*knuckles*

Howdy all, I am new to the site and must say I like what you all have going. I have done quite a bit of reading the last while but have hit a point where I think I am getting more confused than good. i have a 2001 sierra 4x4 ecsb, 4.8l with 3.73 gears. It has about 180k on it. It is my daily driver and i use it for personal snow removal in the winter. I would like an upgrade performance wise, but with keeping reliable and durable. I picked up a low milage(50k) 2002 5.3l with the intent to strip down and do a crazy rebuild with forged internals reworked heads and built for boost later on once the bugs got worked out. but after doing the math of the cost I think I will keep it simple.
do you think this combination will work wheel together?

-5.3l stock bottom end( new rings and bearings)
-wcch stage 2 5.3l heads(862) milled to 58cc
-Vinci ultra torque cam or similar cam with upgrade valve train.
-tune of some sort
-also i have a CAI, and dynomax cat back

I would like to see a small bump in compression to around 10:1 and was wondering if milling the heads and changing head gasket thickness was a better way to go about it than changing the pistons to flat tops. I got totally lost with trying to figure out the DCR and what octane fuel I would need. I would like to be able to run on pump gas. If there was a huge benefit once the engine was together with running supreme I would not oppose. I switch back and forth now and can't really see a difference in milage or performance but maybe the tune helps that.


Thanks

Wolftrk99

iTrader: (5)

Anything over 10:1 youre gonna want to run higher octane fuel, preferrably 93 to keep knock down.... If youre rebuilding tge bottom end anyway id say run the flattops while youre there....

X_Racing1

what wolf said

*knuckles*

hey thanks for the reply, I won't really know until i get the block to the machine shop and let them give it a go over. I am hoping to get away with a clean up of the cylinders and re being the stocks. I would like to stay around 10:1. If i cannnot i will put flat tops in, either stock 4.8's or after market flat tops(which seem cheaper).
with that what is the better route, stock flattop pistons out of the hole or aftermarket pistons in the hole? this would put me around 10.5:1 is with out taking any off of my heads.

Also what is the general thought of reusing the water and oil pump of my running 4.8? I have good oil pressure and my temps are normal.

Wolftrk99

iTrader: (5)

Water pump, id say run...oil pump if youre going through the motor anyway, get a new one, although if you wanted to you could swap the pistons out of your 4.8 into the 5.3 and save yourself some $$ there.... Provided your piston bores are good in the block

X_Racing1

What Wolf said!!! lmmfao

Wolftrk99

iTrader: (5)

Smartass

X_Racing1

*knuckles*

yeah I think all go new for both. as far as my 4.8l goes i would like to stuff it in my 1984 g20 good time chevy van. it has a 305 in their now that runs fine just hope the wind is on your back not the front cause she struggles to hold speed. i guess i'll tear down the 5.3l send it to the machine shop and see what i got.
thanks for the tips.

1FastBrick

iTrader: (17)

Depending on how far out of the hole the piston is will determine how thin of a gasket you can run. But, You really need to measure the piston's out of the hole height as it will determine how thin of gasket you can use. You really don't want to go past .035 Quench.

On a stock 5.3L with an 8cc dish piston,

If you're .005 out of the hole,
Use a .040 gasket thickness
Mill the head to 58CC

You be really close to 10:1 you want.

You could also go 57cc on the head and run a .045 gasket. If your pistons are further out of the hole.