Aftermarket ECU

[Truckedup]

Chevy LS swap stand alone ECU..
Yup,another swap...2002 5 .3 manual trans into a 86 S10....The S10 other than the engine needs no computer input.......The engine is stock other than short tube headers if necessary..
Do these after market plug in ECU's work well enough to fuel and time the engine? Thanks

[Caprimaniac]

IMO, yes.

But if you think you might wanna soup up the engine later on, look into tuneability. Maybe you want some turbo- power later on? Or a little nitro? But for a stockish engine, they work ok.

[Truckedup]

Hey, I'm near 76 years old....A stock 5.3 is about 300 hp or so in a 2900 pound truck....Should be adequate,

[PackardV8]

C'mon, you know you want the all-aluminum Vortec 5300 HO, RPO L33 (VIN "B"), found only in a few 2005 - 2007 extended cab four-wheel-drive Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, this 5.3 engine uses 4.8L flat-top pistons in place of the LM7's dished pistons. More importantly, it came with casting No. 799 cylinder-heads, identical to Corvette LS6 No. 243 heads, missing only the beefier beehive valvesprings and hollow-stem exhaust valves. LS6-style heads are among the highest-flowing cathedral-port heads, plus they have a better, redesigned D-shaped exhaust port. Minor pocket-porting really turns them on. Combined with the flat-top pistons, the heads also increase compression-ratio from 9.5:1 to 10:1. The L33 cam is also slightly hotter.

[dfarr67]

What I would do- score the electronic trans too and use what GM gave you for a ecu, get it reflashed and tuned. Or get the earlier 0411 which is throttle by cable and has hwy lean burn.

[Truckedup]

This 5.3 is a cable throttle....I have the manual trans set up that slips right in . Or just use a SBC with a carb.....

[In-Tech]

Hiya Trucked,
I think Packard was poking a bit of fun but he is dead on right. In that S-10 an iron block 5.3 is super heavy, almost as much as a BBC, the later 5.3 has better heads and an aluminum block.
The GM computer is next to nothing as far as reliability and adjustment if you have the desire and software. Aftermarket wise, I would look at the Holley Terminator line on the cheap.
Here's a later bone stock 5.3 from the junkyard. What I call my Stage 2 cam now and spring change was all, stock plastic intake manifold even. Let me know if I can help. Pay no attention to the dip at the beginning of the pull, I changed cam 5 times and intake 3 times per cam to do some experimentation and learn, so the tune wasn't 100%. The stock engine was rated at 315hp and made dead on balls the same on the dyno, verified at the beginning of experiment to make sure of no "happy dyno"

Dyno_5_3L.JPG

[bobmc]

what does "next to nothing as far as reliability" mean? are after market ecu's more reliable than GM?

[In-Tech]

Pectel is pretty good, pretty much anything in the $10k range and up for the box alone gets close.

[Truckedup]

Well, Jack is poking me....lol. yes, Iron block LS with all the OEM stuff is 580 pounds.....And then the ECU.....I have a deal on a nice running comlete 350 with aftermarket aluminum heads and moderate tune...It's more compact and probably 520 pounds...The original 2.5 is around 350 pounds....Battery in the back and the balance is tolerable.
A carb, simple ignition, the engine slips right, Old four speed, 8.8 Ranger 3.55 posi.....