Exhaust Manifold Gaskets/Lifter Tick

[JPVortex]

well on the bright side of things, no better time than now to do a performance cam, other then needing a tune parts dont cost any more then stock stuff. stay with a smaller cam or you'll need a higher stall torque converter.

Also, not sure a performance cam is really what I’m after. It’s a daily driver, so stock is fine for me. So honestly engine swapping to a lower mileage engine may be my answer.

 

[Scottydoggs]

a smaller perf cam would only add 20-30 hp. its just a nice lil bump in power.

but i hear ya, sometimes just swapping the engine works out better on the wallet. theres a bunch of parts needed and they do add up quick. but then you weigh new parts vs another used engine. if i were in your shoes and went with used engine, id be doing the timing chain and oil pump for sure. because its out and way easier to do. hell drop a new water pump on cause you took it off already. so more new parts adding up on the used engine happens too.

its a double edge sword for sure.

 

[JPVortex]

a smaller perf cam would only add 20-30 hp. its just a nice lil bump in power.

but i hear ya, sometimes just swapping the engine works out better on the wallet. theres a bunch of parts needed and they do add up quick. but then you weigh new parts vs another used engine. if i were in your shoes and went with used engine, id be doing the timing chain and oil pump for sure. because its out and way easier to do. hell drop a new water pump on cause you took it off already. so more new parts adding up on the used engine happens too.

its a double edge sword for sure.

Yeah it definitely is, but to be honest I’d feel better putting a used engine into it, resealing it up and throwing a couple parts like oil pump with a new oring and a timing set. Rather than opening up a motor that has been contaminated with a bad lifter and cam. If the roller is that bad, god knows what’s been circulating throughout the engine, and on the bearings . The oil pressure isn’t quite where I’d like to see it, and it was hard to tell but when I had the oil pan off I swear in the sludge was a few metal shavings. I think this engine is pretty much trashed, and I’ll probably just run it till it blows.

 

[JPVortex]

Last ditch effort before I close it up, gonna spray some carb clean down the rocker hole going to lifter to try and degunk it(if that’s all it is) and finally engine flush with oil change

 

[JPVortex]

Think I’m done with this thing, gonna sell it and try to get like $1500-1700 for it. Things ticking louder than ever now, awful. Going to put the original push rod and rocker back on

 

[JPVortex]

and then my opinion goes back and forth back and forth..... I just drove the Suburban to the pizza restaurant to grab dinner and I don't know if I can part ways with it.... it rides so good, and minus the tick sounds so good with the new exhaust manifolds and the glasspack muffler on it.

think I might have no choice but to swap this engine... It'll be difficult in my driveway and quite messy, but I think if I can remove transmissions, manual swap a previous truck I owned and do all the work I've done, I can pull and replace one 5.3 engine....

 

[Marky Dissod]

... if I can remove transmissions, manual swap a previous truck I owned, and do all the work I've done, I can pull and replace one 5.3L engine ...
with a 6.0L engine ...

Fixed it for you.

 

[JPVortex]

Fixed it for you.

LQ9 would be pretty cool I have to say

 

[JPVortex]

Can someone help fill in the blanks here? Any used engine I go with will be resealed. What am I missing? I’m sure there’s a couple gaskets I forgot.

 

[Scottydoggs]

if you search around you will find a pretty full gasket kit. fel pro makes it. normally oil pan to intake, everything but head gaskets. comes with new crank seals too iirc.

 

[JPVortex]

if you search around you will find a pretty full gasket kit. fel pro makes it. normally oil pan to intake, everything but head gaskets. comes with new crank seals too iirc.

Thank you! I'll do some shopping around.

 

[JPVortex]

By the way, don't think i've posted any real pictures of the truck that this is happening to. It's a black Suburban Regency Edition. She's definitely a decent looking rig, with rotted rear rocker panels. Frame is as solid as can be. I have to say, since September when I bought it, it has become pretty special to me. I don't know why, but it just has.

 

[JPVortex]

And this is the worst rocker rot, rear passenger side.

 

[rockola1971]

There are so many avenues to take on this. If you cant afford another vehicle and have to have this one rolling, either grab a used engine if you can find a Gen3 with atleast below 200k or take a chance on the engine you have and pull the heads and see whats going on. It really all boils down to how much money you have to pay for the avenue that works for you. There really is no way around not having some inconvenience while your only vehicle is down, but it will really be inconvenient with a completely locked up engine scenario that you havent planned for. I recommend a girlfriend with wheels, we will call her Suga Momma.

