Making a 148k mile motor live at 8-10psi (550rwhp)
12-03-2008, 01:52 PM
#1
Making a 148k mile motor live at 8-10psi (550rwhp) Hey guys,
I got lucky and snagged an inconTT kit for cheap.
Im getting ready to install it on my TA.
The car has 148k miles on it, and i would feel alot better if i freshened up some things. I plan to do good rods and pistons down the road, so i want to do this on the cheap just to help it live for a bit.
I planned to do ARP rod bolts, new bearings, and new rings.
I understand that this isn't the best way to go about things, but im thinkin that it would at least help a little. I know low mileage motors have lived at those power levels for a while before problems came up.
We were planning to pop a main cap off and inspect. If the bearing look good, then just throw the cap back on and call it a day.
For the rods we were going to do the same thing... inspect and see, if everything looks ok then reassemble with ARP bolts. We would plastiguage also just to make sure.
If things looked like they had some wear, i would going to just throw some stock sized bearings back in place and call it a day.
For the rings... we were just going to use a 3-stone hone and then put the new rings in and call it a day.
Do you feel that those things would help the motor live longer, or would i not really be gaining much?
I plan to drive around at ~500rwhp and maybe crank it up to 550 or so from time to time.
I got lucky and snagged an inconTT kit for cheap.
Im getting ready to install it on my TA.
The car has 148k miles on it, and i would feel alot better if i freshened up some things. I plan to do good rods and pistons down the road, so i want to do this on the cheap just to help it live for a bit.
I planned to do ARP rod bolts, new bearings, and new rings.
I understand that this isn't the best way to go about things, but im thinkin that it would at least help a little. I know low mileage motors have lived at those power levels for a while before problems came up.
We were planning to pop a main cap off and inspect. If the bearing look good, then just throw the cap back on and call it a day.
For the rods we were going to do the same thing... inspect and see, if everything looks ok then reassemble with ARP bolts. We would plastiguage also just to make sure.
If things looked like they had some wear, i would going to just throw some stock sized bearings back in place and call it a day.
For the rings... we were just going to use a 3-stone hone and then put the new rings in and call it a day.
Do you feel that those things would help the motor live longer, or would i not really be gaining much?
I plan to drive around at ~500rwhp and maybe crank it up to 550 or so from time to time.
12-03-2008, 01:59 PM
#3
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You plan on putting all that stress on your motor at stock compression ?? I would definately think about the larger cc heads to drop compression. JMO though, I am not a professional by any means. I pay the pros. Hope someone else can chime in on this.
Good pick up though and best of luck !!
Good pick up though and best of luck !!
12-03-2008, 02:07 PM
#5
Kinda wanting to avoid an all-out rebuild for now.
My plan was to just throw it on there, but now am thinking that at least Rod Bolts would be a good idea since its a 98.
Within the next year it will get forged rods and pistons, 6.0 heads w/good springs, and a mild turbo cam.
I know there are tons of stock long block cars that are making 500-550 and they live.
Before i did the motor in my camaro it was a H/C nitrous car making over 500rwhp and ~600rwtq and it lived for years as a stock shortblock (actually looked perfect when i took it apart at 100k miles... after 50k miles of abuse and dozens of bottles)
My plan was to just throw it on there, but now am thinking that at least Rod Bolts would be a good idea since its a 98.
Within the next year it will get forged rods and pistons, 6.0 heads w/good springs, and a mild turbo cam.
I know there are tons of stock long block cars that are making 500-550 and they live.
Before i did the motor in my camaro it was a H/C nitrous car making over 500rwhp and ~600rwtq and it lived for years as a stock shortblock (actually looked perfect when i took it apart at 100k miles... after 50k miles of abuse and dozens of bottles)
12-03-2008, 02:19 PM
#6
well you dont have many choices. you can rebuild your bottom end now with forged internals, or you can take a chance and boost your 148k mile shortblock. i would reccomend forging the bottom end because if you crack your stock shortblock or **** up your heads you'll have to buy more parts and it will be more expensive in the long run.
you could buy a lq4 short block for damn cheap ($4-600) with low miles that will take alot more abuse then the ls1 and it has a lower compression ratio stock.
you could buy a lq4 short block for damn cheap ($4-600) with low miles that will take alot more abuse then the ls1 and it has a lower compression ratio stock.
