2004 6.0 NV4500 Tahoe

[randeez]

yea i havent found any actual performance machine shops around, theyre just all about stock rebuilds and using cheapest pistons they can find and shit. if you want anything performance they just want a blank check

 

[Tonyrodz]

You faired pretty well Dan--congrats. I'd also rather replace just a head or heads instead of a complete motor!

 

[Dantheman1540]

yea i havent found any actual performance machine shops around, theyre just all about stock rebuilds and using cheapest pistons they can find and shit. if you want anything performance they just want a blank check

The shop I'm using "Central Florida speed and machine" builds all the motors for the Discovery show "Dirty Mudder Truckers" as well as lots of other high power stuff. The shop is just scattered with crap everywhere and apparently their block guy is awful and takes his time. Oh well, a big mail order store will build my next motor.

You faired pretty well Dan--congrats. I'd also rather replace just a head or heads instead of a complete motor!

Its crazy one dropped valve takes out the whole motor and a week later another one drops and just pokes a hole in the head. I will still pull the driver side head so I can do a few minor upgrades along with the dual springs. So glad the motor doesn't have to come out my shop is scattered with parts from 2 other motors being out already.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Ok just ordered the following:

-LS9 Gaskets (2ea)
-CHE trunion upgrade
-ARP Pre-2004 head bolt kit
-OEM MLS exhaust gaskets

 

[randeez]

The shop I'm using "Central Florida speed and machine" builds all the motors for the Discovery show "Dirty Mudder Truckers" as well as lots of other high power stuff. The shop is just scattered with crap everywhere and apparently their block guy is awful and takes his time. Oh well, a big mail order store will build my next motor.




Its crazy one dropped valve takes out the whole motor and a week later another one drops and just pokes a hole in the head. I will still pull the driver side head so I can do a few minor upgrades along with the dual springs. So glad the motor doesn't have to come out my shop is scattered with parts from 2 other motors being out already.

yea the engine "assembly" part, ive got a guy who's retired from the business that'll run through and do all the measurements, bearing clearances, and assemble good but he no longer has access to machine shop side of it so still at the mercy of needing that work done somewhere else

 

[Rocket Man]

Ok just ordered the following:

-LS9 Gaskets (2ea)
-CHE trunion upgrade
-ARP Pre-2004 head bolt kit
-OEM MLS exhaust gaskets

Those rockers scare you bro? Lol. I went with the Smith Brothers but if I was to do it again I’d use the CHE, the design looks better imo. And I say to go with a different cam, since you’re right there. What cam I guess depends on what you want. Looking forward to your progress.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Those rockers scare you bro? Lol. I went with the Smith Brothers but if I was to do it again I’d use the CHE, the design looks better imo. And I say to go with a different cam, since you’re right there. What cam I guess depends on what you want. Looking forward to your progress.

Yes factory rockers scare me and the CHE kit is so easy and extremely satisfying I figured why not I want a stout valve train this time.

I really want to put a different cam in but I'm not sure if I want to put the 224/228 in and I kinda don't want to wait for a totally custom cam, I'd be fine with an in-stock off the shelf cam. I like the stage 3 BTR like @Tonyrodz but I really need to talk to someone who knows how to spec a cam and take heads into consideration.

 

[Dantheman1540]

I like the BTR cam but I wish it had higher lift since I'm already going to put in dual valve springs.

 

[Rocket Man]

Yes factory rockers scare me and the CHE kit is so easy and extremely satisfying I figured why not I want a stout valve train this time.

I really want to put a different cam in but I'm not sure if I want to put the 224/228 in and I kinda don't want to wait for a totally custom cam, I'd be fine with an in-stock off the shelf cam. I like the stage 3 BTR like @Tonyrodz but I really need to talk to someone who knows how to spec a cam and take heads into consideration.

If you really want to talk cams with someone that knows their shit, Roger Vinci @vincihighperformance.com is awesome. When I wanted a cam for The Beast and I had questions about my blower, torque converter, rockers, you name it, he was emailing me after hours and even weekends. He is a awesome dude with tons of knowledge and he doesn’t mind answering whatever questions you throw at him. Same thing when I wanted a cam for my Silverado. He’s been building LS valvetrain components for decades and was a co-engineer on the Yella Terra roller rockers used on a lot of race engines. You can’t find personal attention like that from pretty much any other company, at least not in my experience.

 

[Dantheman1540]

If you really want to talk cams with someone that knows their shit, Roger Vinci @vincihighperformance.com is awesome. When I wanted a cam for The Beast and I had questions about my blower, torque converter, rockers, you name it, he was emailing me after hours and even weekends. He is an awesome dude with tons of knowledge and he doesn’t mind answering whatever questions you throw at him. Same thing when I wanted a cam for my Silverado. He’s been building LS valvetrain components for decades and was a co-engineer on the Yella Terra roller rockers used on a lot of race engines. You can’t find personal attention like that from pretty much any other company, at least not in my experience.

I remember reading your review on Vinci awhile ago and it stuck in my mind. I think I'm fairly sold on using the 224/228 I have and then getting with Vinci for a custom cam for my Silverado where "Max power" is more important to me. Plus I don't want to wait for a custom cam. I think I can have this thing together sometime next week/weekend depending on my choice of what to do with the heads.

Also on cam consideration, it's difficult to find much info on cams for something heavy and stick shift but in the short time I had the 224/228 in my Silverado it drove very well out of boost. Plus it sounded cool