LS3 Crate Motor Price + Availability

[DRAGON]

Does anyone know what the going price for LS3 crate motors are these days?

I've been looking around to get some prices and availability, but it seems like there aren't any floating around these days as no one seems to list them?

If anyone knows the current prices and who has stock it'd be most appreciated :)

[ILLUSIV1]

Here you go. Was the first result I got when i typed in LS3 crate motor on Google. h t t p : // holmart . com . au / onlin e /prod2085.htm
You will need to close the gaps because I am not allowed, even after 2 years on this site, to post weblinks of any kind.

[SirNemesis]

and if you clicked on the link, you would have seen they are out of stock.

[HQvanner]

im after the same info mate

i know that eagle auto spares do them for 9500 roughly.
not sure about any where else tho.

[ILLUSIV1]

haha. Didn't even see that. Ahh well.

[Justice R8]

I have them

ls3 6.2 $7995

LS1 5.7 $5995

ls2 6.0 $8000

LS7 factory GM unit dry sump etc $19,995

[troytroy]

Why is the LS2 above so damn expensive compared to the LS3? Is it because of the accessories fitted or that LS2's are rare?????

I know which one I'd buy if I had $8,000.....

[TommyVTss]

why the hell is a ls2 more than a ls3?

PM svnltr aka nick

ls3's for $6600

[Justice R8]

Why is the LS2 above so damn expensive compared to the LS3? Is it because of the accessories fitted or that LS2's are rare?????

I know which one I'd buy if I had $8,000.....

ls2 are rare

all mine are manifold to clutch and flywheel on the ls3

[DRAGON]

Justice, what's the availability like for the LS3s you have?

Do you only have 1 or 2 left, or are you sitting on a huge stock pile? (Trying to work out if your stock will be gone tomorrow, or still around in a few weeks...etc)

[Wonky]

You will need to close the gaps because I am not allowed, even after 2 years on this site, to post weblinks of any kind.

That's coz in the 2 years you've only made 12 posts in technical sections and need 20. Some people have been on here much longer and still can't post links, others can in a matter of days!

[JET-33]

stay away from the ls2...ive heard they are the worst of the bunch if upgrading from an ls1

if the ls3 costs too much, get an l98. still 6L like the ls2 but has better flowing heads

[SHANESVZSS]

stay away from the ls2...ive heard they are the worst of the bunch if upgrading from an ls1

if the ls3 costs too much, get an l98. still 6L like the ls2 but has better flowing heads

theres nothing wrong with the LS2 , its a good base to start with , a few people on here have done some nice work with them with good results , you can always change the heads on the ls2 anyway.. if i was you i would also check with Gm motorsport , they had heaps of l98's , l76 , ls2 , and ls3 not sure on their stock now tho..


ps. also check thru the forum for cheap crate engines in the classifields , the odd one pops up.. depending on budget and future plans , Russo performance where doing a l98 stokers 403-408ci for around the 15k mark. again im not sure on current prices.. lol ls owners are spoilet for choices.

[daskip]

stay away from the ls2...ive heard they are the worst of the bunch if upgrading from an ls1

if the ls3 costs too much, get an l98. still 6L like the ls2 but has better flowing heads

not true

my ls2 in the VT is making just shy of 300rwkw with cam + zorst + mafless

i reckon i would be making just over 300rwkw now with the twin 3" xforce fitted.

the ls2 can be turned into quite a monster with little work

[JET-33]

not saying there is anything wrong with the ls2 guys...i would love to have one. all im saying is that when the l98 is cheaper, same capacity and has better heads, why buy an ls2 instead?

yeh you can change the heads, at more cost. you can get the l98 cheaper and already with the heads. both are 6l donks so why would you get the ls2 instead (when given the option)?

[SHANESVZSS]

not saying there is anything wrong with the ls2 guys...i would love to have one. all im saying is that when the l98 is cheaper, same capacity and has better heads, why buy an ls2 instead?

yeh you can change the heads, at more cost. you can get the l98 cheaper and already with the heads. both are 6l donks so why would you get the ls2 instead (when given the option)?

sorry there jet i didnt see the price of the ls2 compared to the l98..in that case yes id go the l98 IF you couldnt get the ls3.

