Rebuild w/ LE1 heads and cam

[Infamousz28]

Hey guys, it's drivin me insane, trying to decide wether to keep my block stock and put a gm lt4 hot cam kit in, and forged dome pistons. Or to bore it 0.40 over and keep the stock stroke and rods and make it a 357 with forged dome pistons and a lt4 hot cam kit. Plz help and thanks in advance. I'm going to add a lot more to the thread like parts list, the paths I can't decide on taking etc. By the way this forum is foreal I've been reading around here for years decided I'd join

[SSlowBoat]

You would be better off getting better rods. Your piston options are limited for a stock pressed rod. Also, a 355 or 357 is better suited with a 6.0 rod

[shownomercy]

And without knowing the bore quality of the block its all a guessing game.

[HellTeeOne]

Why dome pistons?

Whether it's a 350, 355 or 357 doesn't really make any difference. No real reason to go overbore if you don't have to.

[Infamousz28]

I want domes for ease of big compression gains. Howard's cam provides press fit and floating type wrist pins. Won't those work on my stock rods. After I posted last nite I realized that a .040 bore won't give me the power gains I'm expecting. I just though it would be cool to have it be that instead of a 350.

[Infamousz28]

These are some pistons I've been looking at. They are all pressed wrist pin or floating. Let me know if I'm going in the right direction. Thanks guy

[TravisMcGill2000]

I would leave stock bore unless needed. Also I would go with flat tops also. No need for dome piston. Unless you planning on running 13.1 and race gas or e85. Also why hot cam? There alot better cams out there. Even more if u plan on running alot of compression.

[Catmaigne]

LT1 chambers aren't that big to begin with so domed pistons are unnecessary. A domed piston also means a slower burn and less efficient NA motor.

Some milling of the heads and a thinner head gasket is all you'd really need to bump up compression with stock pistons/rods. Pick a better cam because the Hotcam is lame. Also, .040" over is thinner than it needs to be. Stick to .030 or less if you really want new pistons.

[Infamousz28]

Alright bro no overbore unless I have bad luck when I get in there. Hot cam because of the kit and I also just started to consider this build days ago but can't stop thinking about it. Plus it won't happen till next month, I just want a carefully thoughtout build that only cost about 1400 hundred. I plan to get cam, springs, valve locks, 1.6 or 1.7 ratio RR, pistons and rings, and pushrods and all the hardware. I want to use stock rods due to it's not going to have to much power for them to handle. Same valves and guides.So please guide me,

[Infamousz28]

What about this cam....catmaigne

[Catmaigne]

The kit sucks, stay away from it. The cam itself is kinda lazy. The springs included can't handle the lazy cam. The rockers are of decent quality (made by crane) but are self aligning which means if you ever decide to go bigger they'll need to be tossed (SA is less stable at high RPM).

$1400 for what? A rebuild can cost that much by itself. That's something you'll definitely need if you decide on aftermarket rods/pistons.
If you have a shortblock in the car now that has decent mileage and good oil pressure then you can reuse that. Just get the heads milled and use a b-body gasket which will bring comp up to ~11.3:1. Camming a stock shortblock is a crapshoot so I would stick with a smaller cam with aggressive lobes. It would make power comparable to a larger shelf cam but you wouldn't have to spin it as high.

[Catmaigne]

What about this cam....catmaigne

That cam is way too big for a stock headed 350. The XFI 467 is a better choice but if you need your shortblock to live then the 466 would be the best shelf option. LE can get you a custom grind with similar lobes on a tighter LSA for about the same price.

[Catmaigne]

I would stay away from the kits. Generally speaking, the lifters and springs are cheap and prone to failure. I can't find many details on that kit but I'm guessing the lifters are Comp R's and the springs are probably beehives.

[Infamousz28]

Ok I thought that I needed SA rockers, out with that idea. I would like to get new pistons due to it being over 150,000 miles and use stock rods I know kinda dumb. My motor have all new bearings and gaskets, so I'm not going to spend a lot on those, gunna reuse the old where I can. $1400 on fun stuff. putting a cam in has gotta put some gains down?? With that custom grind is that with spring, etc I'm going to mill the head but how much is safe?

[Infamousz28]

Ok the big reason I was on kits because I'm not very confident in my springs choice, I don't want them to stiff or soft.

[TravisMcGill2000]

If your gona change pistons. Then your gona have to have the bottem rebalanced. I would just hone the walls and rering it. $1400 is gona go quick when doin rebuild and allparts for cam swap. Do you already have all the supporting mods?

[Infamousz28]

A re ring is a good option. I got full cold air, headers and half exhaust no muffler or cats.

