Trying to plan for the inevitable. Wife has a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban with the 5.3L and 125,000 miles and at this point we are likely living on borrowed time.

Already have the transmission covered if needed. Have a guy that will rebuild and upgrade the current 6L80 for $3500.

Now looking for a fairly simple motor swap. Is there a GM 5.3L crate motor that already has all the cylinder deactivation garbage deleted that I can just swap in??
Or will I need to swap ECUs as well?

I am seeing rebuilt deleted long blocks for like $6k.

Not going to lie this 5.3L is a bit anemic in my book but it’s the wife’s vehicle so not a huge deal.
But the L8T looks to be a decent option. 6.6L with 400hp/464 ft lbs of torque.

The L8T crate motor, L8T front drive accessories, and control module kit will run about $13,000 add $3,500 for the trans rebuild.

$16,000 give or take.
Also found the entire connect and cruise package engine transmission, and control unit for $15k. All new but the transmission is just factory spec and not upgraded internals.
Not sure this includes the accessory drive kit or not.
https://www.crateenginedepot.c...L80E2400-P55035.aspx


Why not just buy a different vehicle? Because vehicles are stupid expensive even used ones.

We have 3 boys that have tons of crap and we travel so a full size SUV is a must. This thing is in great condition. I have already fixed a bunch of stuff. It’s a good looking vehicle and my wife LOVES this thing!
I could sell it right now as it sits for close to $20k which means if I wanted to buy something newer you’re talking $35k+

She likes what we have but it will die eventually. $16k for a brand new motor and rebuilt upgraded transmission does not seem so bad. When looking at newer used vehicles for at least twice that cost.

I’d also be fine with a simple drop in 5.3L if one is available with Active fuel management cylinder deactivation crap removed already.
We have no smog checks here so I don’t care about that crap either.

There are a ton of options but one thing that may be worth looking into is Texas Speed. They make comprehensive delete kits for the GM V8s to ditch AFM/DFM and it looks like they do crate engines too. A lot of their stuff seems race oriented but they may be able to do something a bit milder for a daily/family rig.

Why a crate motor, you can probably get that 5.3 rebuilt with all the goodies you want for less, it's a known quantity, rods, bearings, gaskets, valves, machine time would be less than $13K

Figure if you are going crate, then the large displacement with more power to pull the beast makes sense

Been thinking along those lines, if/when the 5.4 gives out, perhaps a Coyote swap for the F150.

But I agree, $16K vs $60K for a new one makes tons of sense...

Other than the notorious AFM/DOD problems, how is the engine overall? Smoking, burning oil, loss of power (other than that caused by the AFM)? If this checks out, I see no reason why you can't do a full delete (with normal lifters not subject to collapsing, not just deactivating the electronic part). You have to take the heads off to remove the lifters, but this engine, not being OHC and with reasonable room to work, is a lot easier than some.

Response to HRK
Simplicity and time. I plan on doing the work. I am not up for rebuilding our daily driver V8 with all sorts of electronic crap.
So me pulling the motor, transporting it to be rebuilt, the down time of it being rebuilt, then me swapping it back in. And then it would all be rebuilt and still be only 350hp/380tq. A couple thousand more for 50hp and 90tq with everything brand new for a couple thousand more SEEMS like the way to go.
A 5.3L crate motor maybe a slight bit cheaper if that is an option.

A quick peruse of the web is showing around $6k for a rebuild with the crap deleted. So it’s a possibility just a matter of finding one from someone who is quality that I could buy one from and have shipped then send my core back I guess.
Then $3500 for the trans rebuild puts it around $10k total which is enticing then that would leave some extra coin in the event I were to loose a diff or transfer case.

Would Jasper Engines be an option?

https://www.jasperengines.com/...gines/crate-engines/

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Other than the notorious AFM/DOD problems, how is the engine overall? Smoking, burning oil, loss of power (other than that caused by the AFM)? If this checks out, I see no reason why you can't do a full delete (with normal lifters not subject to collapsing, not just deactivating the electronic part). You have to take the heads off to remove the lifters, but this engine, not being OHC and with reasonable room to work, is a lot easier than some.

Knock on wood LOUDLY. I have zero issues with the motor at this time. We bought it at 55k miles and I immediately put Range AFM delete on it. So the AFM has been deleted most of its life.

I am just planning for the future. My buddy has blown two 6.2s here recently with less mileage. Though the 6.2s seem to be far worse at imploding than the 5.3s.

I just would like to have all my ducks in a row prior to even if that means they are in a row for years to come.

quote:

Originally posted by marksman41:
Would Jasper Engines be an option?

https://www.jasperengines.com/...gines/crate-engines/

Jasper of today is no longer the Jasper of old. Their quality is nothing like it used to be. I would not use them these days.

If I understand correctly,that kills the electrical signal to the lifter. It doesn't address the internal failure of the lifter.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeNH:
There are a ton of options but one thing that may be worth looking into is Texas Speed. They make comprehensive delete kits for the GM V8s to ditch AFM/DFM and it looks like they do crate engines too. A lot of their stuff seems race oriented but they may be able to do something a bit milder for a daily/family rig.

I’ll likely give them a call next week. Looks like they have a LS3 6.2L with 430 hp for $9k.
Maybe they’ll have something a little more mild.

https://www.texas-speed.com/p-...k-crate-engines.aspx

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
If I understand correctly,that kills the electrical signal to the lifter. It doesn't address the internal failure of the lifter.

Mine as well but for simply plugging in the device makes a massive difference in drivability and overall longevity.

If you go with the 6.2, do they have a kit for the swap? frame mounts, y pipe and catalytic converters. wiring harness, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
The L8T crate motor, L8T front drive accessories, and control module kit will run about $13,000 add $3,500 for the trans rebuild.