[Pickles]

not true

my ls2 in the VT is making just shy of 300rwkw with cam + zorst + mafless

i reckon i would be making just over 300rwkw now with the twin 3" xforce fitted.

the ls2 can be turned into quite a monster with little work
Spot On!
Cheers, Pickles.

[JET-33]

Spot On!
Cheers, Pickles.

it is spot on, but again, not the argument i was making :p

refer to previous comments

[Justice R8]

not saying there is anything wrong with the ls2 guys...i would love to have one. all im saying is that when the l98 is cheaper, same capacity and has better heads, why buy an ls2 instead?

yeh you can change the heads, at more cost. you can get the l98 cheaper and already with the heads. both are 6l donks so why would you get the ls2 instead (when given the option)?

How about you post some links for all these cheap L98's. They are not around. I just swapped 2 ls3's for 2 l98's because I had to have 2 new l'98's.

I have a few ls3's left

[JET-33]

How about you post some links for all these cheap L98's. They are not around. I just swapped 2 ls3's for 2 l98's because I had to have 2 new l'98's.

I have a few ls3's left

im not a dealer and i dont intend on doing so. im just providing the info for people that want to know. im sure anyone that decides to do an engine swap will not decide in 1 night, so as they are contemplating the idea they can speak to diff work shops in their state and see who can source what

one example i have seen on a wesbite is at http://www.gmmotorsport.com/gm_home.shtml

550HP GMM L98 Engines
Now $8,990- inc gst

so under 9k with a cam upgrade

just looking over the first post in the thread, ls3 cheaper than ls2 :shock:

im by no means an expert on these engines, but why would someone ever get an ls2 when they get an ls3 for the same price or less? serious question, is there something in the ls2 that makes it better for certain appications?

[pink_bits]

berwick holden has l98 for $5995, l76 for $5500 and the old ls1 for $5500 and when i rang them they had a couple of ls2 for $5500.
Simon

[awesome _vzss]

or theirs is one more option
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/11316/gm-gearing-up-to-release-ls9-crate-motor/
i love this :bow:

[JET-33]

or theirs is one more option
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/11316/gm-gearing-up-to-release-ls9-crate-motor/
i love this :bow:

oh shit yeh! :drool:

how much will that bad boy be though?

[awesome _vzss]

i don't know it's avalibility or price but i
want one so bad

[SVNLTR]

im not a dealer and i dont intend on doing so. im just providing the info for people that want to know. im sure anyone that decides to do an engine swap will not decide in 1 night, so as they are contemplating the idea they can speak to diff work shops in their state and see who can source what

one example i have seen on a wesbite is at http://www.gmmotorsport.com/gm_home.shtml

550HP GMM L98 Engines
Now $8,990- inc gst

so under 9k with a cam upgrade

just looking over the first post in the thread, ls3 cheaper than ls2 :shock:

im by no means an expert on these engines, but why would someone ever get an ls2 when they get an ls3 for the same price or less? serious question, is there something in the ls2 that makes it better for certain appications?

Jet from a engine point of view-

the ls2 block-block only--- is stronger then the ls3-

so if anyone has big plans but has no money now the ls2 block is a good foundation for boost and n20 stuff-to a certain limit-

i am only talking about a foundation not the overall package between the ls2 vs ls3-

[JET-33]

[I]the ls2 block-block only--- is stronger then the ls3

thanks mate...thats exactly the kind of info i was after :goodjob:

is the ls2 block also stronger than the l98 block, or are they the same?

[The_Senator]

i don't know it's avalibility or price but i
want one so bad

Ask and you shall receive...

If you started salivating at the thought of shoehorning GM's earth-shattering LS9 crate motor into your own weekend project car, you'd better start saving up those pennies. The General has released pricing for the boxed-up V8 donk, and it ain't cheap.

