Hi, I’m having problems finding some cheap(er) parts. I’m basically building a L33 shortblock but having issues finding the parts. I can find most BUT they are all race/ high HP stuff I don’t need and don’t want to pay premium if generic stuff is good enough. Here’s my list… Stock or remanufactured 5.3L 24x Crankshaft and rods. Rods need to be gen 4 full floating pin style. 4.8L flattop pistons (stock or hypereutectic w/ floating pins gen 4 style). I’m not sure if it’s the ppl working at parts store nowadays or if they just don’t sell oem type things anymore as remanufactured cranks rods and stock style pistons used to be easy to find and way cheaper than forged 4340 racing parts but now I can’t find them anywhere other than GM performance parts that want more than the race car parts that are 10 times better. Any help suggestions etc. would be appreciated…

 

Forgot to mention, the 4.8L flattop pistons installed in a 5.3 has correct pin height because the 4.8 has same bore but a shorter stroke than the 5.3, but the rods are also different lengths so the fit perfectly in the 5.3 and raise compression to 10.0:1 w/ 799 heads (stock L33) and even higher 10.4-10.7:1 w/ 706 heads (depending on if heads are shaved and size of head gasket). I’m using some 706s that’s been ported and slightly milled and Fel-Pro 260-1973 gaskets (4.8/5.3L bore sized and 0.041” thickness)

 

I put together a flat top 5.3 for my suburban a few years ago with spare parts I had lying around, I just used some used flat tops from a low mile 4.8 short block that I had. If the block is all right and can get away without a hone You could just use used stock Pistons with new rings like I did and be ok. Tired 5.3 always have skirt wear but the shorter stroke 4.8 doesn't wear the skirts and can be reused

 

I’m using a 4.8L block and I’d like to use the pistons but they are pre-05 so they are pressed on not full floating pins and what few machine shops there are within 200 miles none want to try to remove pistons pins from the rod without damaging the pistons. They all say you need special jigs and even then they probably get damaged so they don’t bother with the liability and cheap pistons are cheap according to them (define cheap as you charge $100 hr labor lmao)

 

Okay I understand that, however, im able to swap the older style Pistons with press fit pins at home myself, you just have to be careful when you do it, take your time

I use a cheap harbor freight bottle Jack press and a couple random sockets. One skinnier than the pin and one bigger to receive it.

To reinstall the pins, heat the small end of the rod with a handheld propane torch (wear heavy welding gloves) and simply push the pin in when the rod expands enough to receive it, it will cool and tighten very quickly so you need to work fast. They don't have to be exactly perfect. Just get them as centered as you possibly can on the rods

If you have another piston pressed on a rod that you don't care about like an extra 5'3 dished one or something practice on that one first taking it apart and putting it back together, you did that a couple times You certainly wouldn't have any trouble!

Good luck!

 

Why not just go to the junkyard and grab a motor that has the floaters in it.

 

I used to do this all the time as a machinist myself BUT we used a press stand and pin dyes to do it. Putting a socket on the piston side will deform the piston. I even had the jig that went between the rod and the piston to keep the pressure off the piston but they still could be damaged. Did you mike them afterwards and see? Did you check for stress cracks in the pin area of the piston afterwards? And without a stand I’m not picturing how your putting pressure on the pin with a bottle jack.

 

I also need a full set of 5.3 rods anyway along with the crankshaft so I was going with the gen 4 rods. I was also gonna get either the 0.005 or 0.010” oversized 4.8 pistons (depending on block wear and tear) as that 4.8 didn’t smoke or use oil but had 300k miles on it. TBH it might be cheaper to buy a (gen 4) 4.8 & 5.3 and steal the parts I want. Port the heads and sell them along with the 4.8 crank, the worst blocks and except for time spent porting I probably could do all that and break even or even pocket a little. The only problem is I would want a 5.3L that has the 24x reluctor wheel.

 

I just have one of these guys. I bought it many years ago. It wasn't very expensive. They probably cost more now but still cheaper than a shop, I bought mine manly for the differentials and rear ends makes getting the bearings on and off and in and out of stuff a lot easier

 

I believe that was mentioned earlier on... although all you might REALLY need is a 5.3 and a press if you already have the gen 3 4.8 pistons & rods. Not sure how the pin would be retained in a stock gen 3 piston if it doesn't have a circlip groove though; no idea whether they have that or not (I'd suspect, not, though); there used to be little PTFE buttons you could get to put in the ends of the pins that would do that for old SBCs and BBCs and such, no idea whether any such is available for these motors. Otherwise you would indeed need a gen 4 4.8 to get the correct pistons out of.

