Building an LSX, for my camaro

[12WhiteLS]

Funny thing is that I can remember when people used to say the same thing about 4th gens. It's too expensive, just save up for an SS or T/A, ect. Now 4th gen 3.8 to ls swaps are pretty common. If you really want to do the swap wait for wrecked SS cars to become more economical. Then build the ls3/car the way you want and take time with the swap. It would definitely be a big project so not a good idea for a DD.

[376LS3]

Originally Posted by Comrando

But the OP doesn't want to just buy an engine:

Ya, thats why I offered him the L92 option so he didnt sink a lot of money into a real LS3 just to not use any of the parts. All he prolly wants is the block, engine covers, and heads, and he'll prolly fill it with whatever he wants on the inside. Buying a real LS3 is going to be expensive, so if he saves money with the L92, buys his tranny al carte, thats a significant savings.

[Da Mammer]

You say you have the suspension part figured out/done. You do realize that an ls3 has some heft to it more than your v6 does and then if you decide a true lsx block that's made from cast iron your v6 springs will not adjust well to that extra couple hundred pounds that's sitting on them so the car will squat up front and any time you hit the slightest ditch you're going to eff up your front end.

If you want a true list of what you'll need and price ranges here you go
Lets just say you buy a crate lsx454 for pricing ease, $10000
It comes as a long block so you need an intake $600-$1000,
a throttle body $600
fuel rails $200,
8 coils msd I think will run you $600,
8 injectors I honestly don't know so let's say $300,
spark plug wires $100,
spark plugs $60,
an air intake $400,
flywheel/clutch $2000,
transmission 3-4k,
drive shaft shop driveshaft, rear, gears, axles to handle your new power $5k,
New springs and shocks $1k,
wiring harness $1200,
ebcm $500,
knock sensor $60,
crank sensor $60
cam sensor $40
temp sensor $30
oil pressure sensor $60,
exhaust $2000,
radiator with trans cooler lines and oil cooler lines $1000?
Fluids $300,
Brakes cuz you need to stop a heavier car $2000
Bigger rims to clear those brakes $1200
Tires to put on those rims $1000
Tune for your new engine $1000

Moving to a new house that resides in an area that allows this kind of modification to all the emmissions cuz you may not legally be able to ever drive the car where you currently live except on a drag strip/ road course... 200,000?

I'm sure I missed a LOT of things.. But your total so far is $35,710 plus what I missed. How's that for a budget idea? Were all telling you that it's not easy nor financially wise to do this. For that price you can buy an SS and build a motor for it for less all while selling your current car so you could walk away from this project with 15k in your pocket as opposed to selling a pile of parts, scrapping your beloved car because you have to tear EVERYTHING out and other problems you WILL HAVE. Because if you don't buy every part all at once and tear down and rebuild all in one shot this is a project that will leave you without your car from the moment you start until you have put every last dime of that $35,000+ into it there is no piecing this bit by bit.


Get the answer you were looking for?

[Dyk-NO]

I was following an an engine build with a complete transmission swap at the v8 threads and he pm'd me with a list like yours and his is not as inflated as yours but he only came up with below 14k he told me to just go after market and just go with the ls3 block

This thread got heated up, I knew this was coming

[Da Mammer]

Originally Posted by Dyk-NO

I was following an an engine build with a complete transmission swap at the v8 threads and he pm'd me with a list like yours and his is not as inflated as yours but he only came up with below 14k he told me to just go after market and just go with the ls3 block

This thread got heated up, I knew this was coming

Inflated? Lol. I know some of those prices cuz I have the v8 and I have bought some of those items bud. You can piss your money away how you please but I bet you that guy that quoted you probly only quoted you for an engine and trans as a stand alone combo didn't he? No sensors? No wiring? No supporting items to actually put that motor in your car and run it? Just something to put on an engine stand and look pretty? So 14k is your STARTING POINT.

Let me ask you this. Say you pay the 14k for this engine and trans combo. Can you take your engine and trans out, and put that one in and start the car and drive away into the sunset? If the answer is no, you should rethink your decision. If you believe the answer is yes, you should pinky swear to me you'll repost your "progress" every $10,000 into your project.

ps I forgot to add motor mounts to the list... Told you there's more.

[AdamEL]

Originally Posted by Da Mammer

You say you have the suspension part figured out/done. You do realize that an ls3 has some heft to it more than your v6 does and then if you decide a true lsx block that's made from cast iron your v6 springs will not adjust well to that extra couple hundred pounds that's sitting on them so the car will squat up front and any time you hit the slightest ditch you're going to eff up your front end.

