SBE 5.3LS, How to Gap Rings for Boost! + Short Block Assembly

So we got all of our rings gapped, and pistons back in the block! I made some mistakes here and there but I'm learning.
If you enjoyed the video, go check out gen2garage.com and show your support, we've got new shirts and hoodies in stock! We appreciate you guys, and we hope you enjoy the video.

[@gen2garage]

Okay so two things, Yes I’m gonna torque the dang rod bolts when I get a better torque wrench. I just snugged them up. Yes I checked all the rings in the same bore. Rookie mistake, but if my bores are off that bad then I have other problems to be worried about. Next time I’ll put the rings in their corresponding bores.

[@robertfandel9442]

I called those wheels nipple wheels they work. Pawn shop is your friend for tools sometimes. Bought my snap on tourqe wrench for 85$.

[@anthonybowman3406]

Also tommy, if you head down to the parts store and get some Eagle 1 aluminum “etching” cleaner. Spray it on and pressure wash off. It will make the block look brand new! Hope this helps ya save some time and end up with something your wanting. It’s what I use to clean aluminum on rims or even weld prep.

[@nathandumeney7601]

Double check you clearance on the reluctor wheel between the wheel and sensor I have seen them have different size teeth and missing teeth. It will save you time and headache of having to disassemble and reassemble later.

[@superjdog100]

Also you do know there's a set screw on the tool to hold the handle inplace right ?

[@donaldreese2688]

Well first of all great job young Thomas however boosted bois just had one destroy itself bc they forgot to go back and torque the rod bolts

[@ThomasThomas-wn3km]

Tommy, Don't be so hard on yourself. The average person would never dream of attempting what you are doing. You've seen your dad and brother do this stuff. With that and the videos you're watching, you will do well. Then you can say I built myself by myself. It's a good feeling. 👍

[@jameseyman9078]

I sure learn a lot more watching someone do something for the first time. Its great that your honest about issues your having and letting us see you figure it out.

[@PaulRhodes420]

That feeling of hearing it fire up for the first time of your first build is like watching your first born take it's first breath! A high on life you'll never forget! Can't wait to see it!! ✌😎

[@RealSteelStreet]

100% one of the most exciting yet nervous feelings you’ll ever feel! Lol And it’s a badass experience when it runs good and you can say “I built it”🤘🏼

[@jlord1388]

To make life easier I went online and ordered an LS rebuild book that has step by step instruction and every torque spec listed in the back best $20 I spent

[@mitch7628]

You're gonna be so proud of this truck when it's back together. Proud of you dude. Thanks for the entertainment.

[@williamcole464]

Great job, just remember, we all were beginners once. As long as you double check your work, you have a good chance of success. As you learn by doing, you will gain confidence. Just keep doing what you are, I think you will be fine. Mistakes happen, but you can learn from mistakes. We've all been there, just keep going, it gets easier as you go. Kudos for your efforts.!!

[@ACDGarage_Racing]

I seen your live last night, tommy you are doing good for your first time, I told your dad the other night that I think that doing this ls by yourself will be really good for your confidence to pursue more in depth projects whether this goes good or you have a problem later on, it is a learning experience and you have to start somewhere. This is coming from someone with 25 years of experience and a youtube channel & trophys to back it up. Keep up the good work buddy.... Adam

[@gen2garage]

I appreciate you man , thanks for watching!

[@ACDGarage_Racing]

Yall are good people ill support yall all day! I don't know if your dad has said anything but I may come visit you guys sometime probly later this winter, I look forward to meeting all of you. Also just because I have 25 years of experience don't mean that I'm old I'm olny 36, I guess I'm old compared to you. when i was 10 years old I started working in my dads machine shop building cylinder heads and engines that's why I have 25 years experience, just clarify I don't want you thinking I'm an old man lol.

