OK, I know the thought of this has gotten me excited recently..... I am running the '02 with 320k on her but now want to rebuild the 99.5 motor, which only has 120k, and 50 of those I put on her. I believe the older motor had forged rods but never been able to see properly to check through the little 'viewing hole'. I want to build it and add a few items that help keep her running stronger and longer, any and all ideas happily considered. I am thinking for starters; Moroso oil pan, I live in a salty environment. Terminator T-500 hpop and a good clean-up and paint. What I want to know is with relatively low miles, is it worth going deep into heads, rings & bottom end items? Specifically thinking of the PMR rod bolts, AMR head bolt kit, anything else in there? I realize this is largely a $$ thing and I don't have a lot to spare, don't expect a race truck, just a good, solid work truck that runs well with my DP Tunes (in the sig) and longevity.
Thanks as always for input.

 

Is there anything to justify the cost? A reason other then"I want to?" There shouldn't be any reason to touch the bottom end if you're not talking about doing big injectors PMRs or forged. No reason to dive into the heads there's not much you can do to improve them anyways.... If you want a decent amount of power 450+ be willing to pony up some serious money.

 

Hey John, no I really don't think so either but since I am pulling the motor and doing a switch, figured I'd hit the basics and see if I missed anything. What about accessories, anything else that can be rebuilt or upgraded while I am doing the work?
Thanks for the input.

 

When we did our Excursion last summer we did 160/80 injectors,springs, studs, turbo, up pipes, regulated return, oil pan, T-500 pump & RiffRaff's intake plenums. This put her right around the 400 hp mark and didn't do anything to the bottom end except add a new oil pick up tube.

And this is what you need to decide first - what HP mark you are after, then backwards plan from there. The basic rule is under 450 hp and things tend to be less maintenance intensive.

It took me almost 2 years to get everything else ready before the power upgrades. Tranny, suspension and engine. You can add power easily, but your drive train better be up to the task first.

 

Thank you Rich, to answer your question, I am a guy and what guy doesn't want more HP?? But no, that's really not my goal. I want longevity from the truck and don't want to run into the problems that we typically do with them. I just replaced my first hpop (took the one from the 99 and put it in the 02 due to a leaky o ring. That's why I'd like to have the Terminator. Like I said, salt and corrosion are a big issue, so the oil pan is a no brainer while the motor is out, right? I have just read some up-pipe threads and it sounds like those gaskets will go one day so maybe the bellowed pipes are a good idea now too. Is it better to have them ceramic coated for corrosion resistance, or is that only for heat dissipation (or insulating) purposes? Another one, are valve springs worth replacing, or are the stock ones in older motors good? If the design was good I don't see any reason to replace my 99.5 springs, but.......???
Again, things I am not sure about looking at, are the motor mounts a good design, or is there a good replacement?
Another question, since you changed the intake plenums.... what are the benefits over stock? I love Clay's stuff, they look great and I know I'll be ordering a huge box o stuff from him, but what does the upgrade accomplish? Again, thanks for your time when answering these questions for us not-so-knowledgeable guys.

 

Woohoo! Just a quick update to this is that I just found the brand new 6-leaker trans cooler I thought had been stolen during a robbery of my shop a couple of years ago. In going in last week and clearing out all the old boxes of parts and tools I found it, in a soggy box, but still nice and shiny, stuffed in a corner of the shop. I'm a happy boy, for today.

 

Since corrosion is a big issue i would do eveything you are suggesting regarding your oil pan and up pipes. Including ceramic coated.I would also look at replacing your exhaust manifolds, i would bet they are looking rough in that climate. Anything you can replace with stainless would be a good idea.Like the EBPV tube from Clay.
Riff Raff plenums are a nice upgrade so you can tighten down on the clamps without crushing the stock plenums. No power improvement there though.
If the MM look good no need to replace but hey, if the cost is resonable why not. Easy to do while the mtr is out.

 

Sorry for taking so long to reply. But to add to what CPS posted:

Oil pan and up pipes for sure. Ceramic costing is up to you. I know for the most part folks have ceramic coated them for the heat. But anti-corrosion could be a benefit as well. Not sure, up to you.

The intake plenums were an upgrade over stock as mentioned above. Plus they are good for 40+ psi of boost and machined to work better with the T-4 style turbo mounts -

Springs aren't a necessity but I chose to do springs & studs. I plan on running this beast for another 15 years and I want her bulletproof.

 

When I chose this setup:

I wanted more power for a heavy a$$ SUV .

400 hp to me seems to be the level where I will have more power, engine longevity, no need to upgrade the stock fuel system and ease of tuning.

But prior to any power upgrades (bedsides the chip, intake & exhaust) - I took 3 years to:

Get the tranny up to snuff
Suspension fixed
Driveline & steering fixed
Motor & sensors up to specs
Oil leaks fixed
Tires
Hutch fuel mods
Regulated return
Then save $ for inj, turbo, springs, studs.........