BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Just recently bought a motor and trans that supposedly were rebuilt from a local salvage yard. Motor has less then 6k, so they say. Trans has 0 miles on it so they say... No paper work on either items so I got them to extend over their usual 1 year warranty.

Either way for 2k for both of them I figured I scored pretty good if they are rebuilt or not. Almost every other local salvaged yard I found on Car-part.com wanted $2800 for a 6.0l and trans with everything, harness, brackets, intake etc. And those are anywhere from 90k to well over 100,000 miles.

Started removing majority of things so I can get it on my stand.

When I pulled valve covers.


When I pulled the heads.









Need a new oil pan for my swap, cause truck one hangs too low for my likings. Next is to flip it over when I get a pan and inspect the bottom end.

Started cleaning off the pistons until then with brake cleaner and a brass bristle brush.

This is as good as I can get. I'm a lil OCD sometimes and I'm actually pretty pissed I couldn't get it any cleaner then that. Some carbon left on there that just wont budge.



Here is a piston before



After hitting it with the brass bristle brush- no cleaner



After hitting it with brake cleaner and the brush- Good as I can get it.



Would it be a bad idea to rotate the block so deck is facing 90 degrees, bring piston up to TDC and lay a soaked rag of mineral spirits on the piston? Or soaked rag of B12 or Seafoam cleaner on the piston to soften up the rest of the carbon so I can easily wipe/brush the rest off?

Or maybe bring the pistons down a little and pour B12/Seafoam in the cylinders so it can soak/rest ontop of the piston for a few seconds. Then use shop vac to suck it all out, then coat cylinders lightly with oil/wd40 and rotate the block a few times to get rings oiled up.

Trying to get this stuff cleaned up so I can paint the block and get the heads back on.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Why are the pistons so dirty when everything else is so clean? The head bolts look reused too which I thought was a HUGE nono on LS stuff due to TTY bolts. I also thought stock was no valve reliefs.

"rebuilt" to me is generally a redflag because people "rebuild" cheaply and endup going backwards from stock.

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Same thing I was wondering when I pulled the heads.

Even whith a so called rebuilt motor and a few thousand miles I didn't expect the heads to be THAT clean and pistons with so much carbon build up.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I think the engine was run with a big cam(that required the flycut) and they took the cam and old heads, painted the block put some clean heads on it and lied to you. The fact they reused the headbolts would have me replacing about evey fastener in the thing because who knows what else they did wrong.

Maybe it has fresh bearings and rings which I wouldn't really call a "rebuild" for sale purposes, but even at that the reuse of fasteners is scary.

BadAndy

The head looks like it has never even been run.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

those heads have never been run... That motor would scare me... Id tear it down just to be sure... whats the pan look like? rods,main caps? cylinders still have nice hatch in them, looks very low mile to me but the piston faces are crazy dirty for that low mileage of a motor..

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

You guys are scaring me now lol. Literally do not have any plans of putting any cash into the motor. At the most I WAS going to put in a nice lil cam in it, but changed my mind.

Goal here now is to clean the pistons, paint the block and other parts, put it all back together and get it into the car. Put on a new oil pan that will better suit my needs for the swap then the low hanging truck pan.

I think I will flip the block over today on the stand and snap some pics when I get the pan off.

Currently working on two of my other cars today that need some maintenance work so hopefully I can get to it and post some pics up.

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Decided to skip working on the other cars. I need your guys input on this asap.

I got some pics for you guys in a sec. Just got the oil pan off. Uploading them now.

96capricemgr- Suggested I go confront the yard about the motor.

Not sure if I should demand some cash back, get them to give me a different motor if they have any. Had more 5.3 then 6.0.

Or what.

Or just run the motor as is, or rebuild it. Not sure how much machine work is going these days in my area. If I do decide to have it rebuilt I hope I could get the block and rotating assemble cleaned, assembled, hone job etc done for under $600. Reusing all stock parts.

Or find some nice lq9 pistons and rods.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

there is a rotating assembly LQ9 by me for $250 in CL... crank, rods, pistons.. 24t reluctor wheel...

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Well lighting in my garage sucks, and I don't get any kind natural light into the garage from the sun until later in the day.

