DuoDS

Thanks for the info. I found a time-sert kit on eBay for $180 + shipping. Both kits (#100 and #300) came for that price and there are even inserts for my application coming in the box as well.

Thanks for the advice, I hope it will be clear sailing from here on out.

NVR_SPDS

iTrader: (39)

There is another option. There is a company called Lock-N-Stitch that make some great inserts. Ive used a couple different ones in different sizes (Including Ford inserts) They are also the repair authorized by Ford (After very extensive testing) for their little spark plug blow out issue.

Heres a pic i found on their site, showing the thread pattern.. Not your average thread:
http://www.locknstitch.com/sparkpluginserts.htm

blazer427X3

Glad to be of help.

The link below will take you to a page that has a short video showing a TimeSert installation.

http://www.timesert.com/html/gm.html

Good Luck !

DuoDS

NVR,

I have heard of the lock n stitch stuff, but when I contacted them to see if they were able to help me with my application nobody answered. So, I went with the eBay time-sert option and now just have to wait for shipping.

I hate waiting.

DuoDS

Got the timesert kit - while I was at it I did all 20 head bolts. I found out that my block used 1.5mm pitch headbolts and everything I read told me that the 1.5 were a bad idea from the start and 2.0 were much stronger threads. The TimeSert kit worked perfectly and I got pretty good at it - I could repair a single hole in about 11 minutes flat.

Threads repaired, heads are on - they torqued up perfectly. Valves, covers, coils, intake - all on now. My LS1 is now waiting for a TH400 flexplate kit and a serpentine belt. Then the engine & tranny will be ready to drop into my sandrail frame.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Why would you fix holes that didn't need to be fixed? Did you end up going back with stock type TTY head bolts or head studs?

DuoDS

First of all, the 1.5 mm thread pitch bolts are hard to get, and are considered by everyone willing to state their opinion to be a bad idea from the start. The Northstar blocks used the 1.5, but I have no idea if those bolts would be the right length for the LS1 - so this could be an unaccepable alternative, and even if its not, why take the chance?

Secondly, I used a bore-scope to see that the threads in almost every head-bolt hole were not in very good condition. It looked as though someone had rammed 2.0 mm pitch bolts in the the holes at least once. And who could blame them? if you order head bolts for an LS1, you get 2.0 mm pitch, you can't see the thread pitch at the bottom of the holes, so it is easy to see how a PO could have made this mistake.

Thirdly, Installing inserts in all head-bolt holes did not take that long, I had the kits anyway, and the inserts are cheap making my setup stronger, and easier to find proper head-bolts for. Why not "reapair" all 20? I have come to consider it an upgrade, not really just a repair.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I see your logic. Im considering doing all mine as well because I spent the damn money on the repair kit, so might as well be putting bolts into steel instead of aluminum. I have never heard of a year with different head bolt threads. What year/years got the 1.5 pitch?

DuoDS

The PO told me mine was a 1998 - the casting numbers I can find confirm that it is a 98 but I can find nothing confirming exactly which model car it was originally in - I have found some sites that claim it was in an F-body, but that is as far as I have found. The engine has been a project and a sort of mystery from the start, but I got it together finally.

I am still waiting to see if it runs. I just got the wiring harness and the ECM set up for my dune-buggy installation. I have pretty much all the other parts I need except I still need to get a radiator and a driveline and hook it all up before I try running the engine.

Newly rebuilt LS1, newly rebuilt and dry TH-400 transmission, newly programmed ECM, custom rewired harness, totally custom fuel delivery setup, totally custom built buggy frame, and all of it has to be able to work together. I figure I better have just about everything installed and done before I can safely attempt a first run on the engine / tranny / ECM.

Part of me is scared to death.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

In 98, the aluminum 5.7 should have only come in the f body and the vette. I don't know of anything else it could have come in.