Camshaft Replace Or Engine Replace??

[William Spencer]

I have a 2009 Suburban with the 5.3 and 235,000 miles with what seems to be dead #8 cylinder at idle. Took to dealer and second shop, both said they think the camshaft is bad and suggested a new motor. Engine runs rough at idle after about 1 minute of idling but seems to run fine at any rpm above 1000. Question I have is should I replace camshaft and lifters or should I replace motor? Second shop (not dealer) told me about $5K to replace cam with no warranty and I got couple of quotes for motor replace for $8K+ average. 

[CamGTP]

Ouch, those are some pretty absurd labor rates and upcharges if they are charging you $5,000 just to replace the camshaft. Even if it was $125 an hour and it takes 20 hours to do the full job, that's still under $3,000 for labor. Then they think it's going to cost $2,000 in parts? A new camshaft, VLOM, lifters and gaskets is not $2,000.

 

I want to say it was around 20 hours book time for a job like that if they were not doing valve springs. Someone can correct me.

 

I'm not sure what to tell you, hard thing to say on which course to go.

Edited December 2, 2022 by CamGTP

[Yotaman]

I had a 2006 Sierra it started making a belt squeal sound. I removed the belts and started it sound was still there. Took it t my local trusted shop they said cam was delaminating on one cylinder. Said eventually t would cause a  mis fire. They said job to pull cam was so involved it was just as cheap to replace motor with a crate engine. Both about 5K in 2014...That is how I wound up in a 2014 Sierra I just traded it in. No real advice just passing along my experience. best of luck.

 

XB 2002

[KARNUT]

On 12/1/2022 at 6:48 PM, William Spencer said:

I have a 2009 Suburban with the 5.3 and 235,000 miles with what seems to be dead #8 cylinder at idle. Took to dealer and second shop, both said they think the camshaft is bad and suggested a new motor. Engine runs rough at idle after about 1 minute of idling but seems to run fine at any rpm above 1000. Question I have is should I replace camshaft and lifters or should I replace motor? Second shop (not dealer) told me about $5K to replace cam with no warranty and I got couple of quotes for motor replace for $8K+ average. 

That depends on what you use it for. My old avalanche is my going to town rig 18 miles round trip. My wife can’t get in it. Too high up. So I’d run it until it started hammering or lost oil pressure. 

[newdude]

At 235,000mi and if the truck is in great shape otherwise, I'd toss an engine at it.  You can get remans with 3yr/100K mile warranties on them all day long.