Ive been having to let my wife use my truck to get her to school for while now so for the first time in a couple months i got in it over the weekend to drive it. Crank it up and with very slight gas pedal i hear clacking the truck almost sounds like a diesel which i belive is piston slap. I put it back in the garage drained the oil to look for metal but nothing. Truck has 113,000 miles oil changed religiously, I do run a oil seperator. Only mods are a upgraded intake plenum and cold air tube to the stock air box.

-Truck has great oil pressure
- Runs fine (i went around the block once to verify)

Im going to keep the truck for awhile so I have two choices

1) a local bone yard has 6 lightning trucks that were t-boned with decent engines but all have anywhere from 40-60k miles on em and no telling how they were treated

2) engine rebuild. Ive looked everywhere and the Team JDM kit seems to be a really good kit forged name brand pistons, hbeam rods, all bearings, rings. But would still have to find a gasket kit and probably have the heads done while im at it.

Any advice, should I look at complete long/shortblocks? Anyone know where i can find the parts im looking for etc?

 

If you rebuild, are you going to keep it at stock hp or going to use this as an opportunity to gain some power? will help the lightning guys point you in a direction to go.

 

worn timeing chains can make a clatering noise on startup ,hydrolic tensoners and worn guides on the chains can sound like its knocking you might ck that first

 

x2^

 

I like how you blamed your wife in such a suttle way. Imho you should at least do something for more power if you rebuild it, mild cams maybe.

 

hit up mhpengines

 

Im sure my lead foot had something to do with it as well lol. but gotta blame somebody!

Anyways after getting into the engine turns out the pistons were getting out of tolerance resulting in minor skirt slap at the rings were out by 20 thousands from spec. All the engine required was honing! Bought all new parts best of the best.

Raised used Mahle forged pistons with plasmoly rings that raised the comp by .5 to 9:1 new timing little better flowing cams.

The heads were nearly shot 4 valves had obvious leaking points so i had these completely gone through while it was apart replaced all lash adusters.

She now has 100 miles on the rebuild and running amazing. Not nearly as complicated of a rebuild as i thought it was going to be.