[SSlowBoat]

Alright bro no overbore unless I have bad luck when I get in there. Hot cam because of the kit and I also just started to consider this build days ago but can't stop thinking about it. Plus it won't happen till next month, I just want a carefully thoughtout build that only cost about 1400 hundred. I plan to get cam, springs, valve locks, 1.6 or 1.7 ratio RR, pistons and rings, and pushrods and all the hardware. I want to use stock rods due to it's not going to have to much power for them to handle. Same valves and guides.So please guide me,
Hotcam itself is ok for street, but it runs out of steam quick at 5700rpm and the rockers and springs are garbage. Flat tops would be better off.

[BrokenShadowRacing]

Look up the CC 306...better cam then the lt4 hot cam... Works better with supporting mods such as worked heads.. It'll work with stock heads but you wont get the full benefit of it... Better cams are out there... And I agree with the "stay away from the Hot Cam Kit" comment... There are also better springs to be had, same with lifters and rockers and so forth.. And as stated before... Flat top piston are the way to go unless you planning on a full race engine with 13.1 and race gas with 110+ octain... Imo

[BrokenShadowRacing]

And you need to have the computer tuned after all your mods are done so dont forget that too as you figure up your cost!

[BrokenShadowRacing]

Cc 306-8 lt1 pulls 1800 to 5800

[Infamousz28]

Ok I'll look at this cc and I'm going to call LE for more cam help. So should I just rering the bottom end and build the top end for now with 1400 dollhairs? Is that a more beneficial route

[BrokenShadowRacing]

Well.. Imo.. Calling LE is the best thing to do.. He'll tell you what'll work with what the best... If your goal is putting around 400 rwhp down.. Then your gonna need the heads worked too, I think he charges like 1700ish for working the heads and intake for his LE2 package deal with a custom spec cam... He will let you know for sure... He does really awesome work! Im on Lt1Nation on FB and those guys love his work... As for the bottom end... That really depends on how you want to go... If your block doesnt need boring stay with standard bore... Have the pistons ckd to be sure they are still good... Re-ring and new bearings maybe all you need to achieve your goals

[BrokenShadowRacing]

They're lots for ppl running bone stock bottom ends with 120xxx plus miles with up graded top ends... If you planning on beating on it, the re-ring and bearings and timing chain and oil pump are a safe bet... Imo...

[SSlowBoat]

They're lots for ppl running bone stock bottom ends with 120xxx plus miles with up graded top ends... If you planning on beating on it, the re-ring and bearings and timing chain and oil pump are a safe bet... Imo...
136k stock bottom end LE2 Heads/ported intake/LE specd bullet cam ran absolutely great on the street. That very same motor now has a procharger on it now. Lloyd does great work

[Infamousz28]

I sent Lloyd an email, hope fully tomorrow after work I can get into the heads and check some things. The last time I drove it, it was sluggish and had a lil smoke. I just turned it off and prayed it's not too bad, that was on monday.

[Catmaigne]

You motor has new bearings? Who rebuilt it and what were the clearances?

An older motor is a bit of a gamble... some live and some don't. I wasn't so lucky when my stock shortblock shit itself @ 99k. About 12k of those miles were with a cc503 shifted at 6300. Only went to a few track days but it was flogged pretty hard on the street most of the time. #2 main was so trashed that the journal was burnt, #8 rod bearing chewed into the crank, and there was another rod on the verge of failure. However, the thing still had decent oil pressure. AFAIK the motor wasn't overheated, over-revved, and oil was changed every 3k since I bought it. I also never got on it until the oil was fully warmed up.

If you are going to get a larger cam then I would highly suggest swapping out the oil pump spring for a high pressure one.

[Infamousz28]

I semi rebuilt it, reused old pistons and rings, I thought I wrote it down in the Haynes but I guess I didn't. The clearances where in spec with the Haynes manual. Lol

[HellTeeOne]

I want domes for ease of big compression gains. Howard's cam provides press fit and floating type wrist pins. Won't those work on my stock rods. After I posted last nite I realized that a .040 bore won't give me the power gains I'm expecting. I just though it would be cool to have it be that instead of a 350.

Okay, please listen here. You're about to put together a poor-running setup if you go with the components you've named.

1. Please dump the idea of a dome piston. Not necessary in an LT1, you can get all the compression you need with a lightweight flat top piston and the proper quench/deck height and head milling. These motors came with pretty lightweight pistons stock. Do some research and find out how much a factory Mahle LT1 piston weighs, and don't get replacements that are any heavier. In fact, I think Mahle actually catalogs some quality replacements.

