Engine rebuild dumb question.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Engine rebuild dumb question. I got a full 2004 express for $500.
The odometer is 250,000kms.
Compression is damn near perfect. Haven't started it yet and someone robbed the starter and what not.
My boss swears I shouldn't bother rebuilding it(using it runs good) and just throw it in the c3, I think I should buy an engine rebuild kit(about $650) and redo it.
What's your take? Rebearing,ring and seal it. Or slap it in.
The odometer is 250,000kms.
Compression is damn near perfect. Haven't started it yet and someone robbed the starter and what not.
My boss swears I shouldn't bother rebuilding it(using it runs good) and just throw it in the c3, I think I should buy an engine rebuild kit(about $650) and redo it.
What's your take? Rebearing,ring and seal it. Or slap it in.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 532
Likes: 630
Don't half-way it. Either full rebuild with premium pistons and rings and balance or leave it as it is. This prevents paying twice.
I would use a bore gauge to check for bore taper. Basically ring wear will make the bore barrel-shaped, wider in the middle than at the ends. If its within a half-thou of true then and it holds compression I would not even bother with re-ringing the pistons. If its worn out then do a full rebuild with a machinist shop and all that.
I would use a bore gauge to check for bore taper. Basically ring wear will make the bore barrel-shaped, wider in the middle than at the ends. If its within a half-thou of true then and it holds compression I would not even bother with re-ringing the pistons. If its worn out then do a full rebuild with a machinist shop and all that.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Don't half-way it. Either full rebuild with premium pistons and rings and balance or leave it as it is. This prevents paying twice.
I would use a bore gauge to check for bore taper. Basically ring wear will make the bore barrel-shaped, wider in the middle than at the ends. If its within a half-thou of true then and it holds compression I would not even bother with re-ringing the pistons. If its worn out then do a full rebuild with a machinist shop and all that.
I would use a bore gauge to check for bore taper. Basically ring wear will make the bore barrel-shaped, wider in the middle than at the ends. If its within a half-thou of true then and it holds compression I would not even bother with re-ringing the pistons. If its worn out then do a full rebuild with a machinist shop and all that.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Not sur how these engines usually are around 250k kms( 150k miles). Assuming maintence was done
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
I'll just do a gasket set then since it's easy and not expensive and paint the engine up. Will also give me a better idea of the engine quality, it's been sitting for 8 years.
Next is see how the transmission is and if it's all good then 500$ for the van was a steal haha.
Question - the 5.3l starters will fit the lq4? Even though the nunber of teeth are different? I jsut need a starter to get it running for now. And I glcsn get a bunch of free ones for 5.3
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2008
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All LS starters are the same size wise. But the early LS engines had a smaller mounting pad on one side and required two different length bolts. Newer LS starters have the same length pad on both sides of the starter. I don't get anything special. I use NAPA so if the starter fails I can get a new one at no cost.
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
All LS starters are the same size wise. But the early LS engines had a smaller mounting pad on one side and required two different length bolts. Newer LS starters have the same length pad on both sides of the starter. I don't get anything special. I use NAPA so if the starter fails I can get a new one at no cost.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 302
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From: Louisiana
150,000 miles is nothing on that engine if it’s had any kind of service, not ran hot or low of oil. I would do rear main seal and cover gasket for sure. I have been in several with near or slightly over 300,000 miles with minimal bore wear.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Only thing it's missing is the starter alternator, and throttle body. Some dash pieces and seats. Which w/e.
Got a Tb, getting a starter Friday, going to get it running do a comp test. If all is well I'll use hp tuners to delete the vats.
What else should I delete while it's still in van?
Got a Tb, getting a starter Friday, going to get it running do a comp test. If all is well I'll use hp tuners to delete the vats.
What else should I delete while it's still in van?
Holy crap, I misread the first post as 250k miles instead of km. At 250,000 km, it would have had to suffer severe abuse to even think of needing a rebuild. I have bore scoped my old silverado motor back when it only had 220k miles and it had crosshatch on the cylinder bores. I was just making sure nothing came out of the Whipple that had started to get a little bearing rattle. At over 340k miles it still runs fine, just with the new Whipple head unit I put on at 220k miles.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Got it running today, someone robbed the starter, alternator, TAC module, throttle pedal and throttle body. Went to the junk yard today and grabbed everything i needed(except the alt).
Disconnected the fuel line and turned the key on nice brown sludge lol. Built a new line to a test pump i slapped into a jerrycan and it flashed right up.
Very slight stumble(could be old fuel still in the rails, i never ran it for long due to no belt), only codes are for Alternator and evap. Next is chuck in my test alternator and get a belt and actually run it to temp. But so far thing sound ssmooooooth
Disconnected the fuel line and turned the key on nice brown sludge lol. Built a new line to a test pump i slapped into a jerrycan and it flashed right up.
Very slight stumble(could be old fuel still in the rails, i never ran it for long due to no belt), only codes are for Alternator and evap. Next is chuck in my test alternator and get a belt and actually run it to temp. But so far thing sound ssmooooooth
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 57
Likes: 4
Got a random alternator from who knows what. Sets codes but it works lol, slapped on a belt. Got it to temp. Thing runs like a top. No ticks, no knocks no stumbles.
Cant drive it due to every brake line being blown, but it does drive forward and backward.
Ran about 30 mins until i saw the temp start climbing, found out why it was at the scrap yard. Heads are blown. Turned my tester immediately. No big deal. Easy fix once i cut the cab off. Later this week I will drop the oil and cut open the filter to see if there's any other surprises. Based off the sound of it running I don't think there's anything else.
Cant drive it due to every brake line being blown, but it does drive forward and backward.
Ran about 30 mins until i saw the temp start climbing, found out why it was at the scrap yard. Heads are blown. Turned my tester immediately. No big deal. Easy fix once i cut the cab off. Later this week I will drop the oil and cut open the filter to see if there's any other surprises. Based off the sound of it running I don't think there's anything else.
All LS starters are the same size wise. But the early LS engines had a smaller mounting pad on one side and required two different length bolts. Newer LS starters have the same length pad on both sides of the starter. I don't get anything special. I use NAPA so if the starter fails I can get a new one at no cost.