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Rebuild, run as-is, or inspect to decide?

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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 11:31 AM
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Default Rebuild, run as-is, or inspect to decide?

I bought an LQ9 from a salvage yard. It was advertised as being out of a 62k mile Escalade. I pulled the valve covers off and everything is as clean as a whistle and looks brand new. I pulled the heads off and the cylinder walls still have a nice crosshatch pattern.

I just ran a carfax and discovered that the vehicle had 130k on it when it was wrecked.

I've never pulled a shortblock apart before without doing a full rebuild, but I really don't want to do that here because it'll blow my budget out of the water. If I pull the shortblock apart and find that all of my crank surfaces are within spec, can I just throw new crank & rod bearings in it, put it back together and call it a day, or should I still get the journals honed and use the proper oversized bearings?

Ok to replace pistons & rings without doing an overbore?
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 01:20 PM
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As long as everything seems within spec and nothings slopping around I'd just do all new rings and bearings those are the real wear parts anyway. My 66 in the sig had 150k on it and i threw in a new cam and bearings kept the stock pistons,rod and valves just reseated them and put new seals in. Runs great!
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 01:21 PM
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also yes you can replace the pistons and rings with just a hone clean if the pistons look good i would just do rings y waste money on pistons.
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 01:55 PM
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Originally Posted by redbird555
also yes you can replace the pistons and rings with just a hone clean if the pistons look good i would just do rings y waste money on pistons.
It would be nice to throw some pistons with valve reliefs so I don't have to worry about Piston-to-valve clearance with the new cam. At least I can explore the option of doing a minimal refreshening instead of a full rebuild. I guess at some point I should start talking to the local machine shop to get opinions.
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Old Nov 18, 2009 | 02:41 PM
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a simple compression and leakdown test would have told you about the health of the motor. and since you alredy have the heads off, u can go ahead and cut in relieves yourself. not hard or expensive for any competent mechanic to do in there garage or driveway. with few simple tools.
theres a write up on this site on how to do using oversized valves and coarse sanding discs
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