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LS swap questions, answered
158 answers with sources on every one. New questions are added every week from what swappers actually ask.
Cost & planning
- How much does an LS swap cost?
- What is the best budget LS build?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a C10?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a square body?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a OBS Chevy?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a S10?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Miata?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a G-body?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Fox body Mustang?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a 350Z?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Nova?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a RX-7?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Tacoma?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a E36?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Chevelle?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Datsun 240Z?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Supra?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Ford Ranger?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Jeep Wrangler JK?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Jeep TJ?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a 240SX?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a Porsche 944?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a C4 Corvette?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a BRZ / FRS?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a G35 / G37?
- How much does it cost to LS swap a boat?
- How do I buy a good used LS engine?
- Does my junkyard 6.0 need machine-shop work before it goes in?
- Any junkyard tricks for finding a real 6.0?
Identifying engines
- How do I identify which LS engine I have?
- How do I find my RPO code?
- Which trucks and vehicles came with an LS engine?
- Is the 5.3 an LS engine?
- Is the 6.0 Vortec an LS engine?
- 5.3 vs 6.0: which LS should I swap?
- 6.0 vs 6.2 LS: what's the difference?
- LQ4 vs LQ9: what's the difference?
- LS1 vs LS3: what's the difference?
- Iron block vs aluminum block LS: weight and strength
- Which LS engine is best for a swap?
- LS vs Coyote: size, weight and swap cost
- LS vs 2JZ: which swap is better?
- What vehicles came with the LS1?
- What vehicles came with the LS2?
- What vehicles came with the LS3?
- 5.3 vs 5.7 LS: what's the difference?
- LM7 vs L33: what's the difference?
- L83 vs L86: what's the difference?
- Are all 5.3 blocks the same?
- Which LS engines came supercharged?
- LS vs LT engines: what changed?
- How do I tell a 4.8, 5.3, and 6.0 apart without opening them?
- LY6 vs L96 vs LQ9
- Does the 5.3 have VVT?
- How do I tell an LQ4 from an LQ9?
- How can I tell if this 6.0 is 24x or 58x without tearing it down?
- What actually changed between Gen III and Gen IV LS blocks?
- What year did the LQ4/LQ9 become Gen IV?
Engine build
- Which LS engine is best for turbo/boost?
- How much horsepower does a stock 5.3 make?
- How much horsepower can a stock 5.3 handle?
- How much boost can a stock 5.3 handle?
- Junkyard 5.3 turbo build: what do you need?
- Best cam for a 5.3
- What is a truck cam?
- 243 vs 799 vs 706 vs 317 heads
- Best budget LS heads
- Truck intake vs LS6 intake
- What is AFM/DFM, and should I delete it?
- Best cam for an LS3?
- How much horsepower can a 5.3 make naturally aspirated?
- Best budget LS cam
- Best budget LS intake manifold
- LS firing order vs SBC
- LS head bolt torque specs and sequence
- LS lifter failure: causes and fixes
- Can I put cathedral-port heads on a 6.2 or rectangle-port heads on a 5.3?
- Can I run a carburetor on an LS?
- Does a 5.3 have a timing chain?
- My LS has an intermittent chirp at idle. Is that a lifter, or could it be an exhaust leak?
- How do I tell piston slap, lifter tick, and rod knock apart on an LS I am thinking of buying?
- A truck LS has a tick, a misfire, and the rocker arm on that cylinder is loose. Is it a collapsed lifter, and what does the repair involve?
- The seller gave me cam specs like 224/224 .581/.581 112+4 — how do I read them?
- What's a realistic rebuild scope for a used 6.0L before I can trust it?
Mounts & fitment
- How to LS swap a C10: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a square body: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a OBS Chevy: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a S10: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Miata: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a G-body: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Fox body Mustang: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a 350Z: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Nova: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a RX-7: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Tacoma: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a E36: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Chevelle: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Datsun 240Z: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Supra: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Ford Ranger: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Jeep Wrangler JK: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Jeep TJ: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a 240SX: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a Porsche 944: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a C4 Corvette: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a BRZ / FRS: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a G35 / G37: parts list and steps
- How to LS swap a boat: parts list and steps
Oiling & oil pans
- Are all LS oil pans interchangeable?
- Do AFM/DOD engines need a special oil pan?
- Will a 2010–2015 Camaro oil pan work for a swap?
- What oil filter does an LS use?
- What is the LS oil drain plug size?
- Best LS swap oil pan
- Are LS7 lifters a good replacement for noisy stock LS lifters?
- My LS uses a quart every 500 to 1,000 miles — is it a PCV problem or worn rings?
- How can I tell whether an LS lifter is actually collapsed rather than just noisy?
- Which Melling oil pump should I buy: the 10295, the 10296, or the M295?
- Will an LS6 valley cover or a catch can stop my LS from drinking oil through the PCV?
- A seller says a used 6.0L LS just needs heavier oil because the pressure reads low. Should I believe that?
- Does a knock plus dropping oil pressure mean a spun rod bearing?
Transmissions
- Best transmission for an LS swap
- Best manual transmission for an LS swap
- Will a 4L60E bolt up to a 5.3 or 6.0?
- ZF 8HP70 swap behind an LS
- How much horsepower can a 4L60E handle?
- 4L80E swap behind an LS
- 6L80 swap behind an LS
- Why does a 1999–2000 LQ4 need a different flexplate?
Wiring & ECU
- Best LS swap wiring harness
- Stock PCM vs Holley Terminator X for an LS swap
- How do I tune an LS swap? (HP Tuners basics)
- How to make a standalone LS wiring harness
- VATS delete: what it is and how to do it
- Drive-by-wire vs cable throttle for an LS swap
- Why does my 6.0L LS swap crank but not start?
Fuel
- What size injectors do I need for my LS?
- What fuel pressure does an LS need?
- Best fuel pump for an LS swap
- How do I convert my LS swap to E85?
- What size fuel pump do I need?
- How much more fuel does E85 need?
General
- What cars can you LS swap?
- How to LS swap: step-by-step overview
- Are LS swaps legal in California?
- Can I swap a 58x Gen IV engine in place of a 24x Gen III engine without changing the ECM?
- What's the deal with the crank spacer on early 6.0s?
- What sensor and wiring differences are there when swapping an LS2 in place of an LS1?
Cooling
- Best LS swap radiator
- LS steam vent: do I need it?
- What causes P0327 or P0332 knock sensor codes on a Gen 3 LS?
- Where do the knock sensors go on a 6.0L iron block?
Cooling & accessories
- Which way does an LS water pump turn?
- What size radiator hoses does an LS use?
- Will any LS water pump fit a VVT engine?
- How do I tell which LS accessory drive spacing I have?