First time pig owner/LS swap. (1 Viewer)

[silveradofab]

Got most of my parts in house. Still waiting on the Holly terminator system and the fuel pump. Starting to pull the old engine out tonight. Hopefully next weekend I will be at a point where I could start pulling the engine out of the suburban. After that I’m hoping to get it cleaned up and stabbed into the pig

 

[scrapdaddy]

Don't forget the pictures!

 

[PabloCruise]

See that’s what I’m thinking. I mean I don’t tend to run my trucks above 70 anyways. It for extended miles. I do think I’ll stick with the super skinny tires however. The plan is to run 33/9.50 on the stock rims.

What tire? Seems like that option is getting fewer/farther between...

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

What tire? Seems like that option is getting fewer/farther between...

Tall and skinny works for me as well, but agree PC.. Interco makes a 34 x 9.5, and a 32 x 9.5 .. I ran the 34 x 9.5 Interco's on an FJ40 I had... never had an issue... And improved top end nice, and the truck had 3.7 diffs... but the selection is small and the downside was they are noisy on the road... designed for mud..

 

[scrapdaddy]

Those don't last long either.

 

[Gordobe]

I love pizza cutters, have been using them on my FJ's for 49 years. And yes hard to find tall ones. Since the public has a propensity to believe bigger is better manufactures abandon thinner for wider. Not like the modeling industry.

Good year used to make a tall skinny but alas no more although not to long ago I heard some one say they have returned. I have not shopped tires for a while.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

FYI - Kenda Klever R/T KR601.....NEW size on the way..... 33x9.50R15LT

I had a local shop install mine last night. They are very well balanced - they only took 1/2 the weights of the old BFG 33x9.5s I had on there. I put 29 psi in them and they are on a '78 FJ40. They are smooth as glass at 70 mph, seem to corner well and have good traction. Anything would beat...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[MacDaddyRabbit]

FYI - Kenda Klever R/T KR601.....NEW size on the way..... 33x9.50R15LT

I had a local shop install mine last night. They are very well balanced - they only took 1/2 the weights of the old BFG 33x9.5s I had on there. I put 29 psi in them and they are on a '78 FJ40. They are smooth as glass at 70 mph, seem to corner well and have good traction. Anything would beat...

forum.ih8mud.com

I've been looking at those....nice size/look

 

[silveradofab]

I always underestimate how much time having a newborn actually takes from being able to do projects like this. I have had this engine unbolted and ready to pluck out for almost a month it seems. Had a real issue trying to get the shifter off. I read several threads where people explain how to do it. I was unable to so I unfortunately had a cut the shifter. Luckily I have an extra one but more than likely I will just weld this back together. Other than the shifter it came out perfectly. Next step I believe will be pulling the engine from the suburban, getting any leaks or known issues addressed.That way I can get the LS mated to the Land Cruiser transmission.

 

[onemanarmy]

Lets go!!

 

[silveradofab]

Lets go!!

I’ll be pulling the 5.3 this week.

 

[silveradofab]

Man was that a bear. The truck was crashed into a ditch and motor mounts busted. Got everything out and will put it in a stand and start the reseal this week

 

[scrapdaddy]

Are you going with the AA bellhousing?

 

[silveradofab]

Are you going with the AA bellhousing?

Yes I bought the whole kit

 

[silveradofab]

Stripping the 5.3 down today. So far only issues is one exhaust stud broke. No sludge in the valve train it looks pretty good. I’m considering doing a cam/timing chain swap while I’m at this stage. Bryan Tooley Racing has a sweet cam called truck Norris for the 5.3. Supposed to be a no sprigs swap cam. Ordering a gasket set today.

 

[RUSH55]

I’ll be interested to see how your lifters look. A couple of mine were spalled pretty bad. Also had a spun cam bearing. Ended up going with a Texas Speed Stage II truck cam.

 

[silveradofab]

I’ll be interested to see how your lifters look. A couple of mine were spalled pretty bad. Also had a spun cam bearing. Ended up going with a Texas Speed Stage II truck cam.

Any chance there was a sign yours was worn before tearing it down? Mine came from a very well running truck with 200k. I’m hoping to not go tooo far into the engine.

 

[RUSH55]

Any chance there was a sign yours was worn before tearing it down? Mine came from a very well running truck with 200k. I’m hoping to not go tooo far into the engine.

No, I removed the heads to access. It seems to be a pretty notorious issue. There’s at least one other guy just on the 55 forum that has run into cam/lifter issues on a used junkyard engine, and several others I’ve seen in other places. I wouldn’t recommend overlooking those components while you’re already this far along, but that’s up to you.

 

[silveradofab]

No, I removed the heads to access. It seems to be a pretty notorious issue. There’s at least one other guy just on the 55 forum that has run into cam/lifter issues on a used junkyard engine, and several others I’ve seen in other places. I wouldn’t recommend overlooking those components while you’re already this far along, but that’s up to you.

I’m hoping due to the fact of how well this truck was driving when I bought it, perfect oil pressure, no misfires, great idle and acceleration, that everything internally is good to go. I’d say I’m likely just going to chance it due to how easy it will be to remove the radiator and grill to access the Camshaft if something happens in the future. I’m still debating whether or not I’ll even change the cam but those extra torques would be really fun.

 

[RUSH55]