$21,000 US dollars is the price, which equates to roughly $23,500 Aussie simoleons. A hefty whack to the hip pocket, no doubt, but then again it IS the very same engine that powers the mighty Corvette ZR-1.

No less than 476kW (638hp) and a chassis-snapping 835Nm (604lb/ft) are on tap from the supercharged 6.2 litre bent-eight, but given lesser LS V8s are going for far less money and are capable of supporting similar levels of power, we're not sure how many people will pony up the cash for the fire-breathing LS9 cratey.

So - save.. and save some more!!

OR - go the little brother - the LSA...

LSA
The supercharged 6.2L LSA is similar to the LS9 and debuted in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V. The LSA has been SAE certified at 556 bhp (415 kW)@6100rpm and 551 lb·ft (747 N·m)@3800rpm. GM labels it "the most powerful ever offered in Cadillac’s nearly 106-year history". The LSA features a smaller 1.9L capacity supercharger rather than the 2.3L variant of the LS9. Other differences include a slightly lower 9.0:1 compression ratio, single unit heat exchanger and cast pistons. Price $US14,300 ($AU15,900)

[lowhsv]

wow havent crate engines jumped up, i remember last year-
ls1 $3995
l98 $4500
l76 $4000
vz ls2 $5200
ls3 $5500

dealers must have seen the high demand for crates so price hiked them i could of got a brand new ls3 for 5k and i knocked it back thinking give it 12 months they will cheap as chips lol

[SVNLTR]

thanks mate...thats exactly the kind of info i was after :goodjob:

is the ls2 block also stronger than the l98 block, or are they the same?

Both are as good as each other-(Lots of meat in the right areas that matter most)

the l98 is the updated version of the ls2-

If you measure one up you will find that they fixed some cylinder liner issues that they had on the ls2-

it was a couple of batches of ls2's only from what i have been told-

You tend to see that more when you just buy a bare block-

about a tad bigger-from what i have measured i seen 0.02 to 0.03 over the ls2-

Nothing to be concern over-

[mce]

wow havent crate engines jumped up, i remember last year-
ls1 $3995
l98 $4500
l76 $4000
vz ls2 $5200
ls3 $5500

dealers must have seen the high demand for crates so price hiked them i could of got a brand new ls3 for 5k and i knocked it back thinking give it 12 months they will cheap as chips lol

They where only this price because holden had an over stock , and needed to clear the engines at below cost , now there an none left , so the engines are being imported from the US at normal prices

[HQvanner]

justice R8 can you PM me a contact number??
cheers josh

[DRAGON]

stay away from the ls2...ive heard they are the worst of the bunch if upgrading from an ls1

if the ls3 costs too much, get an l98. still 6L like the ls2 but has better flowing heads

I've still got a brand new crate L98 motor sitting waiting to be used :)

I was thinking of maybe selling my VS Wagon and all the parts for it, including the L98, and getting a LS3 for my VZ Calais instead.

Just weighing up my options $$$ wise before deciding :)


How about you post some links for all these cheap L98's. They are not around. I just swapped 2 ls3's for 2 l98's because I had to have 2 new l'98's.

I have a few ls3's left

I'll have a think about it and see what I come up with.

As mentioned above, I need to work out if I sell my L98 and my wagon, and put the cash towards my Calais and a LS3 instead.

[rosey]

so it would be fair to say the going price for an LS3 is around $8,000? interesting...

[gmh308]

so it would be fair to say the going price for an LS3 is around $8,000? interesting...

Considering street GMPP USA price is towards US$7,000 + shipping and GST, for a complete LS3 crate motor available locally, AU$8k with GST is a steal.

[LSXMAD]

Any short blocks around ? LS2,L98,L76,LS3

[BigJim]

Any short blocks around ? LS2,L98,L76,LS3

I have a mate with a L98 short block he will part with. $1850. Its done 30000klms but in perfect condition. Thats assembled with crank, rods, pistons and oil pump.

[fastestls7]

i think i can get my hands on 1 for abt $5500 in melbourne

[Carbon]

Has anyone tried the comeracing stroker block deal at $7500?
As an assembled new 6L/block GM short motor with components listed it looks like a good deal?