[@robertharkness3250]

Don't really want to be the one or one of how ever many commenting but the reason the ring is meant to be checked further down the bore is because that where the liner is most worn. Just bare in mind that you have the distance from the crown of the piston to top ring that will never wear or very little and further down you've got all the rings wearing the liner. Anyway really cool your building your engine and are not frightened to have a go. Great channel and I enjoy watching all your content,rest of the family included. Best of luck on your build 👍

[@RealSteelStreet]

But on the plus side of that it’s ALWAYS better to have too much ring gap than not enough…even if it’s got .006” wear (which would be pretty easy to visibly see) that’s still only .030” ring gap. More than fine on a turbo application👌🏼 Some guys go as much as .035-.040” ring gap, especially on full race big nitrous kit engines 💥 That being said, you’re absolutely right in your assessment to be 100% sure what you do OR don’t have.

[@Peteblz1]

Excellent work here. For someone who claims to know almost nothing about this stuff you move like a pro! I have renewed faith in this build after seeing you hands on with this engine.

[@keithkristoff9419]

Just a tip...Spin the grinder wheel in the direction that pushes the ring into the base of the grinder, this can help prevent the ring from breaking while grinding

[@brandonburdette7895]

You doing great Tommy you've taught me a few things I wanted to learn so thanks always remember that we all had to get taught from some one even though it's your first engine you are putting together by your self you are doing a great job to me

[@billyray8062]

You are really learning fast Tommy, keep up the good work.

[@scottkeeton956]

congratulations on Detroit hood win!!!!!!!!ol small tire tommy!!!!!!

[@richardbristow14]

Anytime you do piston rings always clean the ring and the ring groove

[@seniorwatchalot]

You're doing it wrong waaa! 🤣 I'm having a blast watching you learn sir. Litte bit of work every day goes a long way.

[@moosestangls5099]

Dude that's the best learning video I've seen on a ls engine Tommy

[@chrisbryant1657]

Be sure to watch videos on how to align front timing cover and rear cover as well as oil pan. It's one of those gotcha moments! Or if not be ready for oil leaks.

[@jackal-ft6bo]

Looks like you are trying to get everything figured out I would suggest when gapping rings use the respective cylinders to measure the gap

[@johnconnor812]

Don’t change Tommy your such a genuine dude love your work brother! 🇦🇺

[@prestonrussell605]

You learn by doing and I admire the fact you are doing this rebuild yourself! I enjoyed watching this video!

[@stevenhood9292]

Haven’t read all the comments but just incase nobody else caught it or maybe I thought I saw something I didn’t . Make sure you’re gapping to the hole they’re going in due to variance in the cylinders. Carry on young man and continue the legacy.

[@mcintyretyler89]

A paint marker is what I use to basically dab the tops of everything. Then when I assemble I clean off the paint and crud with a little solvent.

[@esvs9395]

Tommy, what your saying as leave there, is the oil ring on the piston. By leaving it there, it's let's you square the compression rings and give them a square gap to the cylinder bore. Gap is crucial for ring gap, especially if boosted.

[@DJ63phx]

It is so satisfying when you put your 1st motor together by yourself and you start it up and it runs you're gonna be in 7 heaven when it happens

[@victorwesterlin82]

Top ring is the compression ring. Second ring is the scraper ring , it scraps off the oil that gets passed the oil control ring.

[@Godsy_Garage]

Hell yeah SBE crew ! Me and my girl just pulled ,disassembled, assembled and installed my little sbe 6.0 yesterday cause I thought I missed a piston c clip 🤷🏼‍♂️ it was there 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@RandDCustoms2]

Keep going you are doing great! I work in the plant that makes those rods and the Cams. The rods are built as a unit and broken to split the cap and rod. This gives extra grip as no two rods are the same and the break pattern is unique. The LS is an awesome engine that will be supplying hotrods for many years to come. We take care to make our product with the highest quality standard possible. I work @ GM!

[@raysmith5473]

Tommy the best way to learn is to just jump in and do it . Yes there will be mistakes but you will learn and remember from those . Good job on being able to do it ! This will make you be proud when it fires up and you hear and drive it that first time ! Keep up the great videos..

