for a family friend.
He has a GMC 2007 Sierra, Z71 4x4 with the 5.3.
Well, after 252000 miles motor crapped out. Truck is super clean, and drives perfectly. The quote he got at C & C Automotive in Augusta was $8100. Yikes!
Suggestions are more than welcome.
Thanks
NN
Get a new truck unless you can change out the motor yourself.
Thanks, Sman. He’s my sons best friend and drives 100 miles a day back and forth to work. Understandably, he doesn’t wanna buy a new truck and put those miles on it.
No means of replacing himself.
Do wanna mention, with the price of gas now, he would like to snag a small economical car for driving back and forth.
Just not sure what to do with truck,sell as is, or put a motor in it.
thanks
NN
Have you looked into a Jasper rebuild. I have used them in the past several times with excellent results. Maybe ask Fred or someone to change it out.
Price a long block, it will have everything you’ll need (or whoever swaps them for you will need.)
If the truck really is in as good shape as you say this option will likely be the most financial advantageous for you in the long run. It comes with a good warranty too.
Best of Luck
Put a 6.0 Jasper motor in my 06 GMC 3 years 2 months ago 96,000 miles ish. Jasper warranty 3 years 100,00 MI. A month ago catastrophic failure.
I believe I paid $7,200. that included radiator belts plugs wires water pump. They’re around 10 grand now would never go that route again.
22 life’s a day
No chance for me to help on an engine swap. Is the $8100 for rebuild, complete swap, or what? That should be a Gen II You can get a crate long block straight from GM around $3,000. I believe the biggest requirement for warranty is proof of hose replacement and radiator flush, it is 36 month or 100,000 miles.
If your buddy does decide on a Jasper engine, sell/ trade the truck. But you’ll only save about $500 bucks for a rebuild rather than factory new. I have nothing good to say about Jasper. with that year of truck, I doubt you’ll find a decent junk yard engine. My very first experience with Jasper was On old 7.3 Navistar. They go the cheapest route possible. Two holes bored .040, one .010 and the rest standard.
What’s it doing to think it failed? I’ve had two fleet trucks I had to replace oil pump and one started rattling top end really bad. Talked with a local dealer and he said these engines are bad about lifter noise at higher mileage and sludge build up. I bought some engine flush ran it a bit and changed oil and it did quiet down.
If you want me to talk with him, Id be happy to. The service manager (Chad) at Rizer in Walterboro is pretty helpful if he wants to call him or maybe get a quote? They have always stood behind their work… so far. 
Driving that many miles i would go with a small car. Before covid I was driving 90 miles a day with my Hyundai Accent & get 38 miles per gallon. Now I’m working from home.
As for the truck i would not trust a rebuild unless he really trust who is doing it. Do some research, check out YouTube, hit up some family or friends with a little experience. Buy a crate motor, a chain fall & he could take his time & do it himself. Would save $ & have practically a new truck.
Folk’s, Thanks for all the info! I sent him what y’all posted.
He said it started sounding like a diesel, then died. Oil pump went out couple months ago. Probably did some damage then.
EDIT; just got ahold of the owner and found out it spit out a P0068 code. He’s gonna be asking a few questions to C & C about how they determined motor bad. Also, what in detail would require an $8100 price tag.
May end up, depending on the autopsy results, bringing to my house as he has someone that can tow for free.
Thanks again.
NN
Mas air flow sensor… They probably seen the high mileage and say motor bad. That is a lot of miles, but I’ve seen that engine get more. Don’t forget with that mileage and if it was starting to use any oil, the cats can get face plugged (stopped up).
You said sounded like a diesel, Low end noise (rods or main bearings) or upper end noise (lifters)? If you put in some heavier weight oil and the noise quieted down could be indication of bearings. Hearing you had an oil pump failure… sometimes you get lucky, others not so much. That engine seems notorious for high mileage oil pump failures. Pull the oil filter and cut it open. Take a section of the paper element and squeeze it really good in a rag then open it up and look for metal. a tinny bit is no big deal. If it looks clean, run some engine flush through it and do an oil change with proper weight oil. Only out $30 bucks or so.
Good luck!
I had a small fleet of trucks at one time back in the late 90’s and early 00’s. I used Jasper with what I considered to be good results, I guess its all according to your experiences and expectations.
The best I can remember a reman 8cyl longblock exchange was just south of $2000. With Labor and new accessories it was about $2750 all in, and thats AC charged and all the bells and whistles.
I would think over 3 years and almost 100,000 miles on a remanufactured commercial 3/4 ton truck was pretty good.
You can buy a used car for half that and then fix the truck at his leisure.
Show him this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-mAgJ0ApuU
OTC had it on another thread.
There are still junk yards around that have 5.3 engines sitting there. They pull them for you or DIY.
Good tree limb and come along(or rent a lift) and you in business.
Better yet…tear the engine down and see what killed it…unless a rod is sticking out the side.
Fred points out something very significant in my opinion.
Obviously they’re cutting every corner they can if they’re not boring all the cylinders.
No reason for them not to bore all the cylinders. The local machine shop charges $20 a hole. My 2500 has not been worked real hard. May carry a pallet of shingles or stucco once in a while. Pulls my 22 ft bay boat. But mostly interstate miles. Very disappointed in the Jasper motor.
I had a 96 GMC 1500 with a 350. I rebuilt the motor in 2004.
When I got it back from the machine shop I ck everything . Even plastic Gage the bearings
Two trips to West Palm Beach towing 32 ft boat. Probably around 11,000 lb. A couple trips to Hilton Head & Morehead City. Tore the tranny out two times but when I sold the truck it had 160,000 mi on that motor. Sold it to the neighbor knock around fishing truck. He still driving it to this day.
And I’m just a self-taught shade tree mechanic.
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22 life’s a day