Is this normal for high boost E85?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12
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Is this normal for high boost E85? Installed a new breather system. Started it up before hose management and hard mounting the breather.
I just checked it is a little overfilled with oil about 1 1/2 over. Emptying that now.
2014 SS Sedan
2650
E85
mild cam
stage 2 valve train
16.5 psi
78k miles
I just checked it is a little overfilled with oil about 1 1/2 over. Emptying that now.
2014 SS Sedan
2650
E85
mild cam
stage 2 valve train
16.5 psi
78k miles
Kinda depends. If a bunch of condensation/water has built up in the pan and you install a breather like that, its going to do that until the water is gone. If that’s on a fresh oil change an is pumping like that, I’d bet you crunched a ring land.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12
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After the fresh oil and filter still smoking and under boost pulls hard and runs smooth but smoke poors out. Fkkkkkkkk.
goong to do a leak down….
Anyone recommend good drop in pistons and rods for LS3?
goong to do a leak down….
Anyone recommend good drop in pistons and rods for LS3?
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2013
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that sounds easier to stomach than a Texas speed 427 or LSX.
Both jobs are approximately 30 hours of labor?
getting quotes from 4000-5600 so far from local performance shops.
16lbs on an ls3 is not setting the world on fire. Just grab any gen4 6.0,5.3, or even a 4.8. You can make the same power for 1/3rd the cost. Don’t need aftermarket parts to run boost that low on e85. What you do need to do is figure out how you hurt the motor in the first place, because it will hurt the new one the same way. No reason you should munched a piston on 16lbs on e85. Somethings wrong with the fuel delivery or the tune up.
Seems steep but maybe I'm off base.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 42
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From: Albuquerque, NM
16lbs on an ls3 is not setting the world on fire. Just grab any gen4 6.0,5.3, or even a 4.8. You can make the same power for 1/3rd the cost. Don’t need aftermarket parts to run boost that low on e85. What you do need to do is figure out how you hurt the motor in the first place, because it will hurt the new one the same way. No reason you should munched a piston on 16lbs on e85. Somethings wrong with the fuel delivery or the tune up.
on second thought, I 100% agree with this.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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piston/rods/machine work/fluids/labor = 6k
texas speed 427/machine work/fluids/labor = 14k
I wanted to do this but 2 years from now. Drove the car for 3 days at that power level and hurt her. I agree I’m anxious to figure out what the root cause was……
what should I do boys?
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 42
Likes: 12
From: Albuquerque, NM
quite a few options to choose from, but assume you'd have the 7k-14k to play with, you could pick up an iron truck motor from the junkyard (4.8/5.3/6.0 or hell even a 6.2 if you're lucky enough) for $400 or less, even better if it has heads on there. take it to a machine shop and have them deck the surfaces and hone it. IF it's a Gen IV block you'd have plenty of strength with the SBE, those will last you up into the 1000's. Money saved, your LS3 valvetrain likely work with what you have now if you swapped it over, again money saved.
Most engine shops also offer to assemble the block for you given that you provide the parts needed to them. All you'd pay for is the cleaning, honing and labor it took to assemble it all.
Then like Forcefed said, you could focus on what damaged that piston in the first place and still have plenty of dough left over to focus on cooling, tuning, fuel management etc.
Most engine shops also offer to assemble the block for you given that you provide the parts needed to them. All you'd pay for is the cleaning, honing and labor it took to assemble it all.
Then like Forcefed said, you could focus on what damaged that piston in the first place and still have plenty of dough left over to focus on cooling, tuning, fuel management etc.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 2
quite a few options to choose from, but assume you'd have the 7k-14k to play with, you could pick up an iron truck motor from the junkyard (4.8/5.3/6.0 or hell even a 6.2 if you're lucky enough) for $400 or less, even better if it has heads on there. take it to a machine shop and have them deck the surfaces and hone it. IF it's a Gen IV block you'd have plenty of strength with the SBE, those will last you up into the 1000's. Money saved, your LS3 valvetrain likely work with what you have now if you swapped it over, again money saved.
Most engine shops also offer to assemble the block for you given that you provide the parts needed to them. All you'd pay for is the cleaning, honing and labor it took to assemble it all.
Then like Forcefed said, you could focus on what damaged that piston in the first place and still have plenty of dough left over to focus on cooling, tuning, fuel management etc.
Most engine shops also offer to assemble the block for you given that you provide the parts needed to them. All you'd pay for is the cleaning, honing and labor it took to assemble it all.
Then like Forcefed said, you could focus on what damaged that piston in the first place and still have plenty of dough left over to focus on cooling, tuning, fuel management etc.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 2
Update: after breather system installed and fresh oil/filter she is still choochin like a locomotive.
Please ignore the zip ties on the breather bracket. After startup she was still smoking. Hard mounting the bracket now.
Please ignore the zip ties on the breather bracket. After startup she was still smoking. Hard mounting the bracket now.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 42
Likes: 12
From: Albuquerque, NM
Haha I appreciate it man, but just getting started on Tech myself, glad I could be at least some help to ya. Can't hog all the glory though, ****** & Forcefed are some pretty knowledgeable guys.
As for those vids, it's still too much for comfort, but dam that LS3 sounds goood.
As for those vids, it's still too much for comfort, but dam that LS3 sounds goood.