[@talesofanasphaltjockey]

You're no idiot , Tommy , you're a young man learning by doing and you should be commended for that ... keep doing what you're doing & you'll be the one showing others how to build their own stuff , someday

[@lanejohnson7656]

You are doing a better job than I am Tommy.. I used a sanding disc on a drill to gap new rings into mine...lol.. By the way. For the folks that say you don't need to gap the rings on a 150,000 to 200,000 mile LS for boost, I'm glad I didn't listen because I surely would have snapped the ring glands if I just threw the cam in it and sent it. Not 1 hole was the gaps over 19

[@gen2garage]

Yep, it’s very hit and miss. Some engines that were well taken care of tend to be tighter like mine was.

[@lanejohnson7656]

@@gen2garage By the way the donor truck looked I thought mine would had the hell ran out of it and abused. I could have gapped the rings and threw the cam in it. I had already purchased new rings and bearings so I went ahead and threw them in..

[@outfitsgarage88]

Keep-a-hammerin Tommy. Your doing great for your first build. My first motor I built by myself was a 2.5 4 cylnder chevy in a S10. I had helped my dad for several years and I knew what to do. Remember this was years before Google And KZbin. It ran great by the way.

[@captainwhiplash]

You got this. I’m the same age as the old man and we didn’t have so much information at our fingertips when we started building engines. A shitload of trials and 3X that in ERRORS to learn from. A lot of bumps on the heads high enough for snow to cap the top of them 🗻🤣😂😆

[@gen2garage]

Yea KZbin saved my ass multiple times here. A lot of it came from our old videos lol

[@timothymilam732]

the man is telling you straight up, and the key is don't make a bunch of major changes at any one time then you have a better chance at knowing what helps and what cost you. But patience is key, that, and if you do get frustrated and everything is turning into a struggle.. Walk away and don't come back until you have your mind ready to slow down and take your time. haste makes waste slow and steady wins races yes just like the hare and the tortoise, because hare burnt out and couldn't keep going. tortoise took his time, and when he passed the hare he was bent over trying to find enough air to breathe. never did, porky pig was RABBIT hunting that afternoon, and rabbit stew was the main course served

[@jeremywitteveen880]

I feel your pain Tommy, I've rebuilt 3 engines and never heard one run yet. I always end up selling them lol. This is how we learn, I haven't had anyone to show me, we learn by doing. I applaud you trying to do this on your own when you have such a deep talent pool to draw info from.

[@danmitchell1665]

Tommy don't be negative about yourself and your learning curve. We all started somewhere with someone guiding us a bit and then we did it on our own. Will you make mistakes, yup, we all do. I remember my dad showing my brother and I how to hotwire a car ... whatever my brother did the car would not shut off! My dad finally had to pull the coil wire to shut if off. Took him a day to figure out what my brother did. I rebuilt the top end of a motor and after there was a noise. I pulled the motor and set it aside thinking it had a knock. A couple of years later I pulled the intake and found a bolt sitting in the lifter valley. There was no damage to the motor and the noise was just that bolt bouncing around. That small mistake had my newly redone race motor sitting for a few years.

[@TheZaciechan]

Im so glad you at trying to do things on your own and showing your self thought lessons right or wrong. Proud of you

[@brianhanel6897]

You should deburr the edge's where you ground the edge when you put the dot and chamfers up and put the gaps opposing each other

[@gen2garage]

I did all of that, it’s in the video

[@keithmourglea3101]

Your doing great Tommy for your first engine, can't wait to see the truck when it's done

[@joshuarivera7622]

I would paint the engine block, Tommy. They sell a cast or silver paint. Look up alumi blast spray paint and shoot a coat of clear over it too. It will look awesome. It will make the block look so much better and you will be a more proud of clean it will look when ur done. Your doing a great job, btw.

