Yes, they can be honed w/o removing the engine, but if the cylinder walls are scored badly you'll likely need to bore it and install an oversize piston - otherwise it's an acceptable service procedure to sleeve the cylinder and keep the original piston if it's undamaged.

FSM recommends max bore of .040" IIRC

 

that doesnt sound too bad. i talked to a mechanic from the local dealership and he said the master mechanic there is willing to do the work on the side in trade for a side of beef. so it may not cost me as much as i thought it would. im going to take it to him so we can compression check it tomorrow. i wouldnt mind doing the work myself, but it would probably cost me as much to get all the right tools as it would cost me to have it done.

 

I bought the compression tool for $150 and it cost $300 for fire rings and head gasket and $100 for new rings. The really is no special tools other than the compression tester. Its fairly easy to do.

 

did you have to do any machining to the block or just replace the rings and put it back together. i am planning on taking the head in to get it o-ringed and put studs in also.

 

the mechanic came over with some pretty nifty diagnostic tools. at first it wouldnt start for him, we cracked a fuel line, bled it and it fired right up. it was the first time it hadnt started for me. the conclusion was bad vp aerating the fuel. used his nifty tool and shut each injector off one at a time and it seems like the jammers arent working to uniformly. going to order some f1 injectors and swap out vp

 

The jammer injectors should have a lifetime warranty send them back and sell the new ones they give you.

 

I had intermittent dead pedal issues and I thought is was the (t)rusty APPS.

Turns out it was a bad ECM! Good thing, too-- I lost a VP at 40K and this was happening around 50K-- I'd have done something irrational if a VP only lasted my 10K with an untapped wire!!

 

What't the spec for balancing? That lone oversized piston is going to be heavier than the others, and balance could be an issue...

Just a thought..

 

i just went through the ecm thing a few months ago. it took three weeks for me to recieve my ecm, 10 minutes to swap it out in the dark. i didnt have any dead pedal at all but my fuel is cavitating and the guy that is helping me said everytime he has seen that, the pump was bad. he is suggesting new vp and injectors. i just dont see how my injectors could go from running so smooth, to so badly all of a sudden. i think ill just swap out the vp and see what happens

 

I say you right about the injectors (very rarly go bad). Make you wonder about the guy helping you.

 

he kept telling me i ought to put in some rv injectors because they are a great power upgrade and he can get them for the bargain price of 115.00 a piece. i can almost get a set of f1 injectors for that price. i think ill swap out my vp and see where it goes from there

 

As you know, any one can get a SET of rv's for $300 or less

 

it turns out that this guy really knows his stuff. he put a new (oem reman) vp on for me, for 1125 out the door. on the old pump, the key was almost sheared off and it clicks when you turn the shaft. truck started right up but #1 and 5 injectors are just dumping fuel into cylinder. most likely that vp blew shrapenel into injectors. the injectors he told me about werent rv 275's. he can get factory bosch injectors for different applications that can add big horsepower. he just has to find the vin numbers for the right motor configuration to get me the right size injector. but for right now i am going to swap in a set of stock injectors he is giving me. i think i will order some f1 injectors in the near future. he told me that a 2001 was just brought into the shop with a broken rod and the estimate came in around 14000.00 for repair!

 

$14000.00 for repair...

Won't $6000 get you a re-man long block? Add in expensive labor and you should be well shy of that BIG number above.
You should be able to RE-MOTOR BRAND NEW for $14000....and I would think installed. God, that's a LOT of money!!!!
I think it would be cheaper to unscrew the radiator cap and drive a new(er) rig under it, screw the lid back on tight and continue driving!!