2. I would only go overbore if it's necessary. Going overbore doesn't increase power at all. If all the cylinder walls need is a good hone, that's what I'd do. If you do need overbore go as little as possible, .030 or less.

3. This is perhaps the biggest question. What compression ratio are you shooting for, anyway? What sort of power would you like to make? What do you plan to use the car for?

4. Stock rods are fine, just use ARP rod bolts and you're good to 7k rpm.

5. After you've decided on the answers to item #3, then decide on a cam. I'll agree with everyone else that states there are better things out there than the GM hotcam.

[englundjd]

Infamousz28, give us an answer to HellTeeOne's question and we can give you much better cam options and help.

[Infamousz28]

Alright guys, I apologize, I guess my answers to ur question is I would st.
ll like to use 91 pump gas, with a lot of compression, I would like to have around 400hp or so. I've been talking with Lloyd and this is what he has to offer. What do yalls thinkk about it

The BIG kicker is gonna be the stock converter. It requires a cam that focuses on making good vacuum and TQ at 800, 1000, and 1200 RPM so we are stuck with something like a 218/226 .525/.565 111 LSA.

It would have the drivability of a Hot Cam and easily pass emissions while pulling from right off idle up to 6100 RPM.

If you are able to get a $450 TCI 242800 stall (2400-2600 RPM) we can use a 226/234 .565/.565 110 LSA cam and make another 15-20 HP or so over the above mentioned cam.

I want to get a 2600 stall and get the bigger cam.
So if anyone has a good used one let me know.

So yeah please guide me wise ones.

[SSlowBoat]

yeah, get a Pro-Torque B29SS stall, stalls right around 2600-2800 on a cammed car and is $300, run an impala head gasket, have the heads milled .010", AND leave the bottom end alone, get good valvetrain components, a proper tune, and gears. you will be faster and have more fun than you think. dont fixate on horsepower numbers, screw the kids on the internet. i beat plenty of "higher hp" cars with my pos hotcammed bolt on firebird, and my pops heads/cam camaro with that same stall was messing with a few c5 z06's BEFORE the supercharger on the stock bottom end with all the bolt ons etc

[TravisMcGill2000]

Why do you want such a small stall? I

[Infamousz28]

The reason such a small stall Travis is because I didn't plan on getting a stall at all, so I don't want to spend that much on one.

Yeah tubbyFormy I didn't and don't have a hp goal, I just wanna be faster. The best bang for $1400 faster. Lol

[TravisMcGill2000]

Ah ok. I was just curious cause u see alot people afraid to run a stall. Cause they think it will make it worse driving on street.

[Gette]

1400 can make a deference, but your choices are limited. I see allot of people focusing on a cam, after all $300 will get you pretty much any grind. However, it can cost you an additional $2500+ in supporting mods in order to run that cam.

I will be honest, my original budget was about 3Kish. I built my motor around a cam, rather then building a motor and simply putting a cam in it. I wanted the most radical cam I could get away with, well.. That cost money. LE spec’d my cam and I love it, it is exactly what I wanted. I am now well over 6K and still not done. Even with number invested. I lowered costs in areas that are easy to upgrade once the motor was back in the car. So, I am building in phases sort of speak. Were as phase 1 is motor running in car, phase 2 Completion of valve train/induction, Phase 3, drivetrain improvements etc etc etc

Example:

In phase 1, I re-used original equipment were ever possible. I did not reuse anything internal to the motor. I built the bottom end (383), installed the cam I wanted. Installed new Lifters, upgraded pushrods, etc. Rebuilt and ported the heads. I re-used the oil-pan, original TB, stock rockers, both will allow the motor run well and are easy upgrades later. I also purchased rebuilt injectors, (I needed 42.5# units) again, easy to replace. I can go on.. but think you get the idea.

Just an idea, but it may be a better idea to purchase the parts you need one by one till you have the parts you need for a completed long block. It may take you longer to accomplish, but this way you at least get what you really want.

My $0.02

[HellTeeOne]

The BIG kicker is gonna be the stock converter. It requires a cam that focuses on making good vacuum and TQ at 800, 1000, and 1200 RPM so we are stuck with something like a 218/226 .525/.565 111 LSA.

If I were you, I'd save a few more bucks and get a converter either way. If I had a car with a stock engine and a A4 transmission, I'd do a converter before I did any motor work. I'm not current on converters, but back when I participated in a couple of A4 builds a decade ago, the PI Vigilante was the hot setup. Around $700 and worth it. You may be able to do just as well these days for less money, but again I'm not current on converters. I do know that not all of them are created equal, and you get what you pay for, though.



