[Drachenfire]

My 00 Silverado is due for emissions inspection.

The problem is I am getting blue smoke out the the exhaust on take off indicative of oil blowby from worn rings. This is not really surprising as the truck has over 252,000 miles on it and is a daily driver.

I am aware that the only permanent fix is rebuild or replacement, either option will set me back about $5,000-$6,000.

My mechanic informs me that replacing just the rings will naturally increase compression dramatically, however it will also put a strain on the other worn components such as valves, valve guides and seals leading to their failure.

A logical conclusion.

He went on to explain that the additional components can be replaced along with the rings however the cost will equal or in some cases exceed the cost of simply replacing the engine with a re-manufactured one. This cost factor is why many shops are no longer doing head jobs.

I am currently considering replacing the engine with a re-manufactured one but am hoping to put it off until spring.

Right now I just want to pass emissions.

I am considering changing my usual synthetic 10W-30 for 20W-50 on the premise the higher viscosity will prevent blowby long enough to pass emissions.

Any mechanic's thoughts on this or other ideas on what I can do to pass emissions?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... If there was such a thing as Magic in a can,....

Everybody would use it, 'n nobody would buy a re-man long block motor,....

Now-a-days, it ain't worth payin' yer Mechanic to rebuild a short block, or heads,...
A crate motor long block can be found for 2 grand or less,...
Pullin' yer motor, 'n swappin' all the accessories is the big expense,...

Ya can always Diy it,...

 

[Windows on Wash]

Is it under acceleration or just when you pull away from a stop?

Blue smoke under acceleration or when running constantly usually means rings.

Oil when you pull away can mean oil in the intake track.

I run the BG upper intake cleaner as well as the M109 before and oil change. Cleans out the ringlands and allows them to float and work better.

 

[ukrkoz]

Well, rings do blow by because they have crud build up on them. So oil gets past them. There is way to clean rings, to a certain point, on the car. But it's rather not to be done in residential areas, as it creates a military grade smoke curtain.

Otherwise, sure, use heavier weight oil and Lucas. Done it many times.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

A common cylinder / ring condition test back in the good ole days was to run about 50-60 on the speed - O - meter then completely de-celerate while having a buddy following watch the tail pipe for blue smoke. Doing this going down a steep grade works well too. Causes a high negative pressure in the combustion chambers that oil likes to travel to.

 

[de-nagorg]

Replace half of your conventional oil with S T P, will reduce the oil consumption.

I have ran tens of thousands of miles before, doing this.

Will pass inspection temporarily, just get a rebuild on the schedule.


ED

 

[Windows on Wash]

Seafoam actually does work pretty well.

I would do a top end cleaning and I would never use Lucas products.

This is the best stuff I have used.

https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/engine/bg-epr-engine-performance-restoration/

 

[Drachenfire]

Bondo, I am not looking for a miracle in can, I just want to stop the smoke long enough to pass the 20-30 minute inspection process.

I had a buddy follow me and he observed there usually only smoke on take off.

Ed I will give the process a try this weekend.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Well, rings do blow by because they have crud build up on them. So oil gets past them. There is way to clean rings, to a certain point, on the car. But it's rather not to be done in residential areas, as it creates a military grade smoke curtain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DKSq_jBwkY

Otherwise, sure, use heavier weight oil and Lucas. Done it many times.

By the way...this video is problematic if done by someone that isn't familiar with their engine. If you crank this thing over and there is any liquid in the cylinder there is a great chance you can hydraulically lock your motor.

One thing you can be assured of is...you won't have any issues with oil smoke any more. :devil3:

 

[Brainbucket]

I had a buddy follow me and he observed there usually only smoke on take off.

That is probably valve seals. They leak under a vacuum like taking off, under acceleration. Rings smoke all the time. They don't care. There is a product that will make it stop for a little while. I believe it's Engine Restore. But when It starts smoking again, people behind you won't like you.:vs_cool:

 

[Drachenfire]

I did as Ed suggested.

Initially I was still getting smoke so I took the truck out and ran it for about ten miles. When I got back home I revved the engine a few times and did not see any blue smoke.

I will take it out again tomorrow and see if it holds. If it does, hopefully it will hold long enough to pass emissions on Monday.

This brings me to another dilemma. Should I swap my current 4.8L for the same engine or a re-man 5.3L crate engine providing the engine mounts are the same and it mates with the existing 4L60E transmission.

