LS Cam bearing wear

[csutton7]

EDIT: added some pics on post #7 & #8

I'm LS dumb, so what's everyone's opinions on the cam bearing wear on my 6.0 LQ9, oops, LQ4 and added pic of one bank of the pistons. The other bank looks the same. I was going to do a cam swap, but now I'm a running a bit on the side of probably not smart, since to me the bearings look like they're worn pretty good and what do the main and rod bearings look like if these two cam bearings look like this? Do I just shove a new cam, timing chain, oil pump in this thing or do I try and replace the cam bearings with the pistons still in it or do I tear this thing all the way down and freshen it up? The lifters took some twisting and pulling up and pushing down before I could get them out too and I'm not sure if that's normal or not. So fire away with your thoughts.

 

[cruisermatt]

Thats how they look. Put the cam in and floor it. gunk ridge around the top of the lifter bores is normal too. You have nothing to worry about

 

[csutton7]

Ok thanks — 1 vote for slap it together

 

[TTMotorsports]

Yup that is normal. Run it

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

Send it

 

[bunk]

Damn, to me those look toast. I would bust out the telescoping gages and see how out of round they are, but thats me and im ls dumb as well.

 

[csutton7]

Thanks guys, it's now 4 for slap it and get it and 2 on my build thread for freshen it...

here's a couple of pics of the cylinder walls of #4 & #7 bores

 

[csutton7]

Is this GM’s new 2 piece ring design? So glad I decided to pull the pistons and this was cylinder #1 the first one I pulled. All the others were normal. Anyway it’s going to the machine shop now.

 

[Chevy_man]

Is this GM’s new 2 piece ring design? So glad I decided to pull the pistons and this was cylinder #1 the first one I pulled. All the others were normal. Anyway it’s going to the machine shop now.

So what if it burns a little oil, send it

 

[TTMotorsports]

I'm building my LQ9 with forged pistons and rods and I won't be using the stock ones any longer. If you want them just pay me for shipping and i'll ship them to you to up the compression a bit since you are having machine work done anyways can up the power a bit by increasing compression by doing that.

 

[csutton7]

Chevy_man--do you think I can jb weld the ring together to help burn less oil?

TTM--are they gen iv rods? I'm thinking I may be going .030 over and I may not know until it gets to the machine shop, so the pistons may or may not work, so I'll have to be in touch once I know what's going on, but if they're gen iv rods then you have a deal.

 

[TTMotorsports]

They a Gen III Rods from an 2002 LQ9 6.0L

 

[csutton7]

Bummer....thanks though for the offer and I still may want them, but until I hear back(could be a week or two) I won't know what direction I'm headed.

 

[TTMotorsports]

Ok no problem my motor won't be out and tore apart for another month or so anyways

 

[csutton7]

Thanks, that's good to know.

 

[csutton7]

It just dawned on me that I need to check my rods, as they could be gen iv. In my mind, since the motor is a Gen lll it would have Gen lll rods, but it is to be a 2004 yr, so it may be one that had the Gen iv rods and I didn't even pay attn. Can I be so lucky? I'm not counting on it, to be honest, but maybe I get lucky. I could use a little luck. So always check your rod's boys, don't assume!!

 

[csutton7]

Well dang I got lucky and they were GEN iv rods.