Yea don't think that we will be mad at you. Hell I've been dreaming of doing a budget bottom end for 8 years! But then you add up all the other stuff to put it to good use, and priorities change...
Another Broken Crank
- Thread starter OleBlackyLBZ
- Start date
I went from stock to mild built to full built (by 2009 standards) back to stock and only regret the money I spent on built motors for a street truck. I've been running a stock junkyard motor since 2010 and have put 180k miles on it, and it was one of the best decisions I've made regarding the truck.
There’s always some buyers remorse. Just depends on your reasons and goals. If it’s just to go a little faster light to light.. yeah, dollar per mile spend can get really out of hand. For me, I’m building for towing and need the extra fuel and air to keep everything happy. With extra anything, comes extra heat and now you’re adding oil cooling, upgrading oil coolers, intercoolers, radiators, hoses, etc. I’d say mild power is where most people are comfortable from a spend standpoint to prevent getting into full builds. But even mild can end up doing exactly what I did and you crack a piston, which cracks the door for all sorts of goodies. You often catch yourself, “I’m already this far...” but just remember what your goals are and nothing is bulletproof. Chances are, you’ll be back in it. It’s not if, it’s when.
Ya'll are going to hate me haha, but I spent some more time on the phone with Evan over at DHD today. We discussed how I could get the cost down to closer to where I wanted to be and settled on something that made me very happy. So I'm sending him a check tomorrow 
don't say it Brad
don't say it Brad
Man, if you can get a mild build in your budget that’s awesome! Let us know what you decided on.
It has a lift pump and built transmission. I have it turned up more than I should, but I keep a close eye on exhaust, coolant, and oil temps when I'm towing. I would love to have a mild built motor, but I just wanted to get it running at the time since it had been down for 14 waiting for parts for the last built motor and was only running for about 3 months when that motor broke.
Guys, what kind of oil pump should I be looking at for this new engine? My mechanic told me the pins are falling out of the wagler pinned oil pumps, he has pulled some apart like that. I know the mellings had some issues spinning loose on a cold start under higher pressure. What else is there?
IDK how the pins are falling out, they're captured by the flange on the nut........
I would either use a pinned/shimmed LBZ based pump (Wagler) or a pinned/shimmed LML pump. Melling seems to have poor quality control, some pump runs are flawless and others look like they were machined by a 3rd grader. The LML pump will move more oil but will require machining on the pump and some modification to the upper pan as well as a new pickup tube etc.
If DHD is doing it, they can inspect the melling pumps for good ones and use them. ive gone through quite a few before getting good ones. green retainer loctite on the shaft and torque the nut to spec. Have yet to have one spin even running 20w-50 during winter. I do suggest peening the oil galley plugs or threading/pipe plugging the gallies though. If you let the truck idle for 5+ min first thing in the morning to warm the oil up and drop pressure, you wont have issues.
Or if DHD will put a machined LML pump on, you can go that route.
He said something about the pin holes being all the way through the shaft and them falling out. I'm not sure exactly
if you are running a higher pressure pump, it doesnt hurt ask if they can do that and what the additional cost will be. threaded/plugged is what i do.
This is what your talking about I believe.. https://dirtyhookerdiesel.com/i-24076710-dhd-009-m12p-12mx1-5-o-ring-duramax-oil-galley-plug.html
No. The block is machined/tapped behind the front/rear covers at the ends of the oil galleys to accept a threaded plug. The OEM design is a freeze plug-looking deal that is kept in with retaining compound/green loctite. It's a good system but when you're going to jump oil pressure up it's not a bad idea to do threaded plugs. Evan will probably tell you you don't need it or he's never done it which is fine. For the small amount of labor/parts it's well worth it to stop an oil galley plug from pushing out ever again.
You can see the front side here as pointed to in red. There are 3 on the back and 1 on the front.
I asked him what he used and should I use the screw in. This is what he said..
Oem factory. Never use thread in. Waste of time and money, ran 150+psi of oil on factory freeze plugs, no leaks
Oem factory. Never use thread in. Waste of time and money, ran 150+psi of oil on factory freeze plugs, no leaks
correct on where and correct on what you will most likely be told. its not crucial to have done, its just small things like this i like to do or add. if its a small fee, i would add them for piece of mind. if they are talking 4-500 bucks, just put freeze plugs back in.
if you are running high rpm, high volume pump and 20w-50 oil, this is where i would very much recommend putting in threaded plugs.