astjp2
Active Member
- Location
- Riverdale/Alaska
So no rolling coal up parleys? Asking for a friendLame..lol
So no rolling coal up parleys? Asking for a friendLame..lol
Dude, you totally have this. LS engines are seriously the simplest thing you can turn a wrench on these days. Even I can build one. Let me know if you get stuck and need any help.Well, I’m finally getting ready to tear into this thing this week. I’ve been pretty busy finishing up some stuff on the little TJ and getting the boat ready for summer just in time for it to be halfway over. I must admit I’m slightly intimidated, I have rebuilt, several V twin engines and single cylinder engines, but I’ve never torn into a V8 like this before. And just remembering how difficult it was to change exhaust manifold gaskets in that stupid van has me feeling pretty overwhelmed.
I think I’ll probably take the heads to Hunter machine shop unless somebody else has another recommendation.
And for the good brethren of this fine online community, keep me in your prayers. I’d love to have this thing up and going again soon.
OK, so new development on this van head gasket situation.
I was talking to a friend today and he’s like dude have you tried the head gasket repair? Shit you put in the radiator. And of course I haven’t because as far as I’m concerned that stuff just ruins your engine or at least that’s what I’ve been told my whole life, And his argument was look. The engine has 240,000 miles on it. It needs head gaskets but realistically it could probably use a new engine. Spend 30 bucks if it fixes the head gasket and gets you through summer, you you can go pull a wrecking yard engine rebuild it the way you want with the camshaft you want and everything else and have a fresh engine to put in this fall. And if it doesn’t work, you still have to do head gaskets.
I never overheated the van and it ran and still does run great. So I was like screw it and put it in. Much to my surprise not only is it running 10° cooler like it was prior, but according to my combustion leak tester it’s no longer leaking. so I think I’m going to take it up some mountain passes on a hot day and just see how it goes.
But I do like the idea of finding a good core engine and building a strong 6.0L to put in its place. Plus, I’ve been going down the LS rabbit hole on YouTube and I do like the idea of building an engine on a stand. It actually sounds fun.
So I guess that’s where I’m at tomorrow. I’ll go put it through some paces and see how it’s holding up. And if I think you can get me through a handful camping trips this summer I’m just going to run it with fingers crossed and my AAA account on standby and work towards getting a new engine built for the fall.
That’s what I used. Fingers crossedI'd look for K-Seal, it had a proven reputation!
Amazon.com
amzn.to
Also, I agree... might as well try it and see! Buy some time and plan out the engine upgrade so you're not feeling too pressured to repair it.
It’s been running great. Friday night I took it up camping near Monte Cristo and then over paddle boarding at Casey for a a few hours Saturday. And that all went well so before I went home, I decided to run it up Parleys with the air conditioner on full blast and pushed it really hard. And then Sunday took it paddle boarding.update?