My LSX build... from hell.....
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My LSX build... from hell.....
I figure its about time to post some pics as my build finishes for this year. This entire build has been a nightmare, so many little things fucked up, very frustrating. I'm happy its almost all done now and was done right.
Back in March after a certain photoshoot which I had been holding out for, scared of breaking something prior, I was beating hard on the car and cracked the block. OOps. It felt the best right before it blew ahahah
Decided on a build plan:
LSX block
ETP 255s 73cc chambers 6 bolt/cyl
Diamond pistons -24cc
Oliver Rods
Callies crank 4" stroke
ARP everything
custom cam 236/240 dur 0.615" lift 116+3 if I recall correctly.
Spec super twin clutch stg E
and beefed up trans by sixspeedsinc.com
I ordered the motor in May hand received the complete rotating assembly come last week of June.
The pistons turned out great, the coating looks very good, just wish there was more meat in the top. The rods are huge, and very heavy, took some added weight to balance the crank.
the LSX block looked great as well, it had several problems that showed up as progress developed.
Erik and his crew at HK racing engines machined the block and assembled the long block for me. Great group of guys over there. While that I worked on a few other items.
I planned on running a bigger radiator recessed into the core support so I marked the width I wanted to recess the rad, cut with a dremel and welded back a reinforcement plate to box it up.
previously I had been running rubber hoses with barb fittings for oil lines... decided to upgrade, everything is -10 braded now. Installed Oil cooler and oil filter relocation kit with -10
Back in March after a certain photoshoot which I had been holding out for, scared of breaking something prior, I was beating hard on the car and cracked the block. OOps. It felt the best right before it blew ahahah
Decided on a build plan:
LSX block
ETP 255s 73cc chambers 6 bolt/cyl
Diamond pistons -24cc
Oliver Rods
Callies crank 4" stroke
ARP everything
custom cam 236/240 dur 0.615" lift 116+3 if I recall correctly.
Spec super twin clutch stg E
and beefed up trans by sixspeedsinc.com
I ordered the motor in May hand received the complete rotating assembly come last week of June.
The pistons turned out great, the coating looks very good, just wish there was more meat in the top. The rods are huge, and very heavy, took some added weight to balance the crank.
the LSX block looked great as well, it had several problems that showed up as progress developed.
Erik and his crew at HK racing engines machined the block and assembled the long block for me. Great group of guys over there. While that I worked on a few other items.
I planned on running a bigger radiator recessed into the core support so I marked the width I wanted to recess the rad, cut with a dremel and welded back a reinforcement plate to box it up.
previously I had been running rubber hoses with barb fittings for oil lines... decided to upgrade, everything is -10 braded now. Installed Oil cooler and oil filter relocation kit with -10
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took my transmission to sixspeedsinc and talked to Amber about what kind of build I should do. She recommended a faceplated T56 for best reliability under the kind of power I foresee. This was a new thing for me, she let me drive one of her cars with the same tranny and it is bad ***, will take some getting used to for sure.
The tranny came out great, and it looks great all cleaned up
The ETP heads showed up late, and they looked like 1mil bucks. Very thick deck, (close to 1" if I recall), with comp 921s installed.
Later I took the heads to HKE to check the installed height and I'm glad I did because they were way off. There was no room left to further shim the springs so we ditched the 921s in favor of some bigger ones.
After the springs were installed we mocked up the head and measured for pushrod length and ordered them.
I had ordered the Spec Twin clutch through sixspeedsinc and it arrived in about two weeks after a week and a half of bouncing through the UPS system
The clutch looks very nice in quality.
I finally got the motor from HKE last Wednesday night 9/26 night, and set it up on the engine stand. Started assembling on Friday.
Friday night it was ready to go into the car
Sucks only being able to work on it a couple of hrs a night.
Clearancing the front cover for the double roller + the melling pump really sucked as well. That was 4 hrs of work alone. Ended up chewing through the cover in two places..
First thing Saturday morning it went in. The poly mounts are being bitches and holding the engine a little crooked but once I stab the tranny I think I can pull it straight.
by end of the day I had the motor pretty much assembled.
Upon installing the tranny we found the height of the clutch is about 1/16" too tall but I still have 1/16" gap to the TOB on the slave... GM spec is 1/8" but I think it will be fine. We left the tranny aside for now will come back to it tomorrow night (Wed).
The tranny came out great, and it looks great all cleaned up
The ETP heads showed up late, and they looked like 1mil bucks. Very thick deck, (close to 1" if I recall), with comp 921s installed.
