"While I'm in there" pickup tube hoobla

[SnowDrifter]

Trying to get a list of things in the 'ol amazon cart. Going to do my pickup tube seal next OCI

I always told myself if I have the pan off, then I'll do the front cover gasket. The gaskets intermingle so it just makes sense to do them at the same time to me. I'd do the rear cover too if that didn't mean pulling the engine


Sooooooo I just need a sanity check / recommendations / thoughts / whatever

Oil pan gasket: Fel-Pro OS30693R

Front cover gasket: Fel-Pro TCS 45993 - includes water pump gaskets and front crank seal

Oil cooler plate gasket - If memory serves I don't have an oil cooler, just the blockoff plate. I see there are two gasket styles though - one with 2 holes, another with an oval. Are they swappable in my application? Will double check if I have a cooler or just the blockoff tomorrow. It's a little crappy out right now to be crawling under the car

Would make sense to replace the harmonic balancer + crank bolt while I have it out. AC Delco? Aftermarket? Are these things keyed? Or press fit only?

Same goes for water pump - 140k on the original one and I'm certainly not putting it back on. AC Delco again? I'm a little wary of aftermarkets on this one due to having an open impeller vs. closed, though I'm open to recommendations.

Going to toss in a HP/HV oil pump while I'm in there. More oil flow, just set it and forget it. Will be beneficial I think to have in there as the engine ages tolerances get sloppier. Melling M295HV. My last vehicle - A subaru, was known to crack the pickup tubes themselves. Is this something our vehicles are prone to? Does it make sense to replace the entire pickup tube at this point?

Since I'm going to have the timing gears off to do the oil pump, does it make sense to replace those as well? I've read hit or miss stuff in regard to replacements being looser than the originals. Do these engines have any plastic timing chain guides? That's on my list if so


Tstat is a year old, I'm not worried about that


Uhh... Coolant/oil/filter. Kicking around the idea of installing a coolant filter. TBD

Edit: Belts too. Ones I have aren't worn, but I'm not all to happy with them. They're a bit chatty in cold weather


Anything else I should do while I'm there? No I'm not putting a performance cam in. Not until my transmission ***** out anyway

 

[SnowDrifter]

Also: Do I need that fancy front cover alignment tool?


My oil pan has a helicoil in it thanks to an unknown shop prior to my ownership. I don't really like them, but I feel its worth asking: Is this cause to replace the oil pan? Is it fine?

 

[SnowDrifter]

 

[MrBalll]

Bump.

 

[swathdiver]

Trying to get a list of things in the 'ol amazon cart. Going to do my pickup tube seal next OCI

I always told myself if I have the pan off, then I'll do the front cover gasket. The gaskets intermingle so it just makes sense to do them at the same time to me. I'd do the rear cover too if that didn't mean pulling the engine


Sooooooo I just need a sanity check / recommendations / thoughts / whatever

Oil pan gasket: Fel-Pro OS30693R

Front cover gasket: Fel-Pro TCS 45993 - includes water pump gaskets and front crank seal

Oil cooler plate gasket - If memory serves I don't have an oil cooler, just the blockoff plate. I see there are two gasket styles though - one with 2 holes, another with an oval. Are they swappable in my application? Will double check if I have a cooler or just the blockoff tomorrow. It's a little crappy out right now to be crawling under the car

Would make sense to replace the harmonic balancer + crank bolt while I have it out. AC Delco? Aftermarket? Are these things keyed? Or press fit only?

Same goes for water pump - 140k on the original one and I'm certainly not putting it back on. AC Delco again? I'm a little wary of aftermarkets on this one due to having an open impeller vs. closed, though I'm open to recommendations.

Going to toss in a HP/HV oil pump while I'm in there. More oil flow, just set it and forget it. Will be beneficial I think to have in there as the engine ages tolerances get sloppier. Melling M295HV. My last vehicle - A subaru, was known to crack the pickup tubes themselves. Is this something our vehicles are prone to? Does it make sense to replace the entire pickup tube at this point?