As far as quarter panel rot, who cares. The vehicle gets you from point A to point B when you need it to. It aint no show car and never will be. It doesnt have to sparkle or shine. This generation C/K chassis is extremely dependable and typically stupid easy to work on when needed. It will last you many years with relatively low maintenance costs if you can do them yourself or have friends in the know. The LS engine platform is well known to go 300k+ with just regular oil changes and basic maintenance of plugs, wires and sometimes ignition coils. Not alot to go wrong.

 

[JPVortex]

There are so many avenues to take on this. If you cant afford another vehicle and have to have this one rolling, either grab a used engine if you can find a Gen3 with atleast below 200k or take a chance on the engine you have and pull the heads and see whats going on. It really all boils down to how much money you have to pay for the avenue that works for you. There really is no way around not having some inconvenience while your only vehicle is down, but it will really be inconvenient with a completely locked up engine scenario that you havent planned for. I recommend a girlfriend with wheels, we will call her Suga Momma.

As far as quarter panel rot, who cares. The vehicle gets you from point A to point B when you need it to. It aint no show car and never will be. It doesnt have to sparkle or shine. This generation C/K chassis is extremely dependable and typically stupid easy to work on when needed. It will last you many years with relatively low maintenance costs if you can do them yourself or have friends in the know. The LS engine platform is well known to go 300k+ with just regular oil changes and basic maintenance of plugs, wires and sometimes ignition coils. Not alot to go wrong.

I agree! I don't think the rocker rust is a reason not to swap the engine out. Can't afford another vehicle at this point, but probably will pick up a cheap beater to drive while the suburban is down.

Quick question, doing research. I plan on pulling the engine by itself, leaving the trans and tcase behind.

When lining up the engine to go back into the truck, do I need to align the engine with the engine mounts AND the bell housing at the same time? Or will there be room to first get the engine set where it's supposed to be on the engine mounts and then get the bell housing lined up later? Sounds like it'd be a pain to have to get the bell housing lined up first before the engine would line up with the mounts. Honestly, that's the part I'm most worried about with the whole thing. Rest of it is just disconnecting stuff and reattaching really.

 

[Scottydoggs]

you'll need to lift the engine up after pulling the motor mount bolts, then put a jack under the tranny to hold it up once the engine is pulled from it.

then mate the engine back to the tranny then lower them both back down.

 

[JPVortex]

you'll need to lift the engine up after pulling the motor mount bolts, then put a jack under the tranny to hold it up once the engine is pulled from it.

then mate the engine back to the tranny then lower them both back down.

Sounds like sort of a pain lol. Think it’d be easier to just pull the engine and trans together?

so sounds like when reinstalling, the engine and trans do need to be mated before dropping the engine completely back into the mounts?

 

[Scottydoggs]

if the trucks a 4x4, just pull the engine. the engine only needs to be lifted above the mounts, like a couple inches. pull the bell housing and tc bolts before lifting it, then once lifted split them apart with a jack set under the trans to hold it in place, or its gonna hit the floor and break stuff. if using a leveler bar to lift the engine out with, they come in handy for when reinstalling for sure, as you can easily change the pitch of the engine to mate to the tranny, once mated pop a couple bell housing bolts in place to keep it tight. pull the jack and lower back to the engine mounts.

 

[JPVortex]

if the trucks a 4x4, just pull the engine. the engine only needs to be lifted above the mounts, like a couple inches. pull the bell housing and tc bolts before lifting it, then once lifted split them apart with a jack set under the trans to hold it in place, or its gonna hit the floor and break stuff. if using a leveler bar to lift the engine out with, they come in handy for when reinstalling for sure, as you can easily change the pitch of the engine to mate to the tranny, once mated pop a couple bell housing bolts in place to keep it tight. pull the jack and lower back to the engine mounts.

Thank you, this paragraph totally cleared that up for me. Will definitely be using a leveler to get the tilt I need out of it. Probably going to get a leveler with 4 chains coming off of it, so I can support from 4 different angles. Seems to be perfect unused bolt holes on front and back of each head that I can put grade 8 bolts into.

 

[Scottydoggs]

Thank you, this paragraph totally cleared that up for me. Will definitely be using a leveler to get the tilt I need out of it. Probably going to get a leveler with 4 chains coming off of it, so I can support from 4 different angles. Seems to be perfect unused bolt holes on front and back of each head that I can put grade 8 bolts into.

thats how they work, 4 pt chains, harbor freight sells one. used to be like 30 bucks. not sure what they go for now tho. i got mine like 8 years ago.