2007 5.3 year compatibility

[Dustin Jackson]

Having had the AFM lifter failure problem myself I can say that while the problem is very real the number of lifter failures is probably very slim in comparison to the number of GMT900s cruising around being driven be people that aren't even aware of what AFM is and they are passing 200,000miles easy and are going to sell the thing out of boredom and end up buying a 2024 Z71.

I think it's the same for the 4l60e, it gets a bad reputation for failing easily without ever accounting for the other millions that did their job

 

[tjoyce81]

WOW! Just ... WOW!

The condition and bearing clearances is remarkable!

You are probably about DOD AFM being overblown; you only hear about the bad ones. I suspect some of those cases is after vehicle having multiple owners down the road and someone didn't do proper maintenance.

What are your plans for the engine? How do the cylinders look? Any measurements for diameter, taper, etc. on that? Maybe just ball hone for cylinders?

Measured all cylinders 3 times today. 1 has .0008 taper, 3 have .0004 taper, 2 have .0001 taper, and 2 have -.0001 taper. Having 2 being .0001 out of spec is ok with me - could have been a hair off with the measurement.
However, all cylinders are at least .004 too big (over worn). They measure (average ) 3.7845, These are my measurements, so Ill see what the machine shop comes up with. But, it seems just an extended hone perhaps to fit .010 over sized pistons and cam bearings is really all that this engine needs after 350000 miles.

 

[tjoyce81]

Having had the AFM lifter failure problem myself I can say that while the problem is very real the number of lifter failures is probably very slim in comparison to the number of GMT900s cruising around being driven be people that aren't even aware of what AFM is and they are passing 200,000miles easy and are going to sell the thing out of boredom and end up buying a 2024 Z71.

I think it's the same for the 4l60e, it gets a bad reputation for failing easily without ever accounting for the other millions that did the

@tjoyce81 Thats a hard thought. Because you didn’t neglect the timing chain you are punished for it… might have been better off neglecting it.

I put a new melling timing chain in mine a couple years ago knock on wood.

I have to say, I've been thinking about your timing chain. I hope you have many more miles with yours, but from what I see with mine - being the same manufacturer - I would seriously consider changing it.
Thinking back on my chain replacement, I remember thinking how the GM chain seemed more stout - but then I thought - 'Melling makes pretty good stuff', so I didn't give it a second thought - until now.
I just got a new GM chain for $35 bucks, and now, seeing how good the rest of the engine is - as I tear it down to rebuild (because of Mellings' new parts) I would have loved to see how far it would have went....

 

[Geotrash]

I have to say, I've been thinking about your timing chain. I hope you have many more miles with yours, but from what I see with mine - being the same manufacturer - I would seriously consider changing it.
Thinking back on my chain replacement, I remember thinking how the GM chain seemed more stout - but then I thought - 'Melling makes pretty good stuff', so I didn't give it a second thought - until now.
I just got a new GM chain for $35 bucks, and now, seeing how good the rest of the engine is - as I tear it down to rebuild (because of Mellings' new parts) I would have loved to see how far it would have went....

With this particular situation, I think any timing chain would have failed. The failure of the tensioner was the probable root cause. Again, Melling makes many of the lifters and timing chains for GM. I have a Melling timing chain on the shelf and the box is marked Made in USA. I still have the timing chain I took out when I did my cam swap and it's indistinguishable from the Melling chain.

 

[tjoyce81]

With this particular situation, I think any timing chain would have failed. The failure of the tensioner was the probable root cause. Again, Melling makes many of the lifters and timing chains for GM. I have a Melling timing chain on the shelf and the box is marked Made in USA. I still have the timing chain I took out when I did my cam swap and it's indistinguishable from the Melling chain.

The entire timing set - chain, tensioner, cam and crank sprocket - is made by Melling. They were ALL changed at the same time. IMO It's highly unlikely the tensioner would break where it did, without the a broken chain catching it and snapping it off. Of course I could be wrong - and I understand Melling makes parts for GM. Looking further into this, a Melling timing chain measures more narrow than a GM chain. It's just a few thousandths or so, but it's what I've seen.
Melling is .048. GM is .049. Cloyes is .052. Does that make a difference, I don't know. But mine broke, along with and/or from a Melling tensioner. Parts of both ended up in the oil pan - but did not go through the system - which is wonderful....
Curious as to what the new Melling chain width measures as compared to the one you took out?

 

[tjoyce81]

The entire timing set - chain, tensioner, cam and crank sprocket - is made by Melling. They were ALL changed at the same time. IMO It's highly unlikely the tensioner would break where it did, without the a broken chain catching it and snapping it off. Of course I could be wrong - and I understand Melling makes parts for GM. Looking further into this, a Melling timing chain measures more narrow than a GM chain. It's just a few thousandths or so, but it's what I've seen.
Melling is .048. GM is .049. Cloyes is .052. Does that make a difference, I don't know. But mine broke, along with and/or from a Melling tensioner. Parts of both ended up in the oil pan - but did not go through the system - which is wonderful....
Curious as to what the new Melling chain width measures as compared to the one you took out?

AND, for the record, I've installed MANY Melling parts into trucks and cars, for many years - but this is my first true failure of a Melling part. If that can be avoided in the future, it will be my last.

 

[Geotrash]

The entire timing set - chain, tensioner, cam and crank sprocket - is made by Melling. They were ALL changed at the same time. IMO It's highly unlikely the tensioner would break where it did, without the a broken chain catching it and snapping it off. Of course I could be wrong - and I understand Melling makes parts for GM. Looking further into this, a Melling timing chain measures more narrow than a GM chain. It's just a few thousandths or so, but it's what I've seen.
Melling is .048. GM is .049. Cloyes is .052. Does that make a difference, I don't know. But mine broke, along with and/or from a Melling tensioner. Parts of both ended up in the oil pan - but did not go through the system - which is wonderful....
Curious as to what the new Melling chain width measures as compared to the one you took out?

I’ll check the dimensions of both when I have a moment.