s14akouki

hello guys

you guys are probably going to say search and what not. i've searched and haven't found to much out for what i wanna know.

ima buy an ls1 block and i heard they have oiling issues. but, i want to rebuild it and put it into my 240sx. so, i have a few q's.

when i rebuild it which route should i go? should i just stay stock or go aftermarket? my main goal is to have a 350hp vehicle built with maxiumum durability and reliability as possible. i plan to track the car sometimes here and there. and obd 2 and carb legal as well.

since, i'm buying a bareblock i can buy forged parts if i need to ahead of time. i wanna just do it right and do it once.

so, in summary
stock power / greatest amounts of edurance/reliability possible. what parts are weak on stock ls1 gm blocks? that i should probably replace anyway.

is it ok to get an aftermarket grinded camshaft or would that toss out reliability and smog legal out the window?

i live in california as well so hehe that's a main issue for me smog smog smog

oh yeah my main goals for this motor is
smog legal, reliable, carb legal, and most of all has tons of response/usable power band. i'm not looking to build a dyno queen or anything. this is going to be my street car for the most as well. so that's why i opted for tons of response and usable power band.

something of a budget build too, i'm sure that's possible with all these v8's running around.

thanks for the help ahead of time

socmguy

iTrader: (18)

A stock LS1 with a cam and valvetrain will give you the power you're looking for and more. LS1s do not have any oiling issues and if you do rebuilt the rotating assembly, just swap the pistons and rods. The crank will hold up to 1000HP!

s14akouki

oh wow, awesome =D. should i stick with the stock ls1 heads? or are the ls2 or ls9 heads better? i don't have any lsx parts yet hehe. just going to get a bareblock and stock crank soon. so wanna see what else is the best bang for my buck!

thanks

Unertl42

iTrader: (63)

you can get some awesome heads from patriot, $ permitting. A cheaper way to go is the 5.3L heads off a truck, to bump compression, or the 243 heads

IWGF

iTrader: (6)

This is the failzors... Nothing is weak about an LS1 BLOCK to answer your question. LS1's do not have oiling issues... Smaller cams will not have smog issues... But my opinion on your idea is that your should stick with your SR20DET and GT28RS bullshit.

s14akouki

i don't want an sr20 cuz it's not smog legal and i don't relaly like turbos =X. plus if u live in calfornia u really wouldn;t want a turbocharged car that didnt come from the factory the cops will take it soooo fast.,

IWGF

iTrader: (6)

Well, they'll crush a loud ls1 out there just as fast as they'll crush a boosted 4 cylinder.... my suggestion would be to gtfo gayass cali.

s346k

iTrader: (4)

iwgf is correct about one thing, ls1s do not have oiling issues, but every other piece of information from him is garbage. the early blocks (97-99) DO have oil RETURN issues. bear in mind this is only at sustained rpm above 6500 or so. to combat this problem i run an extra quart of oil in the 99 parked in my garage. keep in mind that the smog legality of any given cam is only as good as the tuner working on it. i've read that a tr224 or smaller is all that will pass with a spot on tune.

if i were you, i'd buy a complete ls1 engine. piecing one together is going to cost 2x as much when it is said and done. buy a stock engine, put headers on it and a good tune, it will make power and start/drive perfect every time. i've seen engine dynos showing 410+ fwhp from bolt-on motors. more than you're asking for and does not endanger the life of the engine whatsoever.

IWGF

iTrader: (6)

Ummm. If your 99 has oil return issues, then you should look further into how to correct the problem, rather than dump extra oil in the bitch. You're a ******* idiot.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

your best bet is to find a 6.0 engine, thats alredy assembled. mill the heads, along with a ls6 cam, it will make all the hp and tq ur 240 can handle.

brandon janeway

iTrader: (2)

^ I agree if you are wanting the best bank for the buck the truck engine is the way to go, probably half the price of an ls1!

s14akouki

ohh, is the truck block the same as the ls1 block for the most part? b/c most mounting kits for the 240's use ls1/ls2/ls6 blocks which all have the same blocks essentially.

but, yeah i think i'll just look for a sweet ls1 already complete then pieceing it together =D

i don't really intend on redlining the car all day at the track when i do go anyhow.

thanks for the help guys

nice folks here =D

s14akouki

well that's why i wanna get my car carb legal... and my car wouldn't be that loud i'd keep all the cats and mufflers and all the quiet stuff. maybe a better free flowing exhaust if anything.