. While still making 400-500hp. JMO of course. Trending Topics
12-03-2008, 04:59 PM
#9
Why is 550rwhp such huge risk in your opinion? People have taken these motors well past that with good luck... they didn't last forever but they did take it for a while.
I was almost there on nitrous on my old 346 in my camaro, and im sure the nitrous was a lot more of a hard hit than what this turbo is going to produce.
Im not looking for a miracle here... **** happens... but if rod bolts and some new bearings will help it at all then i think its cheap money and worth doing.
I was almost there on nitrous on my old 346 in my camaro, and im sure the nitrous was a lot more of a hard hit than what this turbo is going to produce.
Im not looking for a miracle here... **** happens... but if rod bolts and some new bearings will help it at all then i think its cheap money and worth doing.
12-03-2008, 05:10 PM
#10
8-10psi typically wont tickle an engine's tummy. I'd run it and make sure the tune is spot on, and don't raise your rev limiter. Thermal management will do more for your tired motor than anything else. If you keep the heat out of the intake charge it will go a lot further in protecting your motor than rod bolts and new bearings will.
12-03-2008, 08:21 PM
#11
8-10 PSI with some 317s with good springs and an 02+ LS6 cam.
Should get you 500+ RWHP, and be pretty reliable on the stock bottom end. I would upgrade to an LS2 timing chain and ported LS6 pump as well while doing the cam. With a good tune and as long as you keep good gas in it, should stay alive for a long time. Is it auto or manual?
Should get you 500+ RWHP, and be pretty reliable on the stock bottom end. I would upgrade to an LS2 timing chain and ported LS6 pump as well while doing the cam. With a good tune and as long as you keep good gas in it, should stay alive for a long time. Is it auto or manual?
12-04-2008, 08:47 AM
#12
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The rod bolts and the bearings and the rings in my oppinion WOULD be a huge help. The rod bolts are a culprit for many broken LS1's, the bearings have been known to spin at higher rpm's, and sure as hell a hone and new rings will help the motor seal almost like new. Im not a FI guy, but im doing that to my motor right now and it makes me feel alot better about revving it to 7,200. As for the heads, lowering compression would probably help out alot. And as for the rpm's the person who commented on the thermal thing had a very good point, and id prolly keep em lower than 6800 for sure. If you plan on doing new internals in a year, why not be able to have the car last and have fun till then?
12-04-2008, 09:03 AM
#13
The rod bolts and the bearings and the rings in my oppinion WOULD be a huge help. The rod bolts are a culprit for many broken LS1's, the bearings have been known to spin at higher rpm's, and sure as hell a hone and new rings will help the motor seal almost like new. Im not a FI guy, but im doing that to my motor right now and it makes me feel alot better about revving it to 7,200. As for the heads, lowering compression would probably help out alot. And as for the rpm's the person who commented on the thermal thing had a very good point, and id prolly keep em lower than 6800 for sure. If you plan on doing new internals in a year, why not be able to have the car last and have fun till then?
When i first purchased this car my plan was to just daily drive it and not really care... and the miles didn't bother me... then plans changed.
Back when my camaro was low mileage i made this kind of power with it and the motor never even blinked. Plus that was with nitrous.
I mean basicly it would make the motor "fresh" to do bearings, rings, and rod bolts... probably even better than new.
Im not trying to set the world on fire with this car... the whole point of it is to have a fun daily driver that i can hammer on from time to time. If i can throw a couple hundred dollars at it and help it live longer, thats all im really after.
I dont think i will even need to spin it to 6800. I have noticed a lot of turbo guys short shift at not much over 6000 and still have good results. Seems like RPMs hurt parts faster than just power, so that is to my advantage.
I read all the time of people with both turbo kits and prochargers, etc, making 500-550rwhp on a stock longblock and it lasts for a long time... i remember even hearing about 600-700rwhp stock motors cars that people have done with success... obviously it isn't idea and is on borrowed time... but it held up for a little while. I KNOW that a stock motor will take the modest power goals that i have... what im worried about is a stock HIGH MILEAGE motor being able to take the power. Just trying to do some little things to restore the motor a bit.
12-04-2008, 09:47 AM
#15
I have been talking to Harlan a bit about the kit in general. I know he made ~700rwhp with his... not sure all the details but i think he was still stock bottom end at that point.