[@lorenlutze1768]

you are a very brave young man to try to rebuild this motor on your own with 47k critics to tell you everything you're doing wrong 👍

[@garylucier6817]

And the other 47,000 things he is also doing right.

[@cooltrkin]

Great video Tommy. Can't wait to see it run. The one thing I'd say to do is use more lube on assembly.

[@kevinhendrickson417]

You're doing fine,stop being so hard on yourself,at least you are trying and doing it yourself,a lot wouldn't have even tried for fear of failure, you're knocking it out, so kudos to you my friend.

[@Ada-zn3pw]

Good job Tommy. You and your brother give me hope for your generation. Good to see we still have some young men doing the same things that us older guys did when we were young.

[@Ronzos_UTUBE]

Look at you getting wit it tearing down motors and all by your self! From SRC Photo to Gen ² young man's garage 😆 keep up the good work tho. Skill will become easy with time and practice 👌

[@craigbush189]

Great job Tommy snug the bolts torque them to speck.keep up the videos love watching this stuff

[@MKE_Racing]

You did great Tommy! Once you’ve done it a few times you don’t do so much detail lol. My engine now has re used head bolts. Re used rod bolts , a cam lobe that got wiped out by a lifter and I just cleaned it up in the engine. I didn’t even fully torque the head bolts and the rod bolts I didn’t even torque. Lots of street miles and lots of boost. Stil holding

[@allenlord3679]

Lifetime subscriber of all 3 channels. Stay at it youngin

[@Crodgers88]

Love it, it’s always good to get outside of your comfort zone. It lets us grow you’ll have it running in no time

[@garywynegarsvikingrc843]

your doing a great job . but the reason you push the Rings down further into the bores because at the top of the sleeve it tends to get a ridge sometimes it's not even noticeable by eye but it's there from the Piston coming up repeatedly and the carbon build.

[@cargotoolshop5319]

Okay, the top of the piston bore doesn't wear out, so go down to the largest part of the cylinder, also if the cylinder has a top land you have to remove it cause the ring will hit it and snap, also if the top of the cylinder is wore out and you measure the cylinder and it's three larger at the top than the bottom it will run perfect up to about 3000 rpm, above that the ring won't push out fast enough to catch the compression, and it just won't pull the top rpms stay strong guys

[@brannonfrost4286]

You're doing great.Yes,very entertaining as well.I laugh,but I learn too.Keep up the great work,good sir.And we'll keep on watching too.

[@davetapani3253]

Good job bud! Cool to watch you learn and can't wait for your truck to kick some ass. Congrats on Milan! You guys had me jumping up and down again. Keep up the good work. Your whole family is loved by many.

[@davidprieto7876]

Tommy I understand that you're nervous at this time putting that motor back together and gaffing your ring but after a few times they'll be second nature to you you're doing a fine job so from the old man of Tampa Florida may God bless keep you safe and miss Angela also

[@atlantisisfound9850]

Make sure you watch your crank journals on the way in with out screw in plastic guides on the rod ends you can damage your crank with one nick!

[@troymyers5181]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who talks to themselves while putting things together. Looks like you're doing a good job putting that LS together. Good luck with project.

[@stevenhood9292]

If you don’t talk to yourself how else are you supposed to get expert advice???🤣

[@jeraldhite9744]

Good work Tommy. One of the best ways to learn is getting your hands dirty!!

[@burtmoore2101]

When you go to install the cam you can attach the timing gear to hold onto

[@garyluck8502]

Hang in there your doing great and watching the old man hasn’t hurt I older than him but believe it or not u do learn with age!

[@bgoat1380]

do know what a torque wrench is as you are trying to attempt your first build and show your progress to others it is important to show all the processes and the most important is the proper use of the torque wrench especially on all main caps and rod bolts. you have come a long way and we wish you success on this build

[@joewallace2021]

Don't be afraid to use a Torque Wrench...along with the associated specs. and having your motor Tanked/Cleaned at your local machine shop and the Crank Polish with 10/10 bearings is your BASIC fundamentals of an Engine Rebuild... just the BASICS.

