Weld and mill to fix that, period.

Certainly looks to be debris was in there and also like it got into the exhaust valve as you can see a couple similar marks on the LH side of the valve.

I'd have them make sure that valve is still straight as well.

 

Got some progress done on engine. Behind schedule a week. Because the last piston I was putting in decided to be a pain and I so slightly bent oil expander and top oil rail ring. So had to order single set. I should have stepped away and took a breath and not forced it if it wouldn’t slide down. But rings came in Friday so finished pistons, cam, and front end basically. Got two questions. What do you guys do when you need to work on the rear since the engine stand blocks it? I was thinking just set it in a tire do my work then hoist it back up. Second question is I have a melling oil pump and it’s a two bolt to the oil pickup tube, but my pickup tube is only one bolt, is there a tube I can get or do I need to use that clamp you can buy for the other side.

 

Happens to all of us... I have damaged a ring or 2 as well as a bearing set...


Infact i just damaged another timing gear on my duramax trying to fix someone else's assembly error...


For the rear of the engine, What do you need to do?

Some times I do it on a hoist, an engine cradle or even a tail gate... lol


As for the oil pump look for an LS oil pump girdle. A few companies sell them. It will allow use of 2 bolts.


I think ICT and improoved racing are the more common ones.


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/i...4aAoM0EALw_wcB


https://www.improvedracing.com/ls-en...ace-clamp.html

 

Eh not much on the rear end except main seal and cover I guess. Probably just put it on the hoist then and set it something. I will probably get that brace. I ran it before with just one screw and I didn’t even know it with out a brace. Wonder if that contributed to my oiling issues who knows.

I got a felpro timing gasket kit from summit that has water pump and oil oring. The picture online shows three color orings. I needed the green one, got the package in and all o rings are black but different sizes. May just buy a green and sleep better knowing I picked right one.

 

I am able to put the rear cover on while it's on the stand. The fly wheel I can barely get on but torquing it is difficult.

The O rings aren't too bad at the dealer considering. Usually they have them in stock.

 

Some stands I can do the rear cover and some I cannot. The HF stand I have I can't.

My ACDelco I am pretty sure I can.

 

I've got one of these engine cradles that I bought. IIRC it was like $45. I think transferring the engine from the stand to the cradle will allow you to install the rear main seal.

I think on the part-out-special 5.3 I swapped into my 99 Silverado I was also able to replace the flywheel on the cradle.

 

I appreciate it, I will try to get as much done on the stand starting out

 

Planning out the rear main seal and also front timing cover, I understand its crucial to get everything flush but do you honestly need an alignment tool for front, back and also to bolt underneath timing cover? Why cant you just use your oil pan without a gasket, obviously you dont want to torque all the way down but enough to flush it up. That would give you your alignment for front timing cover, you can also use the two long bolts in the back to align rear cover to oil pan. Once your front and rear are torqued remove oil pan and put it on when your ready with gasket. Put some rtv in four corners where the parts meet as well. The rear main seal should go on dry I am seeing as a consensus and also recommended from GM. I only see the benefit of the tool if you dont want to remove your rear main cover and you need to replace the seal. But since I have everything apart why cant I just lay the seal on the cover and lightly tap it in with a punch then slide it into place over crank, same concept just might take longer.

 

I changed the rear main seal on my suburban 2500 LQ4 last November and bought the SacCity centering tool. It was around $45.

I followed the directions and it said to basically tighten the rear, long bolts on the oil pan until the tool was able to spin by hand. Then tighten the rear cover bolts to specs. All was well until I went back to my bench and see the rear main cover gasket was still there! Doh! Since the crank flange seal was already installed I couldn't use the centering tool anymore.

I wound up tighten it to what the spec is for the long bolts, which seems like that's where that centers the cover on the crank flange.

I decided to change the torque converter lock up o ring and transmission front cover. That damn donut is heavy to remove and reinstall under the truck. I had second doubts why I decided to do that!

On my last oil change everything seemed nice and clean down there.