5K Budget Long Block Suggestions

[K1SSRSS]

Ok guys, well just picked up an 02 CCSB for $1200 knowing something was wrong with the engine, well tore into it and pulled the head and oil pan off and found that one of the pistons was in the pan and the corresponding cylinder trashed.

Rather than gluing the piston back together :cool2:and buttoning her back up, I decided to build the good LB7 I have sitting in storage. Now I have access to machining equipment and will be building the engine myself.

I would love to build a 700hp machine that I could still turn the tune down, hook to a trailer and drive cross country if possible.

I would like to stick to a budget of $5,000 for all the long block parts, I've been building performance gas engines for about 18yrs, but this is my first performance diesel build.

What parts would you guys recommend that the 5k be best spent on as far as internals are concerned?

Will post pics of the current engine carnage this evening.

 

[PureHybrid]

Manley or Brian Crower rods, delipped stock pistons, head studs. The rest will get spent on bearings and seals.

 

[Ne-max]

Good luck. 5000 wont get you far.

 

[c20elephant]

Budget build, I have some LBZ/LMM rods and some LLY pistons.

http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72466

 

[K1SSRSS]

Manley or Brian Crower rods, delipped stock pistons, head studs. The rest will get spent on bearings and seals.

Thanks, any benefit to including an alternate fire cam with stock heads? Guess I should have mentioned I probably have all the seals laying around already too, pretty much just considering hard parts.

If I can keep the std. bore, I could delip the stock pistons myself, but is it worth it to get new delipped pistons over machining the old pistons?

What do you all think about this kit, comes out about $700 over budget with the bearings, studs and fingers pistons, but are the fingers worth the extra $750 over delipped?
http://creaturesofthenightperforman...an-Crower-Rods-Pistons-Bearings-P5661465.aspx

Good luck. 5000 wont get you far.

Why not? Only talking long block and no labor costs since I'll do all the work.

 

[K1SSRSS]

Budget build, I have some LBZ/LMM rods and some LLY pistons.

http://www.duramaxdiesels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72466

Sorry, I'm a little confused, LLY pistons are the same as LB7 pistons aren't they. Also don't know much about the rods, are LBZ/LMM rods quite a bit stronger?

 

[SmokeShow]

Not strong enough. At a minimum, buy aftermarket rods - Carillo, Brian Crower, Manley.

If the difference is only $750 to get fingers versus new LB7 pistons that are delipped, I'd be getting the fingers pistons. But if you have good LB7 pistons already and can delip them yourself, I'd consider going that route rather than spending the money on the fingers.

Rods
delipped used stock LB7 pistons
ARP head studs
used cam from a reputable seller. Be a bonus if its AF.
Then I'd just have the heads cleaned, checked and trued up. Throw some better valve springs on em.
Balance the rotating assembly
New welded water pump
new oil pump
bearings/seals

That's probably about all you're gonna get for $5000. If you have to include new LB7 injectors in the $5000 budget, you're not gonna get half of that stuff.

 

[TheBac]

Rods
delipped used stock LB7 pistons
ARP head studs

Then I'd just have the heads cleaned, checked and trued up. Throw some better valve springs on em.
Balance the rotating assembly
New welded water pump
new oil pump
bearings/seals

That's probably about all you're gonna get for $5000. If you have to include new LB7 injectors in the $5000 budget, you're not gonna get half of that stuff.

^ This. Use any extra money for a turbo or injectors.

 

[SSchmi5519]

I did what you are trying to do but it wouldn't have been possible had I not done all but the machine work myself. It seems to be holding up so far. All 8 of my stock rods were bent when I tore the engine down, even though there were no signs it was hurt prior.

I went with a set of Crower rods, had the machine shop cut huge keyways in my cam, crank gear, and balancer so I would never have to worry about them. Cam is stock, pistons are stock...had them cleaned but decided not to cut the lips off the bowls.

Basically what I have in the end is a headstudded LLY with a set of rods in it. I could run the numbers again but I know I didn't spend more than 5k on it.