[@borgonianevolution]

Good to see you going thru and doing a build by yourself Tommy. Several things to ponder before going further. You should start (specially with used motors) by ball honing the cylinders while you have the motor open. This way you can inspect for obvious damage that may be hidden by carbon like deep gouges from the rings or super fine cracks from over heating. Many a motor has tossed a piston from hair line cracks in water jackets injecting water into compressed fuels. Same thing for the pistons. Wire wheel the carbon from them and inspect the ring lands really good. That is another common failure point. Other then that advice well done doing the research in various places and not just taking one point of view. Same with stepping up and actually doing the work unsupervised. Looking forward to future progress. As for rods n mains... two takeaways from my first build ever.. Plastiguage!, plastiguage!!, PLASTIGUAGE!!! Even if your rotating assembly has been machined and balanced the bearings are never as accurate specially after the coating processes. Also you can never have too much pre lube in a build.

[@jamesdewiel4736]

That’s awesome Tommy glad to see it going together!

[@bigfootbubba1425]

You are sizing the Rings for the cylinder bore that the ring is going to run in correct, and once the feeler gauge goes in that is the gap/size.

[@russellpath]

Tommy, those rubber wheels are for taking gaskets material off aluminum so you don’t score the surface. Use 100% wheel acid on aluminum. Spray it outside cause it’s rough on the eyes and lungs. Let it sit while it foams and bubbles on the aluminum and then rinse away. The aluminum will look brand new. And no scrubbing required

[@Bignate1989]

100% was gonna comment the same thing! this guy knows☝🏼 Jax Wax makes some they use it at our dealership in Columbus I cleaned up my aluminum intake with it like new ✨

[@docsmallblock6584]

Just started the video where you're talking about taking some steel wool to the cylinders, you should really invest in a ball hone and use that!!! Many videos out here how to use one, but that would be the way to go now and in the future!!! It just takes a minute to do and whips them cylinders right back in condition!!!

[@Smokey72013]

Even with used rings i still run a quick dingle ball hone in them bores. And scrape out the ring lands when you have rings off the pistons. Other then that good job. I laughed when you put the whole side of pistons in before putting caps on. Lol

[@BackwoodsRacin]

My first motor I ever built at 18, I forgot too oil the rings good on the piston before I slid em in the cylinder!! It pulled the cylinder wall out on pass number 3!! We all gotta learn at some point or another! Good luck bud.

[@davemoulding8799]

You needed to run a bead hone in cylinders for cross hatch so rings will seal

[@guineapigracing8987]

Excellent work Tommy. I'm sure Steve Morris has a video about piston rings and he said that it's good to put the ring gaps away from eachother, but the piston rings actually rotate at around 2 rpm so the gaps will line up occasionally.

[@Xxjoker21xX]

You have to Measure the Rings to the Cylinder it goes in not all in the Same one and grind them to fit that sleeve! Now you must start over because you did it all in the same number 1 cylinder!

[@Pyle81]

Tommy, I stole your catch pan under the engine stand idea. I had some drop steel that I've been wondering what to do with. So last night I drew up a plan, And today cut everything up and broke out the Lincoln MIG 180 and tacked it all together. Its even got casters on all 4 corners, And a 1/2" hole on the end to hook a drag handle to. I used one of those Black totes with the yellow lid from Home Depot to build the frame around. There a bit more ridged, And hopefully will stand up to the cleaners and solvents ill use when cleaning up my next project. Today I found a 2012 Escalade with a 6.2 LS that only had 94-K on it when it got wrecked (rear left T-Bone). Other than it having VVT that will need deleted, Its all 100% there, including all the accessories brackets, Wiring harness and ECU. The only they cut off it was the Cats. Which was a easy $450.00 from what im told. I can't wait to dig into that engine. I think I need to find a old step side like you have for this 6.2 engine.

