Velocity1

iTrader: (3)

First of all my truck is:

2000 COPO 5.3 Z71 4x4, Originally out of AZ (138k on the clock).
I'm the second adult owner
4l60E with Circle D 278mm 3-3200 converter, Oregon Perf. billet servos and Trans-Go HD2 kit, w/Dearle deep pan and mech. trans temp gauge and Tru-Cool 40k gvw cooler
Trutrack w/4.56's and 34" tires
K&N CAI
Mild Factory Perf. Tune by me Diablo Predator tuner
Daily Driver


[COLOR="Blue"]My situation is this....
The motor uses absolutely no oil nor makes any noises it shouldn't, (other than a belt tensioner pulley), when I first start it up for 12-15 seconds. That's getting fixed as soon as I figure which one it is.

My first thoughts was to freshen up the topend. TSP cam/springs that will still pass MD SMOG with a good dyno tune, Comp rocker trunion ugrade kit, rebuilt and flowed oil pump with high pressure spring shim, new water pump, timing chain and gear set and of course all new gaskets and the OEM style spring seat/seal assemblies. All of which could be done over a weekend without having to remove the heads.

All of this fits a nice tight budget that would more than satisify this 53 year old guy who suffers from "more is better." My name is Dave and I'm an addict....(LOL with all do respect...)

With this plan, I would be building reliability, longevity and have a motor with a little something extra when I wanted to lean on it. The problem lies in having to pull the heads to R&R the lifters. I really have no intention of adding new, better heads. This is a DD not a race truck. If I pull the heads my local faithful indy of 35 years has quoted approx. $550 or less to valve job and pressure test the heads. A worthy investment if I have to pull them off, + add the cost of new Cometics!

So.....it comes down to the age of the lifters at 138k and the extent of their reliability. I'd feel really stupid throwing all the stated parts and money on top of them only to have them fail. The only thing that I find any comfort in is that some of these motors out there have 230-250k and have never been apart.

Again before the feedback and advice is offered, this is a daily driver. No intention of making it a race truck or abusing it. I have a lot of respect for you guys and your opinions here on this site, particularly those of you have have been there, done that... That's why I'm here. Look forward to your feedback and advice.

Thanks, Dave

Whitecrewcab

iTrader: (2)

I cammed mine at 165K miles and didn't change the lifters. I drive it plenty hard, hard enough to toss the driveshaft out into 3 pieces. So far it's held up perfectly. I wouldn't worry about it, stab the parts in and go.

tqcraver00

With your gears and it being a heavy truck I would look in to the comp 212/218 114lsa, 216/220 114lsa or personally I would go with Vinci cams get a 210/216 112 114 116 lsa or the trucker cam 216/224

If you want durability and long life, get a set of ls7 lifters ls2 timing chain. New stock 5.3L chain will work fine though. Ls6 springs if the cam lift is below .550
You can replace the oil pump since its off for the timing chain. For budget friendly just get new GM gaskets and bolts

I would not speed the money to get the heads tested, they are fine!

These trucks/weight need a lot of tq not hp to be fast around town so build the motor with that mind set

If your going to go through the trouble to do a cam swap build it right the first time.

tqcraver00

What are your mpgs by the way?

highway and city

Velocity1

iTrader: (3)

Nothing to write home about.
Highway @ 65 mph 13.5-14
City 12 or so

Velocity1

iTrader: (3)

I agree the heads are probably fine that's why I'd rather not even pull them other than to replace the OEM lifters because it seems like the right thing to do, given the mileage.

Of course if I do pull the heads to replace the lifters, I'll have them cleaned up, 5 angle, new spring seats/seals and springs.

I might be asking for too much, but I'm looking for a monster torque cam that'll work well with my converter, but has specs. that'll support a 1200-6000 rpm range and still pass MD smog every 2 years.

Anybody got any real world experience with a cam that works like I'm looking for that is passing similiar emissions testing? I'd like to hear about the cams specs. your running and the kind of performance you're getting out of them.

I've even considered 1.8 rockerarms and new springs as an alternative to the cam change but have no data that supports this thinking.

Trying to do this right the first time, not necessarily on the cheap but within limits.

dmelvin

iTrader: (8)

My mod list -- 2002 5.3 Z71 RCSB -- Mods done at 155k -- Stall at 160k
243 heads
LS6 springs
LS7 lifters
Hardened Pushrods
.040 cometic head gaskets
216/220 .525/.532 Comp cam
278mm 3k Circle D Stall.

The cam is a good all around cam, according to the butt dyno it tends to make more power everywhere. We don't have emissions though, so I don't know how it would do with emissions (mine would fail regardless without cats). It felt healthy even with the stock stall.

I'd scratch the idea of rockers.

Velocity1

iTrader: (3)

Impressive and informative. Thanks! By the time I finished considering the 1.8rockers I had written them off. I'd really like to change the lifters out with the LS7's for piece of mind. I've learned a few tricks recently that can be done to the downstream O2 to allow it to pass smog. Either turned off during tuning or "modified" to get acceptable readings. I also wonder at 138k how restrictive my OEM cats are?

What transmision have you got and what has been done to it? What gears and tires are you running?

dmelvin

iTrader: (8)

The transmission is a Performabilt Lvl 2 trans now (They have their own shift kit in it, servos and what not), I ran it on the stock one for a while until it went out (due to nothing power related). 3.73 gears with 275/55/r20 tires (about 31.5" tall).

for no more than they cost, if you're going to have the heads off anyway, it doesn't hurt to go with the LS7 lifters and a new set of lifter trays. If it's just not in the budget, then it's not in the budget. I didn't do an oil pump when I did mine, just because people say it's a good idea doesn't mean it needs to be done, more of a "you're in there, eventually it will fail, why not change it while you're there."

If MD emissions is just a diagnostic check, and not a sniffer on the tail pipe. You don't even need cats technically. The rear O2's can be tuned completely out. Hell, I don't even have mine installed.

swift700

iTrader: (3)

I would go with the Vinci Ultra-torque cam and a set of springs. it would probably pass emissions without a tune and would have plenty of power up high. I used to have one on my 5.3.