1981TA

iTrader: (7)

I picked up a LS1 engine in a trade. It is a stock engine from a 2001 base Corvette. It had @2500 miles and was replaced under warranty for excessive piston slap. When I received the engine, it had no balancer bolt, so I bought one and put it in. While cranking the bolt down, the rotating assembly turned, and I heard "tinking" noises. Turns out there was metal loose inside Cylinder 1.

I pulled the heads. The bores, pistons and combustion chambers all look beautiful. However, cylinder one hit TDC about 2 MM low, and had rod bearings and a compression ring stuck in it.

I pulled the oil pan. The rod bolts for #1 were loose. Joy.

I suspect that the dealership pulled piston one after yanking the engine out of the car, and stuck the ring and bearings on top of the piston. I don't know why, other than either maliciousness or some goofy service replacement rules.

Anyway, that's what I got. I figured I'd do some mods while it's torn down. What would you suggest, given these parameters:

• The car is a 1981 Trans Am non-AC WS6, lowered and being prepped for road racing (Global West springs, tubular A-arms, tied frame, aftermarket brakes, 'glass hood, battery in trunk, blah blah)
• The budget is relatively low (let's say $1000 for FY 2010, $2000 for FY 2011).
• I have not bought headers yet
• I have an Edelbrock controller/carb intake combo, a nearly new Holley Commander 950 TBI from a previous project.
• The trans is currently a TH350. I expect to blow it up while sorting out the chassis
• The heads are 241s
• I see signs of oil blow-by
• I already have coils, wires, plugs, starter and flexplate with spacer
• I do not have the accessory serpentine drive system yet

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

bump

Specifically, I'm interested in cam, header and head choices, given the intended use of the car and short budget. I'm pretty much resigned to doing a ring job, since the engine is torn down anyway.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

ok so im no expert or anything lets get that out of the way but I am interested. Do you have any kind of horsepower # you wanna swing for and what mods are you looking to do? Are you thinking maybe a cam and intake or are you wanting to shave heads, port heads, etc.? also what stall?

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

btw a friends trans am with stock 843 heads made 403 hp with a tsp 233/239 .595/.605 114lsa cam with the 243's im sure youd make that if not more. And for a racecar that cam would be very driveable

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

I think 400 to 450 would be fine, much more than that probably wouldn't help much with the car's current chassis set up. I had traction issues with the previous engine, which was a 375 horse SBC. Tires are 245/50/16 Firehawks on GTA wheels, btw. Rear end is a factory 10 bolt 3.23 posi disc-brake. I have a C-clip eliminated 4.xx geared 12 bolt with strange axles waiting in the wings, but it's spooled, and will need a new diff. I'm back-burnering that for now. The 10-bolt does the job for the time being.

I could shave/port the heads, or trade them in on finished heads. The intake is an Edelbrock 7118 carb intake. I don't have a carb yet, but I do have the Holley 950 Commander. Odd set up, I know, but the car does have a functioning shaker hood and I'm kinda partial to it :-). That said, I'm not past selling off the Commander set up.

Stall on the current trans is stock. The whole thing WILL be replaced late next year with something more fun (A prepped 700R4/4L60 or M6, haven't decided).

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

Btw, the car is a road-race learning car. If I munge it, I would only be $6000 angry, instead of $30000 angry if the G8 bit it. :-)

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

yeah i think i understand. Im pretty partial to that tsp cam but youll definitely need a stall for it. and I feel like the ten bolt will be ok for road racing as long as you don't hook somewhere, but the gear concerns be. I know with w th350 you cant get too big but that 4.xx woould be much easier on that cammed motor. honestly with stock 243's and a decent cam I bet youll get 425 or so, the auto will be the biggest hindrance. Like everyone always says though ask patrick G to spec you a cam for what you wanna do. Idk what kinda track youre at or anything if its tight corners low speed, sweeping turns and high speed etc. You have a boatload of options either way

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

It sounds like I'd be best served selling off the 10-bolt before I hurt it, and use the proceeds on the 12-bolt. The track that is most convenient for me to get to is Gingerman, in Michigan. I also like Road America in Wisconsin, but have yet to be on either one competitively. There's that Autocross country club set up near the Route-66 Dragway, but membership looks a bit steep to me.

trans... that will be the big issue, I think. I know I should go manual, but that isn't in the budget for this year. Try finding a guy with a 2nd Gen manual set up that doesn't want a mint for it. Not easy.

