5.3 LS needs head gaskets POLL please

[J-mobzz]

Looks like the 2007 Adventure Van needs a head gasket. It still runs great and isn’t overheating but it was running a little warmer than normal on a camping trip down to duck Creek this last weekend. It has 249,000 miles on it.

With it being a van, I don’t anticipate head gaskets being a super easy project, but I feel like it’s something I can do myself.

I certainly don’t want to build an engine, but I am thinking with this many miles it might be worth spending the money and time and just throwing in a remanufactured short or long block. But these engines seem to go forever, so part of me thinks that it might be fine for another hundred thousand miles with head gaskets.

And then there is part of me that thinks well if I’m going to go to the effort of pulling the engine, I might as well put some decent parts in it and throw a good size cam and have it tuned afterwards.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions.

 

[J-mobzz]

For those that haven’t seen the van in may seem like it’s not worth investing money into but it is to me. With it being an all-wheel-drive set up they still pull a pretty big price tag. Not to mention I just have thousands invested in the set up And it works really well for my needs.

 

[glockman]

It's a really dumb van, you should sell it to me.
I'm torn here. I didn't do any of the "might as well" stuff on my Jeep 5.3 and most of it bit me.
I'm leaning towards, pull the heads and have them reworked, if you want a mild truck cam, @RockChucker has a great option. You "might as well" put new lifters and a cam in while the heads are off. I wouldn't go any deeper than that though.

 

[bryson]

A crate engine could be a fairly economical option, and you could even get one that's built up a little already. It'd probably be less work than doing head gaskets on your existing engine too.

 

[RockChucker]

Seems worth while to pull the heads. The 6.0 I have in my Jeep came out of a van like that. There is actually quite a bit of room to work on things once the intake manifold is off. @glockman recommendations are spot on. A cam is a nice upgrade but will come with tuning costs most likely? With the heads off you’ll be able to see into the cylinder bores as well and see the condition there. If it still has cross hatching on the cylinder walls, seems reasonable to send it. I’m surprised that van has a 5.3. I thought they only came with 4.8 or 6.0?

 

[J-mobzz]

Seems worth while to pull the heads. The 6.0 I have in my Jeep came out of a van like that. There is actually quite a bit of room to work on things once the intake manifold is off. @glockman recommendations are spot on. A cam is a nice upgrade but will come with tuning costs most likely? With the heads off you’ll be able to see into the cylinder bores as well and see the condition there. If it still has cross hatching on the cylinder walls, seems reasonable to send it. I’m surprised that van has a 5.3. I thought they only came with 4.8 or 6.0?

The all-wheel-drive variations from 2004 to 2014 only came with a 5.3. Where all other Express vans only came with the 4.3 V6 or the 4.8 or 6.0 V8

 

[Kevin B.]

I don't know anything about the LS specifically but I feel like if the rig is working for you and you're gonna keep it around for a while, it seems reasonable to invest in some QOL upgrades as long as you've got the hood open.

 

[Hickey]

I’m torn between just gaskets or a head upgrade while you’re at it.

 

[J-mobzz]

I’m torn between just gaskets or a head upgrade while you’re at it.

I don’t really think a head upgrade would do much realistically for the cost. With these engines, I think you get a lot more bang for your buck with a cam. But honestly, if I’m going to tear the whole front core support apart to do a camshaft at that point I think I would rather just pull the entire engine and replace it with something rebuilt with a decent cam already in it.

 

[Hickey]

I don’t really think a head upgrade would do much realistically for the cost. With these engines, I think you get a lot more bang for your buck with a cam. But honestly, if I’m going to tear the whole front core support apart to do a camshaft at that point I think I would rather just pull the entire engine and replace it with something rebuilt with a decent cam already in it.

That may end up being the fastest way back to vannin again.

 

[J-mobzz]

I don't know anything about the LS specifically but I feel like if the rig is working for you and you're gonna keep it around for a while, it seems reasonable to invest in some QOL upgrades as long as you've got the hood open.