If you are able to get a $450 TCI 242800 stall (2400-2600 RPM) we can use a 226/234 .565/.565 110 LSA cam and make another 15-20 HP or so over the above mentioned cam.

I want to get a 2600 stall and get the bigger cam.
So if anyone has a good used one let me know.

So yeah please guide me wise ones.

Again, there is a lot more to converters than stall speed. A given converter will stall or flash to different speeds depending on load conditions, gearing, and most importantly, the characteristics of the motor in front of it. Generally speaking, the more aggressive the motor setup in front of it, the higher it will flash. With a 3.73 gear (which I favor for cars with a 4L60 tranny) and a typical cam or heads/cam setup I'd look for a converter with an advertised stall speed at least 3200, more if it's a big cam. Most guys with stock/bolt on setups run a 2800 stall for optimum results. A car with motor work is going to want more in my opinion.

If Lloyd recommends a converter, it's probably a solid choice as he has a very large clientele he keeps up with; he likely knows several folks who have used said converter. That cam is a solid choice, and would work well if you decided to get the heads worked down the road.
Milling the heads and using the .026 gasket is a good idea, if you decide to remove the heads at all. Such would put your compression in the 11.0-11.3 range. Otherwise, you could just simply leave the heads in place, swap the springs/guideplates/rockers/pushrods when you put the new cam in, and call it a day. The compression bump won't make too big of a difference at the stage you are.

Keep in mind, if you're doing your own work the cam swap will cost $800-$1000 once consumables, incidentals, etc are factored in. You'll also need a tune so budget $200-$400 for that, depending on whether you go mail-order or dyno.
This is assuming you already have all of the supporting mods like long tubes and exhaust, CAI, etc.

May be helpful to give us a full and concise run down on the current mods, mileage and condition of your car.

[Infamousz28]

I'm going to send my heads to Lloyd to b ported. And he's got a cam for me also. The. mileage is 160k, but new bearings, crank and gaskets about 5k miles ago. My lt1 has a cai, I took the maf screen out, mid length headers no cats or muffler, a 160 thermostat, no tune but
I plan on getting tuner cats software, the .565 cam, heads worked by Lloyd, new springs
1.6 RR, and a stall, and rering the pistons. If needed
I pulled the motor lastnite going to take a look inside when I get home from work.

[SSlowBoat]

Talk to a proven torque converter company like protorque and they will set you up with a converter that will work best for your goals. More stall isn't always better, you're just wasting powerband then.

Put the maf screen back in please, as to save yourself headaches

[American-Powerhouse]

@Infamousz28 (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=7690), one of our sponsors, @Cahall (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=5698), is a ProTorque dealer and has been exclusively for many years.
He can help you select the proper stall for your build.

In addition, I am a distributor for many of the mods you are considering for your build. My prices are also very competitive.

You contacting LE is excellent. He can recommend options for you and he definitely knows his stuff.
Once you get information from him, please feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to get you some prices.
I can probably save you some money over you searching the internet yourself for the best deals.

[American-Powerhouse]

In addition, check out my website.

I'm a Scorpion Dealer...excellent rocker arms. We recommend them highly over other brands.
http://shop.american-powerhouse.com/Scorpion-Racing-Products_c44.htm

[Infamousz28]

Thanks guys. I'll write more in the am. I just tryed to write two long messages and I lost them, do to tired-Ness and tapatalk not working good

[Infamousz28]

Ok so will all sbc RR fit an ltx??

[Infamousz28]

Lmfao tubbyformy but it's so restrictive. I happily crushed it right after I pulled it.
Americanpowerhouse I want to go threw u, but the shipping thing,maybe prices are going to be the same as if I just walked into summit racing in sparks. American-powerhouse, if I emailed u my parts list could u give me a quote? Oh yeah I'm in Nevada......

[Infamousz28]

Ok so lastnite I only got the tranny separated from the engine and I put the motor on the engine stand, and took one header off lol I will get into it tonite.

[American-Powerhouse]

Infamousz28, quite a lot of my parts are free or minimal shipping. My parts are drop shipped to help keep prices down.

I would be happy to help you with some prices. Please feel free to message me whenever you're ready.

[CPT]

The above statement is very accurate. Too much stall will hurt performance more than not enough. The B29SS from Protorque will cover anything from a "bolt on" LT1, up to a Hot Cam. We sell them for $325 shipped. We sell a huge number of these exact converter because they work so well. When looking for a converter, look further than stall, though. As also mentioned above, a converter may be modified to provide more stall, but many cheap converters will sacrifice efficiency. An inefficient converter will still be slipping on the top end which will cost MPH and ET. An inefficient converter will also generate more heat. Add this to the fact that a cheap converter is also much more likely to fail. You mentioned a TCI converter in your original post. While TCI makes great valve bodies, and converters for TH350s and TH400s, very few have success with their overdrive/lock up stuff. http://www.protorque.com/street-muscle-torque-converters.html

[Infamousz28]

@americanpowerhouse thank u man. I'm going to try u out, when I'm ready, waiting on those taxes. Cahall 325 is an excellent price for a quality part.

