Originally Posted by hatzie
You're blowing smoke up our asses with your $1,200 comment. At the $1,200 price you were quoting for internals and machine work you're using Chinese parts. No way around that. Hence my comment about the cult of the big block.
Bore and hone, ground crank, align bore the mains, cleaning up the rods, three angle valve job, threaded rockers, valve guides, douching out in the hot spray, ... you're near a grand right there.
Forged pistons, Quality rings, Clevite bearings, Fel-Pro gaskets, quality camshaft, quality lifters, and other quality internals along with all the other little bits n pieces like freeze plugs, fuel pump(s), and injection repair or rebuilt carburetors not to mention the parts to re-work the distributor cost real money. You ain't going to buy those pieces for $300.
If you cut corners on a 1960's-1990's Big Block or SmallBlock rework all your hard work doesn't last. Slapping good quality parts into a block without the machine work needed for longevity means you have a worn block that'll run hot n heavy for 5,000-10,000 miles... maybe less and maybe worse than when you started.
Your MKIV & MKV big blocks are 25-50 years old. The MKVI is minimum of 20 years old... with the associated abuse of the years. Finding one that's not abused for a reasonable price is a unicorn.
You can buy a crate 501 for eight to nine grand but that ain't on par with the cost of a used rust bucket LS truck with lots of life left in the driveline and parts to sell aside from the powertrain.
I've sourced rusted out 2000-2004 K1500 trucks with just 100,000 on the clock for $500. The 4.8 & 5.3 do just fine in a grocery getter 1/2 ton truck the 4.8 power levels are on par with a stock 350 smallblock and the 5.3 is better. I've found rotted out 2000-2006 K2500 LQ4 trucks for as low as $300 with 100,000 - 150,000 on the clocks and used the engines for 3/4 & 1 ton trucks. You have to be careful of what you buy but they're easier to find than a good MKIV to MKVI or smallblock donor.
The essentially free LQ4 I used in Mikeys' truck should run another 150,000 maybe more with no issues. He's cranked around 20,000 onto it so far. That used LQ4 had over 100,000 on it so we installed an oil pump and pickup, re-sealed the pan and valve covers, and replaced the water pump for insurance. The leakdown test showed the rings, head gaskets, and valves were sealing properly and it ran nice and smooth. The donor truck frame parted company in two places and I had to cinch it together with binders for its last slow drive from VT to my barn. I sold bits off the truck til it paid for itself before I dragged it to the yard and Pat is still selling various bits off it.
The 4.8 & 5.3L with AFM get torn down and get non AFM lifters & cam installed. This costs money for gaskets and the GMPP cam kits.
If you need stump pulling torque get a Cummins or Dirtymax.
If you want to say you have a diesel get a 6.2 or 6.5L AMG GM diesel.
If you need to tow a lot get a Cummins, Dirtymax, or an 8.1L MKVII Vortec.
If you want bragging rights get a 501 or build a MKIV-MKVI big block.
If you want decent power for some towing and reasonable fuel mileage get an LQ4 with a 4L80 or LY6 with a 6L or 8L.
If you want a reliable engine that makes reasonable power that you don't have to fight with all the time get a 5.3 or 4.8 LS.
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