Yep, got a new chain set and pump sitting in the mountain of parts in my storage room. Cam bearings are a definite - I've heard many horror stories in tech forums of the #2 cam bearing walking out of its bore. That's a distinct possibility to account for my lowering oil pressure.

Initially my pressure was SUPER low earlier this year and at the end of last year after a few trips down South. Ended up being the Amsoil EA series oil filter! Plugged up after just 4k miles. Changed it to a Wix and gained 15 psi across the board. Was strange - I had been running those for years and never had that issue. Could be the engine is making a lot of metal again ... although I didn't see any flakes in the filter at all.

I'm definitely going to bore at least 1 size over, just to start fresh. I've had the best luck with my motorcycle and off-road engines doing this. When everything is matched, they run SOOO good! Tons of torque, easy starting, etc..

Thanks for the input!

 

My head kinda hurts after reading all that.
If you don't have the money to spend to do it right the first time have you thought about backing out and just keep the truck like it is with a DOD delete?

The main reason you have oil consumption is from a pressure relief inside the oil pan. High rpms with your setup is going to be over the pressure relief setting and it's spraying oil into the crankcase.
Every DOD delete I've done gets a M14 plug in place of that pressure relief and a M10295 oil pump. Even with ugly cam bearings they all have great oil pressure and with a updated valve cover they stopped consuming oil.

Also I'd love to get my hands on a engine with such low miles like yours. I put 340,000 miles on a turbo 6.0 and I abused that thing like it was a rental. Many miles staying in boost towing over double what the truck was rated for and it consumed many bottles of nitrous on top of the boost. Plus it had seen 35+psi boost at the track a few times on accident.

At the 340k mark a lifter took out my cam. So new cam bearings, new cam and lifters. It has 520,000 miles on it now.


If it were me i would do new cam bearings, cam, lifters, trays, springs, pushrods, timing chain tensioner, oil pump, block off pressure relief in pan, arp head bolts, ls9 head gaskets, and put the thing in and have fun. I'd be more worried about the transmission than the engine. The tune will determine the longevity of the engine.

 

I thought you were just supposed to close your eyes so as not to see the cam bearings when installing a cam?

 

You guys use cam bearings?

 

That's just it - I THOUGHT I was done spending money! Never would've dreamed anyone would've told me a 122k mile engine couldn't handle some power upgrades and still be reliable. Back in the day, every car I got was already at 2-300k miles, I hammered the crap out of them, kept the oil full, and never had an issue. Like I said - that ship has sailed. I already have all the parts you mentioned (Except cam bearings - those will be coming with rods and pistons when that time comes), and plan to use them.

I just miss the simplicity of the old days. LS engines SUCK from a mechanical standpoint. So infuriating to do anything to these things. And friggin EXPENSIVE. Holy ****!!

 

Troll post is troll

 

?????

 

I just think you are overanalyzing this and starting to put yourself in an analysis paralysis.
Delete DOD, install supercharger, done. It's that simple. The pistons aren't going to explode, your rods are not going to come flying out of the block. Will your rings be perfectly gapped? Probably not. Will you burn some oil? Probably. So what? It's a 15 year old truck.
I don't know if you are doing this all yourself so pulling an engine to gap rings, if you are so inclined, may be somewhat costly although you could do it in the truck if you were feeling fruity. Cam bearings are what, $30 shipped? And if they look good then I wouldn't even replace them. Hell I probably wouldn't replace them unless they had some massive groove in them. I don't even know if I would gap the rings. It's not a max effort truck.


I don't know call me crazy if you want but I feel like I am not the only one who thinks this.

 

Well it's easy to think that way because it's not your money. Not trying to be a dick, but that's what it is. If I build it as is and it blows up, it's of no consequence to anyone on this thread, but would be a devastating, crippling loss to me. I'm thinking, "Spend a bit now, or a shitload later".

What you just said is the exact opposite of what Ted Jannetty told me, and since he's got hundreds of 4-digit RWHP cars and trucks out there running reliably (One of my best friend's '11 Camaro is putting down 1050 RWHP - he's spent $60-LARGE or more at Ted's shop), I'm leaning towards his assessment. If he says I'm foolish to put this kind of power through a 122k mile engine, then I'm going to take him at his word. I don't do very well gambling, historically.

I've been turning wrenches since I could ride a bicycle without training wheels, so ALL work will be done by me, just as the rear end and transmission (I don't build transmissions - I leave that to the guys who do nothing but that) install was done. I'll be assembling everything once I get everything back from the machine shop. I'll be documenting anything I find inside this engine. Just based on my gut, I have a feeling there's something inside just teetering on the edge of carnage. We'll see.

Again not trying to be a dick even though this might come across that way - I just work too hard for my money to gamble like this. I appreciate your input.

 

Well I hope you have transmission money.