[SSlowBoat]

Lmfao tubbyformy but it's so restrictive. I happily crushed it right after I pulled it.
Americanpowerhouse I want to go threw u, but the shipping thing,maybe prices are going to be the same as if I just walked into summit racing in sparks. American-powerhouse, if I emailed u my parts list could u give me a quote? Oh yeah I'm in Nevada......
It is not soo restrictive. Idn who told you that but they are wrong. The screen smooths the airflow across the maf sensor. If that was true I guess we wouldn't have made 509lbft on the procharged car with a maf then, and popo8 wouldn't be making 600 with a screened maf

[Infamousz28]

No-one told me that I just figured, since it was so thick and bolky. So Wuts the air doing without the screen in then.

[SSlowBoat]

No-one told me that I just figured, since it was so thick and bolky. So Wuts the air doing without the screen in then.
Becoming a tight stream and causing the maf to read improperly. You should really have a tune already, especially for that. I've asked many tuners about descreening the maf, and the general consensus is the same, don't do it. These mafs can handle alot, and when they max, you just tune in pe mode to compensate. On the procharged car in my sig, we aren't maxing the maf until 5700rpm.

[Infamousz28]

TubbyFormy thanks bro I guess I'll be buying a screen, or new maf some day.
Cahall thank u also I really want a converter from u. There in some fast ass cars. My cam is going to be bigger then a hot cam, I think 565 lift. I quoted Lloyd in one of my above post. I'm going to get the le1 package and cam from LE portworks, I have headers a cold air intake, 160deg thermostat, stock rear end, and 1.6RR. Should I still get that same one u showed me? How long will it take to get to me after I make the purchase??

[SSlowBoat]

TubbyFormy thanks bro I guess I'll be buying a screen, or new maf some day.
Cahall thank u also I really want a converter from u. There in some fast ass cars. My cam is going to be bigger then a hot cam, I think 565 lift. I quoted Lloyd in one of my above post. I'm going to get the le1 package and cam from LE portworks, I have headers a cold air intake, 160deg thermostat, stock rear end, and 1.6RR. Should I still get that same one u showed me? How long will it take to get to me after I make the purchase??
I'll be using that converter with a 228/234 .592/.592 cam and LE1 or le2 heads in my impala with 3.73's. We had it in the other car with le2 ' s and the cam I just mentioned and it performed great

[CPT]

Infamousz28 Give me a call to talk about specifics. My cell # is 302-250-1202

Frank

[popo8]

...By the way this forum is foreal I've been reading around here for years decided I'd join


Off topic but glad u like it man. Happy to have u here.

[Infamousz28]

Cahall I will call u in a few hours,B-) popo8 thanks, do u have anything to say bout the topic? Lol

[popo8]

Lol... ur talkin to a boost guy...so for me it was about lower comp and added cubes ... then more cubes every time i hurt the motor. It starts to add up quick. If it helps my vette project is getting a swap of a stock 350... with a carb and spray. When i hurt it... ill make it whatever cube it needs to be (bore wise) to fix any damage done...nothing more... nothing less and the vette is all about keeping cost down.

[Infamousz28]

Yeah that does help, It makes since not to bore unless needed to or wanting to stoke it.

[Infamousz28]

Alright I finally got inside of her, lol
Its been burning a lot of oil I guess it all black in the combustion chambers.

[Infamousz28]

Ok the first 3 pics are front the right side and the last 3 r off the left.

[Infamousz28]

What brand of piston rings are a good choice for stock ltx pistols?

And will sbc RR fit on an ltx??

[Infamousz28]

Are comp cams ultra pro magnum roller rockers better then scorpion racing roller rockers???

[Catmaigne]

Any name brand set with plasma moly will do the job on a mild NA build.

Ultra pro mags are great rockers but they're overkill unless you're running a cam that requires a lot of spring pressure (400+ open). The ultra pro mag is heavier than an aluminum scorpion so you'll also need a little more pressure to account for the weight of the rocker itself. I don't see a problem with Scorpions. I ran Harland Sharps without issue. Whatever you get, make sure they're NSA.

[Infamousz28]

Thanks Catmaigne, good info.

[Infamousz28]

Ok here we go I've been talking to frank cahall & Lloyd Elliott, and I've came up with this lil scheme.
Tell me what you guys think about this........

