what kinda rwhp can i expect
yah 10-12k just for the swap thats what FI would cost you too and a whole lot less hassle as long as someone who knows what they are doing builds you engine(but thats true of any engine.), cass is only one with working stock tach that i know of everyone else is using aftermarket ones.
ive read on the ls swap threads some have gotten the ac and tach to work. also saw another swap kit from fueld racing im looking into unless sikky worked out all the bugs they saw when they first came out with the kit. seems avg cost of swap is 10-12k in parts labor im not sure yet talking with my guy but either way comparable hp less money is looking better every thread i read would leave money for the exterior. just wish they would pm me back so i can start part shopping with a better idea of everything ill need.
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Long Beach, CA
OP spending 40k on a car that you cant drive to full potential on the street is retarded. I know its fun and everything but invest that 40k, get out the military unless your going career, and find a great job to sustain yourself and get your life going.
exactly what im saying, the army just announced an additional 38k active duty cut over the next two years. even invest 10-15k into the car and leave the rest for a house you will have plenty fun.
what they dont tell you about the va home loan and no down payment is that almost no homes qualify for it lol
what they dont tell you about the va home loan and no down payment is that almost no homes qualify for it lol
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412
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From: Mississippi
stock tach close to working has been forever now, what about the shifter? that has been one of the biggest issues with the sikky kits. should have gotten a driveshaft with kit too........ dont figure how you figure parts for domestics are cheaper. the only time that holds true is if you are going to the original gen 1 small blocks which no one does.
700 whp vq,
arp stud kit $550
bearings $200
billet girdle $300
BP turbo kit $6000
cams $1000(and honestly only need them for traction not to make the power
head gaskets $300
eagle rods $500
wossner pistons $900
oil control baffle $75
haltech $2400 new one
plenum spacer $200
southbend clutch with lightweight flywheel $1000
revup pump $200
gasket kit $300
cheapo headers $250
machine work $1000(go off local prices so prices are comparable to both i know can be done way cheaper elseware)
your at 15175
ls swap 700 whp
3500 swap kit
ls1 drop out with wiring harness, ecu and t56 average on ebay right now(what most can expect to pay) $5500,ls2 or ls3 will be more
fast intake $1000
eagle 383 kit $2000(and pushing the limits for eagle on a domestic they dont last nearly as long as they do on the imports)
trick flow heads $2500(something you dont need on the vq since it flows ridiculous already)
comp cams cam and lifters $600
roller rockers $500
hp tuners to tune $650
melling oil pump $150
head studs $320
main studs $240
cheap gasket kit $110
ls9 head gaskets $100
so 17170 and havnt touched FI or clutch solution yet or machining which will be even more since 2 additional cylinders............ as i always say the only time lsx is worth while is if your going for 1000+ whp where the vq starts to catch up to the lsx in terms of cost since its harder for the engine to do it or if you plan to stay at 400 whp and never budge from that ever, AND dont care about stock tach.
you wont find anyone on this site who has actually swapped a engine and claimed it was actually cheaper bro. the swap kit and drop out alone costs what base FI would cost you and you know it bolts up.
700 whp vq,
arp stud kit $550
bearings $200
billet girdle $300
BP turbo kit $6000
cams $1000(and honestly only need them for traction not to make the power
head gaskets $300
eagle rods $500
wossner pistons $900
oil control baffle $75
haltech $2400 new one
plenum spacer $200
southbend clutch with lightweight flywheel $1000
revup pump $200
gasket kit $300
cheapo headers $250
machine work $1000(go off local prices so prices are comparable to both i know can be done way cheaper elseware)
your at 15175
ls swap 700 whp
3500 swap kit
ls1 drop out with wiring harness, ecu and t56 average on ebay right now(what most can expect to pay) $5500,ls2 or ls3 will be more
fast intake $1000
eagle 383 kit $2000(and pushing the limits for eagle on a domestic they dont last nearly as long as they do on the imports)
trick flow heads $2500(something you dont need on the vq since it flows ridiculous already)
comp cams cam and lifters $600
roller rockers $500
hp tuners to tune $650
melling oil pump $150
head studs $320
main studs $240
cheap gasket kit $110
ls9 head gaskets $100
so 17170 and havnt touched FI or clutch solution yet or machining which will be even more since 2 additional cylinders............ as i always say the only time lsx is worth while is if your going for 1000+ whp where the vq starts to catch up to the lsx in terms of cost since its harder for the engine to do it or if you plan to stay at 400 whp and never budge from that ever, AND dont care about stock tach.
