[67_C-30]

I'm not sure I competely buy the reliability factor of swapping to a LS engine, but there's no doubt they make more power in stock form than any old SBC's. The reason I question the reliability is based on my 2000 Z71 and numerous friends that have these trucks. The engine itself has been great, but I put a $400 fuel pump on it at 60,000, $130 water pump at 70,000, and a $40 thermostat (because its made into the housing) at 90,000. Now I know a lot of people will say that spending $600 in the span of 90,000 isn't bad, but I have had numerous SBC's that went WAY over 100,000 miles after a rebuilt without replacing anything but plugs. Hell, I can rebuild a 350 Chevy for $600. -lol

The parts being much higher for the LS engines offsets a lot of the advantages of doing the swap, IMO. I also think a lot of people confuse reliability and longevity when it comes to doing the LS swap. EFI engines in general last longer than old carb'd SBC's. I have also had more than one TBI 350's that have went over 260K with no problems and seen some over 300K, but compared to the LS engines, they are gutless as far as power goes.

I have considered doing an LS swap and came close to doing it once, but I can't justify the cost on a truck that make be driven 5,000 miles a year. Even if build a SBC that makes the power of a LS engine and gets 10 - 12 MPG, I would never recoup the costs of the LS engine.

I'm not knocking anybody that does the swap, and like I said, there's no doubt it is a better engine than the old SBC. I just don't think it is as cost effective as a lot of people seem to think it is.