Welp with only 45k on the clock I'm almost certain I threw a rod. Started tearing down the top end yesterday. Going to get the heads off this weekend & make sure I didn't drop a valve but from what I heard getting off the highway sounded like a rod. Anyways I've been trying to contact this company called S&J engines but haven't gotten a response back yet. Wanted to just buy a remanned/rebuilt 6.0. S&J offers them & upgraded options like port and polish heads, balanced crank & melling cam options. Would be around 6200ish. Was looking on ebay, they have motors for about 5 to 7k with as low as 32k miles and some with 103k. Anyone in the US that knows of some good places to buy rebuilds let me know & would be appreciated. Also not sure as I've never replaced an engine in a chevy if I bought a new stock everything rebuilt would my pcm & ecu work or would I need to get it "tuned"? I've cammed & built the top end of my 5.7 hemi but took it to a dyno shop & had it tuned. Not sure if I just buy a stock motor with 24tooth reluctor if I could just swap everything over plug in and go?

 

If the only thing damaged was a rod bearing I'd just have it freshened up by a local machine shop and reuse all of the same parts.

About 7 years ago the rod bearings on the LS7 in my race car were going out every 4-5 months due to a combination of several underlying causes. Once the issues were finally resolved and I put it all back together it's been going strong for just over 6 years now. Even while hotlapping the car on extremely warm days I never see below 38psi of oil pressure at idle.

 

I agree with subfloor, see whats actually wrong first before you count your current motor out. If it just spun a bearing its fixable.... Regarding a cam, yes you'll need a tune.

 

I agree with the other posters, get the engine completely torn down to find out what the issue is, it may not be as bad as you think

 

You guys have way more confidence then me lol. Engine shut down when I got off the highway. Had to tow it home that night. Luckily I had straps and a truck but it was completely seized. Tried turning it by hand but it will not turn. crossing my fingers that its a spun bearing but the sound I heard sounded like i dropped a valve. I haven't seen the exhaust side yet but all the intake valves are up. Hell if I do get lucky might just be a failed lifter but the bad luck side would be it wiped out my cam & seized itself to the lobe. I have alot of speculation but I'm leaning towards a rod. Unfortunately I'm working 10hrs a day so I don't have too much time to mess with this after work but hopefully I'll get some time Sunday & get the heads & oil pan off.

 

You could be right, it may be a boat anchor if the failure was catastrophic enough but until you get it apart I wouldn't count it out. Either way best of luck. If its the worst case, I would look into the Texas Speed Brawler short blocks if I we're you. Great buy for the money and they keep them in stock ready to ship.

 

For under $25 Amazon sells a borescope camera that attaches to your phone. This will let you make a quick and dirty assessment by looking inside each cylinder to see what you're dealing with. Chances are though that if it was a dropped valve you won't even be able to get the spark plug out.

 

Rod low clunk like sound, valve more high pitched crunchy metallic clinking sounds. Will be interesting to see what happened. Good luck with it all.

 

Ok pulled her out today. Pita to say the least. Lifter failed & wiped out cam lobe which in turn exploded the timing chain. Seems like a 5.7 hemi issue. Sending the engine off to S&J engines to get remanned. Turn around is about 8 to 10 weeks. Total cost with new clutch kit, lightweight flywheel, torque tube bushings, & other misc gaskets & fluids is about 6k to 6500. Hoping they don't find cracks in the block from this.

 

Ok pulled her out today. Pita to say the least. Lifter failed & wiped out cam lobe which in turn exploded the timing chain. Seems like a 5.7 hemi issue. Sending the engine off to S&J engines to get remanned. Turn around is about 8 to 10 weeks. Total cost with new clutch kit, lightweight flywheel, torque tube bushings, & other misc gaskets & fluids is about 6k to 6500. Hoping they don't find cracks in the block from this.

 

Ouch. Sorry that happened to you. I think you're pretty near the cost of an LS3 long block with a warranty there but I understand wanting to keep the LS2 going. I would want to do that if possible but don't know if I could swing the downtime as my C6 is my daily driver.

If it's rebuildable I'd be thinking hard about Johnson lifters and a cam. Add in a high pressure oil pump and the "unbreakable" C5.R timing chain for good measure.

That reman time frame may even give you enough time to send the heads off to Livernois or TSP for port/polish/refresh.

 

fortunate this is not my daily but still hurts being in this situation. I have been looking into upgraded lifters and timing. a few places have asked me about the AFM in this car. I am almost 100% positive I do not have it in this. Lifters are completely normal, no solenoids on the valley cover, no extra anything that I can see. I'm used to seeing the plugs that replace the solenoids on hemis because the manuals did not come with DOD. Maybe someone here can tell me if they put solenoids else where but like I said I'm almost positive I do not have AFM in this.

 

C6 = no AFM/DOD. That didn't come in until the LT series in the C7.

 

Yeah that's what i thought but some of these shops are telling me later 2005 ls2 had vvt/dod/afm. My timing cover is flat, my valley cover is flat & lifters are completely normal. I did pull the timing cover off today. Warning this is a graphic picture. I'm going with my theory that the lifter wiped all this out. Completely snapped all three sprockets bolts. Crossing my fingers that the block is still good after this.

 

Being a Gen 4 it will have provisions but none of the AFM-specific parts. Looks like PTV contact and the cam rocked around in the bearing. Hopefully no more than cam bearing, the 2 valves that kissed the piston and definitely check that rod + crank bearing. Hard to tell if any other contact occurred but no smiley faces on the other pistons on that bank look somewhat promising. New pushrods, timing cover, sprocket, plus everything else already suggested.

I'm no expert. I didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn last night. I hope this is the extent of the damage for you and just gives you an opportunity to simply repair the obvious damage, beef it up a bit and make some more power.

 

Ok got the motor back about a month ago. Only things I got left to install is exhaust, starter, a few hoses, & fill antifreeze. Freshly rebuilt with everything new except crank & connecting rods. I'm kind of weary about starting her the first time. I took the galley plug out where the oil pump is & forced about ½ quart of oil in to get the pump primed. My plan was to leave the plugs & coils out & press the gas pedal down to crank it over for about 30 seconds to prime the rest of the engine. Lots of different opinions on this topic. Any suggestions from the community for the first start up? The company i had rebuild the motor said to start her up & raise the rpms to 1500 for 15 minutes. Other then that crossing my fingers

 

I'm not sure of the best way to prime with the oil pump behind the cover.

I'm glad you were able to save the block. I'm a bit closer to terrified than wary to start mine but the time will come soon to test my work.

 

same about the block & heads. I wanted to keep it all original & stock for now. Peace of mind knowing all the seals are new. New exedy performance clutch as well. I'm just really nervous about start up. Should be able to get her done tomorrow.

 

Take a look at this for priming a fresh LS2 engine build.....good luck

 

See from one of your Pics your in the SMW also. I'm Local 17 here