Cadillac CTS-V - 408 installation is done (as of 8/25)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1LHZ1SnFw

All that's left is a base tune, quite a few oil changes, and cleaning up some under hood wiring and even securing a few wires that got changed around.


Car will not fucking idle, though.

I'm very jealous.

i just blew almost 7k on a motor, and my car still is up on jack stand until i can get a base tune. also, i was completely satisfied with my H/C LS6... i was MAYBE considering a FAST102. I may also not be completely satisfied with my H/C LS6 after I drive this thing around though...

Don't be jealous, I'd rather have kept the money TBH.

http://youtu.be/ic6CkCpXyMs another video, recorded with an iphone, and a video of my very dirty, but me not caring, engine bay.

if someone wants it cleaned bad enough, come clean it. i'm tired as hell :nod:

i actually probably will doctor it up, but not in the next day or so.

that thign sounds diiirty nasty ; )

Congrats, glad you finally got it done. I was worried I would have to make a death notification on this site after reading a few of your facebook posts lol.

I am still considering it, Allen. ;) thanks.

Once you get it on the road, it'll all make sense.

Sounds mean!!! Don't fret, once you get it tuned you'll forget about the H/C LS6 I'm guessing.

Did you do the work in a old bunker? lol

Awesome, can't wait to see the first tuned drive

Bout time!! Lol get it tuned and get more vids!

Nice bro

sounds like a beast congrats.. is there a list in another thread of what needs to be changed to get a 408 in there?

The only real snag I hit was with the motor mounts, which is somewhere in this forum. The LQ9 blocks only have 4 front motor mount holes, whereas the aluminum LS variants have 2 extra in the back. The V is a car that uses the rear ones. I simply got a piece of 1/4 inch thick steel, drilled out the pattern of the bolt holes, tapered the center holes in to accomodate a tapered head Allen screw. After bolting the plate in place, I put the mount in, bolted one side through the bracket and plate, and into the block, and on the other side, bolted the factory mount bracket to the OE locations drilled into the plate. I had to notch out the bottom of my UMI motor mounts to fit, but it came together perfectly. It even picked the engine up enough that the headers are nowhere near the steering shaft, which is a good thing.

Did raising the engine affect the shifter in any way?

The only real snag I hit was with the motor mounts, which is somewhere in this forum. The LQ9 blocks only have 4 front motor mount holes, whereas the aluminum LS variants have 2 extra in the back. The V is a car that uses the rear ones. I simply got a piece of 1/4 inch thick steel, drilled out the pattern of the bolt holes, tapered the center holes in to accomodate a tapered head Allen screw. After bolting the plate in place, I put the mount in, bolted one side through the bracket and plate, and into the block, and on the other side, bolted the factory mount bracket to the OE locations drilled into the plate. I had to notch out the bottom of my UMI motor mounts to fit, but it came together perfectly. It even picked the engine up enough that the headers are nowhere near the steering shaft, which is a good thing.

Can you make me some?

Love it man.. Did you end up going with Tms?

yea i sent you the PM. I ordered up the 370ci block with forged pistons, then for 1,700 more i went with the completely forged 408. Then after that, I decided to get a bigger cam. Then after that I decided to get a FAST102.

So yea, I went about 4,000 dollars over what i should have spent.

The things we do for our cars

Can you make me some?

i can see if i can get any more 1/4 inch plating. you can pull your old LS6, put some chalk on the bolt holes, and push the steel plating to it, then you'll know exactly where to drill.

I could have my dad make you some on the cheap, but you might have to adjust the holes larger.

it won't f'ing start anymore, and now the oil is full of gas, so i had to drain that. I'm thinking it's tune related, but I'm not entirely sure. It fired right up first day, but wouldn't idle, now it won't start at all... but it does crank like a mother fucker.

If you have fuel in your oil it could be a stuck injector flooding the cylinder. Pull your plugs and check for that. Be careful not to hydrolock the motor if it is that.

The airflow numbers are so different between your 408 and your old LS6 that the tune from your LS6 will be way off. Not to mention it still thinks you have stock injectors. All the cranking airflows and timing need adjusted.

If the ecm thinks your running stock injectors, but your running larger one's the pulse width will be way off and depending on how big you went on the injectors you're probably just dumping fuel into the motor. Change the oil and look into the tuning just to make sure you don't damage anything, would be a shame to destroy that thing after all the blood and sweat you have in it.

Ya no kidding. Don't wash out your rings with all that gas. Change your oil and leave it sit until your tuner gets there. Or f'n put on a trailer and take it to the tuner.

yea I drained the oil. I'm gonna check out my plugs and put new oil in it tonight.. Then my tuner will be here tomorrow. I just think it was weird it started fine day 1, then not at all day 2.

tuner is coming out to get me a base tune at 9. i couldn't sleep at all last night. i felt like a kid on christmas morning :X

results?

Man...you are really making me contemplate putting the 408 shortblock I have in my storage unit in the V!!! After the 8.8 and a clutch get in there first. I swore I was gonna keep this thing stock...ish.

i'm still afraid to beat on the car... brand new clutch and shortblock. there's about 100-150 miles on them now. i need to replace the valve cover gaskets before the tuner will dyno it, but there's a base tune on it and it runs really well.

it wouldn't start because i ruined all my spark plugs starting it with the old tune in there, swapped new ones in and it fired right up.

i've yet to shift over 4700 RPM, because i want the rings to fully seat, etc.

the extra weight in the front end has gone completely unnoticed thus far, and i've taken a few bends, albeit off the throttle, at a decent rate of speed.

Have you seen the break in procedures for the LS7s? Give that bastard HELL!!!

