Jthod

Picked this up about a month ago, it was a trade in at the Chevrolet dealership I'm a technician at. Clean interior and exterior, but it had a pretty wicked rod knock.








only one of the six were still in spec, after 144k.

before pics:



and yes, I got rid of that gawd awful Hawkeye sticker.

front spacers in, bars cranked up, stock rear

after pics:




2 1/2" rear spacers, 3" ball joint spacers, diff drop, Airlift rear bags.

Planning on swapping in a 5.3, 4L60E, and NP241 in about a year, along with a SAS.

I bought it mainly for hunting and fishing, and some wheeling. Should make for a good winter vehicle.

kornhuskerwizard

So does it have the 3.0 or 3.4? Im assuming the 3.0

Jthod

3.0, and its tired. I think the exhaust leak it has is before the o2 sensor, making it read a false lean, and its dumping fuel. I put 80 miles on a full tank, and it dropped under 1/4 a ways already.

kornhuskerwizard

Sounds like time for a rebuild or a swap. Did u put new bearings in after the pics of the old ones or what? And were you ablet to pull the pan with engine in?By the way welcome to yotatech.

Jthod

thanks. Yeah, that is the old bearing. I pulled the front diff and pan and did the bearings in the vehicle.

Had some fun with it today:





it's hard to see how big this log is, but it's 9'+ long and this big around:



got the deer blind moved

kornhuskerwizard

so did it pull it out?

Gizler00

iTrader: (1)

Great looking runner man. Looks better without the Sticker!! A 5.3 and 4l60 swap would be wicked in that thing. 20 mpgs all day long in that baby

Jthod

nope

thanks. yeah, this 3.0 is a TURD

Jthod

Wee, SCORED a L33 5.3 core engine at work. Has low oil pressure, but is likely just a oil pump, maybe some worn bearings. Still runs quiet.

For those not familiar with 5.3 engines:

L33 is the H.O. 5.3, only used for a couple year. This one is in an '05 truck.
-Aluminum block
-799 or 243 cylinder (basically the same as LS6 heads)
-Flat top pistons
-higher lift cam
-9.9:1 compression
-ECM calibrations different from the T engines

All equates to ~15hp from the factory. Other that that it's a typical truck engine, same crank, intake and exhaust manifolds, ect.

Engine will come with the manifolds, water pump, fuel rails and injectors. $175 core.

The engine is still in the truck, hopefully will have it on a stand tomorrow, but it will probably be oil and wrapped in a bag until after winter.

let the parts pricing begin!

MrArmyAnt

iTrader: (1)

Hope you do this! I can help you out with a lot nbut as a tech I'm sure you already got more odds an ends than I do.

Jthod

Thoughts:

Rear
63" chevy leaf springs ('88-'10+ trucks)
leaf spring swap kit
14 bolt rear, '00+ chevy, rear disc, drum in hat parking brake, G80 eaton locker.

Front:

SAS
not really sure on the axle though. Simplicity says use a toyota axle, but then would have to do something to have matching hubs/bolt pattern/wheels
locker

leaning toward dana 60

Powertrain:
L33 5.3 I already have
4L60E, buy a core and rebuild, may already have a core in the warehouse for the cheap
np241 transfercase, adapter from a 5.7 truck to bolt up to 4L60 (p/n 15005474)

transfer case will depend on the front axle drop

Driveshafts:

rear:
not really sure what to do here either. U-joint sizes are quite a bit different in size between the normal 241 output, and the 14 bolt flange.

steel vs aluminum?

front:
also going to depend the axle selection, for choice of flange type.


Body:
going to need a 2" body lift to clear the tranny.
spare tire mount, maybe build a rear bumper to incorporate this.



????

MrArmyAnt

iTrader: (1)

Why would you bother with a massive, low clearance 14bolt and not use a d60 front with it?

I used l33, 4l60e, and d300.

Jthod

I'm still looking for input on all of this, but thanks

Jthod

so what does it take to make the d300 mate up to the 4L60? I see advanced adapters makes a kit, to the tune of $500

Jthod

I hate to answer my own questions, but it looks like this:

http://www.jbconversions.com/product...input_gear.php

and a 208 adapter?

I already have a trans, but it's a late model with a removable bellhousing, and 27 spline output. I don't have a problem replacing the output shaft on the trans if that would make things easier/cheaper. It's already in pieces on my bench, waiting for a rebuild kit and a few other goodies.

MrArmyAnt

iTrader: (1)

Actually, the output un the 4x4 4l60e mates up to the d300 minus one bolt hole. and yes that input shaft if it isnt a 4x4 (i think, its been so long since i bolted them up, ill check my ebay recipts). I need to look again, I might have a spacer, but it was very easy. I have the advance adapters kit from onother tranny I was going to use, but the trick is the 4x4 tranny. And I have twinsticks, and you could put in that low crawling gear.

I liked the idea of replacing the shaft on the d300, d300 is cheaper than a trans, and less likely to break/easier to build in my book.

"The TC side of the NP 208 adapter will bolt up to the D300 except for one bolt hole."

Jthod

On a 6 bolt flange? I have a newer style trans with removable bellhousing.

Jthod

Well, traged struck in January, and the poor old 3.0trips the smoke out. My wife decided to take it to work, and only made it about 8 miles. Threw a rod or something. It sounds terrible, and seems to be running on 3-4 cylinders. Parked it and haven't touched it since.

Next week the fun starts. Going to pull the body off the frame for a heart, lung, gut, and brain transplant.

I ordered the rebuild parts for the transmission today, and going through my list on engine parts now. I've found a couple axles locally, and found a 1 ton parts truck about two hours away that I just can't decide on yet.

Either way, the plan as it sits:
4L60
-beast sunshell
-z-Pac cltuchs
-corvette servo
-upgraded pump boost valve
-trans go shift kit.
-general overhaul of the remaining parts

L33 5.3 V8
-melling high volume oil pump, other wise a stock rebuild

GM 14 bolt rear end
-4.56 gears
-63" wms dually
-disc conversion with Eldorado calipers for ebrake

Dana 60 front, 83 GMC
-4.56 gears
-dually equipped axle with srw hubs
-narrow the long side, inner shafts to match

Transfer case
-np241

Suspension
-sas of some sort. Have found a kit that sticks out to me yet, but need to find something. I want to keep the lift conservative.
-63" rear leafs. Probably stick with 1/2 ton 4x4 spring for the little bit to extra weight capacity.
-16-17" wheels, 35" tires.



Going to try to stick with stock parts on the engine, truck intake, and truck oil pan. With the SAS and 2" body lift, I thing both will clear, but thats tbd.

I obviously have a long road ahead of me, and a few trips to the you-yank-it

bump530

Sounds like a good plan. Im fixing to put a 4.3/4l60e out of a 98 truck in my 4runner. Plan is to get rid of the 3.0/trans/tcase and complete the SAS/rear leaf swap next month. Then Ill start on the heart transplant in April. I hope to finish up by June.

Jthod

I'm still trying to decide what to do with the front end, spring wise. I don't have an issue fabbing parts, and I'd rather save the money using the RUF system. I'm not terribly concerned with flex on this build. I'd rather have a good ride down the highway, and minimum body roll. I realize that's going to be a challenge, and pretty much the opposite any one would want out of a lift for a trail rig.

Keep in mind, more power, similar weight, bigger axles, bigger tires, and the possibility of towing a boat or camper.

What springs would you run?