Porsche LS swap questions
Straight answers on DIY conversion kits, in-house Porsche conversions, supported models, drivetrain choices, conversion pricing, and how we work — so you can decide faster and with less back-and-forth.
Yes. CPE does both. We ship DIY conversion kits and parts packages for builders who want to assemble the swap themselves, and we perform full in-house conversions and complete vehicle builds in our Baltimore-area shop. Same engineering mindset either way—kits reflect what we trust on cars we build here.
1998–2012 Porsche 911 (996 / 997) — Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, and Carrera 4S in coupe, cabriolet, and Targa are fully supported for our LS conversion programs and related systems.
1998–2012 Boxster and Cayman (986 / 987) — including Boxster, Boxster S, Cayman, and Cayman S — are partially supported. Scope varies by chassis; we can walk you through what applies to your car and what assistance we offer for those builds.
We retain the car’s original manual transaxle as part of the conversion path we engineer around.
Automatic transmissions — including Tiptronic and PDK — are not supported for the LS conversion as-is. If you have an automatic car, converting to a manual transmission first is the route we use; we also offer manual conversion work as a core service.
LSx-based kits are designed around a Gen 4 LS3 with a 58x reluctor. The same hardware philosophy also works with Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3 LS engines, including many iron-block variants. 1999–2000 LQ4 engines are excluded. For the cleanest plug-and-play harness behavior on older blocks, converting the engine to Gen 4 / 58x spec is strongly recommended.
LV-based kits center on the Gen 5 LV3. Expect more custom fabrication and packaging work compared to LSx routes because of how that engine fits the bay.
Yes — we engineer conversions so daily usability stays intact. In a typical completed build you can expect:
Cruise control is the main item still under active development on some configurations — ask us for current status on your platform.
A lift makes the job far easier but is not strictly required — many owners use QuickJacks or safe jack-and-stand setups.
Plan on a solid metric socket and hex set, plus power tools you’d expect for a major swap: impact gun, ratchet, grinder, and usual fabrication helpers. If you’re unsure whether your garage setup is enough, ask before you order.
A large number of builds run comfortably in the neighborhood of 500 wheel horsepower and 500 lb-ft without drama when the driveline is healthy and the tune is sensible.
We’ve also seen customers push far beyond that — including figures approaching 900 whp / 900 torque — but that always depends on how the car is driven, transmission condition, and maintenance. Mechanical sympathy matters. We’ll be straight with you about risk as power goes up.
A complete LSx-to-996/997 DIY conversion kit, shipped, is generally in the approximately $12,000 range. Final total depends on options, freight, and exactly what’s in your package — shop the store or contact us for a line-item quote.
Turnkey in-house conversions typically start around $45,000 for RWD or AWD cars. That baseline assumes a GM Performance 495 hp LS3 crate engine, CPE’s branded conversion parts, and selected wear items and replacements as needed. Extras — aero, suspension, wheels, paint, or heavy customization — move the number from there.
Customers normally supply the vehicle. On occasion we may have rollers or allocated build slots — ask if you’re looking for a chassis-only path.
We advertise roughly a three-month window for a straightforward turnkey LS conversion. If you add aero, suspension, wheels, paint, or other major extras, expect the calendar to stretch. We’ll give you a realistic timeline up front once scope is defined.
In-house builds use a staged payment schedule:
No. We do not install customer-supplied used engines or miscellaneous used parts in our in-house program. Liability, unknown history, and warranty boundaries make that a hard line. New or specified crate / retail components we source or specify are how we keep quality predictable.
Workmanship on labor we perform is covered for 30 days from completion on defects attributable to our installation.
Parts failures fall to the manufacturer’s warranty (or supplier policy), not the installer. We’ll help you document issues, but replacement terms follow the part vendor.
DIY kits are aimed at experienced home builders — people who have done serious mechanical work beyond basic maintenance. If your comfort zone stops at oil changes and brake pads, a full LS swap in your garage will be a steep climb. We’re happy to support capable DIYers with parts and guidance; we’re also happy to take the keys if you’d rather we do the whole job.
Then talk to us directly. Email chavisperformanceengineering@outlook.com or call (443) 595-6615. Whether it’s supported Porsche models, DIY kits, in-house pricing, or a niche LS swap question, we’d rather answer it once clearly than leave you guessing.
If you don’t see it above, reach out. We’re glad to talk through your chassis, your goals, and whether a DIY kit or a turnkey in-house conversion is the right move.