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5.3L LM7 swap into 88 Comanche build: Ebay headers

barillms

NAXJA Forum User
Hey guys, just wanted to share some info. I'm swapping a 5.3L into my 1988 Comanche buggy. And with the Novak mounts it makes life easy (but expensive)... To save some money you can find stainless headers on Ebay that will work. But it's often risky and hard to figure out which ones will fit.

These rub in one spot on the drivers side at the bottom of the firewall near the floor pan. A hammer will easily make clearance. The passenger side fits perfect. They come with gaskets and 02 sensor bungs welded into the down pipe stubs.

These were $136 made by AT Racing World USA. They are LS swap headers made for a Camero/Chevelle.

Ebay link:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/301978136842

YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/WPYJozkjkRw
 
These headers will require some heating & hammering to flatten out 2 spors to clear the steering shaft. And you must modify the steering intermediate shaft and go with a custom 2 piece 3/4" DD steering shaft with a 3/4" heim to brace it. Kinda like a hot rod set up. Will cost around $70.
 
I still can't see the big power difference between a well built 4.6 stroker vs a budget 5.3 lm7 at 285/325 since the Golan stroker is 265/300 and for another $1500 in parts is pretty much identical power . I realize the Golan 4.6 is $4200-5200 depending on if you get it pre broke or not and Hesco heads are about $1500 , but it's a brand new motor not a junkyard 80+k mile unit and is bolt in item . I do not question the value of torque and horsepower of a v8 , but it just looks like on paper the lm7 without money into it you are not getting any more power than a stroker ... Feel free to correct that observation it's not one I can up with from real world comparison just simply got it from the power numbers the engines both claim.
 
barillms - that is great, that some cheap headers will work in XJ with little modification. I used (like others) stock F-Body (camaro 2001) headers without any modification

1-tonxj - I see your point. But for me it was mostly about the sound. There is no substitution for a healthy V8 sound. I changed the camshaft in my LM7 for a choppy idle one a now I would not change it for any 6 cylinder :nono:
(the cam has made another 30-40 HP, what HP tuners claims, so now I am at about 340 HP)
The price point is another thing, swapping stroker is much easier but not necessary cheaper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDT92HlbUe0
 
Engine for engine the price is fairly close to the same. But with the V8 you have to get a trans and maybe t-case to match (unless you adapt yours) and that with the little odds and ends make the V8 more.

I think it comes down to your goals/desires. If you only want a max of 300hp then a stroker is the way to go, anything over that and the V8 is the most liable option. If you have an AW4 then you'd most likely be looking at a different trans to hold the power over 300hp anyways. Then it's down to apples and oranges.
 
Engine for engine the price is fairly close to the same. But with the V8 you have to get a trans and maybe t-case to match (unless you adapt yours) and that with the little odds and ends make the V8 more.

I think it comes down to your goals/desires. If you only want a max of 300hp then a stroker is the way to go, anything over that and the V8 is the most liable option. If you have an AW4 then you'd most likely be looking at a different trans to hold the power over 300hp anyways. Then it's down to apples and oranges.

I'm just in the process of deciding how much work and cash I wanna get into next year .
 
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