Short answer: An LS swap at a shop runs $8,000 to $10,000 in labor. Once you add the engine, transmission and parts, a realistic out-the-door minimum is $15,000 to $20,000.
That range assumes a running donor drivetrain and no custom fabrication. We quote per vehicle, because what you start with changes the number more than anything else does.
You are ready to do an LS swap, you started researching it, and now there are forty things to be aware of and no obvious place to begin. Our ASE-certified technicians at Accelerate Auto Repair have done a lot of these. We know what to look out for and which GM LS engine suits the car you have.
How much does an LS swap cost?
Labor for an LS swap is $8,000 to $10,000. With the engine, transmission and supporting parts included, plan on $15,000 to $20,000 as a realistic out-the-door minimum.
What moves that number:
- Where the engine comes from. A low-mileage drivetrain out of a wrecked vehicle is the cheapest route in. A GM crate engine costs more and removes the guesswork.
- Whether a kit exists for your chassis. Mounts, harness and headers off the shelf are far cheaper than fabricating them.
- The transmission. Reusing what is in the car is rarely as simple as it sounds.
- Fuel, cooling and wiring. The swap is only finished when these keep up with the engine.
We will give you a real number for your vehicle before any parts get bought.
The Best Engine for an LS Swap
There is no single best engine for an LS swap. You pick the engine you can afford, whether that is an LS3 crate engine, a barely used engine out of a wrecked vehicle, or a built racing LS.
Before choosing a crate engine or donor combination, compare an LS and LT swap package.
If the swap also means choosing between the two common GM automatics, read how a 4L60E and 4L80E differ before you choose one.
Whether you want to move up from an old 350 or 454 to a newer LS V8, or convert a Jeep, an S10, a classic muscle car, or even a Jaguar or a Mustang to Chevy LS power, we can do the swap.
Is an LS swap worth it?
If you want a car that makes real power and is still cheap to service, yes. Parts are everywhere, the aftermarket is enormous, and almost any shop can work on an LS once it is in.
If the car is already something rare and original, think twice. A swap is rarely reversible in practice, and you can spend swap money making the original engine very good instead. We will tell you when that is the better call.
What is the easiest vehicle to LS swap?
Anything with an off-the-shelf kit behind it. S10s, square-body trucks, classic GM muscle and older Jeeps all have well-trodden paths, which keeps labor down. The further you get from a known combination, the more fabrication the job needs, and fabrication is where budgets go.
Are LS Swaps Legal in Texas?
It depends on the vehicle’s year and where it gets inspected. Rowlett is in Dallas County, where emissions testing is still legally required every year. Texas repealed the separate safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles on January 1, 2025, but emissions did not go away.
This is worth settling before you buy parts rather than after. We are a certified vehicle emissions inspection station, so we can tell you up front what your build has to keep in order to stay inspectable, instead of you finding out at a testing lane.
Parts, kits and shortcuts
Because the LS is so popular, kits exist for most swaps: mounting plates, wiring harnesses, even shorty headers for tight engine bays like the S10. If no kit exists for your combination and the budget allows, parts can be custom fabricated.
One of the cheapest ways in is a low-mileage engine from a totaled vehicle. We can pull the whole drivetrain and powertrain and move it into your car.
You may still need helpers, such as mounting plates for your specific chassis or shorty headers to clear the engine bay. Even so, starting from an engine and transmission with low mileage remains one of the less expensive ways to pull off an LS swap.
Got a car in mind?
Tell us the vehicle and the engine you are thinking about and we will price the swap properly, including whether a kit exists for your chassis. See the rest of our speed shop work.
Talk to an LS Swap Shop in Rowlett
If you are ready to do an LS swap, get in touch to talk the project through, including whether you want to hunt down a low-mileage used engine or buy a crate engine from GM. Once we know the vehicle and how you want to proceed, we will book you in and get started.
We take LS swaps from Rowlett, Garland, Rockwall, Sachse and Wylie. Call 469-501-5115 or stop by at 3002 Century Dr, Rowlett, TX 75088.
Make your appointment:
