RibeiroBJJ

iTrader: (17)

Everything on the list looks good..Just make sure you get the right head bolts ...some 2004 models had 1/2 short & 1/2 long..IIRC

05gmcsierra

iTrader: (3)

Glad i found this thread.. im saving up for my swap aswell.. dont mean to steal this thread but just one ?... my 5.3 came with 799 casting heads and i plan to reuse those will i have any problems? or is it just going to help my budjet? and i like ur choice of cam... i will b doing a 222/228 561/561 113lsa on mine.. good luck keep us posted on how it feels compared to ur 5.3...

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

It was a pleasure to meet and talk with ss6speed this morning/afternoon. Super nice guy. I picked up the LQ4 shortblock. The block and reciprocating assembly are in excellent condition. Never the less, I've still decided to go ahead and hot tank it, and reassemble with new bearings and rings. It be a shame not to at this point. Honestly though, the rod and main bearings all look like new. All of the cylinder still have the hone marks through out the bore, with not ridge at the top. There is a little surface discoloration in a couple of the bores from setting, but nothing significant at all. It will disappear with the mildest of hones. The cam bearings look strange to me though, and are really what made me decide to go ahead and tear it down.

It looks like I got lucky and got all the updated parts, including coated pistons, full floating wrist pins, and LS2 rods.

My thought are to go back together with OEM GM rings and bearings. What do you guys recommend?

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

Most of the cylinder look like this.






This one has the discoloration I was talking about. The picture makes it look much worse than it is. Honing for the new rings will clean this right up.

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

Here are the tops of the cam bearings, front to back. I realize there's very little wear on the top of these, but they look really rough and odd to me.













Here's the bottom of the front bearings. None of the others had any copper showing through.






Here's where it sets right now. Ready to go to the shop and be cleaned and honed.

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

I know how crazy this is going to sound, but is it unheard of to reuse bearings? These bearings honestly look like new. I don't want to take a foolish short cut, but.... man these look good. Of course I will be plasti-guaging the engine as it goes back together.

Do the pistons have to come off the rods to be hot tanked?

What rod bolts should I go back together with? My thinking is that OEMs are plenty for my build, plust the fact that I don't plan to rev it over 6K. But I don't yet know what OEM bolts cost. Maybe they're nearly as much as some better aftermarket bolts.

z71gmc06

personally if i had an engine down that far and was going to all the trouble of a rebuild I would use new bearings through out. thats just me though.

blsnelling

iTrader: (4)

I'm sure you're right. I always try to do things right, but the budget minded side can get in the way sometimes

9secSS

iTrader: (10)

Good luck with the build i look forward to your results.