If all you knew about these two engines was the final peak horsepower number, there isn’t anyone reading who wouldn’t choose the 542 horsepower 5.3 in this stock bottom end NA shootout. But there is more to it than which engine makes the most peak horsepower and that means that you really do have to look at what you are doing with an engine like this before you can decide which build route to follow. For example, if I was going to build an engine like this to go in my square body Suburban, I would choose the higher torque and low end grunt of the lower horsepower version. That’s because the extra 30 horsepower won’t matter when I’m never going to spin this thing high enough to realize it. But if I was putting one of these into a screaming pro tour car that was setup for big rpm, or a purpose built stick shift drag car, the high rpm screamer might be the right choice.
Watch the video below to see how these two stock bottom end 5.3 LS engines stack up against each other and how they actually make power. Then go home and build one for your own ride!
Video Description:
MEGA POWER, SBE, JUNKYARD 5.3L BUILDS. WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? 512 HP VS 542 HP, IS MORE POWER REALLY BETTER? HOW HIGH CAN I REV A STOCK JUNKYARD 5.3L LS? ALL-ALUMINUM L33 BUILD UP. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ADD A BTR RED HOT CAM AND FAST INTAKE TO JUNKYARD 5.3L? WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU STEP THINGS UP EVEN FURTHER WITH PORTED AND MILLED TFS 220 HEADS AND A PORT MATCHED FAST INTAKE? WHO WANTS SOME HIGH-RPM POWER WITH AN EVEN BIGGER STAGE 4 BTR LS3 CAM (YEP-IN A CATH PORT 5.3L) AND TRINITY INTAKE MANIFOLD? WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK, THE 542-HP, 7,700-RPM SCREAMER OR THE 512-HP TORQUE MONSTER?