Badass set up man! I'm going to be doing something similar to my baby asap

lmao i'll stick with something conventional in terms of break in procedure.

running into an issue with "reduced engine power mode" and my t/c shuts off... tuner said he was fighting it a lot yesterday.

not throwing a check engine light, but when i clear my codes, the issue goes away.

lmao i'll stick with something conventional in terms of break in procedure.

running into an issue with "reduced engine power mode" and my t/c shuts off... tuner said he was fighting it a lot yesterday.

not throwing a check engine light, but when i clear my codes, the issue goes away.

That's odd...too much powah? lol

I wonder if anyone else has run into the same issue.

I guess the computer is thinking the throttle body blade is stuck open because of all the extra airflow coming through when the computer says it should be a lot less.

Sounds feasible. Have you looked to see what code it's actually throwing?

Sounds feasible. Have you looked to see what code it's actually throwing?
generally that issue that throws p1516 code and there is a whole table dedicated to it in the computer...just needs a little adjusting.

I guess the computer is thinking the throttle body blade is stuck open because of all the extra airflow coming through when the computer says it should be a lot less.

If it has a base tune it in then that shouldnt be the problem.

generally that issue that throws p1516 code and there is a whole table dedicated to it in the computer...just needs a little adjusting.

Noted...Gotta bookmark this thread so when I start playing with EFILive when I get back.

my suggestion to you, is just leave it stock.

my suggestion to you, is just leave it stock.

But then what fun would that be?

with fresh fluids, and routine maintenance... THE FUCKING CAR WILL WORK.

http://youtu.be/0yka9ZoKP10

1 minute walk around video

Be interested to see some dyno #'s from this beast.

i am too, still have to completely break in the engine and clutch. i've cut corners before, and it ended up costing me dearly, so from now on, i will do everything completely properly to the best of my ability, and if i cannot do so, there's a lot less shame in asking for help then there is in breaking something that could have been avoided.

i am too, still have to completely break in the engine and clutch. i've cut corners before, and it ended up costing me dearly, so from now on, i will do everything completely properly to the best of my ability, and if i cannot do so, there's a lot less shame in asking for help then there is in breaking something that could have been avoided.

I plan to use what is left of my stock motor to break in the new clutch right before the new motor goes in..hopefully I can time it just right so one isnt waiting on the other.

man im glad im not the only bein brave with the the 6.0 block. i too have a 408 build in progress. should be back from machine shop this week and in car and runnin with a couple weeks i cant frickin wait. was gunna do a 4l80 swap but thats gunna wait for now. gunna enjoy the motor through a six speed first. then after everything is dialed in its time for the first stage of the fun stuff and eventually the second. damn cant wait.

oh and good luck with break in and dyno time man looking forward to some number so i can try and beat them lol

About time homie! Lol now just get an iPhone so the video quality is better... :)

man im glad im not the only bein brave with the the 6.0 block. i too have a 408 build in progress. should be back from machine shop this week and in car and runnin with a couple weeks i cant frickin wait. was gunna do a 4l80 swap but thats gunna wait for now. gunna enjoy the motor through a six speed first. then after everything is dialed in its time for the first stage of the fun stuff and eventually the second. damn cant wait.

oh and good luck with break in and dyno time man looking forward to some number so i can try and beat them lol

What are you doing about mounts?

got the adapter plates already made up. had them water jetted
when i noticed the bolt configuration

then im gunna runnin some after market mount not sure what brand im goin with though probably umi or the other one i cant think of at the moment

I used the umi and notched out the lower portion of the mount 1/4 inch to compensate fornthe 1/4 inch plating.

sweet deal ill have to remember the notchin part never even crossed my mind lol

Yea when you use the plates, it brings the mounts in roughly 1/4 inch on each side. Notched the bottoms out 1/4 inch, and bolted it all together.

cool deal. im actually payin for this to get done bc im just to damn busy at my shop to actually take time to do my own car lol but ill mention it. when ya hittin the dyno?

Yea when you use the plates, it brings the mounts in roughly 1/4 inch on each side. Notched the bottoms out 1/4 inch, and bolted it all together.

Why would you do this? Totally lost here.

Because installing a 1/4" thick plate between the block and motor mount raises the block and widens the distance between the upper mounts that are attached to the block. They no longer line up with the lower mounts.

Sweet build. Sounds great. I am sure I missed this, but what block did you use?

Sounds mean! Can't wait to see the numbers!

got back from the dyno today, made 410/393

got back from the dyno today, made 410/393

Now we just have to get you to do all of my mods, and with your displacement, you'll be at 450-475 RWHP.

i'm kidding. i was at 450 with my ls6 and a smaller cam.

Haha, i was about to say... all that work for 410?

so what were the real numbers or are ya keeping those secret lol

I'm still breaking the clutch and motor in. When that's done, I'll be on the dyno.

I'm still breaking the clutch and motor in. When that's done, I'll be on the dyno.

only way to break it in is to beat on it.. change the oil and throw her on the dyno

This almost made me sick to my stomach...:eek2:
got back from the dyno today, made 410/393

only way to break it in is to beat on it.. change the oil and throw her on the dyno
The engine maybe, but NOT the clutch.

This almost made me sick to my stomach...:eek2:
Me too! I was about to say "get a new tuner" lol

The engine maybe, but NOT the clutch.


Me too! I was about to say "get a new tuner" lol

The clutch has no effect on the dyno. I would still put a few hundred miles ont he motor then throw it on but the clutch could have 2 miles on it it wouldnt matter.

I think he was saying you don't beat on a clutch to break it in.

I think he was saying you don't beat on a clutch to break it in.

Yes this.

Most break in periods of stop n go traffic for a clutch is around 500 miles.