LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

I've got an acquaintance (my girlfriend's friend's husband) who is selling an LS2 currently mounted in a '98 Camaro. Yesterday was the first time I've heard this thing running (there was a fuel line leak under the car, mechanic patched it). Once the put a charger on the battery, it started right up even though it hasn't ran since Thanksgiving.

Now that my mechanic & I have heard it, they don't think I'd enjoy driving this in my V. It does seem extreme as there was NO sort of wind up from idle to WOT. My mechanic believes it'd be no longer fun to drive daily. I want more HP, but not at the cost of a stop & go nightmare. Is the cam too extreme (I'm a total rookie when it comes to this stuff)? Can it be tamed with a tune? I don't mind losing some MPG for some more fun, but I don't want a headache. Would the heavier flywheel (not stock but not aluminum 11lb) help tame it some?

I've got to decide to on this in the next week or so. The guy is moving & does NOT want to move the car with him. I can probably get the motor for about $4500-$5000. It comes with complete documentation of being installed in March 2009, purchase receipt from Golen, the install costs & parts installed (see below). I've seen a dyno sheet that it makes 500 to the wheels (I need to find it) on his Camaro. It maybe has 10k-15k on the motor, but I suspect they're hard driven miles. Not necessarily track miles either.

On the whole, the guy seems nice & trusting (he gave me the keys to his house & Camaro while he was out of town to get the Camaro towed to the shop). I don't think he's lying about anything. I've sat with him for hours just BS'n about all kinds of things, not necessarily cars. My gut says he's legit.

FEEDBACK?

Idle surging, per the current owner, it's "the tune" (I forgot to capture the WOT blasts):


This is likely the package he bought in 2009:
https://www.golenengineservice.com/e...hp-replacement

His Golen receipt though says he paid $9220. Below is COPY/PASTED from his receipt, NOT from the Spec Sheet from Golen.

IdriveaV

iTrader: (5)

As long as the engine checks out and your mechanic says its legit, id go for the 402.
You figure with selling yours and how much you'll save on the 402, it'll turn out to be a pretty good deal.
I had my car retuned when I had my big cam and it helped clean up the surge/idle searching.
And if you get say a steel aftermarket flywheel I think that'll help a lot too.

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

Also, my mechanic (a day to day mechanic, not a performance tuner/race shop) keeps pushing a "programmer". I've not heard of anyone on here running a "programmer". I've heard of HPTuner stuff, is that the same? I am kinda aware of what a tune is (ala mail order, dyno runs, tweak try again, etc), but never a "programmer". The way they compared it was to the classic "chip", but instead of a static setting, it was switchable.

To me, he sounds like a bunch of hooey. I had already decided that they were not going to be handling my engine swap should I do it & was considering SNL (unless ridiculously priced & then I'd just have then tune it).

IdriveaV

iTrader: (5)

I would have a performance shop install and tune it.
No sense in having the tuner going in blind, they will have a better understanding of what they are working with if they are the shop that installs the motor.
whatever shop you use should use a tune, most likely the tune will be done with hptuners

xbladr

iTrader: (2)

This is not something i would ever bring to your everday mechanic. Bring it to an all in one performance shop that has a good rep for quality work and tuning.

Naf

iTrader: (1)

Your buyin another persons problems...

I would buy a new engine and be done with it...This way you know what was put in and have peace of mind that its all fresh...

Forcfed93

iTrader: (10)

If the price is right, I'd go for it. If you're worried about drivability you can always swap a smaller cam while it's out.

ryridesmotox

I kinda agree with NAF. Why is he selling it, what kind of miles, how hard has it been run, maintenance, etc, etc.

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

The motor was breaking stuff on the rest of the car (suspension/axles) & he's moving in 2wks & does not want to pay to move it again.

I do not know the maintenance, but he's a pretty logical computer programmer like myself, so I would venture to guess he maintained it. I do expect that he drove it hard. When I first laid eyes on the car, the rear wheels you could tell had gotten pretty hot (rubber deposits melted near the sidewalls).

steves ls6

Somone else's problem. Don't buy it.

Forcfed93

iTrader: (10)

Run a compression/leakdown test and grab an oil sample for analysis. That should tell you everything you need to know about the motor if you're unsure.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

You need to find put what kind of reluctor wheel it's got on the crank...may not be plug and play with your car. Search ls3 swap into ls6 car for more info

I'd jump into that with both feet

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

It's an LS2 & I have an LS2 (2006).

Lbar

I could not justify the expense for a car that is only worth 10k. Consider what the V is worth + a realistic cost for engine/installation/tuning/clutch/extra parts needed. Then decide if you would rather have a different vehicle. Maybe even a well built lower mileage V1, LS2 C6 etc.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

the motor was in an ls1 car....correct me if i'm wrong but it would be easier for the previous owner to convert the motor for use with the ls1 harness than it would be to convert the car for the ls2 reluctor wheel

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

I have the order number & will be giving Golen a call to verify. When I called earlier they were already closed.

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

So, I spoke with Golen & part of the swap for an LS1 would be to put on a 24x reluctor wheel. So I have to see what color sensor is on my car compared to the motor to decide if they are the same. My car was built NOV 2005, sold as a 2006. The 24x/58x swap over occurred in 05/06.

Forcfed93

iTrader: (10)

If you have an LS2, you have a 58x. If the car was an LS1 swap, it has (likely) a 24x. I know they make conversion boxes relatively cheaply that convert the 24x car to run a 58x motor.

I'm not sure, however, if they can also convert a 58x car to run a 24x motor. Lingenfelter makes them. Might try calling them.

http://www.lingenfelter.com/mm5/merc...3#.U8a4bbHHni0

LAYGO

iTrader: (10)

That's to stick a 58x in a 24x vehicle. I would (likely) need the other way around . . .

MN_V

iTrader: (5)

what's wrong with your engine is the question I want to ask. I see no reason an LS2 shouldn't make it to 250k+ miles.