LE1 heads with a 226/234 .565/.565 110lsa
Pro torque B29ss converter
Scorpion 1.6 Roller rockers
Victor reinz 5898 HG.

[Infamousz28]

Oh yeah and tuner cats

[SSlowBoat]

Scorpion sa rockers are fine, no issues on the camaro. Just took em off and they look great

[American-Powerhouse]

@Infamousz28 (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=7690), we definitely recommend LE for your package and the ProTorque converter.

In addition, we are a Scorpion dealer and highly recommend their rockers over other brands. The only brand of rockers we sell.
You can see some of their line here on our website:
http://shop.american-powerhouse.com/Scorpion-Racing-Products_c44.htm

Lastly, we do not recommend Victor Reinz gaskets. In fact, in just the last week, we have seen at least two members of the LT1 community with gasket issues using that brand.
We strongly recommend Cometic gaskets and would be happy to get you a price based on your build, when you're ready for them.

[Infamousz28]

Ok thank u Gail much appreciated.
Are there Any other thoughts on the build.

[Infamousz28]

What .026 head gasket is othwr ppl using

[Infamousz28]

Are these the ones I should buy??

[American-Powerhouse]

@Infamousz28 (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=7690), you can use those, providing you upgrade to the 7/16 rocker studs, and you use guide plates.
You will also require hardened push rods.

You can, however, use these with the 3/8 studs without the guide plates.
http://shop.american-powerhouse.com/16-SBC-Self-Aligning-Roller-Rocker-Arm-Set-of-16-APHSCR1036.htm

I am working on the list you sent me in a PM a little while ago and will get back to you a.s.a.p.

[SSlowBoat]

If you use sa rocker arms, and get arp studs, you will have to trim the portion that threads into the head by about 3 threads.

If you use guide plates and nsa rocker arms you don't have to, it's nothing a Dremel can't do

[Infamousz28]

Ok thanks gail, could u add some guide plates onto that list, and hardend push rods

[American-Powerhouse]

Ok thanks gail, could u add some guide plates onto that list, and hardend push rods


No problem, as well as the 7/16 studs?

[SSlowBoat]

Not to be that guy, but you REALLY check valve train geometry/pushrod length before buying pushrods, I'm sure American-Powerhouse can get you a length checking tool which is relatively cheap so you get exactly the right pushrods for your application

[Infamousz28]

Thanks tubby I do plan on doing that, I was just going to get that at summit I still gotta go to my store, sometimes lol

Ok thanks gail, could u add some guide plates onto that list, and hardend push rods<br />
<br />
<br />
No problem, as well as the 7/16 studs?<br/>
Yes please.

[American-Powerhouse]

Wow, Summit huh?

[Infamousz28]

Wow, Summit huh?
sorry,lol I used to think I was the luckiest guy because I live like an hour and a half from there store in sparks. I'm willing to be a loyal customer of yours I'm still just checking the waters, good deals good deals.......lol
I got a lot of truck buddys , and I've been talking about protorque to pretty much everyone I know.. Lmao everyone

[American-Powerhouse]

Come on now. You know I have to give you a hard time about mentioning the competition.

[Infamousz28]

Come on now. You know I have to give you a hard time about mentioning the competition.
How's that list coming along??

[Infamousz28]

American-Powerhouse??

[American-Powerhouse]

Sending PM, Infamousz28!

[Infamousz28]

Still no list yet, it's been weeks.

[American-Powerhouse]

PM sent!

[Infamousz28]

Alright guys I sent my heads sent off to Lloyd for le1 heads and cam package, ordered 1.6 scorpion RR, and bought a billet 2800 stall protorque converter. And this stuff

[Infamousz28]

And also what piston rings do you guys recommend for stock pistons and 4.000 bore

[Infamousz28]

I got my pro torque 10 1/2 inch 2800 stall converter.
And a high pressure oil pump spring from lingenfelter.

Still waiting on heads to return from Lloyd and my roller rockers from APH.

I just can't decide on piston rings to get plz help me deside.

[CPT]

You might want to talk to Gail about the ring options.

[Infamousz28]

American-Powerhouse

And any others that have used one of these piston rings, let me know how they work.
I almost bought some mahle rings but read they have a lot of blow by

[American-Powerhouse]

I will send you a PM later today.

[Infamousz28]

Ok thank you gail,I will be waiting.

