wahlstrom1
Registered Member
Update needed... even though I know whats going on! haha...
CK5
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Project Penny - All good things must come to an end
- Thread starter Russell
- Start date
Motor at the machine shop yet?
I decided to keep the LB7. Winds up the coolant leak was due to failed head gaskets. The engine is out on the shop floor and mostly torn down. I have new gaskets on the way along with some fresh injectors lines.
I am hoping to get the parts next week and should have the engine back together by the 2nd week of Jan. I decided not to go through the bottom end at this time. I'll just change out the glow plugs for better cold start performance and run it.
Maybe in the future I may buy a new long block, but not yet. I still have a sway bar, balanced ram steering setup and a set of coil over shocks to install before I drive to KOH
I am hoping to get the parts next week and should have the engine back together by the 2nd week of Jan. I decided not to go through the bottom end at this time. I'll just change out the glow plugs for better cold start performance and run it.
Maybe in the future I may buy a new long block, but not yet. I still have a sway bar, balanced ram steering setup and a set of coil over shocks to install before I drive to KOH
And new motor mounts.
Yup, part of putting the engine back in (along with a new engine crossmember to replace the currently non-existant one
)
DEMON44
Low-Tech Redneck
Did you deck the heads? Measure flat at least?
I just removed the heads from the engine today and discovered that they are in pretty rough shape. The cooling system must have been very acidic with the factory dex cool before I swapped it out as the heads are badly pitted anywhere they were exposed to coolant. This is why the heads were leaking coolant, the aluminum was eaten out to the point that they were letting the coolant out to atmosphere, and a small bit into the number 6 combustion chamber.
I have three options for repair:
1. Get some epoxy, fill the pitting, sand the heads on a flat surface until they are smooth again and slap em right back on. This is the el-cheapo option, heads are back on for about $650 bucks with new GM headgaskets and TTY head bolts.
2. Buy new heads and install. Heads are 1k shipped, and 650 for gaskets / head bolts, so $1650 to get the heads back on.
3. Buy a new long block with heads. All new blue printed and balanced rotating assembly with LBZ rods and coated pistons, brand new GM heads with injector pre-cups and a pre-lashed valve train, fitted to the block with ARP 4030 head studs and GM head gaskets. Engine comes with a new oil pump, and a 3 year 100k warantee. This engine will set me back 5k shipped.
Regardless of which way I go, at the very least I also have to install a new water pump and glow plugs (about 300 bucks for ACDelco stuff from Rock Auto). I've had issues with coolant flow the last little while (comes up to temp nicely, but I have no cabin heat unless I am above 1500 rpm), and when I tested the glow plugs only 2 were actually working
No wonder it started so poorly in the cold I already have a nearly new set of GM injectors and high pressure hard lines, a new starter and a solid flywheel / south bend clutch & pressure plate for the engine which I put into it last time I worked on it less than 5k ago. Thats nearly 5k into the engine right there, so I am definitely fixing this thing.
What say CK5? Cheap out and hope it holds up for a while, fix it right with a new heads, or go all out and replace the whole thing? I just sold my ATV, so I have the means to do the long block replacement engine right now.
That sucks, I'd say go for the new long block and never worry about it again.
I would do new heads or the long block. If you get the long lock sell the other block / head with the epoxy to someone on Craigslist boom done
I wouldn't consider option 1 long term. Sooner or later it's gonna need new heads. And you'll have to go through this again.
Option 2 sounds like a decent cost effective way to go to get up and running.
Option 3 for best long term results if you have the means.
You have gone a long way to build this rig. Do you plan on keeping it in this current state of build for a while? Go with option 3 Or will you consider another engine swap again any time soon? Go with option 2.
Option 2 sounds like a decent cost effective way to go to get up and running.
Option 3 for best long term results if you have the means.
You have gone a long way to build this rig. Do you plan on keeping it in this current state of build for a while? Go with option 3 Or will you consider another engine swap again any time soon? Go with option 2.
I am going to go with option #2. If the bottom end lets go on me down the road, I'll deal with it then (probably upgrade to a newer LMM when I have the time to do it properly)
I'll place my order here next week and get my engine all cleaned up in preparation.
I'll place my order here next week and get my engine all cleaned up in preparation.
Good luck!
That idea sounds alright.
What did you do with the LBZ?
And thanks making me think mine is going to be a nightmare any day now!
That idea sounds alright.
What did you do with the LBZ?
And thanks making me think mine is going to be a nightmare any day now!
Good luck!
That idea sounds alright.
What did you do with the LBZ?
And thanks making me think mine is going to be a nightmare any day now!
I flipped the LBZ, it is going into another GMT400 rig though! Single cab long bed, used to be a 6.5L truck as well. It is getting an NV4500 behind it, and it is all going to be installed at my shop up here in McMurray.
That's cool!
I got the exaughst off that parts truck if you need any of it for that swap.
I got the exaughst off that parts truck if you need any of it for that swap.
Heads are on their way! Tomorrow I am going to start on the sway bar install
Continued tearing down the engine today and found this...
The engine oil cooler and water pump housing both look the same. The PO's inability to change coolant and quite potentially an engine grounding problem in the old truck have totally destroyed anything aluminum that touched the coolant. The water jackets are clean and shiny, though
The adapter housing, oil cooler and water pump housings are making rebuilding this engine out of financial reach for me. They are not cheap.
I did find a new engine to buy and drop in with 1/2 the mileage for 3k. I am going to sell my quad to a guy super cheap to buy the engine with and work on selling the 3k worth of stuff I bought for this engine already.
The engine oil cooler and water pump housing both look the same. The PO's inability to change coolant and quite potentially an engine grounding problem in the old truck have totally destroyed anything aluminum that touched the coolant. The water jackets are clean and shiny, though
The adapter housing, oil cooler and water pump housings are making rebuilding this engine out of financial reach for me. They are not cheap.
I did find a new engine to buy and drop in with 1/2 the mileage for 3k. I am going to sell my quad to a guy super cheap to buy the engine with and work on selling the 3k worth of stuff I bought for this engine already.
you want money for that phone I broke? that could help you recover some of this cost...
^^^But I`m not laughing at the damage.
you want money for that phone I broke? that could help you recover some of this cost...
You're still on aboot that?!
No sir! I will take no such funding
That phone was slated for replacement the following week anyways, you did no harm!
