5.3 more metal in motor than anyone has ever seen before still running

[certified22]

Gotta give it to the boys at GM my 04 Z-71Tahoe 5.3L is running strong still I had the low oil pressure issue 10psi @idle 10-15psi @ 1000-1500 rpm 15-20psi @1500-2000 rpm sometimes I might get up to 24 psi but never more usually maxed out at 20psi I ignored it for a little bit till due to wife spending money she was not supposed to that's another issue but the first time it sounded the low oil pressure alarm sitting at a red light I parked it got my parts drove it to my shop started pulling the front differential got it out the way drained the oil when I pulled the plug there was more metal shavings on the plug then I cared to ever see pulled the pan the pick up tube screen covered in big metal shavings went to clean the pan I have never seen that much or that big of metal shavings in any motor still running cleaned everything up in solvent tank put new o ring on pick up tube put it all back together and I have an increase in oil pressure but not much get 30psi on the highway it doesn't drop below 10psi at idle or red lights anymore the low oil pressure alarm sounds at 6 psi I think and it not doing that and running fine but it was running strong before as well I've never had a loss of power my check engine light has stayed off and it comes on randomly due to intake gasket replacement needs but turns off when it warms up I only run royal purple oil and and Lucas oil stabilizer in it 5 RP 1 LOS and an AC Delco oil filter every oil change I only run premium gas in it I care for this truck like I care for my children so now I have to decide motor rebuild or motor swap I was gonna pull the rod caps but I was so fed up with the **** bullshit of the whole situation (and that's not a racist comment) and I'm sure it's the main barrings so I didn't well that's where I'm at any input is very much welcomed although I doubt anyone will comment for sure no GM technicians will even though the forum is called Ask a GM technician cause I've been posting all kinds of questions about this project before I started and I've gotten nothing but crickets chirping on those questions so comments are welcome as a reminder to those who have this same issue I'm not ASE certified but I am certified to take anything apart and put it back together in better working shape than it was been wrenching on cars since I was 5years old been around the world 3 times met a man with a wooden cock drove every kind of truck there is 2wheel 4 wheel 6wheel 8wheel even those big mother truckers that go pssh pssh when you step on the brakes I'm a huntin fishin hot lady ****in rootn tootn shootin double cap crimpin motor building red neck from iKS that's going back for more every time and if you made it this far DO NOT!!!!! IGNORE THE LOW OIL PRESSURE FOR EVEN A FEW DAYS I GNORED MINE FOR 8 DAYS AND HERE I AM my last oil change was in late February no metal on drain plug then started getting low oil pressure for 8 days no low oil alarm till the 8 the day didn't drive it day 9 and on day 10 drove it to my shop and tore it down and blah metal blah metal **** me running so don't ignore low oil pressure

[certified22]

Does the computer tune the motor if there is a timimg issue?

[Doug_Scott]

We used to run a quart of two of Rislone back in the day to try to clean out condensation or mild sludge. Not sure if it is oxygen sensors or not though. At one dealership where I worked they used to use kerosene in place of Rislone. This was in a farming community though, where farmer tricks were commonplace.

 

Changing cam bearings is not something to be done in your driveway. Don't recall ever hearing of anyone changing cam bearings with engine in place either.

[newdude]

Hang on lemme make this acutally understandable...

 

Gotta give it to the boys at GM, my 04 Z-71Tahoe 5.3L is running strong still. I had the low oil pressure issue 10psi @idle 10-15psi @ 1000-1500 rpm 15-20psi @1500-2000 rpm sometimes I might get up to 24 psi but never more usually maxed out at 20psi. I ignored it for a little bit till due to wife spending money she was not supposed to that's another issue but the first time it sounded the low oil pressure alarm sitting at a red light. I parked it got my parts drove it to my shop started pulling the front differential got it out the way and drained the oil.

 

When I pulled the plug there was more metal shavings on the plug then I cared to ever see. Pulled the pan, the pick up tube screen covered in big metal shavings, went to clean the pan...I have never seen that much or that big of metal shavings in any motor still running. Cleaned everything up in solvent tank, put new o ring on pick up tube put it all back together and I have an increase in oil pressure but not much. I get 30psi on the highway it doesn't drop below 10psi at idle or red lights anymore the low oil pressure alarm sounds at 6 psi I think and it not doing that and running fine but it was running strong before as well.

 

I've never had a loss of power, my check engine light has stayed off and it comes on randomly due to intake gasket replacement needs but turns off when it warms up. I only run royal purple oil and and Lucas oil stabilizer in it 5 RP 1 LOS and an AC Delco oil filter every oil change. I only run premium gas in it. I care for this truck like I care for my children so now I have to decide motor rebuild or motor swap. I was gonna pull the rod caps but I was so fed up with the **** bullshit of the whole situation (and that's not a racist comment) and I'm sure it's the main barrings so I didn't well that's where I'm at.

 

Any input is very much welcomed although I doubt anyone will comment for sure, no GM technicians will even though the forum is called Ask a GM technician cause I've been posting all kinds of questions about this project before I started and I've gotten nothing but crickets chirping on those questions, so comments are welcome. As a reminder to those who have this same issue I'm not ASE certified but I am certified to take anything apart and put it back together in better working shape than it was. Been wrenching on cars since I was 5years old been around the world 3 times, etc..

