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5.3L rebuild

ride65

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silverado_lover Enthusiast

silverado_lover

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I bought my 5.3 longblock with 48k for 500 bucks...they are plenty cheap.

 

What I would do is find a LQ9...Lord knows you need all the help you can get to get that SUV rolling

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ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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cheapest I found around here(S.E. Michigan) was 750.+ for a 85,000 motor. after it's all said and done(if the oil passage checks out) I'll have about 1500 into it. minus my time of course. That's total gaskets, pistons, rings, rod,main & cam bearings, lifters, oil pump, and cam. Machining for the block and crank comes to 205.00. Gotta buy 2 new rods due to the mishap with #6 - 85.00. The heads I'm kinda up in the air about right now, weather to rework them or just lap in the valves and check the springs. Backup plan in case the oil passage is cracked - found a rebuild-able short block for 200.00. If I go that route the short block would really only cost me an additional 100.00 because I wouldn't need the 2 rods. Plus, building a motor out in the garage makes the wife think I'm saving us tons of money and keeps me outta her hair :cool:

edit:; of course with lapping the valves, I'd throw in some new valve seals

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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95% highway, the guy I bought it from used it for the family mobile. I know him and his idea of being rough on was to drive it to the different fairs around here and park it on the grass.

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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A little background first - 2002 Yukon XL SLT Autoride, 5.3L, 4x4 , loaded with every option available,244,000 miles, #6 rod is broke(assumption- no compression, valve train tight, valves move when cranked, alot of noise when running) bought from a friend that had enough.(spent 4600 since Feb 2011, his wife said get rid of it after getting an estimate of 5800 for a junkyard motor swap) I'm gonna pull the engine and transmission to check it out. I'm pulling the front clip to make things easier to work on and replace any other parts that need it up front. Not looking to do anything elaborate or out of the ordinary , just make it as good or better than stock. Looking for input from the forum about what could be replaced or modified while I'm doing this. Is there any tips or tricks that you have for this type of project? I'm all ears. I done a few, and am always looking for a better way. I don't mind spending money on my projects, but my pockets are not bottomless, some compromises will be made. Will be posting pics of the progress. anyone needing specific pics of anything, ask and if not past that point in the project, you shall receive. Should I move this to another forum? or am I good here?

 

edit - was a broke rod, decided after talking with the shop that did all his maintenance, to leave the tranny

 

posted this on another thread, figured I'd put it here , I seem to be getting more interest. Still stands about thoughts and suggestions, I have the entire front clip off and took approx. 200 pics of the process

 

2002yukonxlslt129201162tq.jpg

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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oil passage didn't hold pressure. shot a stream about 10 ft across shop. had to use magnifying glass to spot hole with the rough texture of the block. so plan "B" it is, already called and will pick up the block in the AM.

06_GMC Enthusiast

06_GMC

Posted
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well glad you had a Plan B. I look forward to seeing more on this as you progress!

jro909 Senior Enthusiast

jro909

Posted
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its mind boggling to see a rod snap at 240k on a vehicle that wasen't abused...my old 4.3 had about 400k on the ticker and the only issue aside from being tired was that it leaked and burned oil :dunno:

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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picked up a "new" 5.3 from the parts yard yesterday. wasn't a short bock , but the whole motor minus the alternator. Had to strip it down, dropping it off this morning.

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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dropped the block and crank off, it'll be about a week, time to start with the boring stuff - cleaning parts, picked up a helms , 4 volume set for 60.00, waiting on that, maybe I can get the wife to help scrub parts(I'll tell her it's just like scrubbing the floor,she'll probably flip me off) :idiot:

06_GMC Enthusiast

06_GMC

Posted
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Haha yeah probably! how many miles were on the motor you got and how much did it run ya?

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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The "new" motor has 139,000, got it for 235.00 out the door. intake was kinda busted up but I was gonna' use mine anyway. Now I've got lots of extra parts.

06_GMC Enthusiast

06_GMC

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sweet sounds like a great deal! Did you say the shop is going through it to make sure it's all good?

ride65 Enthusiast

ride65

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The machine shop that I am using will check the block,crank and bring them back to factory spec. I'll do the heads and magnaflux the rods and check them for starghtness. The nice thing about the shop that I'm using, it's small and the owner will help with anything I have questions about or are unsure of. example - he showed me how to check my vales for straightness using my drill press and a dial indicator. This guy will get all my future business and any I can send his way.

edit- there's a little more to doing the heads , just using that example to show his willingness to help me do things easier and myself (he checks valves for straightness by putting them in a lathe and spinning them up),

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