damnit man that sucks

 

if you cant find an LS1 block just find a 5.3 alum and bore it out.

 

Well your block is gona be at the machine shop anyway.

 

Well, after buying a block, and paying to prep one that block that turned out to be an 80lb mistake, paying to have extra machine work done is getting expensive.

I'm ready to pay the bill, sell what's sellable, and call it quits.

 

Cmon man.
Atleast stick a stock 5.3 on there. Don't give up.!

 

Read through this....very tough luck.

But on the other hand, dont give up. This hobby has its rewards as well as its kicks in the junk. Good thing is the rewards are greater than the groin kicks. Have a few more beers, let it sit for awhile then get back after it.

Good luck

 

.......

 

So should I just have the block welded, or start over?

 

My humble opinion is, since the machine work has been completed already, to have the crack welded. Yes, you need a pretty beefy TIG welder to complete that task, but it is possible. Otherwise you have to source another used block for some amount of money, and then pay for the machining costs again.

Therefore do a simple equation:
Option A: Cost to weld the block and continue on where you left off
or
Option B: Cost to purchase used block + cost to machine it

Then add in some "Comfort level" (only you can determine this) and pick one.

 

Weld it.

 

I'm sorry for your crap luck! This is tough to swallow. Like others have said, maybe step back for a bit and take a breather.
On another note, I'm just a noob, but like White.Lightning said, why not weld it and see.
They seem to be able to repair just about anything these days and I'll state it again, I'm new, but this is just the tab where the starter bolts correct? So... IF it broke down the road, would anything else engine wise get messed up? Seems to me you could maybe even come up with a reinforcement plate of some type. But I'm just throwing out ideas.
Again, need to weigh all the costs involved.
Good luck!

 

I've seen guys reweld the starter block area after the whole thing has ripped off.

 

If your machinist has any heart, at all, and wants to do whats right, he will do it again free or give a huge discount. I mean the machines are the ones doing the work right. My builder gave me a big discount. removed the motor and tranny for free. and is installing at a discounted rate, as well as installing all the other goodies as part of the motor criteria. I mean I know they gotta make money too, but it should not be at the cost of severe customer misfortune. maybe im just cheap. i hope this all works out.

i mean you paid them to inspect and machine the block. that is the first thing a machinist does is inspection before hand. I mean you don't just start ******* the **** outta someone, then check to see if its a chick after your done. (bad example prob)


either way....im still trying to entice you over to an iron block. **** the weight. All you want is reassurance. sell all the **** you got, and buy this, and build it. the machine work has already been done, and the block is ready to assemble and already machined...for 700 bucks that is a deal. even after driving to pick it up, with fuel costs, you still prob wont come near what you would machining the new block.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/parts-cla...lq9-block.html


atlanta is not that far.

 

Well, I left my machinist a couple text messages yesterday saying I wanted to weld the block, but I haven't heard back from him. I called a couple places and both said it would not be a problem to do it, and it will not impact the block, so that's reassuring.

Time will tell.

 

good. back on track.

 

Just have it welded, I had a chunck broken out of the block (belhousing mounting) when a clutch exploded, the repair came out great and a damn site cheaper then a new block and all the machining.

 

Imo its his job to inspect it before the machining process starts. He needs to get it fixed for you.

 

FWIW I would find someone that's competent and have it welded. I'm pretty sure they would "V" out where the crack is and weld it. I think it would be easier than welding up an iron block.

The one I think I don't know is if the block would have to be heated up/cooled when its welded and if that would distort the block any.

I'm sorry that you are having more bad luck. I did a build for my 3rd gen a while back. The machine shop decked the block wrong. I found this out after I got it back together. I got so pissed off I sold everything. I wish I never did. I still regret it.

Don't give up on your build. The car is super nice. As others have mentioned, take a break, cool off and start again when you are interested in it.

Best of luck.

 

Well, the block is sitting in my garage, and I'm looking to get it welded.

I'm hoping that it turns out fine. Worst case scenario is that the weld doesn't hold, the starter ***** the bed, and I pull the motor down the road and get a new block and fix it again....bad, but not the end of the world.

I've gotten every reponse from people that it can be welded and will be fine, so that's the path I'm chosing. It's hard to argue with 100% support of one decision. Now if I take the block to a welder and they have their doubts, then it's a different story, but at this point, I'm hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Keep your fingers crossed that the welder can weild their magic.

 

Hey man, My buddy is a superior fabricator/welder...if your into racing Im sure you heard his name.. Joe (joey) Gambino from Precision Racecars. We're over in NJ, not sure how far into PA you are. But I wouldn't have anyone weld it unless it was him. If you want, pm me and I can meet up with you and bring you/block over to his shop and get him to tig it up for "my cost" which would be a fraction of what he would charge anybody else.
Curt