Stev0n

iTrader: (7)

Guys maybe you all can offer some insight.

I have a 2005 5.3 and one of the heads has a broken valve guide.

NAPA said they can't machine aluminum, which leaves one other shop here in town. The problem is, this shop said it will cost $50 to replace the valve guide, but they will have to heat the head up w/ a torch since it's aluminum & it might warp the head. And i would have to sign a waiver or something not holding them liable.

Now maybe it's just me, but i don't want to give someone $50 to possibly screw up my head. On top of that they said they don't show a valve guide for an 05 5.3 in their books.

So what should/can i do at this point? I'm in a hurry to get this motor put back together.

NC98Z

iTrader: (1)

Pull off the head and send it to a reputable sponcers shop. it doesn't sound like them boys work on alumnium to much. I wouldn't trust them. Only other option would be find a used head in your local area.

KCS

iTrader: (20)

Pack it up and send it to a more reputable shop. From the sound of it, neither one of them know what the hell they are talking about. You don't need to machine any aluminum to replace the valveguide (unless it jacked up the material around it), and you don't need heat up the head. Don't get me wrong, heating the head to install guides isn't a bad idiea, you just have to be mildly retarded or just completely careless to get it to warp. Storing the guides in a freezer overnight works just as well though...

Chances are, you'll need that new guide honed anyways, and I doubt either shop is competent enough to do it. I would think you would be able to find some good shops really close seeing how you nearly in NASCAR land.

jrpimp00

iTrader: (17)

^^ Im with them, they dont sound like they know what theyre doing. I had 2 valve guides replaced on my 5.3 heads last month and it cost me $35 here in NC. (local shop). Id send it somewhere else

Old SStroker

Just curious: How did you break a stock valveguide? Those are tough Mudders.

Is the valvetrain completely stock? If not, what is it?

No offense, but looking for the root cause may prevent a recurrence.


Jon

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

does your engine have flat tops or dish pistons?
another alternative is to remove both heads and replace with ls1 853 or 241's
there plentiful and will work with 5.3, just need to order 5.7 gasket.
the scr will go down, a slight mill bump scr back up some.

Stev0n

iTrader: (7)

it has dish pistons. I was led to believe that ls1 head wouldn't work with the 5.3 lm7 because the bore on the block is smaller diameter than the combustion chamber on the head?

the valvetrain is stock & the longblock only has 18k miles on it. I was replacing the stock springs w/ LS6 springs. when i pulled the stock spring off, i saw that the seal was loose & it came right off w/ part of the valve guide inside. I might have actually done it. I'm not really sure to be honest.

The part i'm worried about is $$. As i'm sure it will be fairly expensive to ship this.

And it's sad, Bowling green (home of the corvette, beech bend raceway, & minor league baseball team 'The Bowling Green Hot Rods') should have a competent machine shop.....BUT NO!

honestly it's so damn irritating at this point, i'm about to swing a sledgehammer into the engine. I'm gonna call everywhere i can find between here & nashville, tn tomorrow and see if i can find some place within driving distance.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

the ls1 5.7 853 and 241 work excellent on 4.8/5.3 bore.
also the ls2/ls6 243 and 799 work excellent, the newer gen 4 4.8/5.3 engines come with 799/243 heads stock which are a equivalent of 243. equipped with either. the new 4.8 and 5.3 all come flat top pistons and 65cc heads with 2.00 intake valves. same as ls1,ls2.
need to use 5.7 gasket.
but with dish piston scr will be lower,
a mill is cheepr than a valve guide repair

PedaltoMetal

Have you tried Pro Machine? I heard it was the same guys from Scottys. If not call Standard Motor in Nashville. Ask for Jim. He did my heads.