Since I'm going to have the timing gears off to do the oil pump, does it make sense to replace those as well? I've read hit or miss stuff in regard to replacements being looser than the originals. Do these engines have any plastic timing chain guides? That's on my list if so


Tstat is a year old, I'm not worried about that


Uhh... Coolant/oil/filter. Kicking around the idea of installing a coolant filter. TBD

Edit: Belts too. Ones I have aren't worn, but I'm not all to happy with them. They're a bit chatty in cold weather


Anything else I should do while I'm there? No I'm not putting a performance cam in. Not until my transmission ***** out anyway

I would use all GM OE or ACDelco unless I knew who made those parts for GM or ACDelco and they were less expensive. Don't worry about the helicoil, they are better. Look up Gen III timing chains, yes, they have plastic alignment parts which many prefer over Gen IV.

You forgot something though, a CAMSHAFT! You're going to strip the motor down that far and not drop a cam in it? You cray cray man! LOL A little itty bitty drop in cam, don't even have to remove the intake or heads, Crane or Cam Motion and you're good to go another 200K.

 

[SnowDrifter]

No cam for me. Trying not to blow the transmission up lmao. I'm doing exactly zero performance stuff to this rig until the stock trans ***** the bed, at which point I'll toss in a built unit and all bets are off at that point.

I've traditionally steered away from anything that has plastic guides. Seems the guides wear out before anything else and cause issues, though I'd like to hear your input on what advantages that would offer

Also: Front cover alignment tool - yay or nay?

 

[iamdub]

I've traditionally steered away from anything that has plastic guides. Seems the guides wear out before anything else and cause issues, though I'd like to hear your input on what advantages that would offer

Also: Front cover alignment tool - yay or nay?

There are two types of timing chain guides (AKA dampers, tensioners). It seems that the preferred one is the "LS2 style"- the block that mounts in the center. The newer style is the spring-loaded leaves and there have been reports of the spring coming loose and ending up in the oil pan.

I'd get the tool. It sucks that you have to spend $40 on something you'll probably never use again. But, that $40 is nothing if you have to tear it all back down because your new crank seal is leaking. Maybe see if you can borrow one?

 

[SnowDrifter]

I was under the impression that the LM7s didn't have any sort of tensioner or damper system? What would installing one offer?

Also: I was doing some poking at the front cover alignment tools listed in the procedure, J-41480 and J-41476. They're some pricey things. Nearing a grand for the pair. To be frank, that's more than I'm willing to swallow for a one time thing. Might bankroll this job off to the dealer or anyone else who has this stuff on hand. I'd love to do it myself, but a grand pays for a lot of labor

 

[iamdub]

I was under the impression that the LM7s didn't have any sort of tensioner or damper system? What would installing one offer?

The LM7 not having one was probably a cost-cutting measure made by the rectally-retentive bean counters at GM. The damper is to limit the amount the chain whips back and forth under higher RPM deceleration, such as between gear changes. Maybe they figured this scenario wouldn't happen, or happen often enough in a truck equipped with the LM7, so it was one area to save a couple bucks. This scenario is guaranteed to happen in a car equipped with an LS2, so those had this damper. If you go WOT enough to be concerned, I'd get one as cheap insurance. You can get THIS kit to make it a bolt-on affair if you don't wanna drill and tap your block.

Also: I was doing some poking at the front cover alignment tools listed in the procedure, J-41480 and J-41476. They're some pricey things. Nearing a grand for the pair. To be frank, that's more than I'm willing to swallow for a one time thing. Might bankroll this job off to the dealer or anyone else who has this stuff on hand. I'd love to do it myself, but a grand pays for a lot of labor

lolwuuuut. THIS is all you need.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Sweet thanks


And what about the gasket alignment? Any alternatives to that tool? I tried to find if anyone was 3d printing them for one time use or something and didn't have any luck. It's to make sure the front cover is flush with the bottom of the pan and 'droop' the gasket by a measured amount.

Cheapest I could find the thing for is a buck 15


Looks like this