you wont find anyone on this site who has actually swapped a engine and claimed it was actually cheaper bro. the swap kit and drop out alone costs what base FI would cost you and you know it bolts up.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412
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From: Mississippi
Op, the reason I say skunk2 is for Hondas, they are a cheap eBay quality brand. The skunk2 plenum spacer is 1/2 inch IIRC which is no good for na, not sure about f/i. But, the spacer is made of plastic and has apparently melted on a couple people.
alot of people dont figure the number of parts the vq reuses that other platforms dont and how expensive those items are. mainly heads. most domestic heads are crap from the factory and they pretty much all use tiny cams from the factory. ls3 for example has more lift then any of the vq cams but it only has a pitiful 204/211 degrees duration at .050(stock revup cams are 214 at the same point duration wise), the stock lsx manifolds suck as well unless you use the truck intakes which im not sure will fit under our hoods. thats why they respond so well to mods, its not that the parts are any better just that the engine is trying very hard from the factory lol
Last edited by jerryd87; Oct 23, 2013 at 07:41 PM.
yah 10-12k just for the swap thats what FI would cost you too and a whole lot less hassle as long as someone who knows what they are doing builds you engine(but thats true of any engine.), cass is only one with working stock tach that i know of everyone else is using aftermarket ones.
Last edited by travlee; Oct 24, 2013 at 02:04 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 412
Likes: 1
From: Mississippi
correct... but are you forgetting that he was about to drop 8k on a block? the shifter issue has been resolved in the latest kit. we can go back and forth all day long, but what i am saying is that MY FRIEND is coming out cheaper than turboing his car. his engine and trans came out of gto that was rear ended and totalled out... so yeah he got lucky. mild cam, diff heads (not sure what specific ones), stage 2 clutch and dynod at 427 at the wheels while in the gto
But that price estimate post was very helpful for me. I started saving a few months ago hoping to either go f/i or do the ls swap. I did not think the ls swap would be so expensive.
hence why i make the recommendation i do that its a waste of time unless looking for 1000+ rwhp or if you really are ok with hitting stock and no more.
There are guys who get really lucky and can find parts cars like this. But starting with a stock everything, it sounds like its cheaper to build the vq. HOWEVER. I really have no say on this topic because I am na on a vq. So I don't fall under either category.
But that price estimate post was very helpful for me. I started saving a few months ago hoping to either go f/i or do the ls swap. I did not think the ls swap would be so expensive.
But that price estimate post was very helpful for me. I started saving a few months ago hoping to either go f/i or do the ls swap. I did not think the ls swap would be so expensive.
not necessarily a waste of time, depends on what the person is wanting to do... one thing i neglected to mention that i just realized is that my buddies engine was toast, sounded like a diesel... so instead of rebuilding he opted to swap (my bad for not mentioning that before hand)
dosnt really matter lol he got lucky is the only reason it was worthwhile for him, if he had to build the lsx from stock it would have easily outpaced what it costs to have a motor buiild, if your buddy decideds he wants more power and needs FI down the road he is going to have to do all the same stuff he would have already had done with FI on the VQ and will have far more invested then rebuilding the vq. 99% of people looking to do the swap will be maching the price to go boost in just a swap kit and engine/trans/harness. only thing is if you go with one of the good kits like BP that kit is able to far exceed stock block power.
so down the road with the vq you invest another 4-5k in a shortblock and are good, the lsx your looking at still doubling your cost since you need a entire FI kit still. he got lucky to have heads and a cam already in it, but if he decides FI he will still need to yank the engine and send it to get internals if he wants any amount of decent power
the only reason the whole swap thing is proliferating here is due to **** shops like GTM and forged not having a clue and destroying engines making people think there is some magical force on the vq that when you boost it the magical self destruct switch is flipped. fact is they are just shitty shops and quality shops out there arnt having any issues with the vq, and if most of the people who had vq engine troubles had went with those decent shops then there vq would still be running today, and they would be much better off price wise instead of buying into how it was every ones fault except the engine builder when the same builder destroyed 3-5 engines.
so down the road with the vq you invest another 4-5k in a shortblock and are good, the lsx your looking at still doubling your cost since you need a entire FI kit still. he got lucky to have heads and a cam already in it, but if he decides FI he will still need to yank the engine and send it to get internals if he wants any amount of decent power
the only reason the whole swap thing is proliferating here is due to **** shops like GTM and forged not having a clue and destroying engines making people think there is some magical force on the vq that when you boost it the magical self destruct switch is flipped. fact is they are just shitty shops and quality shops out there arnt having any issues with the vq, and if most of the people who had vq engine troubles had went with those decent shops then there vq would still be running today, and they would be much better off price wise instead of buying into how it was every ones fault except the engine builder when the same builder destroyed 3-5 engines.
Last edited by jerryd87; Oct 24, 2013 at 08:37 AM.
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