2004 Silverado 5.3, Shell 5w-30, 6 samples, elevated lead concern.

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Dec 8, 2006
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This report is for a 2004 Silverado with a Jasper remanufactured 5.3 engine, with 15,000 miles on it. Oil is being changed in the range of every 1500-2300 miles (3-4 months) using Formula Shell 5w-30 and an AC Delco PF46 filter.

Despite of their several decades of experience in building engines... they claim that they don't understand why there is lead without copper, or why the lead continues to hover. They refuse to do much for me, without any other symptoms. They claim other things can cause high lead results... fuel additives (which I don't use), an engine oil cooler issue (which the truck has the same one that it left the factory with), and on and on.

I spoke with them several months ago regarding this... and at that time, they insisted that I just continue to monitor the situation, and let them know if it continued or got worse.

They've flat out refused to replace the engine under warranty based on this report, that they don't replace engines solely on UOA reports. There have to be other symptoms.

They tell me that my concerns are documented, and not to be worried about the warranty.

Speaking of the warranty... it is expiring in the next couple of months, they seem to simply want to get rid of me.

This is my third Jasper engine in the same truck. The first Jasper engine had a collapsed lifter, and the second Jasper engine had a cracked head.

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With how many of these trucks are out there, have you considered a salvage yard engine from a running but wrecked / rusted truck? I'm a big fan of sticking to engines that were put together by the manufacturer.
 
OP, just to add another ace to your deck... email Blackstone Labs and ask them to send you info on the universal averages for 5.3s, along with how many samples for 2004s they have processed. As dnewton3 always makes it a point to stress, once you've got a trend on your personal engine, you can then make decent interpretation compared to the universal averages. It's not sexy or sensational, but macro data comparison is what actually tells the story, not an individual UOA. 6 OCI in 10+k miles is not a lot of distance, but if it were a temporary condition, 6 OCI should have washed out what was a bearing streak or something fleeting. This is sustained, and copper is increasing as well.

I'm no UOA scientist like Terry Dyson, but I'd definitely say you have a case if your UOAs are 2-3 times more or greater than universals.
 
Jasper builds junk from my experience. Every engine Or transmission I have installed I have replaced under warranty. Every single one. Needless to say I do things myself now.
 
I think where they said you are documented and not to worry about it...I probably wouldn't worry about it. You put 15,000 miles on it without issue...you probably aren't going to have issues...and if you do, you're documented.
 
I'll keep that place in mind to avoid if I ever need a new mill. That's how those places often work though. They'll deny , fabricate and lie lie lie . Anything to squeak it past the warranty. I bet they used cheap 💩 bearings straight from the orient gulag. The cheap outfits are known to maximize profits by doing things like that.
I got a rebuilt bombardier seadoo engine 15 years back from some outfit in Florida. Good reviews seemed to check out and I looked hard. Get one put it in late season used it a bit put it away. Come next spring oil all over the bottom of the hull wouldn't start. Screwed around then called and they were right on it with " did you leave the oil in the tank all year". Sure why not "🤥ohhhhhh well if you read the literature you have to drain the oil tank at seasons end. sorry🤨. My buddy is a Bombadier freak called his contact with them in Montreal. The guy knew exactly what it was , junk cheap crank seals that some rebuilders use to cut costs. Said that draining the oil tank was nonsense.
Sooo🤬I decide to put it on their wonderful forum all . Guess what,I put it on it disappears almost instantly. Come to find out they review everything going on there and just delete criticism. How convenient.......for them.
So lesson learned. Either do it yourself or buy from a place that the pros get their rebuilds from. Yea they cost more but cheap bearings, gaskets and seals (that aren't expensive to begin with 🤦ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸) won't leave you doing it all again. Kick those cut rate hacks to the curb.
 
those LS motors drop a lot of metals and seem to keep on going and going and going. Nevertheless yours does seem higher than averages.

Maybe try Xw40 rather than 30?
 
Maybe try a synthetic oil next go around or at least a dexos approved oil just to see in it helps.
 
I remember your other posts. Sucks. For all youll spend on UOAs for this engine, you could buy a good 5.3 from a part out.
 
Originally Posted by mattd
Jasper builds junk from my experience. Every engine Or transmission I have installed I have replaced under warranty. Every single one. Needless to say I do things myself now.



Exactly right ^^^^^
 
I rebuilt a Jasper engine for a guy after Jasper refused to warranty it. Evidently the engine is "sealed" so when he took the valve cover off to take pictures for them of the broken valve spring and dropped valve, they voided his warranty.

I've heard nothing but horror stories about Jasper.

The engine only had ~4k miles on it. The sad part is it drank 2.5 quarts of oil in that 4k miles, and it was easy to see why when I tore it down. The piston to wall clearance was way too wide and the hone was too coarse. While the bores were nice and straight, I had to take the block another .010" over to get a proper PTW clearance.
 
So...moral of this UOA report is to never purchase a rebuilt engine from Jasper. That's truly a shame - sorry OP. What a headache.
 
I would not buy a rebuilt engine from Jasper. It's possible at this point I wouldn't buy a rebuilt engine from anybody. All "budget" rebuilders cut corners and buy the cheapest parts they can get. Unless you're willing to pay the big bucks for a custom rebuilder to lavish attention on an engine, which is usually not practical for a daily driver, you're rolling the dice. I'd much rather take my chances with a known good salvage engine that in many cases I can hear running before I buy it. Less money too.
 
Drop the pan and re-torque the rods and mains once the warranty expires, if you're not going to get anywhere with them. Some monkey probably torqued the rod bolts to 100 ft-lbs or something.
 
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