Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Testament of a GREAT Engine...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 08:06 PM
  #1  
prochargedchevyi's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Bend, Oregon
Default Testament of a GREAT Engine...

The more I work with the Gen III, the more impressed I am with them. Below are some pictures of an LQ4 that I just picked up to rebuild. I got it from a salvage yard and it's got 180K on it. I popped off the heads and here's what I found.







If you're not totally impressed by this, you're crazy. The pictures are bad, but if you look close, you still see the hatching from the factory on the cylinder walls. Unbelievable. If I didn't intend to rebuild it, I could have probably got another 100K out of it.

Last edited by prochargedchevyi; Mar 30, 2008 at 08:16 PM.
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 08:21 PM
  #2  
z28_YOU_HO's Avatar
12 Second Club
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,526
Likes: 5
From: O-town FL
Default

sweet
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 08:39 PM
  #3  
ShortChevy's Avatar
12 Second Club
15 Year Member
iTrader: (21)
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
From: Muskegon, MI
Default

Yup when we tore the 5.3 out of a buddies truck for his 6.0 build with 212k on it you could still see cross hatch. Then again I'm rebuilding a C12 CAT at work with 1.1mil on it and it still has cross hatching lol.
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 08:48 PM
  #4  
InchUp's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
Default

Looks exactly like mine, with 156k miles on it. These motors are really something else.

What is that? 5.3? 6.0L?
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 09:02 PM
  #5  
prochargedchevyi's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Bend, Oregon
Default

It's a 6.0L. I've torn down countless engines and I've NEVER seen that little carbon on piston tops in my life. I'm pretty sure it's never had a rebuild - if you saw the outside of it, you'd know what I'm talking about.

I pulled the DS head off and I'm like..."WTF!"

I'm dying to inspect the rod/main/cam bearings to see if they're in similar condition.
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 09:07 PM
  #6  
allngn_c5's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,524
Likes: 1
From: Western Burbs of Detroit
Default

Good to know. Thanks for the pics to go with the post.
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 10:04 PM
  #7  
Soul TKR's Avatar
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,543
Likes: 2
From: San Diego, CA
Default

I just had a 23k mile LQ4 put into mine... it's an ANIMAL!

Glad to know they last so long, and I've also been curious to see what the dished pistons look like... thanks for the pics!
Reply
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 10:47 PM
  #8  
LS1Silverado05's Avatar
TECH Addict
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
iTrader: (41)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,370
Likes: 1
From: Classified
Default

Pistons were that clean without any work?...
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Mar 30, 2008 | 11:38 PM
  #9  
InchUp's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by LS1Silverado05
Pistons were that clean without any work?...
I wouldn't roll your eyes mine were the same way in two of three motors now, both over 100k miles.
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 12:02 AM
  #10  
socmguy's Avatar
Restricted User
iTrader: (18)
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,514
Likes: 0
From: Fayetteville, NC
Default

damn, that's great! The general's done good!
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 11:20 AM
  #11  
s346k's Avatar
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,433
Likes: 1
From: johnson co.
Default

this is what mine looked like @ 135k...apparently the previous owner did not know what the pedal on the right does.

Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 12:16 PM
  #12  
Irocss85's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
From: waterford MI.
Default

Originally Posted by prochargedchevyi
If you're not totally impressed by this, you're crazy. The pictures are bad, but if you look close, you still see the hatching from the factory on the cylinder walls. Unbelievable. If I didn't intend to rebuild it, I could have probably got another 100K out of it.
ws that pulled out of an E85 truck? if so thats why. the ethonal cleans the snot out of the internals of an engine as it runs through. if gas only, Im amazed too.
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 12:30 PM
  #13  
prochargedchevyi's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Bend, Oregon
Default

Nope. No E85. I pulled it from a 2000 Silverado 2500 that had been sandwiched between another truck and a tree. I got it for a song, too. $400 from LKQ in Orlando. The odometer read 181,237 miles (on my receipt) - according to the LKQ guy "Nobody wants high-mileage junk."

Ahem, I beg to differ.
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 12:37 PM
  #14  
oange ss's Avatar
TECH Junkie
20 Year Member
iTrader: (50)
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,241
Likes: 6
From: Texas
Default

thin, low tension rings will do that for cylinder walls.....the question is, if the walls aint wearin then what is....
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 01:05 PM
  #15  
prochargedchevyi's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (9)
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: Bend, Oregon
Default

The true test will be when I put the bore gauge to it and see how many thousandths of wear I've got.

I really don't get all hot-and-bothered over looks. Looks really don't mean anything. It's the clearances and taper that make the engine. I just thought it was interesting to see such little carbon after all of those miles.

Anyways, I'll post some bore figures when I get some time this week.

Vince
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 10:21 PM
  #16  
dazman's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Default

the stock pistons are probably egg shaped.
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2008 | 10:36 PM
  #17  
LS1Silverado05's Avatar
TECH Addict
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
iTrader: (41)
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,370
Likes: 1
From: Classified
Default

Originally Posted by InchUp
I wouldn't roll your eyes mine were the same way in two of three motors now, both over 100k miles.
Thats impressive. I too have been into a few well cared for LS motors, and none of them were that clean. If it specs out as well as it looks, you are in great shape.
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:03 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE