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16v conversion cost

we're about to be 5k into an ls swap into a chevy vehicle...arguably the cheapest easiest possible ls swap around-$30 amazon brackets.. and this is with a free 5.3 and a manual trans. I realize it can be done for far less than that (although.. it's a gamble)... but *most* of them are going to set you back that much in any volvo before you get running and driving.

spill the beans, you tease
 
spill the beans, you tease

nothin' to spill, it's a 5.3 swap into a c4 corvette with a 4+3. nothing crazy. I had a 5.3 that I gave my buddy (kent), and I've got a fairly comprehensive list of stuff that runs up over 4k. 1k was a holley terminator x, but realistically he'd been almost that much into a stock ecu (because I didn't have a harness and ecu for the engine) and harness, and has been toying with turbocharging it.. so we got the cheap term-x. but all the other stuff is the details of putting an LS in the car. brackets, accessories, various fittings, oil pan, intake, etc etc etc. we didn't count on having to replace the bellhousing, that was a surprise $400 pop for a cast alu lakewood.. the knockoff ones on amazon were $200+ though and of dubious quality.

fun fact: I set it up to run a volvo fuel filter.
 
It can be also argued you are better off crushing the Volvo and getting a modern car which comes with 300HP+ stock. No dirty fingers. More reliable. Put your frappuchino in the cup holder and off you go

Oh i mean my silverado 1500 has more power, more torque, gets better gas mileage, and probably handles better than my red wagon.

But, we?re talking about head conversions and new engine management systems that go along with it. Having been down that road, at least in a 240, if you?re going to do all of that you might as well double the number of cylinders. You can even keep the stock gm ecu and never have to **** with it. I bet I?ve spent hours and hours tuning mine just to get the idle to be semi stockish and it still acts wonky if it?s really cold outside or really hot.
 
Oh i mean my silverado 1500 has more power, more torque, gets better gas mileage, and probably handles better than my red wagon.

But, we?re talking about head conversions and new engine management systems that go along with it. Having been down that road, at least in a 240, if you?re going to do all of that you might as well double the number of cylinders. You can even keep the stock gm ecu and never have to **** with it. I bet I?ve spent hours and hours tuning mine just to get the idle to be semi stockish and it still acts wonky if it?s really cold outside or really hot.
I gave up on the idle control valve with my microsquirt and put in a ball valve. I just open it up when it's cold out then close it after it warms up.
 
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marv probably needs a diode on the idle valve and maybe new settings. also, short runners on the intake, but still. my black wagon idles better than stock and I have not spent a whole lot of time on it.
 
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