LS3 swap into E53 X5

[Scott ZHP]

I'd be curious what's involved. The DME takes inputs from literally everywhere and sends signals back out to loads of stuff. Electronically, an E53 is pretty much an E39, so if someone has done an LS swap into a 5-series, that might be a worth investigating.

A guy in a British car club I belong to dropped an E36 M3/S52 engine into a TR6. It's an unbelievably clean transplant and looks like it was meant to be there.

[jopecasa]

I'm getting old for engine swaps........got other priorities than this.

Go ahead and do it....while you're young....have time.... and money.....or nothing else in life to get in the way!

Asked people "locally or close to you" who has done "own" engine swaps.........then decide for yourself.

[N S]

Do it in your 89 325. That would be a bad ass swap

[4.8isX5]

Theres a bunch of e39 ls swaps out there which make the cluster and everything else work like stock. Along with stock driveabilty, seeing that the e53 is mostly the same electrics wise.

Im very interested in a ls swap with a procharger. Probably cheaper then redoing all gaskets on motor from bottom to top and a ess supercharger. With the ls its more power anyways.

[J.Belknap]

Buy my E53 and save yourself the time and trouble.

[GOFAST GUY]

Thanks guys for all you input. My logic behind taking a serious look at doing it would be to simplify an amazing SUV by going with an engine that has tons of upgrade-ability in terms of tuning and performance and replacement parts aren't so expensive needing specialty tools to replace parts. The E53 X5, in my opinion, is the perfect sized SUV. The newer X5s are bigger and heavier so they came out with an X3 which is, in my opinion, too small. Enter the X4, but it's a slant back and crazy expensive. Electronically, the X5 is a nightmare to work on with WAY too many sensors and crap that isn't necessary. The engine is decent, for it's time, but you can't program it for highway mileage or turn around and quickly upload a more 'spirited' program for city driving, which the LS swap would be able to easily accomplish. The upgrades on the LS3 are limitless with stock hp of 420hp, cam'd 480+hp and then supercharging it will easily reach 700hp all day, everyday without the worry of cratering. E53 X5s are getting less expensive so factoring a conversion into the purchase of another X5 makes the next 10+yrs of driving a dependable vehicle very affordable. I have an 03 4.6is and I love it. I only have 140,000kms on it but the reality of it is that it's about to turn 13yrs old. I've already replaced the transmission ($5,500) and just did the timing chain and guides ($5,700) along with seals and whatever else needed doing at the time. It's now at the shop because the computer isn't able to communicate with the transmission for some unknown reason. Maybe I love the vehicle to my fault, but when I look around at other SUVs, and the thought of getting into payments on something newer while not really getting much for mine after all I've spent on it, it's really becoming clear why I still drive it. It's not for the re-sale value because they aren't a collector. We drive them because they're awesome and still look sexy as hell. Now just imagine not having to worry about anything mechanically and electronically the gremlins would be minimized. A buddy of mine did an LS3 swap into his E36 328 and it's a track monster. Another buddy of mine just completed an LS swap into his Infinity G35 and a Porsche Carrera as unreal as that sounds!! These engines have become the go to engine for classic muscle cars also and they're not getting any less popular.

[Joshdub]

The problem lies in that fact that you think it's going to be cheaper to swap in a LS than to mod and maintain your current engine. It's not. It sounds like you aren't doing the work yourself. After spending 10k on maintenance and repair on your current X (which by the way, you need to find a new shop), I'd be cheaper to mod your current engine.

LS swaps can be retarded expensive. I know a kid who dropped upwards of 60k to have a shop put a LS3 crate engine in his E30. Yeah, he got robbed, but that's what some shops do. It's easy to quickly find yourself in over your head.

[Clockwork]

GoFastGuy, I'd love to see this once done.
Calgary has THE WORST options for german mechanics/bodyshops doing something other than remove and replace with SAME parts, so to hear that you know of a shop willing to do some exploration is a huge positive for me.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by TiAgX5

BCRedliner and I have discussed this at several Cars & Coffee Dallas meets.

If I recall, he's interested in leaving the 4.6is Dinan "as is", a donor blown trans and/or motor X would be an ideal starting point.

I have Dinan mods that took me to 369HP. I added meth injection and a 150 shot of nitrous. The Dinan mods included transmission software. I also installed electric cutouts. It's hard to find the Dinan stuff anymore and if I was to start over I wouldn't bother. Whether it be a 3.0, 4.4, 4.6 or 4.8 I would go the meth and nitrous route.

I have considered lots of options beyond where I am. While there may be an opportunity to simplify the electronics and increase HP and TQ going to an LS3, doing so creates another list of issues.

In the case of 4.6 it will likely be the transmission. There is a vendor that will rebuild the transmission to handle more HP and TQ and also offers a high stall convertor. If that transmission handles the increases the next weakest link will become the rest of the driveline.

Since the bottom end of a 4.6 is almost bulletproof, and a 4.6 on the rare side, going to an LS3 only makes sense if it delivers over 700HP. At that level I think I would be chasing weakest links with little out there to solve the problem.

Unless I wouldn't be chasing the weakest links at 700+HP and 600 TQ I would go another route--such as the X5M that has an 8 speed transmission instead of a 5, launch control, etc. and the starting point is already 567 HP and 553 TQ There are suppliers to push that to over 750 HP without causing other problems. With the twin turbos getting more than that wouldn't be that difficult.

That's the route I intend to go. My 4.6 will no longer be my daily driver. I will then upgrade the transmission, increase the diff ratios to at least 4.10, increase the nitrous to 200 shot and have some head work done. I expect I will find the next weakest link.

There were no 4.6 nitrous applications that I could find so it was breaking new ground. It's not now.

[GOFAST GUY]

Since they guys I know and have talked to about this project are well versed in 'American Muscle' we'd use the motor and transmission and probably go 6spd manual. By going manual over auto, we'd cut a whole bunch of potential sensor issues out of the equation. I'm not appose to driving a manual X5 either for that matter. Mating the drive shaft up to the transmission can be fab'd up without issue and I'm sure the rear diff will handle 500hp. Once I track down the LS and have it rebuilt by one of my buddies, I'll wait till spring before pulling the X5 engine out and building motor mounts and aligning brackets etc. From what I've heard, these engines are so much more easy to work on with parts WAY cheaper than any on the engine I'm currently running.