You were using the Fel-Pro HG when it popped?

 

Yea. $65 Permatorque .041 gasket. FEL-1161R041

These jobbers...

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/f...make/chevrolet

Was wanting the extra bump in compression to help spool the S480. 799's milled .025 as well.

 

Looks like it popped where the gasket has the recess for the notched heads?

 

Doh! they were the smaller 3.9” LS1 gasket too. Probably my issue. That means I gotta change the other side too. Dammit man, that’s what I get for changing my usual part list. Good eye, thanks… Wish I would have waited to put the intake and fluids back in...

 

 

Yea I bet that’s it. Good to know the piston might not be damaged. It looks like a tight seal going by the markings on the deck. Can clearly see the indent for the LS1 head though. I bet it deformed the gasket a ton there. I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

 

I would be surprised if the head did not get deformed a bit where the head gasket blew. I would probably put a cleanup pass on the head just to be sure if it were mine.

 

I’m sure you’re right. I left the black “burnt” area on it in the pics and block/wet sanded with 600 grit. It slowly disappeared without any obvious low areas. So it couldn’t be horribly deformed anyway. Honestly I was thinking the ring lands were beat out of it and I was taking a big gamble putting it back together anyway.

 

Are you going to go with the LS9 gaskets or Felpro again this time around when you reassemble everything again?

 

Already have the pass side back together with the LS9. Car is together and running now. I’ll tear is down again and go with a matching LS9 on the driver side when I get a chance.

 

Lots of rain this weekend but I got to sneak out for some street tests. Holding 20lbs on the street with no overheating or weirdness going on. So far it looks like I didn’t beat the ring lands out of it. Debating replacing the driver side head at this point too. I hate to tear into the engine that appears to be working fine. I’ve had others assure me the LS1 style pocketed MLS HG’s work just fine and it was only a coincidence mine blew at the pocket. Not sure I buy that, but it seems ok now. Bumped the fueling to the #4 cylinder up 6% and dropped the timing 2* over 20lbs. We’ll see how that does.

Also finally picked up a trailer. So if I blow it up, I’ll be able to tow it home! It had this attached to it so I went ahead and took that too. 1700lbs 77 triumph with a 200hp 2.3 ford 4 banger. No idea what I’ll do with the thing. Too good of a deal to pass up! I’m gonna try and tag it!

 

That's cool!! (I meant the TR7 (?), but it's also cool that your engine seems good now)

 

Yup it’s a TR7. Was looking into stripping a car down like the vette kart from RoadKill for years now. A 1700lb car ready to go and setup for road racing sounded much easier! Hope I can tag it. Has a an 11:1 2.3 ford in it. Going to convert it to E85.

 

Fixed that for you!

 

Very cool. I did the 2.3 Ford thing for way too long.

 

Are you still running tall tires, what gear do you have out back?

 

Still on 30" 3.25 gear. Car slows down with 28" quite a bit. Its dead over 6k. Cant figure it. I have a 3.60 id like to try. Think its converter. Did the same with the 5.3, 6.0, and now 4.8. Has plenty of spring... back pressure is low. Ls6 intake. Prob dont make enough power for 14 stator ptc.

 

Locally LS6 intake topped turbo combos with an LJMS or BTR cam have been shifted around 6200-6400.

I am doing a hi ram + soft lobe cam from Baker and will shift at 8,000.

 

Its tempting to toss a short runner intake on it and see if anything changes. Less work than swapping the converter and/or gears anyway! Local buddy runs a 4.8 with ls1 intake and ls6 cam and the thing buzzes to 7200 without issue in a little 240sx. So while I can’t see the LS6 as optimal for big rpm... I don’t think it should hit a wall at 6k either.

The car literally lost like 5 mph just switching to a 28” tire. Pretty sure it’s on a wall with the converter and not coupling with the goofy gearing. Dusty from PTC told me the gearing in the car will never work. They suggested a 3.90 minimum with my setup. Gotta say I love the 3.25’s on the street and clicking off 8.XX is still a blast, so I’m not too unhappy with it. Buzzing these things to the moon does seem to be the latest and greatest. But cruising around town at 4k is a stinker! I’ve got 2.73’s in my mustang with a TH400 and it’s even better! Like a glide with OD, lol. Oddly enough it acts the same way and falls on its face around 6k. (TBSS intake on it).

 

Haven’t updated much but everybody likes a video... Hoping to get it out this weekend to a “midnight drags” event. Haven’t been back to the track since replacing the HG. Though have put alot of street miles on it since. Been happy at 15lbs or so. We’ll see how it is does at 20-25.


Been playing with the “fake” choppy idle settings on the MS3. The cam had no real noticeable lope before. Pretty small 216/222 cam. Has a little rumble now, much more noticeable in person.




Here’s the old idle.