Just make sure you don't skip on the basic important stuff like vac testing and flattening the heads in exchange for other hard parts. If my heads weren't good it would have added nearly an extra $1000 to the cost.

 

[PureHybrid]

Thanks, any benefit to including an alternate fire cam with stock heads? Guess I should have mentioned I probably have all the seals laying around already too, pretty much just considering hard parts.

If I can keep the std. bore, I could delip the stock pistons myself, but is it worth it to get new delipped pistons over machining the old pistons?

What do you all think about this kit, comes out about $700 over budget with the bearings, studs and fingers pistons, but are the fingers worth the extra $750 over delipped?
http://creaturesofthenightperforman...an-Crower-Rods-Pistons-Bearings-P5661465.aspx



Why not? Only talking long block and no labor costs since I'll do all the work.

The pistons in that kit aren't delipped stock parts. The race cast Mahle are a little different. But no, for 700hp I wouldn't spend the extra on fingers. And for that power level an AF cam is a waste, especially if the crank is used already.

 

[malibu795]

Good luck. 5000 wont get you far.

It will if you do it yourself

 

[carter_44]

Personally I would find a way to up the budget. This is an expensive game to play the first time. If you don't play it right you'll get to play it a second time at twice the cost. $5K will get you a set of Carillo rods and Finger's pistons. That's where I'd start. Every time I put my foot down I don't want my thoughts to be on my stock pistons that are just one WOT pull away from shit town. But hey, that's me. :thumb:

 

[ikeG]

Some heavy hitters have made serious power on stock de-lipped pistons. If you want a different piston, the race cast Mahle is fairly affordable and they take a beating.

 

[MAXX IT OUT]

Rods
delipped used stock LB7 pistons
ARP head studs
used cam from a reputable seller. Be a bonus if its AF.
Then I'd just have the heads cleaned, checked and trued up. Throw some better valve springs on em.
Balance the rotating assembly
New welded water pump
new oil pump
bearings/seals

I agree with the list above, but add to the list Keying crank as well as the stock cam if you keep that. I am not sure that a cam is necessary with what your doing, unless its cheap.

 

[Ne-max]

It will if you do it yourself

I personally dont think it will last long at a TRUE 700hp motor. Maybe a generous Dyno. Yes a tuner will keep the torque down to help but what fun is that?

 

[Chevy1925]

Some heavy hitters have made serious power on stock de-lipped pistons. If you want a different piston, the race cast Mahle is fairly affordable and they take a beating.

yes but reliability wasnt a main concern either lol

I personally dont think it will last long at a TRUE 700hp motor. Maybe a generous Dyno. Yes a tuner will keep the torque down to help but what fun is that?

i disagree but it will come down to if the stock pistons are good ones or not


OP, you can get a 700hp engine in that budget easy if you are doing the machine work and clearances work out

rods, delipped lb7 or lly pistons (only difference is the oiling holes between the two), key crank and cam, weld or dowel pin a new water pump, head studs, put new stock main studs in, clevite h bearings for mains and rods, stock bearings in the cam, balance everything, check your heads over/deck (most times they will need guides and new seats), new rings, normal engine machine work from there. there are other little things that will add up as well but the biggest thing is making sure you can reused the stock pistons in the used block without piston to wall clearance getting out of hand. most times you will be on the looser side after a hone job. If you need to bore the block, your 5k limit will very very hard to hit since you will need new pistons

 

[hondarider552]

Good luck. 5000 wont get you far.

It got me to 10.57 @ 135 and 1018hp.

 

[Ne-max]

It got me to 10.57 @ 135 and 1018hp.

Cracked the pistons in the process. You was running stock rods?

 

[Chevy1925]

im a bit confused, where did the OP say he was using stock rods?? did i miss read something?

 

[hondarider552]

Cracked the pistons in the process. You was running stock rods?

But I still did it...

If your smart about the build and assemble it yourself I see 5k being easily done.