Recommended Upgrades While Removing Cylinder Heads?

[itzHypn0tic]

So I discovered I have no compression on two cylinders and have already pulled the intake off of my 2000 lightning... I will be pulling the heads off next weekend to check them out and will probably need to rebuild them.

It looks like my valves are messed up on two cylinders, and I'm hoping to get away with only rebuilding the heads.

Im not an expert on these engines by any means and was wondering if anyone had recommendations for work that I should look to have done to the engine while it's apart...

I read that there's certain mods like deleting the lower intake PCV that I should look into, but Im a little confused on how this works... To the best of my knowledge I would just plug the back of the intake, install a catch can between the passenger valve cover and the upper intake, and leave the driver side alone? Am I missing something here or is there any down side to doing this?

Also is it worth to port stock heads, etc?

I plan on porting the supercharger, but don't exactly know which porting design is best... Is it ok to port into or plug the silencers here?

Please let me know what reccomended work should be done while it's apart before I have to go back and year it apart in the future .

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[itzHypn0tic]

Also, are head studs worth it? I heard they're a huge PITA, but I also heard that certain years of the 5.4 have head gasket issues...

 

[SID297]

What are your goals and budget? Do you know why you've lost compression?

 

[itzHypn0tic]

What are your goals and budget? Do you know why you've lost compression?

My goals and budget aren't definite right now... I think I have no compression due to bent or burnt valves, but I don't know for sure yet... I want to build it right, but am mostly looking to just get it going right now. If it needs a bottom end rebuild I'm going to go all forged because why not if I'm already there. I pretty much want to get my values worth, but don't plan on going crazy yet...

It will mostly just be a street car for now, but it will hit the track a few times in the future... I don't want to spend tons of money, but if it's really worth it and makes sense to spend it now I will.

Like I've seen the trickflow heads, but i almost think that if they are that great, you'd be forced to rebuild the bottom end on top of the $2500 for the heads.

I'm mainly looking for value or things that I may regret later when upgrading. Wasn't sure if having the heads ported when they are being machined is worth it, etc...

I hope this kind of makes sense?

 

[Dusten]

budget will be key.

cams and springs will run you 2k+
ported heads are 1600+
self porting heads can do more harm than good without a flow bench.
Head studs are a pain to re-install the heads if you don't pull the motor.

If you're looking for a mostly stock DD I wouldn't do anything other than put it back together with quality parts. Lightnings do not have head gasket issues at all.

as for the intake pcv, google turkey pan delete. You'll find all the information you need.

There are a few mods you can do on the lightning without snowballing, and a few that if you do, the supporting mods get out of control fast.

With ported heads, and a ported blower you will exceed the limits of the stock fuel system, so you will need pumps, and injectors. Then you may or may not need to upgrade the return line and regulator. You of course will need a tune.

For ported blowers, contact Jokerz on facebook for the best port, with a good price. Brent is awesome. STay away from STeig. He's a **** with shit customer service.

 

[itzHypn0tic]

budget will be key.

cams and springs will run you 2k+
ported heads are 1600+
self porting heads can do more harm than good without a flow bench.
Head studs are a pain to re-install the heads if you don't pull the motor.

If you're looking for a mostly stock DD I wouldn't do anything other than put it back together with quality parts. Lightnings do not have head gasket issues at all.

as for the intake pcv, google turkey pan delete. You'll find all the information you need.

There are a few mods you can do on the lightning without snowballing, and a few that if you do, the supporting mods get out of control fast.

With ported heads, and a ported blower you will exceed the limits of the stock fuel system, so you will need pumps, and injectors. Then you may or may not need to upgrade the return line and regulator. You of course will need a tune.

For ported blowers, contact Jokerz on facebook for the best port, with a good price. Brent is awesome. STay away from STeig. He's a **** with shit customer service.

I don't want to say budget is not an issue, but I did get the truck for a good deal and should have enough to play around with... However, I'm looking to not have to rebuild the bottom end right now and just make it a fun daily for a while.

I would love cams, but honestly for the price I'd probably go for a new blower instead... I wouldn't think their hp to price ratio/gains would be as efficient as changing the blower and my thoughts are kind of similar for aftermarket heads... (I know an aftermarket blower would cause the build to snowball and require a bottom end rebuild and would probably look to port the stock blower).

I was going to try to port the supercharger and intake myself and weld/cover the silencers, but im definitely no expert. I also heard you could possibly do head studs while the engine was still in place, but I'd imagine it would be a huge PITA if this is true.

Would porting the blower, performing the boost bypass mod/installing a pulley with an upgraded MAF/TB and long tubes get you near 450hp?

Would you need an upgraded fuel system for this?

I want to do everything right while I have it apart and make it as reliable, simple, and fun for a daily... I also want to be cost effective, but will spend money if it makes sense to.