Yeah, and I guess that’s what I’m contemplating. I really want to do one of the small single rear wheel box trucks with super duty axles. But I’m not sure I want to drop the $60,000+ It would take to put something like that together. That’s been more of a goal to have done in the next five years when my kids are a little older and I can be gone a lot more than I currently am.

 

[Hickey]

Yeah, and I guess that’s what I’m contemplating. I really want to do one of the small single rear wheel box trucks with super duty axles. But I’m not sure I want to drop the $60,000+ It would take to put something like that together. That’s been more of a goal to have done in the next five years when my kids are a little older and I can be gone a lot more than I currently am.

View attachment 173837

I’d love to do that with a later model Ford box van. Godzilla motor, SD axles, and bolt on a transfer case. No adapter needed for the T-case.

 

[J-mobzz]

I’d love to do that with a later model Ford box van. Godzilla motor, SD axles, and bolt on a transfer case. No adapter needed for the T-case.

I’ll do it if you do. Haha

 

[Kevin B.]

I really want to do one of the small single rear wheel box trucks with super duty axles.

Right there with you. Something like that with a dirt bike or e bike on the back would be a stellar platform.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

ive used a couple of the 450hp Summit crate longblocks. Hard to beat for the money and both have run great.
Hard to beat a fresh motor with a decent cam already in it for this cheap.

Summit Racing SUM-150153 Summit Racing™ Chevy LS 5.3L 450HP Long Block Crate Engines | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Summit Racing™ Chevy LS 5.3L 450HP Long Block Crate Engines with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Crate Engines at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Having the heads done and swapping in a cam isnt that big of a deal though, the van part complicates the actual labor but by the time you buy a cam, springs etc.. Have the heads built, and then buy gaskets and all that it certainly wont be a low budget deal.

 

[J-mobzz]

ive used a couple of the 450hp Summit crate longblocks. Hard to beat for the money and both have run great.
Hard to beat a fresh motor with a decent cam already in it for this cheap.

Summit Racing SUM-150153 Summit Racing™ Chevy LS 5.3L 450HP Long Block Crate Engines | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Summit Racing™ Chevy LS 5.3L 450HP Long Block Crate Engines with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Crate Engines at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Having the heads done and swapping in a cam isnt that big of a deal though, the van part complicates the actual labor but by the time you buy a cam, springs etc.. Have the heads built, and then buy gaskets and all that it certainly wont be a low budget deal.

That actually does look like a pretty solid deal. But I worry with that kind of power It’s just going to spiral. I would definitely have to put a better transmission in behind it. A decent cam would be nice, but I don’t know that I need or even want a 450 hp in that van.

 

[J-mobzz]

Seems worth while to pull the heads. The 6.0 I have in my Jeep came out of a van like that. There is actually quite a bit of room to work on things once the intake manifold is off. @glockman recommendations are spot on. A cam is a nice upgrade but will come with tuning costs most likely? With the heads off you’ll be able to see into the cylinder bores as well and see the condition there. If it still has cross hatching on the cylinder walls, seems reasonable to send it. I’m surprised that van has a 5.3. I thought they only came with 4.8 or 6.0?

honestly, I think I’ll take this advice and just pull the heads look at the cylinder walls if they look decent just send it while I work on building a box truck for the next couple years and keep using this Van.

If it doesn’t look good, I’ll just bite the bullet and buy a rebuilt short block put a mild cam in it and have my heads freshened up with the valve springs and stuff I need to run the cam.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

I don’t know that I need or even want a 450 hp in that van.

Lame..lol

 

[NYCEGUY01]

honestly, I think I’ll take this advice and just pull the heads look at the cylinder walls if they look decent just send it while I work on building a box truck for the next couple years and keep using this Van.

If it doesn’t look good, I’ll just bite the bullet and buy a rebuilt short block put a mild cam in it and have my heads freshened up with the valve springs and stuff I need to run the cam.

As far as LS stuff goes the cam in that longblock is VERY mild cam... That and a 2500 stall converter would be great

 

[J-mobzz]

Lame..lol

It’s a half ton AWD drivetrain haha not on 1 tons. It would grenade that front diff the first time I laid into the skinny pedal.