GhosT5

Hi, since I'm gonna be taking the motor out of my 93 Z28 for a paintjob, and since it has over 170k on it (as far as I know from carfax), I'm considering rebuilding it. Let me start by saying the budget on this project is EXTREMELY tight, so if I go ahead with it I'll keep it stock as much as possible. The car is going to be a weekend driver and I want to squeeze the most of the lt1.

I will want to swap in a hot cam and put an msd distributor cap and rotor to make it vented. I heard a lot of people use ls7 lifters but I never really investigated, so my first question would be why are they good and what effect it will have to an almost stock application? I also would port and polish the heads and the intake, as well as do a valve job and deshroud the combustion chamber if need be.

Using stiffer springs also comes to mind. Any advice on that? What about rockers?

I also have this idea of converting from pcv to a breather. Is it a good idea?

Since the heads will have more flow I should also think about bigger injectors, should I?

More on the cam, what specs would you recommend? I don't really have a goal on power, rather just an improvement over stock. Plus I love the way they sound <3

Anyway, this is all that comes to mind ATM. Any advice will go highly appreciated, after all, this is my first project. If I think of anything else I will definitely post it here

02v8ta

iTrader: (8)

While I'm no expert in the field, if you're going to have the heads off and bother with getting them, AND the Intake ported, I'd set my goals bigger than the hot-cam.

Contact LE @ http://elliottsportworks.com/ and tell him what you want out of the car and he can get you more than a off the shelf cam.

You can also put in a decent "sounding" cam and not have to bother with the heads. Look into the cc503 if that sounds more appealing.

GhosT5

Forgot to mention that I'll be doing all the work myself, and ask what power the stock components can handle, especially the shortblock.

After everything I'll put LTs on it and have someone do a custom exhaust, or get a universal kit.

nascarnate326

iTrader: (1)

I just did an engine rebuild with GM hotcam kit. Should be putting the heads on it this weekend and getting it installed the weekend after.

If you go the hotcam path realize that none of the kit will work with a larger cam (like AI or LE 226/230)

I had my motor taken apart, cleaned, painted, and reassembled for $914 for the short block. That includes all gaskets for the entire motor and head bolts. Im doing a lot of painting/ cleaning to everything else as well.

Here is my thread on my local forum

http://www.mifbody.com/vbulletin/sho...837#post801837

nascarnate326

iTrader: (1)

Usually Long Tubes and the rest of the bolt on gang are done before a cam swap is done.

Stock blocks can handle quite a bit, most builds are 500rwhp or less.

Are you staying in speed density or switching to OBDII?

bufmatmuslepants

iTrader: (3)

What is "extremely tight" for a budget? To do a base heads/cam rebuild you'll need at LEAST 3 grand. If you did a basic bottom end refresh with the stock rods resized for ARP rod bolts and new gaskets/bearings/cleaning it would be a grand, then LE1 heads/cam completely assembled with new springs for $1200, plus used long tubes for $150, inspect and reuse stock lifters, used 30lb injectors for $200, a mail order tune $200, new clutch (competition clutch stage 2.5 for $260), used roller rockers, studs and guideplayes $300, reuse your stock hardened pushrods if they are the right length (not recommended but saves $100), plus extras you are at $3000 minimum. The hotcam kit looks good on paper, but for an extra $500 you can have your heads completely refreshed with better springs and ported and a better cam from LE. You can save some money here and there by being super Jewish and patient with used parts from the classifieds and Craigslist, or doing a lot of reading and attempting to port your own heads. I've been debating doing all this for years now.

Also I'd rather convert to OBD1 rather than OBD 2 as it seems to be easier to tune.

cardo0

Do a compression and leakdown test before removing the engine. If compression is good then no-way rebuild the bottom end - just do the heads and a new cam. The sb chevy bottom is good for over 300k mi - more like 350k mi. Save yourself some $$$ and have more fun driving the car than working on a rebuild that's not needed.

Just get a performance vlv job with 3 to 5 angles and put on some good vlv springs. Plenty of good cams on the shelf that lift to 0.5" without 1.6 rockers to save more bucks. The LT1 head stops flowing any more over 0.5" vlv lift - no need to go higher with stock heads. IMHO the LS6 beehive spring is the choice but u need to read up how to install them - or have the machine shop do it.
With good springs u can go big with the cam like the Comp CC503 - but u will need a mail order tune minimum.

Good luck,
cardo