Ex. If porting the heads was a couple hundred extra (hypothetically) I'd probably have them done without thinking about it... If that ended up snowballing in supporting mods and resulted in over the max hp the rods can support, I'd definitely avoid it for now.

I'm at work most of the week, so time is really my limiting factor and I want to avoid multiple rebuilds if possible. I'm not the biggest fan of all the odds and ends that need to be removed to pull the heads and intake.

Finally I was pretty confused when reading about the turkey pan delete mod... After reading it sounded like putting a separator on the passenger side valve cover would be the best option, and most people I saw mentioned putting breathers on their valve covers if they plugged the turkey pan PCV. I never liked breathers or the idea of unmetered air, but I did have a ton of oil in my throttle body (not 100% sure why). I thought the driver side valve cover didn't produce that much if any oil vapor.

 

[Dusten]

I don't want to say budget is not an issue, but I did get the truck for a good deal and should have enough to play around with... However, I'm looking to not have to rebuild the bottom end right now and just make it a fun daily for a while.

I would love cams, but honestly for the price I'd probably go for a new blower instead... I wouldn't think their hp to price ratio/gains would be as efficient as changing the blower and my thoughts are kind of similar for aftermarket heads... (I know an aftermarket blower would cause the build to snowball and require a bottom end rebuild and would probably look to port the stock blower).

An aftermarket blower is always a good option. Its more efficient than spinning the eaton harder. But, cost will be high.

I was going to try to port the supercharger and intake myself and weld/cover the silencers, but im definitely no expert. I also heard you could possibly do head studs while the engine was still in place, but I'd imagine it would be a huge PITA if this is true.

Would porting the blower, performing the boost bypass mod/installing a pulley with an upgraded MAF/TB and long tubes get you near 450hp?

There are a lot of how to's on blower porting. You can jb weld the silencer holes but it does nothing but make it louder. Head studs are possible. But on a stock bottom end you'll have rod failure before you have head gasket failure.
A ported blower, 6lb lower, tune, maf, long tubes is a good combo. I recommend a valve body from a1 transmissions in georgia and traction bars from any good vendor. This combo will net 420-440 on a stock fuel system if tuned by a competent tuner. It'll yield low 12s too.

Heres my truck on the stock motor.

I want to do everything right while I have it apart and make it as reliable, simple, and fun for a daily... I also want to be cost effective, but will spend money if it makes sense to.

Ex. If porting the heads was a couple hundred extra (hypothetically) I'd probably have them done without thinking about it... If that ended up snowballing in supporting mods and resulted in over the max hp the rods can support, I'd definitely avoid it for now. /

I dont know a modular head shop that will port that cheap.

Finally I was pretty confused when reading about the turkey pan delete mod... After reading it sounded like putting a separator on the passenger side valve cover would be the best option, and most people I saw mentioned putting breathers on their valve covers if they plugged the turkey pan PCV. I never liked breathers or the idea of unmetered air, but I did have a ton of oil in my throttle body (not 100% sure why). I thought the driver side valve cover didn't produce that much if any oil vapor.

Regardless of what you do a oil seperator is recommended on these trucks on the passenger side. I would recommend against open breathers. They stink and can be messy.

 

[itzHypn0tic]

Damn nice truck, and thanks for the great info! What's done to it?

 

[Dusten]

Damn nice truck, and thanks for the great info! What's done to it?

In the video or now?

 

[itzHypn0tic]

In the video or now?

I was thinking in the video, but I guess it would also be cool to know what you upgraded to since too . Your lightning definitely looked nice.

 

[Dusten]

I still have the lightning, its just departed from that version.

In the video, stock long block. Mild port on the blower by a no name company c&L upper plenum and c&l maf housing, 5lb lower, 2.83 upper(made 15lbs). Short tube headers(worthless) no cats, maggie catback, long bars(custom built), 2800 stall from circle D, tune from Brian Macy. Thats the gist of it. Truck ran great, right up to the point it dropped a valve for god knows what reason.

Now, the truck is to the point where very little is left untouched. built short block, trick flow heads, cams, 2.3 kenne bell, 8lb lower, fuel system, long tubes, 3" exhaust, built trans, detroit tru trac, hotchkis suspension, corbeaus and a center console, black carpet... i could go on and on. But I have had the truck for over 8 years now too.

 

[itzHypn0tic]

That thing is clean and sounds amazing. Probably exactly what I would shoot for if I didn't need to get mine running for a "DD" ASAP.

 

[Dusten]

That thing is clean and sounds amazing. Probably exactly what I would shoot for if I didn't need to get mine running for a "DD" ASAP.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=391688&share_fid=11688&share_type=t

 

[itzHypn0tic]

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=391688&share_fid=11688&share_type=t

Thanks for the heads up, that's actually a good deal... Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the heads off last weekend to confirm the issue though :/.

People we're not exaggerating when it comes to Removing the stock supercharger lower pulley...

Sent from my Phone using Tapatalk