Introduction

Hey yall. Names Joe. I have a 97 obs Silverado. It’s lifted 6” on 35x12.5x15 dick cepek extreme countrys. She’s got about 198 on the clock. Interior is blue and doesn't look much older than a few years body is super straight the motor could use a little pep but it runs really good. This is my second 97 obs first one was ls swapped after I was 18(20yrs ago) cause I was young and dumb and jumped it cracked the oil pan and proceeded to drive it back home 200 miles from the middle of the desert. She finally seized 100yrds from my house. Then my dad just shy of shot me cause I ruined his truck. Then he gave it to me broken and proceeded to help me ls swap it. The next year I went into the military and that became his daily for about 7 years and I got it back in 2014 still an awesome ride. But finally decided to trade it in on a trailblazer ss. Anyway. The motor on that went out less than a year after I bought it so I sold that and got this here 96.5/97 obs for $613 with “a bad tranny” took it to my shop scanned the codes she needed a new $80 trans wiring harness. Fixed her up and here we are 5 years later it’s become my daily again! I look forward to sharing her journey with yall. I’m having trouble deciding on whether to ls swap it or go 383 stroker. Both seem to make the same power. I have only ever driven a stock obs and then the ls swapped one. So I’m here for opinions also. I’m also not opposed to pepping this 5.7 up. Feel free to give me some ideas.

Welcome to the forum. That was a good deal for a bad transmission that wasn't.

Welcome from Alberta Canada.
Looks like a great truck.
I'm actually curious about your experience with the LS swap.
What did you swap, 4.8, 5.3 or 6.0?
Which transmission were you running?
What is your "findings" on how it drove after the swap?
0-60 difference?
Pulling away from a stop "normally"?
Just overall drivability I guess.
And any other thoughts or insights would be awesome.

Drunkcanuk said:

Welcome from Alberta Canada.
Looks like a great truck.
I'm actually curious about your experience with the LS swap.
What did you swap, 4.8, 5.3 or 6.0?
Which transmission were you running?
What is your "findings" on how it drove after the swap?
0-60 difference?
Pulling away from a stop "normally"?
Just overall drivability I guess.
And any other thoughts or insights would be awesome.

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Thank you. This one’s interior is in much better condition. My dad’s buddy was a gm mechanic for 20yrs. He opened his own shop a year before I blew up the old 350. My dad thought giving an 18yo more power was cool so they went with the 5.3 LS long block that came pre built with all the goods. I don’t remember everything that went into it. At the time I was more into euro cars and my 71 VW bus. I just daily drove the piss out of that obs. I think we had a 4L80e with a shift kit and that was probably my favorite transmission cause the shifts were crisp power was always there. It honestly drove pretty close to the same as it did before but with a lot more pep and it sounded incredible. Gas mileage was a touch better with I think 18mpg highway. In 2014 I flew down from Washington to so cal and picked it up from my dad and drove it the 1120 miles back north without a hitch. I only stopped for fuel and food so it didn’t have any time to actually cool down and drove excellent all the way back. 0-60 was never actually recorded but it did spank my buddy’s dad late 90s 5.0 anytime we drove anywhere. And because I was young and dumb after the swap I drove it like an idiot because it sounded so sick and it was “cool” so pulling away from a stop I’d just light up the tires every time. But when I got it up here as my daily and having had kids coming off a stop was pretty mellow. It was an awesome truck and my dad and I talk about how great it was all the time and how trading it in was a stupid decision. I think he was second owner in 99 and that truck took us everywhere. Every dirtbike race we had. Every camping trip. There was a lot of memories in that truck. And that’s why when I found this one I had to get this kid down as cheap as possible. And now my son is 11 and wants a 600hp Baja truck. But we’ll either leave it with the 6” lift or go with a belltech drop kit. Being from the PNW my wife doesn’t see why any truck would be lowered but being that it’s currently 2wd with posi having it lifted doesn’t do me much good than look cool. Even with 35s it still got stuck in the snow with like a half degree incline. But we’ll cross that road when we get there. And now being that it’s my money getting put into my truck I’m having a hard time deciding whether to do a 383 or the 5.3 LS swap.

Thanks for that assessment.
I think if you did any research on the 383 vs 5.3, there is lots of debate on it.

For most with a limited budget, the LS is the smarter route to take.
And they are only a cam and tune away from being absolute beasts for the price.

But there is something to be said about how awesome a 383 can be, and the fact it's a "period correct" engine build, but the cost associated with it is multiple times more than an "average" LS swap.

I know if I had the funds, I'd head down the 383 road, but alas.....it's looking like the LS is the right choice for me.

Welcome to the forum from PNW Oregon.

Drunkcanuk said:

Thanks for that assessment.
I think if you did any research on the 383 vs 5.3, there is lots of debate on it.

For most with a limited budget, the LS is the smarter route to take.
And they are only a cam and tune away from being absolute beasts for the price.

But there is something to be said about how awesome a 383 can be, and the fact it's a "period correct" engine build, but the cost associated with it is multiple times more than an "average" LS swap.

I know if I had the funds, I'd head down the 383 road, but alas.....it's looking like the LS is the right choice for me.

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And that’s what Ive seen. I saw another thread where the guy was doing a 383 and someone posted “thank god you’re not doing an LS swap I’m sick of those”. And being period correct is exactly why I thought the 383 would be cool. But I really like the performance and drivability of the LS. But having that low to midrange power from a 383 would be awesome. We’ll see how it goes. Might steal the 6.2 out of the wife’s Escalade and swap the new Escalade v motor into that!

Speaking of her Escalade, it a 2016 with the 6.2. We had an intermittent CEL it would come and go. Never lasted long enough to get it checked out. Didn’t store anything in the computer either. Finally we drove to Oregon last weekend and it stayed about half way through until we reached our destination got it scanned said MAF sensor. No big deal. Got home and cleaned the MAF and boy did that wake that thing up. I didn’t think there would be a noticeable difference after that. Boy was I wrong. I noticed a little more pep in it when I pulled out of the driveway so naturally I turned off the traction control and mashed the go pedal and left a 60ft smoky line on the ground. Before cleaning the MAF and when the CEL was off it would chirp a little. But after cleaning it man. It’s like a different beast!

You have more testicular fortitude than I do!!!!
I couldn't imagine stealing my woman's engine to swap!!! Granted it's a Dodge Journey. But still!!! Lol

Ya, the LS is definitely "overdone" but I think there is a reason for that, cheap and work. But man....id love to 383 mine.

Drunkcanuk said:

You have more testicular fortitude than I do!!!!
I couldn't imagine stealing my woman's engine to swap!!! Granted it's a Dodge Journey. But still!!! Lol

Ya, the LS is definitely "overdone" but I think there is a reason for that, cheap and work. But man....id love to 383 mine.

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Hey maybe you need a Buick 350 in there! Just a tiny turbo! I know a guy lol. This one was 460 Hp and 460 TQ at the tires with a simple turbo setup. Just a spare