[@Bignate1989]

Some time of foaming aluminum wheel cleaner with a acid in it will clean that block up new. One of the detailers at our shop gave me some and I cleaned my intake with it like butter

[@NBrogdon45]

oven cleaner works like a champ!

[@mgpcustoms4494]

Tommy you’re doing a great job !!!Stop knocking yourself !!!! This is the only way you learn. Keep up the great work.

[@banditforluv]

1/2" drill on the handle end, put the bracket on that came with the tool, clamp it or bolt it to the bench.. You can use a surage protector, and use the on off switch for the drill (Zip tie the trigger)...Use a Knife sharpening stone, go away from the end of the ring (not to the inside of ring)..Ya need to guide the rod so it don't smack the crank Journal,while tapping in the piston,one at a time,put the rod cap on before going on to next piston..Rod tangs face the pan rails,and go on same side of rod and cap..

[@darrenbrisson4336]

Just popped into hit the like botton nighty night let me know when you get back on the dart

[@brianduvall1300]

good job young man good to see you double check yourself and explain your mistakes not hide them.Keep it clean and move forward

[@gen2garage]

I try to show everything , even my mistakes. I usually get criticized but hey, I bet I’ll never make those mistakes again! Lol

[@luther250F]

You wipe the cylinders with atf and a lint free rag before installing pistons, oil the rings of the pistons before installation. Lot cleaner if you put the assembly lube on the bearings rather than douse the crank. Did the block have a decent cross hatch left in th cylinders?

[@Pyle81]

I'd be shocked if the cylinders didn't still have a good pattern. We recently took apart a 6.0 that had 493-K miles on it. And the cylinders looked just like the 5.3 we took apart that had 126-K on it where the #3 cam bearing walked out. And when we checked the 6.0 to see how fare out if spec things where in the cylinders, to our surprise all 8 where still well within OEM specs. IDK what GM is making these (Cast Iron) LS blocks out of. But what ever it is, there tuffer than woodpecker lips. The only thing that was well worn on this 6.0 (LQ4) with 493-K miles on it was the valve seals. They where pretty much gone. My 5.3 (2003 LM7) we have apart at the same time with 126-K (You gotta love NE Ohio salt, It rots the frames out of these trucks) the O-Rings in the oil pickup where dried and cracked. Thankfully it hadn't started the cold start oil starvation symptom at the time we removed the engine and trans (4L60E) from the rotted chassis. People can say what they want about these LS's, But they're a tuff engine IMHO. And GM turned out a Trillion of the Gen III-IV, And there EVERWHERE around here.

[@schojak1321]

Buck all the Fullys Tommie! Great content, keep it up.

[@zerocontent3171]

Tommy, the reason for putting the ring further down into the bore to measure the ring end gap especially on a used or not freshly machined block is that the cylinder diameter measurement is different at the top than it is further down in the cylinder on a used/worn block.

[@gen2garage]

I figured , it’s a risk I’m willing to take. This engine likely has less than 100,000 miles. So it’s not a huge worry for me

[@zerocontent3171]

@@gen2garage your most likely going to be just fine but just so you know for the future, take your finger nail and run it up the bore and if you feel even a slight ridge near the top of the bore that tells you that the block is worn and should be machined.

[@franker1111]

This is how you learn, good 👍 job Tommy, you should measure down further as there is a difference from top to bottom but you will be fine keep doing what you're doing and it well all make sense to you in time

[@BigMikesGarage]

Nice work for your first time! Pro tip. Go see Mark and get an A37 bearing. Cut the cage off of it and use the individual rollers to block off the DOD oil towers. Just drive them in with a small hammer.

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

$35 for a blockoff valley cover is even easier

[@BigMikesGarage]

@@Shadow0fd3ath24 Cheapest o-ringed one I could find was from China on on fleabay for $50.

