Quote:
Originally Posted by gringoloco
So while the axles are at the machine shop, I figured I’d tear into the little five-three for some freshening and upgrades. So far I’ve got it all torn down and have cleaned the carbon deposits from the pistons and combustion chambers. It’s now sitting at #1 TDC awaiting installation of the BTR truck cam.
While it’s apart, it will also get new lifters, hardened pushrods, valve springs, oil pump, timing chain, and gaskets. This was a good running motor, so I’m not rebuilding the bottom end, just freshening her up a bit. Hope that doesn’t come back to bite me like every other time I try to cheap out (see axles above)...
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I've done something similar to the 5.3 that is in my '65. When my son upgraded his short block on his turbo truck, I got the old set up. When he pulled the cam out to swap to the new set up, 2 of the cam bearings fell out of the block. I got the whole package in pieces, I mean everything was apart. I cleaned it all and reassembled using the factory 240k mile bearings on the rods and crank and used new cam bearings (and an old stock cam & lifters) and all new gaskets, I even reused the factory torque to yield bolts...I have more time and elbow grease value in the engine than actual money. Most expensive thing was the gasket kit with MLS head gaskets. Think all told in parts I bought, I have about $175 in a running 5.3.
So far it has held good oil pressure and runs smooth...