these motors make all the power i'd want already in stock form and 240's are plenty light w/ this much power it'll be sheer bliss and fun.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Ported L92 heads...L76 intake and a mild cam in the 230's. You'll make way more than 350HP and it'll last forever. And you can do that so friggin ridiculously cheap.

nalmak

iTrader: (1)

Truck blocks will be on the heavier side due to the iron block..But either way ls1 lq9 or whatever..you will make more power than whatever NISMO is throwing at you

nalmak

iTrader: (1)

He is right 97-99 ls1 blocks consume about a quart of oil every 3,000 miles..EVERY block during that year does that due to the PCV system on those blocks..00' and up had a different PCV System which corrected the problem from previous years..So carrying a extra quart of oil in your car, if it is a 97-99 ls1 is not uncommon...

s346k

iTrader: (4)

do you even know why the 97-99 motors have oil return issues? it has nothing to do with oil consumption, as a matter of fact the 99 car in my garage uses less than 1/2 a quart of oil with 5k mile intervals.

back on track...the oil return issues have everything to do with the area in the back of the block machined to return oil from the heads to the pan and has NOTHING to do with pcv. the 97-99 blocks have 2 small holes in the back of the block as opposed to the 2000+ blocks which have an oval area (basically machined out the area between the 2 holes on the previous blocks) which obviously allows much better oil return to the pan.

iwgf, had you ever worked on one of these engines or had any clue wtf you're doing with an ls1, you would already know this. i suggest you learn something about the engines you are trying to give advice about, because i do believe that the fungus on my left ******** knows more about an ls1 than you do, sir.

djsanchez2

iTrader: (14)

Dude your an ******* for no good reason. What crawled up ur ****** and died?



To answer the OP- Cali will not crush ur car unless they can prove it has stolen parts, AND you have to be a repeat offender. There is nothing wrong with living out here, as opposed to some ho-bunk lil hick town out in cow country, or barren *** desert. This is where all the sunshine and pretty girls are man.

You can make some decent power with a Ls1 if modded right. Some guys have even passed smog with a 228 cam, so don't be afraid to go with a decent sized cam, though a 224 should be enough to put down 400rwhp+. I would suggest claiming the engine to be from a 2001+ car. That way you can avoid having to use the EGR crap, and don't have to mod the intake you are going to use to accommodate the tube. The main thing is to take your time and chose your mods wisely.

I have a couple friends with 240's and they always have trouble with those engines for some reason.

I am not 100% sure on the location of the stock Catalytic convertor, but if it is underbody far enough, it will allow you to use long tube headers and remain legal.

As far as the truck blocks go, the actual weight of the iron block is 70lbs more than the alum. block.

For the heads you can send a set of 5.3/5.7 heads to Patriot for CNC porting for ~$600, just remember to have the intake valves swapped out for LS1 valves as they are smaller on the 5.3 heads. Though the 5.3 heads will give you a good bump in compression to help that cam make power. IMHO for something so close to stock the L92 heads are overkill, and the L76 intake sucks. Stick with the LS6 intake and a P&P TB or a FAST 90/90 set-up. 230's cam will deff. not pass smog no matter how good the tuner.

THEBRAD

iTrader: (3)

some of these guys r getting off track and not really helping u any at all other than showing u how to bitch. u said ur going to use this as a daily driver u only want 350hp and it has to pass all smog laws, easy. for 1 the ls1 was kinda under rated power wise so a bone *** stock motor is going to net u somewhere around 300whp anyways. second, these motors r super reliable, pretty much any year, so if u want 350whp any year motor is going to be fine, just find a stock ls1 put the obvious custom headers and cai ur going to need for it on it, make 350whp and its will actually be more reliable for the simple fact it will breath easier. ur going to stick this in a 240 so u will have to have a custom intake and headers obviously, its going to be pretty much impossible to find custom stuff like that that carries a carb# look around, if u cant find anything buy headers or a cai that carries a carb# and fabricate it to fit. dont worry about cams and heads and all that crap, 6 speed behind that ls1 ur going to get almost 30 mpg and make 350whp, ur not using it for a pure drag car so u dont need 500hp. keep it stock keep it simple save a **** ton of cash and have exactly what ur looking for, a smog legal great gas mileage great running car thats super reliable