[@serget2168]

Tommy your doing amazing wether it run forever or not a long time what your learning is what's important right now Keep wrenching hard work and dedication makes dreams into reality

[@robertbraker93]

Keep the videos coming love them and you and SRC and old man’s garage needs koozies in your online shop !!!!!

[@andrew_brent]

Pro engine builder in the making, good stuff young man 👍

[@gen2garage]

Slow your roll! 🤣 I wouldn’t trust me with as much as a tape measure

[@andrew_brent]

@@gen2garage You don't need a tape measure to build an engine LOL

[@garylucier6817]

True, but you will still need to know how to correctly read one! My good friend is a master machinist that teaches machining (Heya George Williams!), and he mentors high school robotics now almost 25 years, and his biggest complaint about guys he is assigned to teach and oversee work product at work, is machinists that do not even know how to read a tape measure, never mind using fine measuring instruments that you must verify accuracy of before every use so that real life tolerances and specs are met. He gives them timexto learn in a real world working situation, but if they do not learn, then he must let them eventually go.

[@clydegreenwood5673]

Take your time on the engine and you will get it right and good luck and have fun doing it

[@mustv8]

Good job! I just completely built my first 6.2 LS. I made some mistakes but found them before it was too late. looking to fire it up for the first time this coming weekend!

[@rickynelson3222]

Make sure the dot on piston faces forward

[@prairiehinton3891]

Great job Tommy 👏 👍

[@MrBReal-xc7qm]

Please tell us you gapped the rings. Per the cylinder they go in. and Don't be afraid of using too much assembly lube.

[@1973406]

Better over than under.... good job Tommy!!!

[@christophergriffin8344]

3m 2" plastic bristle roloc. 3m came out with them. Best for aluminum deck surfaces, intake gasket surfaces etc. Will not remove metal (if you're careful) where a scotchbrite roloc will kill aluminum

[@timothymuncey9299]

Billy needs one those in s10 and holley

[@dustinpoor2286]

Man the clean clear ass pictures of everything is freakin amazing!!!! Not sure wth kind of camera or whatever you use is just badass!!!

[@daveerrington5166]

Ya did great. Don’t overthink things. Its not that complicated.you’re gonna be fine

[@j.d.6404]

I'm proud of this young man

[@jacobohara9650]

Keep up the good work Tommy gonna be a badass truck when your finished

[@Godsy_Garage]

Diesel mixed with dawn soap works great for me to clean mine 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@garylucier6817]

Right on Tommy, torque those rod bolts and degree that cam.

[@davevangemert9853]

What up Tommy al. So proud of you fixing the cramk threads. Did the same thing on my first small block not using the pilot right or something. You made and used the thread chaser like a boss. I was thinking "oh no, it's gonna bind up in there" but then you said it's working. Fuck yeah! Listen to Allison, the5.3 needs to be chevy orange to pay Osage to the general. It'll be the only orange LS out there. Your a kid, you don't have to understand, just listen to Allison.

[@davevangemert9853]

Go orange!

[@scotthall1215]

I used a angled grinder to mine😁. They don't need to be perfect just gapped. I got some top rings 28 30 and the bottom 30 to 32. Some 4 numbers different but no problems with Ls 2 years later spraying 400 on a stock bottom end

[@scotthall1215]

And be sure to change out the oil galley plug in the back of the block. Stock is plastic can go bad or slide and block oil flow, and seal be bad cause low pressure.

[@jonnyc71]

the only reason to degree a cam on a ls is just to verify the cam is ground to match the cam card. unless you bought an adjustable cam gear. all you need to do is put no.1 piston at tdc and make sure the dots on the timing gears line up

[@garylucier6817]

It is out of the car, and the reason you should dial in the cam...Is To VERIFY, that the timing marks on the balancer is not off.

[@jonnyc71]

@@garylucier6817 except the factory ls harmonic balancers have no timing marks. and there is no way to adjust the stock cam gear without machining the bolt holes to allow the gear to turn.

[@youraverageruss]

I'm excited to see how this project goes!