Hey we all live and learn. Sometimes the expensive way. Good job getting it sorted, and heres to hoping you have many miles of happy driving with the new parts

To all those wondering, the "Amazon Basics" oil is a Wagner blend, rebottled. Its actually good stuff, and inexpensive

 

Agreed. I have no problem with learning from my own mistakes and I will be honest with others, and myself, when I screw up. But when someone I do business with lies to me, that's another matter. Now that I'm old and have had dozens of employees over the years, I've always had one rule for them above all others: Never lie to me. It's the only thing I've ever fired someone for. I'll fire a vendor for it too.

 

gotta pay to play. My stroker engine has been apart multiple times in less than 1k miles. Too many lessons learned and I'm still stupid enough to put it back together "better and stronger." At some point I have to run out of weak links right? Bone stock seems to be the only reliable engine (except for engines with DOD lifters).

 

I am hesitant to "like" the above comment because it hurts me inside how true it is

2002 L59 5.3 "opened" 2x. Once for an LS9 cam (absolute trash) and the last time for a 212/218 "low lift". Over 200k on her. No issues, no leaks. Just reliable as the day is long and prices are increasing. Tows, camps, wheels, commutes, you name it. Turn the key, hit the AC and set cruise control

$11.5k 408 stroked motor, 0 miles, idle time only (on 4 cylinders lmao): has to come back out of the damn car already

shoot me

 

I blew a $5k long block because I was too stupid with boost.

It’s a true statement, gotta pay to play.

 

I'm learning! The good news is we get good at taking it down by the third time, right? The first time I spent the whole weekend just pulling off the accessories and manifolds, and getting the heads off. This time I did it in 3 hours. :-)

 

I know what you mean. I went through three cams in two years not because of failures just my performance needs changed. Now I just sketch on a piece of paper the head and intake torque pattern and torque specs then have at it. Last cam change I replaced the timing set with a Rollmaster so the pan had to come off but no big deal just had to drop the crossmember and remove the two rack bolts and let the rack hang.

 

I lost my 1st stroker to a failed lifter that wiped the cam. Dropped in a new build with Diamond offset pistons to help with the skirt flaring issues most strokers have and upped the lifters with Johnsons and this thing runs like a beast. Couldn't imagine not having the seat pinning torque of a stroker under the hood when going NA.

 

Great skill to acquire to be able to spec your own cam. I have a feeling this cam won’t be the last one in this engine either :-)

Dropping the pan on the AWD Denali isn’t hard, just time consuming. Gotta drop the steering rack and crossmember as on yours, plus the passenger side of the front diff, which gives just enough clearance to get the pan off. Air tools are a must. Adds about 3 hours to the job laying on my back, with a puppy licking my face.

 

Which engine did you start with, and how did you make out in terms of power?