The car is relatively light for a 2nd Gen TA, @3150 pounds before it went on a diet, estimating @2900 now ('glass hood, lighter engine, aluminum front bumper structure, late-model radiator, etc), so 425 HP would be a great kick in the butt.

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

yeah a manual is gonna make a world of difference for you. As for the ten bolt i think if you did go to a manual that had at least a 1:1 4th gear or even overdrive that the 3.23 would make the car more vesitile. You dont want to go down the front stretch of road america with a couple stangs in the mirror and run out of gear..... Itd be great if you retro fitted an ls1 t56. then you could go with that 4.xx gear and still have the top end too. thats honestly gonna be your best bet. I hate to say it but if you cant build the engine cheap id put it back together right and try to get a manual. If you have the rear already, I would spend this years grand on a cam and nice valve springs, then next year put the 2k in a t56 setup and then slide that rear end under it. Best of both worlds there

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

yeah, the T56 is the dream trans for this car. I'll save the pennies for that, definitely. Thanks for the tips.

garygnu

eps cam and bigger injectors.PnP TB.

89 formula350

iTrader: (8)

if its a warr. job and after tear down they say ok its getting a long block.. all parts need to go with the eng. so rather than take another hour reinstalling parts its faster to just dump loose parts in a hole and slap the head on

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

got it. I was puzzled by that. I guess I'm glad they went that route instead of chucking the parts in the can. I wouldn't have heard the loose bits (or been clued in that piston 1 didn't have bearings or rings). It's kinda whacked that they didn't mention the tear down and inspection. But, thinking back on it, it was MUCH easier pulling the driver side head than the passenger head.

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and have the block honed and put it a set of forged flattops. Might as well do it right, now. Just gotta convince the family treasurer...

djfury05

iTrader: (30)

Really no need for forged internals unless your running nitrous or boost.. the 10 bolt will hold up for a long time since your not drag racing but rather in continuous motion so no need to worry about that for now either. Blow by is normal for these motors. Did you get a topend with the motor too or just the longblock and no intake/tb etc?

txh0tb0i972

iTrader: (63)

i just scanned throw this and read ur looking at 400-450 hp... I would recommmend you going with a t56 and not a th350... also a good cam would be like tr232 or so... hell maybe even the thunder racing cheatr cam! that is my recommendations! hope it works out!

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

DJ: I just got the long block, including water pump. I bought an Edelbrock carb intake and controller off Ebay last month (and need to get a MAP sensor for that).

If I get the cylinders honed, wouldn't I need to replace the pistons anyway? I'm figuring while I'm at it, spent a little extra, and get forged. I won't be using nitrous or a power adder. The other extreme end is buying just the ring set and bearings for the #1 cylinder, and just get the heads ported and polished. There are visible grooves in the bores, but I can't catch a nail on them.

TX: thanks for the input. The vote is universally "Go T56." Must be something to it. The T350 has been a reliable little guy, but I'm thinking his days are numbered.

djfury05

iTrader: (30)

You can just get a ball hone which takes out about .002-.003 of material while inducing new cross hatches.. then you'll just need new ringlands. That is definitely cheaper than forged. Just trying to keep you within your budget man

1981TA

iTrader: (7)

Oh yeah, me too. Trust me, the "money sink hole" feeling is getting there. Four weeks ago, I was hours away from test firing what would have been an incredibly cheap LS1 - @1300 with aftermarket intake. I'm glad I turned it by hand first. But, now looking to spent at minimum $200 (by being a cheap *** and just getting rings and bearings for one cylinder, then bolts and gaskets). Gotta hate it when your toys slip back a few months before being usable.

MillsMotorvation

Good luck, just drove my car Friday. Its a 1981TTA, I installed a LQ4, with stock PCM, and TH350. The thing's that slowed me down is all the little part's Dakota Digital VSS, temp sensor adaptor for pass side head. Mounted the PCM in the car, almost had the wires to short! Car came with a 4.9 turbo, and this LQ4 is way lighter the car sit's 3inches higher in the front. Also installes new body bushing's. Still got truck intake, and pulleys. Car has instant power. The Z06 cam sounds stock until you floor it!