Just Fishing's 09 Tahoe Build thread

[Just Fishing]

Close enough!

Damn. You just made me realize 20+ years of my life have zipped by and just how long gone those good ol' days are.

I remember "Nookie" on Total Request Live like it was last summer. Also, Korn's "Got The Life", that one by that Canadian chick that was in the movie "Titanic" and a bunch of others.

Yup, sounds like you're my age alright.

 

[Just Fishing]

Just had a flash of the crazy girls that have come and gone.

Some i still have fond memories of...

Others, laid the path to what i finally accepted as my life.
Knowing anything even close to them would mean pure hell.
(Not counting them nekkid)

Oh good times overall.



Lesson from those times, i also became a "gun nut" with a carry permit.

Survived thanks to a guardian angel (not kidding).

 

[Just Fishing]

Rascal flats song in my head right now... something like broken road or something... lol

 

[iamdub]

Just had a flash of the crazy girls that have come and gone.

Some i still have fond memories of...

Others, laid the path to what i finally accepted as my life.
Knowing anything even close to them would mean pure hell.
(Not counting them nekkid)

Oh good times overall.



Lesson from those times, i also became a "gun nut" with a carry permit.

Survived thanks to a guardian angel (not kidding).

I went back to my high school days. My brother and I lived in Florida with my aunt cuz she was in the better school district. Plus, she was much better off in life- She had food, her house wasn't roach-infested, it was insulated and had air conditioning and other useful appliances. I remember afternoons after school watching Pop-Up Video and TRL with my cousins, then Figure It Out, Ahh! Real Monsters and Hey, Arnold! during dinner.


...There's so much kids/teens take for granted.

 

[Just Fishing]

got the new ac compressor.
I saw amazon had a price drop, brought it back down to about $138
so i clicked the button.
Received it over the weekend, looks good.
Came in a nice blue GM sealed box.

Matches the images for the newer model unit per gm partsdirect.

 

[Just Fishing]

so i decided to free my new camshaft (12623063) from it's cardboard prison (one well sealed cardboard tube!) and to do some rough measurements.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12623063?rrec=true

Found some specs, probably close.
(This camshaft also comes up as the stock camshaft for the 6.2L non DOD escalade)
((Source) https://jankyshack.com/gm-ls-cam-specs/ ))

Also found this one googling the old PN: https://www.hotrodparts.com/rollsbentleyparts/gm-ls3-430hp.htm
Crossing my fingers i make close to 430hp!



()
Camaro LS3 (also 2009 G8)

10-15 12623063 204/211 .551/.522 ???

PART NUMBER 12603844 (replaced by 12623063) – LS3 CAM CARD DATA:
117 LDA, 120 INTAKE CENTERLINE
1.70 ROCKER RATIO Lift: @Cam @Valve Exhaust: 0.306 0.522 Intake: 0.324 0.551
Cam [email protected] Tappet Lift: Open Close Adv. Duration
Exhaust: 66 BBDC 29 ATDC 275 Intake: 7 BTDC 80 ABDC 267
Cam [email protected] Tappet Lift: Open Close Duration
Exhaust: 38 BBDC 7 BTDC 211 Intake: 19 ATDC 43 ABDC 204
()


So when i pretty much gave up last time around, i settled on this camshaft.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12689035
(GM PN: 12689035)

Specs,
MPN: 12689035
TYPE: Hydraulic Roller
INT DURATION @ .050": 190
EXH DURATION @ .050": 191
VALVE LIFT INT (IN.): .466
VALVE LIFT EXH (IN.): .457
ROCKER RATIO: 1.7
LOBE SEPERATION: 114



So i took my digital dial caliper and did some rough measurements.
The lift appears to be identical or damn close between the two...
Everything i can find says that that the new camshaft i bought (12623063) has more lift than the old one.


So what I'm wondering, maybe i need to get a 1.8 ratio rocker?
I figure it's in my best interest to get some clay and check valve clearance anyways.
Maybe i'll find there is room for a little more lift.

+ my freshly rebuilt/upgraded factory rockers did see some metal getting inside of the bearings.
(ultrasonic cleaner released quite a bit).

 

[pwtr02ss]

I'm not much help in this department. Sounds like you're on the right track though. If I were building one, I'd get something a little more aggressive than a stock gm cam (If I'm reading your post correctly).

If you're like me and enjoy something on the quieter side, i'm sure there are options.

Here is my avalanche with stock exhaust (Completely stock, manifolds, cats, etc.) with ported 799 heads and btr stage 2 truck cam. I think once I get the tune happy, it'll quite down a lot. I'm not a huge fan of the sound right now....

Dark is right after first start. It had a random misfire on two cylinders that would hit about 20x over the cycle on hpt scanner so keep that in mind

This is after its warmed up and misfire resolved. Completely stock tune...

@iamdub has basically the same cam but has headers and exhaust, if you want to compare what "could be"

 

[Just Fishing]

Yeah, been going back and forth there.
My hope is that i can get away with using a stock tune vs hiring someone to get it running right.

So the logic in my head is that i'm using a tune from a 6.2, camshaft from that 6.2 should make things real easy.

but if i'm not getting much in the way of more lift, then i'm returning the camshaft, or just replacing the rockers to get that lift.

 

[Just Fishing]

Ok i think i just figured it out.



