LML with a blown motor

Rudy1

New member
Jul 6, 2016
55
0
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Illinois
Damn thats making me reconsider buying a new lml! Im curious? Was truck a daily driver or worked hard everyday?
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
0
0
Zimmerman, MN
Thanks for the input Dave. Is the 3388 anymore "streetable" or does it just not rev as high as the 6480 which would in turn make power at a lower RPM?

Rudy, daily driver in MN cold starts as low as -30 and driven like a race car most of the time. Id say buy the LML, leave it close to stock until the warranty goes then swap to a CP3 and build the trans when it needs it, you will save yourself a lot of headaches and money if you can stop there.
 

830king

Member
Oct 24, 2013
191
0
16
Central MN
Thanks for the input Dave. Is the 3388 anymore "streetable" or does it just not rev as high as the 6480 which would in turn make power at a lower RPM?

Rudy, daily driver in MN cold starts as low as -30 and driven like a race car most of the time. Id say buy the LML, leave it close to stock until the warranty goes then swap to a CP3 and build the trans when it needs it, you will save yourself a lot of headaches and money if you can stop there.
What about the front end? Are the stock tie rods beefier than the 01 - 10's?

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slowlml

Undercover Epa agent
Feb 6, 2015
577
53
28
Strasburg Va/Wardensville Wv
Dan they are slightly beefier but nothing to write home about. Mine have taken a few 10+lb launches but I'm sure much more they will go. At minimum sleeves are still needed for racing/pulling.
 

MADD*MAX

Member
Sep 23, 2012
46
0
6
Alberta
I've put about 4000Km on my built motor LML and its been great. I've seen 3 LML's go through the shop that built my motor with cracked pistons. All running mild tuning and simple bolt ons. My motor never broke but I decided to build it when I was doing my head gaskets before it broke. When we pulled my motor apart we found odd main bearing wear and the mains were distorted pretty bad. I'm told it took a lot of machine work to fix my mains and I almost needed to abandon my block. I had to go to HX main bearings to get proper bearing crush with the mains being honed as much as it took.

My build list
-Carillo rods
-Cut and coated LB7 piston. Based on budget
-Empire stage 1 AF cam
-ARP main and head studs
-Hamilton valve springs
-Heads ported to gasket opening on exhaust side
-Grade C head gaskets
-Merchant push rods
-Welded LBZ water pump

I'm running stock sticks with a 475 compound kit over the stock charger. I also did a CP3 conversion with the fleece 750 pump.
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
0
0
Zimmerman, MN
I've put about 4000Km on my built motor LML and its been great. I've seen 3 LML's go through the shop that built my motor with cracked pistons. All running mild tuning and simple bolt ons. My motor never broke but I decided to build it when I was doing my head gaskets before it broke. When we pulled my motor apart we found odd main bearing wear and the mains were distorted pretty bad. I'm told it took a lot of machine work to fix my mains and I almost needed to abandon my block. I had to go to HX main bearings to get proper bearing crush with the mains being honed as much as it took.

My build list
-Carillo rods
-Cut and coated LB7 piston. Based on budget
-Empire stage 1 AF cam
-ARP main and head studs
-Hamilton valve springs
-Heads ported to gasket opening on exhaust side
-Grade C head gaskets
-Merchant push rods
-Welded LBZ water pump

I'm running stock sticks with a 475 compound kit over the stock charger. I also did a CP3 conversion with the fleece 750 pump.

Sounds like a good thing you had it pulled apart when you did, wish I would have done the same when mine was apart for head gaskets about 4K miles ago - probably would have saved some money.

I talked to my shop yesterday and gave them the go ahead to start ordering parts

Fingers Pistons - coated
Carrillo rods
Stage 1 cam
Billet flex plate
Keyed crank
Spring kit and push rods
Arp mains and head studs
Welded water pump
Oil pump and cooler
Probably some other stuff...

Crank was checked and keyed already, sounds like the block is on its way to get scanned and honed today then they will order Pistons after they hear back from the machine shop on bore size. Hopefully I'll have a running truck in about 3 weeks.
 

malibu795

misspeelleerr
Apr 28, 2007
8,239
550
113
42
in the buckeye state
Whos "stage1" cam?
Just driving around with an 8000lb trailer grossing 15500lbs night ad day difference from 15-2100rpms for the better with the said Hamilton cam shaft.. plus you hear the crackke of the oval exhaust note better
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
0
0
Zimmerman, MN
Not sure on the brands for a couple of the parts, I gave them my list and told them to go from there and if they could save money anywhere while still using quality stuff to go for it. I meant to ask about the cam and make sure it was keyed as well. I'll ask about it the next time I talk to them.
 

