CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

What's that noise,,, FOUND IT :-/

also, fair warning if you havent been elbows deep in one of these engines before, its like rummaging around in a bag full of razor blades. the aluminum block casting is nothing but razor sharp edges. I worked at gm around the time they did the piston ring recall on the LS engines, and even had a ZO6 with a snapped valve spring come through. I wound up buying a long sleeve uniform and cut resistant nitrile gloves or something like that from the tool truck, specifically to work on these engines.

keep a bottle of alcohol and band aids handy.
 
Only bad thing about doing a cam swap would be retuning the ECM, so figure that into the budget also.
 
Finally starter tearing in to this engine alittle further, tearing down to get the heads off for this cam replacement. I gotta say, it surely is a totally different engine than the older ones.

Still pretty basic, unless that's because of the mechanical experience :tongue1:

but parts and removal process are just totally different.

Actually halfway considering just pulling the whole dang thing out and having it totally gone through & rebuild, just for peace of mind. Heck, the transmission is new already, why not the engine. :doah:
 
Another option if you were interested in time, is to get a junkyard motor for it. They are super cheap and super plentiful.
 
Another option if you were interested in time, is to get a junkyard motor for it. They are super cheap and super plentiful.

This.

If you aren't going to upgrade the cam you will most likely get off cheaper with a junkyard pull out. I know all the ones around here have a warranty on the ones they sell. Can't go wrong either way though.
 
I'm just not fond of the junk yard engine thing after having a few bad experiences with them in the past. One car I went through 4 engines before they gave me one that actually ran, and even still that one only lasted a year.

One engine they sold me,,, as I was draining out the oil, it just kept pouring out, like too much was in there, and for good reason. I dropped the pan and 3 of 6 rod bearings were basically gone, rods would flop around. I talked with the guy, he said "it ran and sounded good when we fired it up here?"

Yeah, because the rode were totally submerged in oil maybe.

I dunno, I just got a price wuote from the machine shop that rebuilt my '89's engine,, quoted $1500 for standard rebuild and full machine work or $1850 for the same but to upgrade the cam to an RV cam.

Trying to finger out what I'm gonna do with it. I think I'm gonna remove a few more things and the heads to see what's further down in there and make sure there's no excessive damage somewhere else.
 
If someone wants to charge an extra $350 to "upgrade" to an RV cam they have bumped their fockin head.
 
From the prices I am seeing on the internet, for a roller cam and lifters, that's about the going rate.
 
IMAG0235.jpg

IMAG0237.jpg
 
OUCH!!

Any clue as to what happened?

It kinda looks like it was just loose on the cam and the cam was coming up and slamming into it.
But I think the rockers were all tight right?
Doesn't look like galling or welding from lack of lube.
 
Were talking LS here Scott. Cams seem to be a fair bit more expensive. Id like to know the specs on the "RV" cam. Probably not worth the upgrade.

That lifter looks like my ass after fajitas night!
 
There actually looks to be a flat spot on it too, not sure if it stopped spinning or if that happened after damage was started. I haven't got the cam out just yet, obviously got the heads off, gonna drop those off at the shop tomorrow and have them cleaned, inspected and lightly serviced, hopefully.

They don't look horrible, look dirty though. Lots of crud deposited inside the intake runner area.
 
RV cam he was calling it a 220, something or other, I did some research and apparently the stock is a bit lower than that. Away from the computer with links at the moment.
 
I do believe that you are probably referring to the 220/220 cam. Depending on how you drive the truck it may or may not be worth it. Also could end up needing a tune. If you can get the specs on the cam and research it, then compare it to your needs.
 
wonder how much you would really gain with it. I do know a zo6 cam is awesome for bumping tq and hp with a stock idle. My buddy gained 40 rwhp? I don't remember but alot for a cam swap in a 5.3.
 
Neither am I, I just know I need to change out the valve springs and possibly push rods. I know a guy who had this cam in a ls1 Camaro and It pulled pretty hard off the line. He ended up ripping it out after about 6k miles because it wouldn't pass emissions. He didn't want to tune the ecm.:rolleyes:
 
Due to shortage of funds, and the need to get it running by hopefully next weekend, we just decided to put the stocker unit in it.

Once I get everything in order in the next year here, I'm thinkin if just buying another complete engine and build it from top to bottom.

I was told by the guy at the machine shop, that the 220 cam would not need retuning, It's the same cam he is running in his truck and works fine.
 

Latest Posts

Top Bottom