[CPT]

@American-Powerhouse (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=5743)

And any others that have used one of these piston rings, let me know how they work.
I almost bought some mahle rings but read they have a lot of blow by

I've used Mahle rings in several builds... Including the LS in our Vette. I've never had any blow by issues. Keep in mind that when somebody assembles something wrong, they always blame the parts...LOL

Frank

[Infamousz28]

Haha yeah the guy might have... It was a review that some one wrote about them he said it was blowing the dipstick out. I just thought I could get some quick response from other ltx owners

[Infamousz28]

Ok I've payed for most of the parts, just have to go pick up the mahle piston rings and clevite bearings from trusty ole summit.

I've sent heads off to Lloyd for the LE1 Treatment and 230/238 .565/.565 108 LSA cam..

1.6 Scorpion Roller rockers

10 1/2 inch billet front Pro Torque converter. 2800 stall

Tuner Pros up and running with home made cable, just waiting for a motor in the car so I can get some data

0.26 thick Mr gasket head gasket

Autolite 104 plugs


3.000 inch exhaust x-pipe

I have also did the fuel line relocate mod, the wire tuck mod and I deleted the front bumper support. I plan on making fog light mounts bcuz I don't like the look without them. I will add pics and updates it's starting to come together.
Thanks guys.

[CPT]

Autolite plugs in an LT1? I wouldn't have chosen Mr. Gasket head gaskets either. Either Cometic or Fel Pro MLS gaskets.

[Infamousz28]

Yeah Lloyd said autolite 104s so yeah I trust they will work fine.
Ain't that what comes in some stock lt's??
Believe me I would have went with cosmetic but didn't del like spending the money on them, I'll give these a run for now

[CPT]

It will cost you alot more money when you have to pull the motor back out to change head gaskets. no GM product ever came with Autolite plugs. Ford use Autolites.

[SSlowBoat]

I used auto lite 104's with much success in our cars, gap em at .040

[Infamousz28]

Thanks TubbyFormy, was starting to doubt my self.
Ford uses them that just makes me want to take them back, lol but I won't.
Yes that's true frank but hey maybe Mr gasket will last 4 me untill I break a lifter bcuz I never got new ones, and there bound to break.
I love working on my car, I'm a self tough mechanic. Everytime something breaks it's a learning experience for me. It's like school lol

I've rebuilt the motor once b4 and I rebuilt the a4 transmision once.
This will be the second time I've disassembled the motor. I'm nit saying that's a lot or any thing but I'm trying to get more experience on these lt1's. If the gasket blows I'll never get it again.
I'm going to give Mr gasket a try

[HellTeeOne]

You'll not likely break a lifter, even a stock one with miles on it.

I remember that Autolite 104s were popular with the LT1 crowd back in the CZ28.com days. It was those or NGK TR55s.

[firebird_1995]

Lot of guys run the Mr Gasket head gaskets with no issues. It's a great way to bump compression up. Several running autolite plugs as well, especially in the boosted crowd

[Infamousz28]

Cool guys I like those two last posts. I have the motor all stripped down except the brass freeze plugs (they only have like 5000 miles on them), cam bearings(Im going to try and make a cam bearing tool) and water pump gear.

The bores look good, straight and I can still see the old honing groves.
The lifter seemed to be in good shape, no scratches on the side contact areas and the rollers don't have to much side play, but I think a lil movement is normal. correct me if I'm wrong on that one.http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/15/53f075cd2020efd1bae47c4782ef8e76.jpg

[Infamousz28]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/15/1b354e8ad75f7e0f5c70c035a480bd43.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/15/40ad55f67886200f355a605cf79816b4.jpg

I still need to clean everything

[Infamousz28]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/15/6a7fd3d5042e4292b310547cad680d58.jpg

[Infamousz28]

I'm just waiting on my 1.6 RR's from APH, and the heads and cam from Lloyd....

Is it hard to install a cam with motor inside the car??? I have the rad out already and I would take the bumper off again if need be.

[Infamousz28]

the crankshaft has alot of endplay, so I went and bought new main bearings, but when I put the new thrust bearing next to the old one. the bearings are the same size, the old one looks like the new one and the new one looks like the old. They are the same size.
Wtf.... What mains are you guys running??

[Infamousz28]

Bump!! for help

[shownomercy]

Measure it properly, and if its out of spec, pray you can grind it back in, else, new crank time.

[Infamousz28]

I had to buy a new eagle crank for $200.
popo8 could we change this thread title to...... Rebuild w/ LE1 heads and cam.

[Infamousz28]

I got the block mains mic'd out and the crankshaft also. I decided I didn't want to wait a week or two for the machine shop to weld and regrind the thrust surface of my crank so I got one from summit.

If my calculations are correct the oil clearance will be .003 inch except for the #4 main and it's .004 so I bought a set of .001 under size bearings and that should fix that #4 oil clearance. I might plastigage it later to double check but not sure bout that yet.

