Sorry to hear about that bro. Hopefully its the head gasket.

 

If it is a blown head gasket then one cyl could be on the intake stroke with intake valve open while the adjacent cyl is on compression and blowing into it and back up the intake. Maybe it is just a head gasket.

 

Found this searching for other onfo.
Good short read.

http://www.approvedturbo.com/troubleshooting.htm

 

Kind of but, I was wondering if the problem is a head gasket, wouldn't that be bleeding off my boost? I haven't stomped on it since the oil issue started but I should in theory...

A. Have less than the 8psi I saw before

OR

B. If I'm still seeing 8psi wouldn't that lead you to believe that the gasket was blown before the dyno run which would account for the lower boost (with my 2.75 pulley) and the below average hp/tq numbers I made? (440/460)

 

Sounds very much like the problem. You should have more than 8psi boost. You definately have a serious problem on that side. Most likely a head gasket. 3-4 of the pistons could have busted ring lands as well. When I busted my 3 pistons my engine sounded just like yours did in the video of when you 5.3 let go. You obviously arn't getting any noise now so that is why I'm leaning torwards the head gasket or warped head. If that is the case then the more you drive it the more wear gets put on the block where the gases are passing back and forth between the cyls. It can wear a groove and sometimes so deep that it can't be fixed by decking the block. Seen it before.

 

Yeah, you won't know for sure until the head comes off. ALL the LH compression checks being that low would point to the gasket. Have you pulled the radiator cap ( or tank cap ) to look for bubbles? I would expect to see some white exhaust smoke when a head gasket goes and water in the oil ( milky color ) or oil in the coolant ( floaters ).
Sad to say the smoke coming out of the PCV and oil cap is exactly what my Dodge did after I lunched 5 pistons. I was able to drive 800 miles from Dallas to ABQ in the summer with the family and still got 17mpg. As long as I stayed out of boost or positive pressure I was OK. Cylinders did not get damaged but the pieces of piston ring smacking into the aluminum heads made for an interesting new chamber texture...

 

Thats too much smoke for a busted head.If the gaskets were blown out between 4 of them (almost impossible) the truck would run like crap all the time. I'l put my money on that the motor is junk with busted ringlands.

 

Ok, I have gotten a few posts as well as a PM with people who are convinced that I have trashed several pistons and the head gasket is wishful thinking. Soooo, my next question is:

When I pull the head lets say that all the ringlands are intact and from that point of view everything looks ok. What is the easiest way for me to slide a piston up and see if it is damaged on the lower compression ring or oil ring? You can't drop the oil pan with out removing the K member correct? Is there a shortcut or would I have to unbolt the tranny from the block, release the motor mounts and crank up the engine in order to drop the oil pan enough to unbolt a rod and push a piston through? Or can I just drop the K member and then the oil pan and leave the tranny connected and still do what I need to do? Seems like a lot of effort to find the answer. I could almost have the engine out by then.

 

If you are 2wd you can just drop the crossmember and if 4wd then the front chunk has to come down too, or lift the engine a little. But by that time you could already have it out. Besides, who likes to work on an engine humped over the fender?

 

But if I can just drop the cross member and then the oil pan couldn't I swap all the alleged busted pistons out and have it back together pretty quickly. (I will have a set of stck pistons/rods on standby) At least quicker than pulling the motor and putting it back in? Also, anybody know if Katech rod bolts are tq to yeild or can I reuse them if I pull them off?