Best I could do with flash on the camera.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

No way there is only 6K on that shortblock unless it was run really rich and only got filled with oil once.

I would probably be considering telling them to take it all back for a full refund and never do business with them again.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

Tell you what bro.. I have a 53k LQ9 in my garage on the stand right now... Ill take a pic of that with the pan off and show you... It looks near new.. that motor you have has missed some oil changes.... Id be F'n pissed off... I got my whole motor for $750...

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Its starting to get hot outside, and I'm getting more and more pissed off right now lol. I will be paying them a visit probably tomorrow morning about this.

Makes it even worse is that I had plans of removing the old motor and trans tomorrow from the car.

Just got a new efi tank in other day and ordered mounts/headers/fuel sending unit and pump etc all the other day. And planned on placing order for trans crossmember and radiator today too.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

looks to me like it may have gotten hot at one point... strange that the cylinder walls still have good looking hatch on them but the rest of that **** is NOT new.... makes me wonder what the trans looks like.. also, if that trans has sat for any substantial length of time, it wont last long even after a rebuild.... the clutches have to be submerged in fluid during long storage... technically, youre supposed to fill the **** up till oil comes out the fill tubes.. then seal and store it....

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Only pics I have of the trans right now.

Unfortunately my Nikon camera just took a **** on me and the lens will not retract. Trying to charge the battery for my Sony cam right now.












Like right now I'm not so much pissed about the condition of the motor...well yes I am.

I more pissed about how he clamied the motor was rebuilt. Open it up and it looks like this, I swear I need some adivl right now. Why not be straight up about the **** you sell?

Soon as I calm down I'm about to go outside and re-assemble this **** and they can come pick it up cause I'm not hauling **** back to them. I'm very quick to take someone to small claims court.

As of right now this project has slammed into the wall, for my first LS based swap I did not plan for all this B.S.

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Did some searching and I guess I'm not the only one with an LQ4 and fly cut pistons. I know what common pistons for a LQ9 and LQ4 look like. Lq9 being flat and Lq4s have a slight dish to them just like mine but minus the fly cuts.

Not sure what that's all about. Hope someone that has solid info could chime in on this.

Link to thread I found- http://m.modernhemi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1395423

BadAndy

He's just going to say that he was going by what whoever dropped it off said.
Does it say anything about being rebuilt on your receipt?

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

At the time he had a better price on package deal for Complete motor/trans/harness/brackets/power steering pump/AC pump and bracket/Alternator/Starter etc. All for 2k while others wanted $2800+ for everything that I now have for 2k.

When I first went in I got a price for complete take out, everything I needed for a swap. I told him something around 80k miles or lower. 2001+ motors only

What he quoted me.

5.3 and trans $1800 (too high imo)
6.0 and trans $2000 (pretty good price imo)

That's all considering my location, I have seen the price of these motors on Car-part.com raise up higher and higher over the years.

Went home and decided on 6.0l. *Mind you when I first went in I inquired 2001+ motors only* Day of pickup I notice the block has iron heads. Its a 99 block, I told him 2001+

He had a "Rebuilt" 2002 LQ4 from an Yukon Denali 2500, Inside their lil warehouse next to multiple 5.3L they had. Motor looked pretty clean.

I got on him about the miscommunication or whatever it was because of the 99 motor mishap. He wanted $2600 for the "rebuilt" motor at first. Eventually he said he would give me the motor for same priced as the before. So I said cool whatever. Stated the motor and trans are rebuilt inhouse.

On the receipt there is just an list of the motor, trans and broke down every part he gave me with a price listed next to it.

States that there is a 1 year parts only warranty, which they only give 1 year parts warranty on rebuilt motors or transmissions.

On printout it says 2002 yukon 01-02 6.0l and vin#

BadAndy

If they claim they rebuilt it in-house then you need to have a serious discussion. Explain your findings plainly and without any unnecessary drama. If he doesn't straighten up then the F word needs to come out. Fraud.

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

Rebuilt has many different meanings to some people. I suggest removing the rods and pistons and checking bearings and rings. They may have just put new rings and bearings in it. Which in The eyes of the court, and The junk yard...is "rebuilt"

However, it looks like they re used every bolt in That engine.

I would tear it down and check it out more before going on a rampage.