LS swap notes from the bench.
Shop-floor comparison pieces and bench-tested guides for the LS family — the donation picks, the torque sequences, the parts cheat sheets. Pulled off real build sheets, not forum threads.
- Cornerstone guide · donor to first fire
The LS Swap Guide — From Donor Engine to First Fire
The complete shop-floor path from chassis and engine choice through donor inventory, parts planning, torque workflow, installation, and a clean first fire.
Read more - Checklist · first-time LS swap
Common First-Time LS Swap Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Six expensive misses to catch early: engine identification, chassis fitment, wiring, fuel and cooling, fastener torque, and the complete project plan.
Read more - Comparison · 4.8 vs 5.3 swap
LS 4.8 vs 5.3 for a Car Swap — Which Engine Fits Your Build?
Block, weight, power ceiling, swap cost, and parts availability for the LS 4.8 LR4 and the 5.3 LM7 / LR4 — plus where the LS 5.3 Builder’s Guide and the Torque Specs manual fit in.
Read more - Comparison · 5.3 vs 5.7 car swap
LS 5.3 vs 5.7 for a Car Swap — Which Engine Fits Your Build?
Power, donor cost, packaging, and parts availability for the truck-family 5.3 and car-based 5.7 LS1 / LS6 — plus the right use case for each swap builder.
Read more - Comparison · LS truck swap
LS 5.3 vs 6.0 for a Truck Swap — Which Engine Fits Your Build?
Weight, power ceiling, swap cost, and parts availability for the LS 5.3 LM7 / LR4 and the 6.0 LQ4 / LQ9 — plus where the LS 5.3 Builder’s Guide and the Torque Specs manual fit in.
Read more - Torque sequence · TTY M11 head bolts
How to Torque LS 5.3 Head Bolts the Right Way
The correct multi-stage torque procedure for LS 5.3 (Gen IV LC9) TTY head bolts — 22 ft-lb + 90° + 90° center-out spiral, why the sequence matters, and the five mistakes that blow a head gasket.
Read more - Comparison · first-time LS swap
Best LS Engine for First-Time Swap Builders — 4.8L vs 5.3L vs 5.7L vs 6.0L
Compare the four common LS starting points by weight, realistic power, swap cost, parts availability, and first-build ease — with the LS 5.3 as the practical recommendation for most builders.
Read more - Reference · LS swap torque specs
LS Swap Torque Specs — 10 Critical Values Before First Fire
A quick-scan reference for heads, intake, balancer, flywheel, water pump, accessory brackets, manifolds, rockers, oil pan, and valley cover—with sequence and application caveats.
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shop floor · LS swap · bench notes