So my 02 z28 with 62k miles is motor is blown up. The car has had since new a vortech 9lb blower, and always ran fine until now.

My motor has white smoke coming from the dipstick, and the passenger side engine compartment. Its not smoking through the pipes though. I took it to a local shop and was told my rings are bad, and I needed a whole new motor.

He stated he could do a leak down/compression test but I would only be wasting my money since I need a new motor. The car drives, but the belt isnt on the blower. He also advised its only a matter of time before the car isnt drivable.

So my question, is what would be the best route to go on a new motor? Unfortunetly I dont have tons and tons of money at this time to sink in this car.

Im not that mechanically inclined so I wouldnt be doing any work on it. Also whats the rate for a shop to do an engine swap?

Thanks for the help

 

LS3 crate motor ,PAT-G cam.

 

I doubt seriously that you need a whole new motor. 9 lbs of boost is a lot for a 10.1:1 motor. If I recall correctly, most usually use less boost or add methanol to run those levels at stock compression.

You would be money ahead to do a compression and leakdown test. Since you say there is no smoke coming out of the tail pipes, I would be hard pressed to say you have bad rings without the leakdown results. More than likely, you've lifted a head gasket, and you'll hear the air leaking into the crankcase through the oil fill cap and see bubbles coming out of the radiator.

If that is the case, you might be able to salvage the shortblock, and just remove the heads and replace them with some 317's from a 6.0L engine that has larger combustion chambers. That will drop your compression to a safe range for the amount of boost you are running.

...and it will be WAY cheaper and easier than an LS3 engine swap!

 

take it somewhere else for the leakdown test