Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

It’s been a while since we had any progress on this swap, but I am hoping that now that the weather has turned and the 99 degree weather is gone I can get some good progress done before the really cold days set in, so I will start to post all my questions and issues that I am facing and hope to get some guidance as to what the best options for my needs are or will be.

I did get my engine cleaned up so now it’s ready to start with all the work.


Here are some pics of the engine after I pulled off covers and pan. But as discussed before at this point I am not leaning towards rebuilding the engine just yet. Now one thing I did forget to mention before was that I could hear lifter(s) upon initial start-up, but it would go away after a minute or so I might go into replacing these. New gaskets and seals, oil pump and timing chain for starters.

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

Following,
Ron

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

if you change the oil pump keep in mind that the new one has to be shimmed..
most gaskets on a LS can be reused..so if it aint leaking id leave em alone...
if you look at at the timing change itll be loose..if you put a new one on itll be loose as well..
my 99 z71 had 285000 on it when I sold it 6 yrs ago....the guy that bought it is still driving it...only thing on the engine thats been changed is the water pump
if your worried about the oil on the valves then new valve seals are a simple swap...easy to do it now with the engine out of the truck

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

That looks a lot better than the 5.3 I just slid into my suburban. Keep plugging away. It will go together quickly as soon as all the parts are there and ready.

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

so i have been collecting all the parts that i need for the engine. mainly gaskets and seals, timing chain set and oil pump, for the most part i think i got all that i need but a few odds and ends.

Also got my mounts.
I decided to go with Tejas Steel Works to be able to use my stock oil pan and keep my a/c in the LM7 stock location. i still need to paint them but...

on a side note; the truck will be taking its last drive tomorrow to empty out the gas tank before i start removing the engine and funny how things work, a lifter has started to make noise upon start up every morning for about week now. well that's what it sounds lie to me, it sounds like marbles hitting together on the passenger side.

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

I have also been patiently working on cleaning some of the part that can be cleaned; valley pan cover, oil pan, pick-up tube, windage tray, front/rear covers and all bolts. I was pretty surprised how good they cleaned up with the cleaning solution from Summit with almost no scrubbing effort just had to let them soak for a while.

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

Here is how the pan and all other covers looked like... I know they are not going to be seen nor will it give me extra HP, but i just couldn't throw them back on looking the way they were, lol.

Re: 85 C10 "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" 5.3 Swap
 

so along the lines of clean parts affecting performance.
I know that my engine was working ok in my suburban but in the case of my valves and intake/exhaust ports looking like they do, how is the engine affected by this. and I ask to see if the benefits of cleaning them would out weight the cost/effort at all. I tried vacuuming as much of the small debris as I could, but some still remains and that worries me. maybe it is nothing to worry about therefore, i ask.

some have mentioned that if it was running before I should be ok and I understand that. I can go with that, but i am just wanting to weight benefit vs cost, effort I don't mind at all specially now that its open. thanks again.