one in my area could be tough and also I have to make my own mounts , the 450 for mounts to Canadian money and shipping and customs can Easley add up to 800-900 Canadian for 2 mounts just out of the question. Any help you guys can provide would be much appreciated.

You are right my 5.7 is all iron and the 5.3 is an iron block but has the aluminum heads. I see and get what your saying and thank you , maybe time to hit the drawing board again.

You also need to understand what the hardware you're looking at actually is.
The only all iron Gen III GM even built was the first 1-2 years of 6.0 production.
GM never built any iron 5.7's.
Given that choice, I'd go with the 5.3. The 6.0 makes more power/torque out of the box, but the 5.3 is more mod friendly, as porting the iron heads gets expensive fast and almost no one does it.

Someone previously tried an NV3500 and the shifter comes up under the heater core. It's a truck transmission. While the ratios are sort of similar to the G260 and other BMW transmissions, they're not well suited to a powerful torquey engine in a light car.

One of the beauties of the Gen III/IV engines (aka: "LS") is that they're flippin' cheap.
Go ahead and do the swap with an iron block engine. You can overcome some of the learning curve using a cheap engine, then when you're ready for more performance you can upgrade to a more modern aluminum block engine and shed that 80 lbs off your front tires.

[Mykk540i/6]

When he says Vortec 5.7 I assume he's referring to the L31 350ci, based on the "small block chevy". Which is a cool engine to trick out in an old school way, it has its power limitations....and yes, is heavy.

I started in the GM small block world; had a newer generation Silverado running high 11 second 1/4 mile with a carbureted SBC. But these days I've fallen in love with the M6x architecture and will always support a BMW v8 in an E30.

[Mkcustoms88]

Yes I would love to have a bmw v8 but that is crazy price where I live. The 5.7 is out of question being sold tomorrow.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Ah, yes, the Vortec 350. That's a Gen I architecture. You can swap it, but it does not make nearly as much power stock as the Gen III/IV engines, and requires the purchase of aftermarket heads to keep up with the Gen III/IV engines when modified.

Also, the engine mount bolt pattern on the block is different, so mount arms that work with the Gen III/IV engines do NOT work with the Gen I/II engines.

[Q8y_drifter]

Ah, yes, the Vortec 350. That's a Gen I architecture. You can swap it, but it does not make nearly as much power stock as the Gen III/IV engines, and requires the purchase of aftermarket heads to keep up with the Gen III/IV engines when modified.

Also, the engine mount bolt pattern on the block is different, so mount arms that work with the Gen III/IV engines do NOT work with the Gen I/II engines.

This.

A 1998 5.7/350 Vortec is not the same as a 1998 5.7 LS1 nor a 2004 4/8/5.3/6.0 Vortec. They are different generation engines with nothing in common as far as parts and mounting goes.

[Supadave]

I'm getting parts for my swap now, I'm going with a LC9 with a D.O.D delete. The LC9 and LH6 are aluminum 5.3's and their the Gen IV versions which are strong as shit. They have guys pushing these engines in stock form to well over 1000+whp

[dakotayancy]

In the coming weeks/months I'll be starting mine as well. I've already gotten the block and trans. The block is aluminum and is an LM4 5.3 from an 04 TrailBlazer EXT I believe (can't beat it for $100! :D), and the trans is an F-Body T56 with a fresh rebuild.

[sgtskid]

In the coming weeks/months I'll be starting mine as well. I've already gotten the block and trans. The block is aluminum and is an LM4 5.3 from an 04 TrailBlazer EXT I believe (can't beat it for $100! :D), and the trans is an F-Body T56 with a fresh rebuild.

Good choice.. ;-)

[dakotayancy]

Good choice.. ;-)

Yeah! I couldn't say no to that deal haha! It'll definitely be interesting, because it'll be a built LM4; none of this stock/ mild stuff!