I have that same POS press from Horror Fright that stockA4 is talking about. Works well enough except that the jack leeeeeeeks which means I have to take it off the press and lay it on its back when not in use. Someday I'll try to track down paper & rubber for it butt I'm too lazy thus far. Cost me maybe $180 or some such a few years ago. I made it back the 1st time I used it (bought it to put bushings in a 4L65E if memory serves) and it keeps putting money in my pocket on a regular basis by doing things I'd otherwise have to take to "shop" or beat senseless with a hammer and risk all manner of trauma.

As far as pressing pistons, the place on the side of the piston around the pin, is flat. You can use anything cylindrical and hollow that will fit in that space and has a hole smaller than the pin - piece of pipe, old bearing inner race, another socket especially a 12-pt, etc. etc. etc. - to support the piston, and a socket or [gasp!] bearing driver on the pin. The piston itself is very thick right there and is almost impossible to damage if the rod is pressed properly since the pin itself puts no stress whatsoever on the piston, only the side of the small end of the rod. Putting them back together is even eeeeeezyer; you can heat up the rod a bit and freeze the pin, and they'll almost fall together on their own. Of course once you get your floater rods you'll never have to press em again. (well, eeeeezzzzy for me to say that anyway...)

 

Not sure why you can't find pistons.... Summit racing has both these options in stock. They offer Standard, .020 , .040, .060

These are .020 options.

• Sealed Power H1132CPA50MM
• Silvolite 3520HC.5MM

You can get new replacement Floating style pin rods for around $150 on Ebay.

I always laugh when I see used ones for $200 and they haven't been checked or resized. Cause if they end up needing bushings replaced or the big ends oversized your going to end up in forged rod territory. Labor isn't cheap.

 

The pistons I did see in summit, they even have a cheap crank but it’s a 54x and I need 24x. By time I get a machine shop to swap them then the remanufactured crank is about the same price. I’m mostly shocked that places like NAPA, AutoZone, Advanced Auto etc don’t have complete rebuild kits. Even Summit doesn’t have stock type rotating/ or rebuild kits… I used to buy them all the time for 350s, 302s, 318/340/360s and even most big blocks but now to get stock it’s hit and miss, only high performance parts, no one is one stop shopping anymore and I didn’t want to order 20 parts from 20 different places. And OMG OEM parts from Chevy are friggin NUTS, 3 stock rods cost more than a set of forged i beam rods rated at 2000 HP LOL… What the heck happened to the industry? It used to be easy to get a 383 stroker kit that you could have stock to forged crank, rods, pistons from stock to hypereutectic to forged from dished to domed and anything inbetween and buy it balanced. Same for a Ford 302-351, Mopar 318-440. Now unless you get the full race kit that costs more than me buying 2 running Silverados with 6.0s in em you’re out of luck. And back when I owned an Automotive Machine shop there were 3 other in my city, 3 in 2 neighboring cities and me and 2 out of the 10 of us also specialized in high performance work but now there’s only 2 total (none in Laurel) and they both DON’T do performance and can’t even do many things like resize rods, turn cranks, one even used sandpaper roll to surface heads… I’d have to drive 60-100 miles to New Orleans or Mobile to even get a 5 angle valve job or a bore job done with torque plates… Friggin nuts

 

Sorry can't help you on that part. Crank's used to be a dime dozen. So much so that people around here would give them away or throw them in the trash in the early days. I think i have around 5 spares ones as a result. The biggest issue is shipping. I tried to give Scott a 4.8L crank free of charge. The damn shipping was $150... for that he could find one closer for his purpose.

Now I see people trying to sell them used for as much as 2-300 around me and they still need to be cleaned and polished or re ground. I think the last one that I had that needed to be re ground was like $180

I have seen reman crank kits before but I don't recall who was selling them.

 

I was telling someone the other day Joseph about you giving me the crank, but shipping killed the deal. I bet it’s likely $185 today.

 

Yup, Corporate greed at its finest!!! Can't even give good stuff away. Maybe in a few weeks when I go back to Chicago I can take it as carry on... Even checked bags is cheaper then what they want for ground shipping.

 

LOL, yep that’s what I’m seeing… Internet was great n made everything cheaper till all the local shops went out of business or quit selling certain parts. Between that and Covid it killed all the local small shops. That and too many machinists like me retired or are gone and no one is stepping up taking on the mantle.

 

These guys sell a crank kit, but I am unsure of the core price.
https://crankshaftsupply.com/product...c-350ci-18088/

 

summit offers a reman crank but you have to get your own bearings. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...make/chevrolet

 

Found these guys On Ebay. I have Never used them and don't know there quality.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/26734684391...AAAOSwRuZmtihM