Later I took the heads to HKE to check the installed height and I'm glad I did because they were way off. There was no room left to further shim the springs so we ditched the 921s in favor of some bigger ones.
After the springs were installed we mocked up the head and measured for pushrod length and ordered them.
I had ordered the Spec Twin clutch through sixspeedsinc and it arrived in about two weeks after a week and a half of bouncing through the UPS system
The clutch looks very nice in quality.
I finally got the motor from HKE last Wednesday night 9/26 night, and set it up on the engine stand. Started assembling on Friday.
Friday night it was ready to go into the car
Sucks only being able to work on it a couple of hrs a night.
Clearancing the front cover for the double roller + the melling pump really sucked as well. That was 4 hrs of work alone. Ended up chewing through the cover in two places..
First thing Saturday morning it went in. The poly mounts are being bitches and holding the engine a little crooked but once I stab the tranny I think I can pull it straight.
by end of the day I had the motor pretty much assembled.
Upon installing the tranny we found the height of the clutch is about 1/16" too tall but I still have 1/16" gap to the TOB on the slave... GM spec is 1/8" but I think it will be fine. We left the tranny aside for now will come back to it tomorrow night (Wed).
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Sunday I tackled assembling the turbo system, and it fought me the whole way, since the motor is crooked putting the up-pipes on was a major bitch.
I couldn't line up the Vbands since things were hitting on the pass side but I finally got it in.
Intake manifold went on pretty nice
Installed the radiator and fans and it fit like a glove
Had to order a larger radiator hose for one of the connections, the other fit the original one.
Thanks to HKE for working through all the little stuff during the shortblock assembly, Sixspeedsinc for the help on the tranny/driveshaft/clutch, and LMR for the modification on the radiator end tank
I will post updates as I finish the install. Hope to fire it up Sat morning. Should be a fun weekend
I couldn't line up the Vbands since things were hitting on the pass side but I finally got it in.
Intake manifold went on pretty nice
Installed the radiator and fans and it fit like a glove
Had to order a larger radiator hose for one of the connections, the other fit the original one.
Thanks to HKE for working through all the little stuff during the shortblock assembly, Sixspeedsinc for the help on the tranny/driveshaft/clutch, and LMR for the modification on the radiator end tank
I will post updates as I finish the install. Hope to fire it up Sat morning. Should be a fun weekend
Last edited by Tiago; 10-07-2007 at 05:53 PM.
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man i hate you, you were down after me and are already finished :sad:
on a side not T it looks awesome, and glad to see everything came out good so far. i cant wait to finally start my car up
on a side not T it looks awesome, and glad to see everything came out good so far. i cant wait to finally start my car up
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Dam, that look sweet as hell!
Couple qustions since I'm doing something similar. How much did those ETP heads cost (PM me if you want on that). Were the pistons custom, other than the coating? What CR did you end up with? What valve spring is that you went with?
Sorry for the 100 qustions.
Dan
Couple qustions since I'm doing something similar. How much did those ETP heads cost (PM me if you want on that). Were the pistons custom, other than the coating? What CR did you end up with? What valve spring is that you went with?
Sorry for the 100 qustions.
Dan
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thanks guys.
MY heads had a bunch of options, 6 bolt, inconel exhaust valve, 921s. I think they start at ~2800.
MY CR should be 9.2.
The motor is a 427, forgot to mention previously.
The new valve spring is kind of a secret, you're gonna have to talk to Erik at HKE for the details, he told me a few weeks back but I dont' remember, lol.
thanks
Dam, that look sweet as hell!
Couple qustions since I'm doing something similar. How much did those ETP heads cost (PM me if you want on that). Were the pistons custom, other than the coating? What CR did you end up with? What valve spring is that you went with?
Sorry for the 100 qustions.
Dan
Couple qustions since I'm doing something similar. How much did those ETP heads cost (PM me if you want on that). Were the pistons custom, other than the coating? What CR did you end up with? What valve spring is that you went with?
Sorry for the 100 qustions.
Dan
MY CR should be 9.2.
The motor is a 427, forgot to mention previously.
The new valve spring is kind of a secret, you're gonna have to talk to Erik at HKE for the details, he told me a few weeks back but I dont' remember, lol.
thanks
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lol jeremiah you're never going to own another fbody
Maybe the engine will correct its alignment when you torque it a few times
Maybe the engine will correct its alignment when you torque it a few times
Last edited by 01camaro3.8; 10-02-2007 at 10:14 PM. Reason: harassing jeremiah