 

P.S. DO NOT!!!!! IGNORE THE LOW OIL PRESSURE FOR EVEN A FEW DAYS I IGNORED MINE FOR 8 DAYS AND HERE I AM. My last oil change was in late February no metal on drain plug then started getting low oil pressure for 8 days, no low oil alarm till the 8 the day didn't drive it day 9 and on day 10. Drove it to my shop and tore it down and blah metal blah metal **** me running so don't ignore low oil pressure.

 

Now that everyone can read it...

 

How many miles are on the truck? Any particular reason for running the Lucas? If indeed the bearings are toast, I would imagine the oil pump is just as toast as well. Or, perhaps the oil pump is what is going down or is what went down and is causing the bigger issues. You could tear it down and see what you find (I'd pull it and look at everything at that point). Then weigh your options. A junkyard engine may be the lowest cost option, but lately the prices at junkyards have been creeping up quite a bit. You could rebuild it with some stronger guts for the long haul. You could buy a crate with a nice warranty and start fresh.

[Jsdirt]

Thanks 15H - I was about to issue an award for the biggest run-on sentence in internet history! Was entertaining though, so she gets a pass.

 

 

 

Crate engine is the easiest way out, no doubt. Also ends up the most expensive. As everything automotive-related these days, a catch-22.

 

To save a buck, could always bearing-slap it, & replace the oil pump and timing chain set (sprockets and all). Got nothin' to lose at this point.

[certified22]

150K I love this truck I can probably afford a new crate but I don't like wasting money I use the Lucas cause I'm an idiot I guess I don't know it just seems like a good product the way it lubes I run it and it alone in my four wheeler and it has never had an issue hell it dosent even look dirty when I change it maybe I do like wasting money lol and ya probably should not have stuck it back together but was frustrated to no end with everything tell you the honest truth I can believe anyone replied this quick if I could figure out how to shrink picture size to 1mb I'd upload a photo of the metal in pickup tube

[certified22]

Quick question I pulled the number one plug to find TDC and when I got the plug out it looked fine burnt about just right however it's gapped at 57 and I put the plugs in and did not gap t like that what could cause this

[Jsdirt]

You can upload a pic to Photobucket, click the little picture frame icon below to the left of the smilie face when posting here, and paste the direct pic address in there. That will get the pic on here.

 

With 150k, I'd button it up and run it ... but since you went thru all that work to get in there, I'd at least replace the oil pump and screen at a minimum. Wouldn't hurt to toss a timing chain set in there too - you'd probably get another 150k out of the engine after doing all that, anyway.

[certified22]

Ya I have seen them done to the copper before and mine aren't worn I'm guessing but gotta be the oil pump and I don't know how or why but it has to be were the metal,came from I think I'm gonna replace the oil pump slap some new bearings in it and flush it of course but I'm not gonna rebuild unless necessary and I'm not gonna replace it either any info is very much welcome

[NitroCherokee]

 

 

[certified22]

Ya my bad I'm a little adhd and ramble a lot about a little I'm also 30 years old and in the beginning stages of dementia /Alzheimer's so I forget thing in the middle of saying them thought about putting a bullet in my head cause it gets frustrating normally would never need a site like this I'd pull it apart asses and fix but I can't recall nothing anymore other than I loved this truck till yesterday lol thanks for the comments fellas

[certified22]

Ya ya I get it you be 30 and deal with this shit

[Doug_Scott]

From what I have seen online, the crank gear is indexed to crank, with the timing mark being on the edge of the gear tooth on lower gear, and in the traditional location on cam gear. It is done this way so you can set cam timing with oil pump in place, looking at the lower gear mark by looking down behind the oil pump at the top of the lower gear in relation to timing mark on cam gear face.

 

Harmonic balancer is not in phase with engine (or used for engine rotating assy balance). GM did not use a keyway for balancer timing. I believe that was only done this way to prevent balancer moving, throwing ignition timing marks out of calibration. If you want to install a belt driven supercharger, it is recommended to install some form of balancer locking device to prevent it slipping on crank nose from the increased strain on balancer to crankshaft connection.

[efritz]

go to a junkyard and get another 5.3 for 500 dollars or less. they are cheap and everywhere. I sell them for around 500 dollars. put it in and keep running the truck til it turns into a rusty pile. the one you have is toast

[Doug_Scott]

Wow. Thought that Ford Focus I worked on was the only type of vehicle that used that. Guess it makes sense - no more distributors to drive off of.

 

I've never seen a traditional cam / distributor driven oil pump drive fail unless it was installed wrong. It was pretty basic - not much to go wrong so long as the oil was regularly changed. They were solid iron - pretty stout.

 

I have seen one, on a -30 degree winter day on my way to trade school. The distributor drive gear on my 302W engine in my winter car. Car had 100K on it(miles back then), engine never apart. Never did find a definitive reason for it to fail. Installed new gear, drove car for another 3 winters before finally scrapping it. Something that was tough on those drives was the use of high volume/high pressure oil pumps, heavy weight oil (over 40w) and drag racing. The decel forces are pretty intense on oil pump drive components when using performance oiling parts without concern for the drive. Small block Fords use a straight 5/16 hex drive rod between oil pump and distributor. The stock shaft would wind up and release at a farily high frequency, causing high loads on the face of the teeth, both front and rear face. At the time Ford had a performance large diameter rod, with 5/16 hex ends inserted.

[txab]

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