If you want a true list of what you'll need and price ranges here you go
Lets just say you buy a crate lsx454 for pricing ease, $10000
It comes as a long block so you need an intake $600-$1000,
a throttle body $600
fuel rails $200,
8 coils msd I think will run you $600,
8 injectors I honestly don't know so let's say $300,
spark plug wires $100,
spark plugs $60,
an air intake $400,
flywheel/clutch $2000,
transmission 3-4k,
drive shaft shop driveshaft, rear, gears, axles to handle your new power $5k,
New springs and shocks $1k,
wiring harness $1200,
ebcm $500,
knock sensor $60,
crank sensor $60
cam sensor $40
temp sensor $30
oil pressure sensor $60,
exhaust $2000,
radiator with trans cooler lines and oil cooler lines $1000?
Fluids $300,
Brakes cuz you need to stop a heavier car $2000
Bigger rims to clear those brakes $1200
Tires to put on those rims $1000
Tune for your new engine $1000

Moving to a new house that resides in an area that allows this kind of modification to all the emmissions cuz you may not legally be able to ever drive the car where you currently live except on a drag strip/ road course... 200,000?

I'm sure I missed a LOT of things.. But your total so far is $35,710 plus what I missed. How's that for a budget idea? Were all telling you that it's not easy nor financially wise to do this. For that price you can buy an SS and build a motor for it for less all while selling your current car so you could walk away from this project with 15k in your pocket as opposed to selling a pile of parts, scrapping your beloved car because you have to tear EVERYTHING out and other problems you WILL HAVE. Because if you don't buy every part all at once and tear down and rebuild all in one shot this is a project that will leave you without your car from the moment you start until you have put every last dime of that $35,000+ into it there is no piecing this bit by bit.


Get the answer you were looking for?

Haha, whoa!

[Dyk-NO]

he did include the harnesses but yea if all said and done and if I did my math right i might go for a trade in if an ss would be 25k

[376LS3]

$25k? That should be an easy find. I know car notes suck, but sometimes its just the simplest way!

[Da Mammer]

Originally Posted by Dyk-NO

he did include the harnesses but yea if all said and done and if I did my math right i might go for a trade in if an ss would be 25k

Now you've got the right idea.

[Dyk-NO]

i looked into it and this will set me back for almost 3 years of loan again and stuff more than what this project would cost and well yeah it will kinda kill the process..

[Da Mammer]

Originally Posted by Dyk-NO

i looked into it and this will set me back for almost 3 years of loan again and stuff more than what this project would cost and well yeah it will kinda kill the process..

If you trade in or sell your car on a 2010 SS that I'm sure you can find one for 25k thereabouts, you'll save yourself in the long run. You'll even have an ls3 that you can tear apart and rebuild how you see fit maybe even reuse some items like the heads. You shouldn't feel like you get nothing out of buying an SS when in reality you're getting everything you need to run any lsx you build, hence it won't cost you any where near the 14k you were pm'd to build an engine. Do your math right and don't add 14k on top of buying an SS.

[376LS3]

Originally Posted by Da Mammer

Do your math right and don't add 14k on top of buying an SS.

This........strip your suspension stuff, pick up an SS, put your suspension stuff on the SS, (most aftermarket stuff is compatible) and enjoy having an SS.

[caverman]

I mentioned it in one of my earlier posts....take that same money you were going to put aside to build the motor. Wait the 6mths to year to finish paying off your car. Then go trade your car in and with the cash you have you'll be able to find a nice SS and either have extra money for mods or maybe even find a SS that has mods on it already.

Actually, the smarter thing to do would be take that money you were going to set aside for a motor and pay off you car early. Then maybe wait a few months while you pocket your payments from paying off the car and go find a used SS. I can guarantee you'll find a used SS in the $25k range.

[Rocky1974]

Originally Posted by Dyk-NO

I just don't want to buy or loan a car again, Specially if it's for another camaro again, I'm about to live a debt free life why do it all over again? Even if I'll be spending a lot of money in this, it wouldn't inflate because the investment that would be put into this project wouldn't inflate because I'm not loaning any money for this.

And so how about we talk about numbers here price for this and that for the stuff that would be needed.

Well, you're certainly not going to be debt free after you start this project! If you're asking if this COULD be done, the answer is, YES. But what everyone is trying to tell you, is that it's not practical. I don't think you realize what you're getting into with a project like this, especially if you want your car to function normally, after you're done.

If your still set on doing this, the only practical way would be to buy a salvage SS and swap all the mechanicals, electronics, and wiring to your car. But be prepared to pay somewhere between 10-15k for a salvage SS and there will be months of work swapping everything over. And if the salvage car is not the same year and equipment level as yours, be prepared for many more hassles.

You keep saying that you don't want to go into debt again, but at the same time, you keep talking about taking on a project that will end up costing you many times over what trading up would cost you. When all is said and done you're either going to end up leaving your car a V6, or you're going to trade it for a SS, because those are the only two cost effective ways to go.