830king

Member
Oct 24, 2013
191
0
16
Central MN
Sounds like a good thing you had it pulled apart when you did, wish I would have done the same when mine was apart for head gaskets about 4K miles ago - probably would have saved some money.

I talked to my shop yesterday and gave them the go ahead to start ordering parts

Fingers Pistons - coated
Carrillo rods
Stage 1 cam
Billet flex plate
Keyed crank
Spring kit and push rods
Arp mains and head studs
Welded water pump
Oil pump and cooler
Probably some other stuff...

Crank was checked and keyed already, sounds like the block is on its way to get scanned and honed today then they will order Pistons after they hear back from the machine shop on bore size. Hopefully I'll have a running truck in about 3 weeks.
I've been seeing lots of threads about welded water pumps breaking the welds and spinning the impeller. I have a welded pump and haven't any problems (I'm pretty much stock), but search around the forums.....most are using Danville or DHD pinned pumps nowdays.

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Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
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0
Zimmerman, MN
Why not do a new crank and af cam? When I build mine I will be going that route.


The crank was tested. From what I gathered people have been breaking new cranks and old cranks, you are rolling the dice either way and this way I know it's not defective out of the box at least. I even saw a thread with a broken internally balanced crank. Im not shooting for huge power and all the builders I spoke with said they would personally key the stock crank I had. I'm not sure which cam we are running yet, it may be AF - I left that one up to my builder.

I've been seeing lots of threads about welded water pumps breaking the welds and spinning the impeller. I have a welded pump and haven't any problems (I'm pretty much stock), but search around the forums.....most are using Danville or DHD pinned pumps nowdays.

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I didn't have any issues with the stock water pump at this power level, the shop doing my build said they were planning to weld the pump same as all their other builds and they haven't had issues. SoCal has a welded AC/Delco pump listed in their engine build kits... If I were shooting for 1000hp I'd probably tig weld a pinned pump for extra insurance but I don't think all of that is needed for my intentions.
 

slowlml

Undercover Epa agent
Feb 6, 2015
577
53
28
Strasburg Va/Wardensville Wv
I've heard of a few breaking with af cam n when an old crank was used. I'm going with a new lml crank, keyed, n af cam.
Hope this one holds up for ya brandon. Really sucks to see you spend the money on headgaskets n a new setup then turn around and have to build the bottom end. Atleast it will be stronger than ever this time :thumb:
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
0
0
Zimmerman, MN
Have only "heard" of one new crank breaking while using af cam its whole life.

One of the guys from the shop said they had one through with an AF cam and it broke the crank, I've read a couple threads with similar situations. Sounds like at this level there are no garuntees with anything so I'm just shooting for the best build I can while keeping the price down where it makes sense. I'd say budget build but there is nothing budget friendly about it.

I've heard of a few breaking with af cam n when an old crank was used. I'm going with a new lml crank, keyed, n af cam.
Hope this one holds up for ya brandon. Really sucks to see you spend the money on headgaskets n a new setup then turn around and have to build the bottom end. Atleast it will be stronger than ever this time :thumb:

Thanks, I think this truck is cursed so I'll take any good vibes I can get haha. I'm hoping it'll hold up for awhile, I'd like to get something new and stock at some point so I'll probably sell this one in the next couple years before I decide to start adding more air and blow it up again.
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
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0
Zimmerman, MN
How's the build coming along?

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My bad, I started to reply awhile back then got side tracked. I talked to the shop about a week ago and they were waiting for pistons before the machine shop could finish the block. They estimate it will be running sometime right around Labor Day - cant wait, I've been driving a busted old regular cab f150 with a 3yr old since the truck went down.

Also didn't realize they had the machine shop o-ring the block too. I told him to do his thing for the most part so I'll post a parts list after I pick it up.
 

Brshan01

New member
Aug 19, 2013
55
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0
Zimmerman, MN
Pistons were delivered last Monday to the shop.


Thanks! I haven't talked to them since I was at the shop when you called them just before the Pistons were coated and shipped. They should have everything there waiting to be assembled if they haven't started already. I have to drive by the shop every day and see my truck sitting helpless out back. I'll probably start harassing them in a couple days for an update, damn truck has been in their shop most of the summer between the head gaskets and blown motor.