 

[ukrkoz]

By the way...this video is problematic if done by someone that isn't familiar with their engine. If you crank this thing over and there is any liquid in the cylinder there is a great chance you can hydraulically lock your motor.

One thing you can be assured of is...you won't have any issues with oil smoke any more. :devil3:

Naahh... I've done it, this is how I know how much it smokes. There is not enough liquid to hydrolock anything. You pour it in, it slowly seeps past the rings, dissolving crud. Also, you are supposed to crank engine with plugs removed few times. Seriously, there is no possibility of hydrolocking.

 

[de-nagorg]

Great to hear that my temporary "fix" helped you out.

Get it good and warmed up before the accrual test, that way the S T P is mixing well with the oil, and coating the cylinder walls.

Of course when you need to add "oil", just use more S T P, this keeps the viscosity up enough that the lubricant can't get by the worn rings.

And put the bigger engine in.

MORE POWER


ED

 

[Drachenfire]

Thanks Ed. I will have to make sure the 5.3 will mate with the transmission and engine mounts before I commit.

The shop I will be using uses Jasper engines. I am familiar with Jasper but do not know anyone who has used their crate engines. Has anyone here used Jasper before?

 

[ukrkoz]

Drachenfire, I'd have started a separate thread for Jasper engines. You'll have better responses.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Naahh... I've done it, this is how I know how much it smokes. There is not enough liquid to hydrolock anything. You pour it in, it slowly seeps past the rings, dissolving crud. Also, you are supposed to crank engine with plugs removed few times. Seriously, there is no possibility of hydrolocking.

I've seafoamed and steam cleaned motors before. Seafoam will perc by the rings as you have noted, but folks that aren't familiar with their motors or how they work should be cautious of dumping a bulk liquid down and cylinder and then firing up a car.

I've pulled hyrolocked motors apart and they are always catastrophic.

I do agree with you on the seafoam as it does slip by the rings pretty simply.

 

[Brainbucket]

4.8, 5.3, 5.7, 6.0, 6.2, 7.0 LS engines interchange. Sometimes you have to bring the harness and PCM with it. I have never pulled a 5.3 and stuck in a 6.2 yet. But I have been asked to do it but I told them the tranny has to come with it as the tranny was built to withstand the power. The 6.2 & 7.0 will need their trannys as the L460E won't hold up against the power the 6.2 and 7.0 engines have. I have pulled 4.8 and stuck in 5.3's a lot. The blocks are the same. It's the internals which is different. Just like the 265, 283, 327, 350, 400 small blocks. Blocks were the same as far as bolt up, just the internals are different. And the 400sb had siamesed cylinder walls and the block was notched out for the 400 crank.:vs_cool:

 

[KHouse75]

Replace the valve seals.

Rings could be gummed up. Top end cleaning. I used AC Delco Upper Engine Cleaner 88861803 to free up the rings in my 2007 Suburban.

 

[Drachenfire]

4.8, 5.3, 5.7, 6.0, 6.2, 7.0 LS engines interchange. Sometimes you have to bring the harness and PCM with it. I have never pulled a 5.3 and stuck in a 6.2 yet. But I have been asked to do it but I told them the tranny has to come with it as the tranny was built to withstand the power. The 6.2 & 7.0 will need their trannys as the L460E won't hold up against the power the 6.2 and 7.0 engines have. I have pulled 4.8 and stuck in 5.3's a lot. The blocks are the same. It's the internals which is different. Just like the 265, 283, 327, 350, 400 small blocks. Blocks were the same as far as bolt up, just the internals are different. And the 400sb had siamesed cylinder walls and the block was notched out for the 400 crank.:vs_cool:

Thanks Brainbucket. If I do opt for a bigger swap, I doubt I will go any bigger than 5.3L. I drive 60 miles roundtrip for work every day and would not want to sacrifice the mileage.

Is there a noticeable difference in power between the 4.8 and 5.3?

Replace the valve seals.

Rings could be gummed up. Top end cleaning. I used AC Delco Upper Engine Cleaner 88861803 to free up the rings in my 2007 Suburban.

My mechanic examined the truck and has already determined the issue is in all probability worn piston rings. His shop was started by his father in 1965. I have going to him for almost 20 years and he has never tried to cheat me or make a wrong diagnosis so I have no reason to doubt him.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Top end cleaning can sometime free up the oil control rings to do a better job of scraping the oil from the cylinder walls and preventing its combustion.