I bought a cam bearing removal/install tool I plan on putting it to use tonight after I return from reno :-D

My scorpion Roller rockers came in the mail the other day.

[Catmaigne]

I would be really weary about running that cast eagle, they are prone to breaking. A good condition stock crank would be a much better option imo.

Are you measuring the clearances with a bore gage?

[Infamousz28]

Wish I had a bore gauge, no just a micrometer, and I double checked with plastigage. The crank that came out was an eagle, yeah u do get what u pay for. I plan on keeping an eye on the motor due to the cheap crank and other things I skimped on.

[HellTeeOne]

I wouldn't run a cast Eagle or Scat crank in anything. Seen way too many incidents of 2-piece cranks from those.

[Infamousz28]

Dang that sux, well I didn't have a crankshaft put in my budget so I bought the cheapest one i found. Kinda sper of the moment type thing lets hope it don't bite me in my ass.

[Catmaigne]

3.48" stroke and light pistons/rods will definitely help but I still wouldn't run one considering a stock 526 nodular crank can be had for next to nothing. The lightening holes in the crank pins and china metal would scare me away for anything beyond a stock rebuild.

Mic any crank before you buy it. It shouldn't be that hard to get a stocker that only needs a polish. Also, don't trust those crankshaft rebuilding companies with the "kits" an auto parts store will try to sell you. The machine work on those is usually awful.

Are you using an inside mic to measure bearings? If you aren't then pick up a bore gage or borrow one because there's no way to measure clearances accurately without either tool. You can get a bore gage on ebay for around $125 under the Shars name (which comes from the same place in China as Fowler, SPI, Blue Point, and all the other cheapos) but it will still give you repeatable measurements if you're gentle. Use the bore gage to measure the bearing and an outside mic for the journals. Then lock the outside mic on the journal measurement you took and set it up in a vise. Take the bore gage and measure the inside of the mic. Subtract one bore gage measurement from the other and you have your clearance. Unless you have really really nice tools, the measurements are always going to differ from mic to gage because of calibration. Such is life when you don't have access to the tools used to build space shuttles.

Plastigage is only for double checking. I would never rely on that alone.

[popo8]

@popo8 (http://ltxtech.com/forums/member.php?u=1330) could we change this thread title to...... Rebuild w/ LE1 heads and cam.

DONE

[HellTeeOne]

Dang that sux, well I didn't have a crankshaft put in my budget so I bought the cheapest one i found. Kinda sper of the moment type thing lets hope it don't bite me in my ass.

This is just being perfectly honest, not trying to criticize you. Get rid of that Eagle, and find a stock 526 nodular crank. That way your mistake will only cost you the $200 you spent on it, in the worst case. The stock nodular 526 crank is bull-strong, I've seen folks build boosted 355s with them and make over 600rwhp without a problem, also seen 7500+rpm solid roller builds using the stock crank.

[Infamousz28]

I have the old stock crank but it's been outside in the weather for acouple years with rust all over it.

[Catmaigne]

A crank at a junkyard is dirt cheap. They're $20 around here but it's a lot of work to get it out and you really have to take your time. Nothing sucks more than rounded flexplate bolts or a nicked journal from contacting rod bolts.

You'll have to get any crank balanced to the assembly anyway. The Eagle will cost you the same or more up front and could potentially take your motor in the future.

I did have a stock crank w/85k up for $60 a while ago but nobody wanted to pay for shipping (65lbs = $$$). Ended up selling the block/crank/timing cover and some other bits to a local guy for $200 or something like that.

[Infamousz28]

Seems like they all break. http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iv-internal-engine/1328342-broken-eagle-crankshaft-pics-2.html
I didn't read all of the thread but they talk about gallows and lunati breaking also so Idk I bought it already.

[myltwon]

my eagle crank snapped in half, I had a 383 now back to a stock shortblock.

lesson learned and money wasted, went cheap because I wanted to learn how to assemble a motor and didn't want to find out I didn't know what I was doing on a $3k short block. Luckily the crank and rods were the only thing damaged.

[Catmaigne]

If you bought it from summit sometimes they have a return mailing slip on the reciept. Probably won't because size though.

[popo8]

My old eagle crank snapped as well.

[Infamousz28]

I got it from the summit store in reno/sparks NV.

[Infamousz28]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/06/20/7faf558403e4d1d401329f8622f8f960.jpg

[Infamousz28]

I melted a piston, bcuz I was to cheap and thought I could tune it myself. So now I'm going to attempt to put a rollcage in and some other things.
Has anyone ran a motor and mid plate, and sat the engine back an inch??