Steve

[pink_bits]

you can get a gmpp lsx454 for $9990 from the states for a long block no intake.......... there are options out there people dont believe what u hear and make a few calls to the good old USA and then u will know about some good deals......

[Justice R8]

you can get a gmpp lsx454 for $9990 from the states for a long block no intake.......... there are options out there people dont believe what u hear and make a few calls to the good old USA and then u will know about some good deals......

It all sounds good going via the states and buying something. The problem is when something goes wrong ie wont fire up once fitted to car or a rusty bore etc etc what do you do, pack it up and send it back at your cost and then when they send it back at your cost the government tries to slugg duty again. But of course I would say that as I am selling them.

Sometimes importing them works sometimes it doesnt. Look how many people got burnt bringing in heads and saving 50 dollars to have a shit load of issues

[SVNLTR]

It all sounds good going via the states and buying something. The problem is when something goes wrong ie wont fire up once fitted to car or a rusty bore etc etc what do you do, pack it up and send it back at your cost and then when they send it back at your cost the government tries to slugg duty again. But of course I would say that as I am selling them.

Sometimes importing them works sometimes it doesnt. Look how many people got burnt bringing in heads and saving 50 dollars to have a shit load of issues

Yup-got to agree with that-seen it too many times-
just like these 7-8k usa power-glides with normal input shafts....................................

[WHStatesman99]

Can a LS3 be fitted to a VT/WH using the LS1 mounts. And aren't LS3 fly by wire throttle. Could this be an issue in fitting this engine.

[hsv-105]

I've got a brand new LS3 that I'll part company with for $7500.

Send me a pm if interested.

Cheers Mark

[Quicksilverls1]

And that's a very fair and competitive price too.

[ebbett21]

Can a LS3 be fitted to a VT/WH using the LS1 mounts. And aren't LS3 fly by wire throttle. Could this be an issue in fitting this engine.

no issues mate, i had a LS3 fitted in my VTII no worries at all bolted straight in.
you will need a 90mm TB sideshow performance wiring sydney has all the stuff you will require for the swap like harness ect.

[WHStatesman99]

Cheers for the info. Did you run a manual..

[SirNemesis]

It'll work fine WHStatesman99. :)

[ebbett21]

Cheers for the info. Did you run a manual..

Mine is 6 spd man, 3:9.1 gear ratio, only thing to change if you have T56 gearbox is the spigot bearing easy job swap for a spigot out of earlier model 308 VT, .

[WHStatesman99]

SirNemesis, Love your WH, I've seen yours before on another forum, your running a L98 with a T56 manual, right? Have you seen or anyone else run the newer TR6060 6 speed manuals in a VT/WH.

[Louie_D]

Not sure if its been mentioned already but holmart has the ls3 in stock for around $6700 last time i checked

[Wonky]

Not sure if its been mentioned already but holmart has the ls3 in stock for around $6700 last time i checked

AFAIK they no longer have any LS3s (very hard to find anywhere apparently) and even their L98s are $6,380.

[UTESRULE]

a member has one for sale in the classifieds on here

[Wonky]

a member has one for sale in the classifieds on here

See post #43 in this thread.

[TR33VV]

Eagle Autos I think they are called had a few a while back but may be sold by now... A phonecall can't hurt... ;)

[HQvanner]

Eagle Autos I think they are called had a few a while back but may be sold by now... A phonecall can't hurt... ;)

eagle autos always have them in stock, but they are $9300.

[mustanger]

a member has one for sale in the classifieds on here

Give Mark (HSV 105) a call , he has a complete motor available.....:teach:

[TUFFIE]

Nick at NJC who is a sponsor can still get ls3 for a reasonable price...give him a ring too, see how you go..last I heard he was selling them for around 5500 to 6000 mark...don't quote me though.

[TR33VV]

eagle autos always have them in stock, but they are $9300.

OUCH !! Explains why they always have them in stock... :1peek: