need advice for top end rebuild

[NAREJEPP]

anybody?

[ducky]

For the time and money you are about to spend, just buy another low mileage 5.3 block. Literally just swap your stuff over to it, and then run that. Those things are a dime a dozen

[TurboMic]

For the time and money you are about to spend, just buy another low mileage 5.3 block. Literally just swap your stuff over to it, and then run that. Those things are a dime a dozen

x2

[kerrige]

I vote total build up..... Cam, heads, and all the needed stuff

[chvy=power]

x3 on newer motor...why put heads, cam etc on a 200k mile motor? thats just gonna put more stress on the parts that are already worn out

[bangbangskeetskeet]

x3 on newer motor...why put heads, cam etc on a 200k mile motor? thats just gonna put more stress on the parts that are already worn out

Thats why you replace the parts that are wearing the most...I have 248k on mine. Just did a cam swap at the end of the year. Also swapped lifters, springs, pushrods, timing chain, and oil pump. The cylinder walls still had FACTORY CROSS HATCHING on them after 235k+ miles. These motors will last forever if you take care of them. Ill be adding a new set of heads as soon as I can to this thing too.

I guess its up to each person....there are a lot of people out there that will say its dumb to do it, get a new motor and so on. But at the same time there is no reason why you cant do it.

[kerrige]

x3 on newer motor...why put heads, cam etc on a 200k mile motor? thats just gonna put more stress on the parts that are already worn out

Guess it depends on how worn it is.... Like trav stated his truck has way over 200k miles the bottom end is prolly fine replacing the top end will most likely do the trick. I wouldn't have recommended less than replacing all the worn stuff. If he is going to pull the whole motor might as well swap in a 6.0 80e combo. I am sure his tranny isn't in the best of shape either.

[chvy=power]

low mileage 5.3 bare long block= apprx $300 maybe more maybe less... like ducky said they are a dime a dozen. That would be the way i would go just my .02

[NAREJEPP]

well i haven't planned on pulling the motor completely. i have a connection through my dad's shop that can get me good machine work and clean up on the heads for cheap, which is why i'm thinking on going this route. planned on keeping the cam in there too, so basically just the heads.
i recently pulled the oil pan and front cover and replaced the oil pump, timing chain, oil pan gasket, etc. and could see some of the cylinder walls up through the bottom, and what i could see still had factory cross hatching. not to mention when i'm cruising i still have well over 60psi oil pressure (idle never goes below 40) even with this 100+ degree weather we've had. this was the case with the old oil pump too.

this all leads me to believe that overall the motor is still in good shape.
tranny is untouched factory 4l60e. so i don't really want to go very far over factory level performance.

if this is what i do, what do i need to replace exactly. (sorry, i don't know alot about heads/valvetrains) i'm assuming lifters, pushrods, valve springs for sure. what about the valves themselves? or the rocker arms?