critter

iTrader: (9)

Back in the day, I had a shaft that replaced the distributor to pump oil through the engine with a drill motor. Impossible with an lsx. What do you do about startup with a freshly built bottom end?

PREDATOR-Z

You prime it by unplugging fuel and coils and turning it over by starter only.
If you used ARP assembly lube, that stuff doesn't drip off as fast as just oil.

2>3 tries and you should see oil pressure. Once you do, buckle everything and live start it.

RFERG43

In my LS1/ RX7 conversion I made an aluminum plate to fit where the one just below the oil filter is. There are two holes there. Drill and tap a hole in the plate so it will be over one of the holes. Screw in a barbed fitting. Remove plugs Get a $5.00 diff/ tranny lube pump from Autozone and pump about 1 1/2 quarts of oil into it, hand cranking the motor over once or twice when the pressure builds up. Reverse the plate so the fitting is over the other hole and do the same. It will fill all the oil galleries and pump oil through the entire engine.

critter

iTrader: (9)

That is a clever solution. Not bad at all.

critter

iTrader: (9)

OK, that is what I did. Lost the motor 3rd pass, trying to figure out why.

PREDATOR-Z

You mean third pass down the track??

critter

iTrader: (9)

That is exactly what I mean.

777

iTrader: (21)

Umm...poorly built motor?

xfactor_pitbulls

iTrader: (16)

Whenever you have a shaft and bottom end you should always prelube.

Brandon

critter

iTrader: (9)

Naturally that was my fear, but I have built dozens of engines of all kinds and sizes over the years and never put as much work in as I did this one. I selectively fit bearing, spent half a day washing block and crank, etc. Apparently the machine shop that did the machine work set up the Mahle pistons with 0.0015" clearance (because they do not take coating into account) when boring/honing. Stuff started to shed off the pistons and got into the bearings and my new forged bottom end was history. Total write off.

critter

iTrader: (9)

Since I didn't have a shaft, I didn't prelube. I am in process of building a pressure pre lube system now

BJM

iTrader: (1)

Are you saying that more clearnance should have been left because its a coated piston? You have confirmed that the coating caused the failure? The new GM motors use coated pistons without problems. The most annoying LSX engine issue is piston-bore clearances being too loose and causing slap.

LOnSLO

iTrader: (15)

On a new motor, I use a threaded fitting that goes in place of the oil pressure sending unit. I use that to connect to a pressurized tank full of 6 quarts of oil. Open the valve on the tank, and rotate the motor by hand until all the oil in the tank is gone.

BJM

iTrader: (1)

I realize there are different Mahle pistons but the #027020 pistons are the direct replacement for 98-00 Camaro, Firebird, Corvette LS1 and they have a recommended clearance of .001". From memory (service manual) the stock piston clearance is .0014". Were yours forged, unlike stock?

critter

iTrader: (9)

In this particular case, more clearance should have been used. All my technology is old school (and probably mostly forgotten) so I don't know how much clearance Mahle pistons should have, but I would be sure that GM uses the correct amount in their stock engines. I haven't heard about newer one rattling, just the early ones.

critter

iTrader: (9)

Cripes. Never thought of that. I was thinking of the SBC method which of course starts at the pump. What I am doing is making a fitting to connect to the oil gallery plug on the lower front drivers side of the motor and will pump it in there.

LOnSLO

iTrader: (15)

That's another good spot, especially if the motor is still in the car.

critter

iTrader: (9)

My pistons came from a vendor, 5 or 7 over. Not sure how they would relate to the ones you mention, but IIRC, the card that came with them (which I did not get back) said something like 0.0035" or so, which the machine shop interpreted to mean bare skirt to cyl wall which did not leave enough clearance for the coating. I am positive the card did not say one thou.
Heh. The stock pistons I took out were looser than that ....

critter

iTrader: (9)

Which it will be.
My biggest concern is not pumping air in after the oil. Sort of defeats the purpose. The right way would be to use a bladder or piston to seperate the pressurized air and oil, or to use a real pump. I didn't think you could generate enough pressure with one of those Autozone fluid transfer things. I am in a hurry, so I will use air pressure and a pressure pot, and be careful rather than building something with a bladder or piston.

racer7088

Critter,

Pistons are made for the bore on the box. The clearance is built into them from the factory. If they say it's for a 3.905 bore thats what they mean. This shop that did your engine must be in the 50s still I guess? Also you CAN and SHOULD double check it as well off of where they measure the suggested skirt clearance but it should already be designed into the piston. We have used many Mahle pistons with GREAT results especially on NA apps. That sucks but do you know what the bore size the pistons were made for vs. what they were really honed to? There's where your problem lies or most of it probably.