$16,000 give or take.

I could sell it right now as it sits for close to $20k which means if I wanted to buy something newer you’re talking $35k+

What am I missing? Sell it for $20K and buy new for $35K and you pay less for new than if you repair it at the above figures.

You won’t get a new Suburban for $35k. Black don’t drive no minivan.

quote:

Sell it for $20K and buy new for $35K ...

Newer, maybe. A brand new one is nearly three times that now. And would still have the shit AFM and a lot of other issues. That's provided it gets out of the driveway; there are a lot of reports surfacing with the 6.2 engines grenading. Nope, the engine (if he gets a good one) sounds a lot better.

quote:

Originally posted by rizzle:
If you go with the 6.2, do they have a kit for the swap? frame mounts, y pipe and catalytic converters. wiring harness, etc.

Never mind, did some reading on it, seems to be a direct swap, mixed information on the ECU, some say flash, some say replace it, also may be security key programming issues to deal with.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
You won’t get a new Suburban for $35k. Black don’t drive no minivan.

At least not anymore .

Honestly, $16k seems like a crazy amount of money for a new motor. If I was that worried about it and expecting a repair to cost that much, I'd pay $2000 now to have somebody pull the top end, rebuild it without all the AFM stuff, and call it a day. My pre-2007 LS motors have 225K and 430K on them respectively, and if you can get rid of those stupid parts there's no reason your motor wouldn't be capable of the same. The only problems I've had with those trucks are the usual wear items in the engine bay (water pumps, alternators, etc) and the creature-comfort crap that they stuck in the Suburban like heated seats and computer-controlled climate control.

The other option is to just drive it with the tuner and try to get as many miles out of it as you can, and then the second it starts to act up stop driving it and get the top end rebuilt.

A neighboring PD had a bunch of Caprices that they bought in the early 2010s. Awesome cars, but the AFM screwed them and every single one of them needed lifters and cam shafts before 100k miles. They rebuilt them and they were good to go after that, until non-drivetrain parts started wearing out that you could only get from Australia. I'm not sure what it cost, but I know it wasn't anywhere near $16K.

The basic 5.3 is no powerhouse, but it's plenty for a half ton SUV. The truck is engineered for that motor and if you start trying to hot-rod momma's grocery getter with a bigger one you're going to cause yourself a lot more complications down the road. If you want the bigger motor, sell the half-ton and get a 2500.

quote:

The truck is engineered for that motor and if you start trying to hot-rod momma's grocery getter with a bigger one you're going to cause yourself a lot more complications down the road.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
$16K is new motor, transmission, and entire control unit.
There has to be a 5.3L crate motor out there for $8k or below if the L8T motor alone is $7500.

I do need to look into just having the top end rebuilt but.
My buddy has had 2 6.2s let go here with under 100k on each. Which has me really looking into this.

quote:

Originally posted by rizzle:
If you go with the 6.2, do they have a kit for the swap? frame mounts, y pipe and catalytic converters. wiring harness, etc.

Wasn’t meaning I would go with that just saying if they have something that aggressive for $9k they might be able to something for less that I’ll just be able to toss in.

But I am pretty sure that all is the same except for the ECU which has been cracked and can be tuned.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
You won’t get a new Suburban for $35k. Black don’t drive no minivan.

He also doesn’t buy new. My $35k number was for a newer model not new.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Sell it for $20K and buy new for $35K ...

Newer, maybe. A brand new one is nearly three times that now. And would still have the shit AFM and a lot of other issues. That's provided it gets out of the driveway; there are a lot of reports surfacing with the 6.2 engines grenading. Nope, the engine (if he gets a good one) sounds a lot better.

Yup, it would be NEWER and that is it still have all the same potential problems.
Plus I have nearly new Michelin tires, redid the entire suspension, and AC condenser on this one so all that would be newer as well.

But the biggest kicker of all MY WIFE LOVES THIS VEHICLE.

Didn’t read all the replies, but a GM small block is good for 300,000 miles. Might consume some oil and leak some oil, but it will start and run good and get you where you need to go.

125,000 miles is just getting broken in.

If it uses 20 weight oil maybe bump that up to 0W30/5W30 as the engine ages but I really don’t think you’ll need to put an engine in it unless you neglected maintenance. By the time you rack up 300k miles, it will be time for a new vehicle.

I've spoken on this subject in posts with you before as a fellow owner of that Suburban generation. Just eject. I would not dump that kind of money into it. If your tranny hasn't already been rebuilt it will need to be rebuilt again. Once you replace the engine you'll need to do the AC condenser leak again. Our transmission went out at 95,000 miles like everyone else's, had it rebuilt with all the relevant upgrades for $5,000 or so and it just didn't drive the same, but it drove fine. Got rid of it before the transmission warranty was over and before the engine could do its DOD/AFM lifter dump.

We love our 2022 Z71 and have had no mechanical issues (so far) other than learning to get along with the infotainment. The 10 speed in the 2022 is way better than the 6 speed we had in the 2017 as far as performance. It stays 50 degrees cooler with GM fixing the bypass valve crap in the generation.

I'm not sure I'd pay $75,000 for one new, we got ours at $56,000 before the 2022 and 2023 inflation prices hit the MSRP. Certified pre-owned of the current generation would be better than dumping 5 digits in repairs into the previous generation. If your current one runs, trade it, you'll get good money, its a SUV after all. Dealer will wholesale auction it or flip it to someone with a $3,000 extended warranty sale. Inventory is stacking up in lots, dealers will deal.

Our 2022 currently has 33,000 miles on it, we were racking them up until I bought a used 2005 Avalanche I've been trying to beat into the ground and taking Iowa's road salt sacrifice.