From the above cam specs, noticed the lower number!
Exhaust: 0.306 Intake: 0.324


Note this is real rough, numbers are going to be close but not quite there.
To confirm,

Take my digital caliper
measure the lowest point on the lobe to the base.
number = .115

then do the same on the highest point.
number = .429 (close enough to match the above spec)

Minus .115 from .429
Number: .314

.314 x 1.7 = .533 !
.314 x 1.8 = .565

 

[Just Fishing]

ETA: tried again and I confirmed the old camshaft has pretty much the advertised low lift.
so w00t!

piston, rings, and a bunch of other parts should arrive Wednesday or Thursday.
quick mockup to confirm height, and then off to the machine shop for a balance!

 

[Just Fishing]

I got my pistons!
did a quick mock up with one of them, perfect fit on the rod bushings (phew)

So looking at it, with the piston at TDC.
the top of the crown is roughly .008 from the top of the deck.

My gasket shows ".048" compressed thickness.

so my Quench will be pretty freaking loose.


So i can either try and find a different supplier of headgasket to meet my quench needs.
Or have the machine shop deck the the block to match up with the head gaskets available...
looking around, i should be targeting something like .030 - .040 quench
Does that sound right?

 

[Just Fishing]

Everything is loaded in the ol s10, ready for a machine shop run!

The tahoe was supposed to replace the s10.
Tried to give the s10 away a few times (mostly the wife).
Needs too much work apparently. lol

I'm Sure glad i still have it right now.

I was pleased to see that sealed power included a nice oil return path for the oil rings.
Something that the oem gm pistons lacked.

Doing some reading, seems that has been some cause of carbon build up, oil burning, and sticking oil rings due to the trapped oil.

When removing the oem pistons, i noticed that most of the oil rings seemed to be a little stuck.
Also lots of carbon buildup around those oil rings.

Sorta looks like it was a big contribution to the sludge i saw in the pan after i made the mistake of adding a half can of seafoam before an oil change.

Everything went downhill from there.
Sudden reduction of oil pressure, stuck pressure relief valve in the pump...

Lots of crusty sludge in the pan...

I'm betting the filter clogged, bypassed some crud, and maybe it made it up to a cam bearing.

And i tossed my cam bearings into the box, hoping to get the machine shops thoughts on em when i drop everything off.

I'm also going to see if they are interested in my 5.3 block, maybe it will save me a little money, and get it out of the garage.

 

[Just Fishing]

Also, thoughts on cometic head gaskets?
Looks like they have a nice selection of thinner mls head gaskets.

Should make it easy to target that .040 quench...


I'm also thinking about a set of full roller rockers.

A nice set of 1.72 ratio would put me right at the max recommended lift for the valve springs i ordered...

Watched a youtube vid where they compared the factory ls rockers to a full roller set.
They gained more hp than i expected, just by adding the roller tip...

But I'll probably do them as an upgrade later, since it's pretty easy to get to after the engine is in.

 

[pwtr02ss]

Also, thoughts on cometic head gaskets?
Looks like they have a nice selection of thinner mls head gaskets.

Should make it easy to target that .040 quench...


I'm also thinking about a set of full roller rockers.

A nice set of 1.72 ratio would put me right at the max recommended lift for the valve springs i ordered...

Watched a youtube vid where they compared the factory ls rockers to a full roller set.
They gained more hp than i expected, just by adding the roller tip...

But I'll probably do them as an upgrade later, since it's pretty easy to get to after the engine is in.

I think @iamdub used cometic gasket on his engine.

 

[Just Fishing]

And i dropped everything off at the machine shop today.
the old man was there, i was worried he retired.

I had a nice chat with him, mentioned the 5.3 to 6.0 conversion on the crank and he said it should be no problem.
the younger guy i talked to before, not nearly as good.

He told me i should be fine to rock the oil pump, he did mention if i said anything other than mellings, he would have told me to dump it.
and the timing chain should be fine as well.
honestly with the pretty much 0 wear on the guide, i figured it would be gtg.

so there is a good $200 savings.

said my balance should be done in a week or two.

He also gave me instructions to verify the measurements, write them down with drawings.
bring them in and he will calculate my my CR.

My end goal is to be able to run regular gas, and with the high elevation...
so my goal will probably be the 9.9:1 CR that the 5.3 has.
(Reason is because i expect gas prices to continue to rise, if not double +)

 

[pwtr02ss]

Good deal. You'll be up and running in no time. I can't remember, did you decide to keep the 799/243 heads?

 

[Just Fishing]

Good deal. You'll be up and running in no time. I can't remember, did you decide to keep the 799/243 heads?

Yes, i'm keeping the 799 heads that the 5.3 had.

Plan is to get the numbers, and then bring the heads into the machine shop with my numbers.
Let them make the adjustments from there.

adds time, but at least it will be done right.

 

[pwtr02ss]

Yes, i'm keeping the 799 heads that the 5.3 had.

Plan is to get the numbers, and then bring the heads into the machine shop with my numbers.
Let them make the adjustments from there.

adds time, but at least it will be done right.

Did you do flat tops or dish? If the 799 raises it too much, you could always run a a 317 and get it back in check. Even a 317 with flat tops will bump the compression into premium range, I think. Or you could do some L92

 

[Just Fishing]

flat tops.
basic cr calculation was 10.09:1 with this setup (something like that).

i looked at pistons with valve reliefs, but then that lowered the CR too much.
and even with the valve reliefs, the cost of the pistons nearly doubled for the basic same thing.

 

[pwtr02ss]

flat tops.
basic cr calculation was 10.09:1 with this setup (something like that).

i looked at pistons with valve reliefs, but then that lowered the CR too much.
and even with the valve reliefs, the cost of the pistons nearly doubled for the basic same thing.

Hmm. Someone smarter than me will have to chime in but I' pretty sure you'll be in premium fuel range. IIRC you can mill down 317 and make it the same as a 243/799