Gen 3 Rebuild
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
Gen 3 Rebuild Hello Forum,
A couple of months ago I purchased a high mileage 5.3 long block with 706 heads from a guy on fb market place turns out its the 99-06 year. While I have this engine torn apart are there any upgrades I can do to gain power. Is there a specify ls cam, piston or etc that I could grab from a different type ls?
What are you guys running for main bearing / rod bearings?? Are the ENGINETECHBC409J any good?
A couple of months ago I purchased a high mileage 5.3 long block with 706 heads from a guy on fb market place turns out its the 99-06 year. While I have this engine torn apart are there any upgrades I can do to gain power. Is there a specify ls cam, piston or etc that I could grab from a different type ls?
What are you guys running for main bearing / rod bearings?? Are the ENGINETECHBC409J any good?
I've used Clevite P-Series bearings for stock and H-Series for forged internals. You want to make more horsepower without boring and stroking then look at building more compression. I would get away from the small bore heads and look to the 243's/799's and if in the budget then get them ported. Buy a FAST 92 intake and a decent 92MM throttle body to go along with a custom ground camshaft maybe a Stage 2 or 3 and then look at getting some 1-7/8" long tube headers.
Basically build a bigger air pump.
Basically build a bigger air pump.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 384
Likes: 109
You should probably provide a power goal and a budget. Then folks here can probably advise.
There's a TON of aftermarket cams out there. All a bit different from mild to wild. Why do you want to stay with like an OEM from a different engine? What is the engine going into? Are you daily driving or going to be a cruiser? Or a dedicated track rig? Transmission, torque converter stall speed, gear ratio, and tire size all need to be considered for cam selection, as well as head flow parameters
I've used King main bearings and the Summit Racing brand for rod bearings. Durabond for cam bearings. These are for daily driver vehicles... I'm barely learning the craft of engine building. Lot's of folks here with a lot of experience, especially with the high performance and racing world.
There's a TON of aftermarket cams out there. All a bit different from mild to wild. Why do you want to stay with like an OEM from a different engine? What is the engine going into? Are you daily driving or going to be a cruiser? Or a dedicated track rig? Transmission, torque converter stall speed, gear ratio, and tire size all need to be considered for cam selection, as well as head flow parameters
I've used King main bearings and the Summit Racing brand for rod bearings. Durabond for cam bearings. These are for daily driver vehicles... I'm barely learning the craft of engine building. Lot's of folks here with a lot of experience, especially with the high performance and racing world.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
Ok cool I see Rockauto has the Clevite P series for $100 bucks thats not too bad. Most of the search results I came across on google were leaning towards the GM brand main bearings but the posts were decades old.
I have already had all the work done on the block. The machine shop was able hone the block, change the cam bearings and polish the crankshaft. And surprisingly it can use std size bearings. My plans were to do the bearings, rings and valve seals. But wanted to add more power if I could spend a couple of bucks on a cam that wont require me to modify the heads.
I have already had all the work done on the block. The machine shop was able hone the block, change the cam bearings and polish the crankshaft. And surprisingly it can use std size bearings. My plans were to do the bearings, rings and valve seals. But wanted to add more power if I could spend a couple of bucks on a cam that wont require me to modify the heads.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
You should probably provide a power goal and a budget. Then folks here can probably advise.
There's a TON of aftermarket cams out there. All a bit different from mild to wild. Why do you want to stay with like an OEM from a different engine? What is the engine going into? Are you daily driving or going to be a cruiser? Or a dedicated track rig? Transmission, torque converter stall speed, gear ratio, and tire size all need to be considered for cam selection, as well as head flow parameters
I've used King main bearings and the Summit Racing brand for rod bearings. Durabond for cam bearings. These are for daily driver vehicles... I'm barely learning the craft of engine building. Lot's of folks here with a lot of experience, especially with the high performance and racing world.
There's a TON of aftermarket cams out there. All a bit different from mild to wild. Why do you want to stay with like an OEM from a different engine? What is the engine going into? Are you daily driving or going to be a cruiser? Or a dedicated track rig? Transmission, torque converter stall speed, gear ratio, and tire size all need to be considered for cam selection, as well as head flow parameters
I've used King main bearings and the Summit Racing brand for rod bearings. Durabond for cam bearings. These are for daily driver vehicles... I'm barely learning the craft of engine building. Lot's of folks here with a lot of experience, especially with the high performance and racing world.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
Do they make more than 1 type of main bearing?? Im looking at the originals that came off the block and it looks to be 1 oil hole in the bearing. When I look at the replacement on Rockauto they have 2?
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 384
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I'm guessing they just put a hole on both shells so you can't screw up something and cause lubrication cut-off?
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Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
Yes i know that the block is upside down. My question is the number of oil holes in the top bearing. The main bearings I am looking at on Rockauto for a 99-06 ls have 3 holes vs the oem main bearings in the picture above look to only have 1.
When I removed the crankshaft I left the main bearings in place when I got the block back from the machine shop they were gone the picture above is the only memory I have
When I removed the crankshaft I left the main bearings in place when I got the block back from the machine shop they were gone the picture above is the only memory I have
Outers 15 ft lbs then 51 degrees
inners 15ft lbs then 80 degrees
The side cap bolts torque to 22 ft. Lbs.
Put a dab of ultra grey silicone under the heads of the small side cap bolts to seal oil. Yes, use a liberal amount of oil on the threads and under the heads of the main bolts. Make sure the threaded holes in the block are clean and free of debris and liquids. It’s a blind bolt hole and you’ll crack a block if there’s anything in the hole that’s compressible.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
Almost done with building the bottom end but I got one piston where the piston ring will not spin freely on the top piston grove. After looking closely it seems the groove is damaged. My question is the OEM piston has these numbers stamped on the top of the piston "81064G L229 05 411 A3". I have found an replacement on Rockauto but the part number is "81150B U339 13 307 A3" and it says its for the engine B.. Will this interchange or can someone point me in the right direction
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 92
Likes: 21
Side note, the 700R4 is not known for strength. They are fine for street rod type cars and 500 hp and 450 tq or so if built right. We have a 34 chevy and a 55 chevy and they both have 700R4's and they are fine for cruiser hot rods and the occasional blast down the track on street tires (though we never do that with these two cars), but in a heavy car, I'd be leary of running it hard with drag radials or slicks or even street tires, especially if the transmission is stock, they are only good for probably 300-350 hp, if that. They have a low first gear and big drop from 1st to 2nd (3.06, 1.63, 1.00, 0.70), which is fine for the street and of course you have the overdrive which is super nice. We run 4.10 gears with ours with 27" tires and that's about perfect in my opinion. The gearing and converter you run are what will net you the most "bang for the buck" in terms of the car feeling "fast" especially with the engine build you are doing. Our 34 has a 383 gen1 and the 55 has a 485hp/525tq 383.