Snkebait95

iTrader: (16)

I hope this is the right place for this thread.

Im looking for peoples opinions for or experience with high mileage relating to durability/life of ls motors.

Reason: I currently have a 5.3l with around 130,000 and when i took it apart there was A LOT of sludge. Now i cleaned it up and I think its not in too bad of shape and will hold up nicely. Just got it all apart and clean.

I just found a great deal on a 6.0l locally.
The bad: it has 210,000 miles.
The good (if i can trust the sellers word):
it was in a company express van, so id assume it wasnt ran the **** out of,
Seller said he heard it run

Im going to see it tomorrow and take the valve cover off to see if theres any sludge. I dont plan on rebuilding the shortblock.
If theres no sludge would you go for it?
If theres a lot of sludge I probably wouldnt buy it.

How much does mileage play a factor in the life of an ls engine?

TransAmWS.6

I would keep the 5.3 that you have, there are plenty of high mileage LS motors on this forum that are modded. A lot of how reliable it will end up being has to do with how well it's been taken care of throughout it's life. However, the fact that the 6.0 is coming out of a work van already tells me that's it's probably been beat on.

VandykeT/A

Everything has a life span. With over 200k miles on it, its life is surely more than halfway over. Its probably had poor maintenance being a work van. I'd stick with the 5.3 unless a rebuild is in the cards.

wildcamaro

iTrader: (15)

Yea stick to your original motor...we used to punish the 6.0 vans at my old job lol...I drag raced anyone that would...and won quite a few against Hondas lol

RezinTexas

You can never really know where the wear will be in high-mileage engines.

I bought a 145k LM7 motor and tore it down for a rebuild. There was ZERO sludge, all the main and rod bearings were practically new condition, however the #3 cam bearing was worn down to the copper.

I would never run a used high mileage engine as my primary driver, unless I did a full rebuild.

redtan

iTrader: (5)

I would not call a sludged engine as worn necessarily, so I would stick with the one you have now.

A worn engine has marks on the cylinder walls, has worn piston rings etc. Sludge is just poor maintenance not worn engine. So if other parts look good and it holds compression, then stick with the 5.3 you have now.

BlackScreaminMachine

iTrader: (17)

Wear on a motor can be seen by bearing surfaces and the parts that interact with it, as well as cyl heads. Wear can also be checked for exampled like checking spring pressure the "straightness" of parts.

How the milage is put on is the main thing and if you dont really know then your taking the chance.

Id rather have a 80,000 mile Five-year old car knowing it was freeway driving vs a 5 year old car with 1,000 miles if those miles were put on, one 1/4 mile pass at a time.

Snkebait95

iTrader: (16)

Yeah considering my situation im going to take the advice and stick with the 5.3l. Especially with not being able to take it apart.

Tainted

iTrader: (9)

Id be rebuilding anything with more than 100,000 miles. rings go bad, bolts have started stretching, gaskets are getting nasty. Everything degrades with time

mark21742

Plus since you have the 5.3, you always have the option of boring it out and throwing new pistons and rings in it....you would went to do rings, pistons, gaskets, and while your in there a good set of aftermarket rod bolts.....plus you can upgrade your rods while your there too....or even throw in a 4" crank and make it a stroker....all depends on how much you want to do "while your in there" lol

91sonomast

Buy the high mileage engine, replace all the bearings, if the cylinder walls need it, hone them, re-ring it, new bolts, and put it back together with all the stock stuff that you took out. You'll be out $500 and have much more power potential

Tainted

iTrader: (9)

and peace of mind knowing your $1000 motor is nice and fresh and wont leave you on the side of the road at 215k miles

91sonomast

Exactly. Most common issues are rings and bearings. Most likely a piston isn't going to grenade.

3rdCoastPowerSports

iTrader: (5)

im gonna have to argue your price and say its more like $600-$700 to rebuild the bottom end (including head gaskets, hone, rings, all engine bearings, re size rods, new bolts, polish crank)

theskyisthelimit0818

yeah i dont know what kind of bolts your talking about...nor rings

my arp main bolts cost 260-ish...rod bolts 100-ish..my rings along were 200-ish...and thats no machining nor including the bearings....

*IF you are going to rebuild it...*
Go with Clevite Bearings doesnt matter they are all better than the factory..
ONLY USE ARP BOLTS EVERYWHERE, I PREACH THIS AFTER HAVING A ROD BOLT FAIL AND TWISTED MY BOTTOM END..

Get rid of those shitty Connecting Rod and Spend $300 on Stock Length Forged Rods...just the rods...

I could go on but thats the main things...gotta go

actually i forgot you said you have a 5.3 stick with that, SWAP A CAM!...Better intake, and kick some ***

I mean your just swapping blocks, you can bore that five 3 out if its that serious and be right behind a six O..

I would never go through all that for a few more cubes, you have enough potential there to make more hp

Especially being stock...you got a long ways to go before swapping blocks...

bwkmaro

OP mileage does not effect it enough not to pick up a great deal on a 6.0 if your rebuilding neway... ive rebuilt plenty of ls motors that had a ton of miles on them, its not really how the engine was driven. its how it was taken care of. turning rpms and racing red light to red light isnt what kills bearings its what breaks and falls into the bearings haha

91sonomast

I wasn't talking a full tilt rebuild, I was talking a budget refresh. ARP head, rod, and main bolts, clevite bearings, stock replacement rings and gaskets. Honing a cylinder isn't that hard, all you need is a hone, a drill, and 30 minutes. If he could find LQ9 pistons do that, a set of L92 heads, and a moderate cam. He will be making plenty more power than that 5.3. Unless you're like me and plan on going boost, then a stock 5.3 with a set of LS1 heads to drop your compression a little and crank up the boost . Either way is a win, but the LQx will offer more potential for down the road mods and with the ability to run Gen IV heads with bigger valves, even better.