mecanicman

You need to put a dial indicator in the same plane as the crankshaft using some type of magnetic base, and have the indicator preloaded more then your crankshaft endplay can be. Sometimes you can push the crank back a forth by hand, sometimes you need a prybar. Pull it all way out and note measurement, push all the way in and not measurement. Your differance is your endplay. It will move with reasonable force, dont try and pry the crank out the front of the engine.

Unfortuneatly if this is the case you dont normally get away with just changing bearings. Other damage has likely occured. And if this is the case, converter must be changed. You should try to determine why it happened, just a cheap converter, to much load? Try to prevent it from happening again. Have a friend that did this 3 times before putting some thought into it.

moes04silverado

iTrader: (2)

I think I understand how to do this, but with .0015-.0078" of allowed play-how do you measure that? (sorry im an idiot when it comes this part, i can mathmatically build a motor, just can't assemble. Something that my engine guy can do?) If I install a new conveter, which I think is mostly the problem cuz it is a lower end conveter (even though it was $600) is it possible to eliminate the crank code and the movement enough? Also if the crank is "sliding" laterally in the engine wont that piviot the rods and pistons as well, or is there enough lateral tolerence in the rod locations on the crank for that movement? I guess Im trying to learn as much about this as I can since I've never experienced this problem before.

See something else that comes to thought, the 6.0L motor was from a older 2500 truck, having the thicker crank end. So I had to compermise with a TCI flexplate installed reveresed from the way the tag showed, which I had called TCI Tech and they said there really wouldnt be an issue doing that. Now doing that I have to be creative with bolting the TC up to it with spacer washers to account for the difference in offset from swithing the flex plate. I'll have to look and see if the bolts for the TC came loose.

My overall feeling is though that the TC is done for... Im going to call my engine guy now to pick his brain a little...

mecanicman

Hmmm, the more you tell me the more I think your thrust bearings are done and this is the problem. You cannot just replace converter, engine will have to come out too.

Dial indicator on harmonic balancer bolt, preloaded say 0.050". Pull/pry engine all the forward and 0 indicator. Now push/pry crank backwards and note the dial indicator reading. This is your endplay.

Your problem may come from your spacing setup for your converter as this is critical. I have a post going in driveline section right now with the problems I am having trying to get my vigilante to work.

moes04silverado

iTrader: (2)

ah ****, something else too, it happened right after I lowered the truck, Im wondering if it pushed the drivetrain forward causing extra load.

I did talk with my engine guy, he said some thing, try seeing if the is movement in the crank. He said really if there is any movement it needs to come out.. :bummer: !!!! He did think though that the conveter probably caused extra forward load on the crankshaft. He thought that if there wasnt movement in the crank that the converter could be swapped out and it should be ok, but if there was play to take the motor out and bring it to him and he'd fix me up...

The spacing at the flex plate/TC I thought was ok b/c before I bolted the TC up there was still a small amount of play when it was on the input shaft, but I dont know.... At this point I have enough ideas to go see what the issue is.

Im wondering when it first acted up and I drove it 100 or so mile home if the conveter was putting load on the crank, seems like it now. Im also thinking that for the TC to balloon it has to get pretty hot, right?

moes04silverado

iTrader: (2)

found this while searching - doesnt look good for me, i havent had nearly the issues in this post, but the symtoms are very much the same


https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...rmance-257878/

mecanicman

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but pretty sure this is what your going to find.

moes04silverado

iTrader: (2)

yeah sure does point to that.... one thing I didnt do that Ive be reading that once the trans and conveter are bolted up, making sure there is endplay and its not pressing foward to the point of wearing out the thrust bearing...

moes04silverado

iTrader: (2)

I dont have a tool to check as of yet, but I did crawl under the truck and pulled on the balancer to see if the was movement and there is, but I cant tell if its out of tolerence or not. Its not moving very much but .0078" isnt that much to be able to judge by eye. If I were to compare the movement I have its about two thumbnail thickness' of movement front-back. I know thats not very technical, but judging from what I can thats about what I noticed.

guero68

iTrader: (20)

I just went thru this *** pain.....did a 5.3 to 6.0 swap and got a new ecu with a tune...i rechecked and checked everything..even REPLACED the CKP Sensor...still couldn't it to start...put in the old ecu 5.3 tune cranked it over like 5 times and finally got it started....going to start doing some data logging to see what up...truck runs ok with the 5.3 tune but it takes 5-6 cranks to get it started...will let you all know what i find...