5.3 vortec Chevy

I have a 5.3 to do Chevy Silverado extended cab with any foot box has potential build. After reading some research on Wayne Keith’s projects is the cleaning of the intake . The 5.3 L Chevy comes with a plastic intake
i’ve been researching whether I can find a metal intake to replace the plastic No such luck with their buying something that’s worth more than the truck any ideas some help would be appreciated

This is the potential project




Do it anyhow GordieB plastic manifold and all. MikeLaRosa with his GM now does. WesK with his Dodge 4.7 plastic now too.
Get a speed wrence, a couple of wobbly sockets and these no-coolants dry manifolds are easy on and off for any needed miles used accumulated needed cleanings.
Ha! Ha! EVERY spark plug change on a PT Cruiser requires plastic intake manifold removing, with YES an EGR exhaust tube like I see on yours too. Fellow learns to get fast. Real fast.
Something done and learned from trumps all of the imagining about it.
S.U.

I did see somebody using stainless steel filters for extra filtration I thought this might be useful my next question might be is the size of gasifier the truck ways 5,485 lbs. so I am wondering weather the ram or the Dakota version would be better 285 hp

Gordie,
I concur with Steve, do it anyway. 20 minutes and I can have my manifold off. Only periodic checking will determine the frequency of having to remove and clean, if at all.

Pick up a couple of spare intakes from the salvage yard so you’ll always have a clean one on hand. Treat it like routine maintenance - change the oil - change the intake.

Good idea I seen lots of plastic one when I was looking for a steel one

Good on you GordieB
The vehicle you have as a known conditions will be 2X better than anything you have to go out search and find.
From a few years of professional auto tech’ing on both of these families of engines I’m certain a 5.3 GM LS will hold it’s own against a Dodge Magnum 5.2 in a extended cab comparable wheelbase. Oranges to oranges comparing. Not reasonable to compare to a short wheel base Dakota.
The GM control system like Toyota’s is much more ignitions timing aggressive seeking than Chrysler/Dodge.
GM much more EGR fine controlling and tuning allowing a higher base compression ratio and combustion chamber shaping than Chrysler/Dodge. Until you do go later Dodge/Jeep 4.7 like Wes’s your GM has a much more advanced active individual cylinder ignition timing shaping unlike the for-all distributor Dodge 5.2 Magnums.
These combined with woodgases much higher resistance to detonation/pinging I think will give you the woodgas better engine power to offset your heavy chassis. Wood consumtion?? Donno.
I’d like to say that I’d bet money on my statements. Or dramatically say you can take this to the bank; but Ha! This will not be my money or effort to prove woodgasing these GM LS’s.
I am now over $11K into stationary power small engine woodgas proving outs my mouthing’s.

IF you were GM dedicated the go-find to better insure your power would be a 6.0L GM LS engine in a short wheelbase body.

GM, being GM I am not certain just what year range their “Biggest Auto Manufacturer in the World” advanced electronics will woodgas scream and put a GM system into fits with cylinder deactivation and limited allowed trans gears.
Your chassis appears to be an early system type. Safest to try on versus later.

Ahhh. Speed wrenching plastic intakes is BEST done with one of the old-fashion looking two hands manual crank arm “speed” wenches.
First install go ahead and torque wench tighten back up. Check then with the manual speed wench wristed over. From then on you’ll have it down pat. Do follow the pattern torquing pattern though.
I am excellent with my 1/4" and two different 3/8" air speed ratchets. Still not good enough with variable general shop air; air ratchets lubrication to risk it not on forgiving metals.
Even removal of plastics to plastics manually you can feel a previous over tightened (or worse id-git lock-tited) fastener BEFORE the plastics cast in brass thread sleeve/nut breaks loose and spins on you. Gives you a chance to cuss do-something preventable before the real sweating cussing repairing.

Regards
Steve Unruh

Gordie

I’ll be watching this thread cause after I get the old Ford running on wood and some of the other 75% learned a 02 5.3 Silverado was to be my next step. Still lots to learn on this end though.
Welcome to the site and what breed of cow ya milkin
Tom

This is the engine we will be using on the next 25 kW and new 30 kW systems.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Chevrolet-Performance/809/19244096K1/10002/-1?parentProductId=1297510

Ther was an option of the 6 L Chevy same make model but that oneslipped through my fingers

Take a look at what I found in the back 40. It’s a ladder rack off mail pickup truck was thinking of using for my cooling rail


Take a look at what I found in the back 40. It’s a ladder rack off mail pickup truck was thinking of using for my cooling rail

The cow is Canadian eh from upper canada village all puns intended

Very interesting but big price tag for me are you off the grid

Just throwing it out there, that engine is nothing more than a modified 5.3 325 ci engine. I dont know why they are dubbing it a 327 ci this engine has nothing in common with the 327. But anyways, your 5.3 is very torquey engine and there is tons of aftermarket stuff for it. As you can see in the add, you can put a carbureted intake on it and also convert it to simple ignition. Part numbers are in the add. You can easily make up for power loss with this motor as well, with a simple cam swap. Keeping it as is, may be your your best option. However, for an experimentation platform I dont think there is a better engine choice.

No unfortunately we can not afford nor have time to build our own system. We have some stuff going into RnD though that will be ours for testing.

So gordie what’s the word on the chevy project. I have the same truck so really interested in what problems to expect.