hpbob1

iTrader: (1)

Hi Guys,

I have a LQ4 engine I bought from a junk yard. I pulled the heads and found surface rust in all the cylinders.

I know in the small block chevy & small block ford world you can simply remove the rod/pistons assemblys, crank, clean the block and hand hone the cylinders and reassemble with either new rings and bearings or just clean and reasssemble existing rings and bearings if everything is within specs.

I was gong to install Katech rod bolts anyway. l know your supposed to install these one bolt at a time on each side of a rod in a assembled short block. I also know the main bolts are stretch to yield so they are throw aways and I will need new factory main bolts.

Anyway the rod bolts can be replaced without resizing the rods? If I cant reassemble with katech bolts, Do I have to buy new factory rod bolts and reassemble honed short block, then install katech bolts later? lol Seems ridiculous. I suppose I could replace each rod bolt one at a time with katech bolts. Then dis-assemble the whole short block with all rod bolts in same positions without any mixing up. Anyone with real knowledge and experience please chime in.

Mustang 302 small block ford guys do a hone, rings and bearings job all the time and get away with it. I know the proper way is to machine the short block and rebuild it. But I cant afford that at $2,000 plus right now. So I am looking for a cheapy fix to my problem. I will slap in a cam and replace valve springs and add a car intake. Thanks guys for any advice. This is my 1st short block overhaul attempt.

Hpbob1

Bob

Jim_PA

iTrader: (9)

I think I'd return it

1dirtybird

iTrader: (7)

Its an engine same principals apply

Done lots of rod bolts with-out resizing the rods, and even replacing the bearings. Just mark the caps so they face the right direction and go back on the same rod. LSX use fractured caps.

Tear it down, give it a light hone and do it to it..... If anything looks excessivly worn then the game changes.

hpbob1

iTrader: (1)

Hi Jim_PA,

I actually bought it from an individual who bought it from a junk yard about 1 1/2 yrs ago. Havent had a chance to get to it until recenly. I cant locate that person anymore.

Correction there is surface rust on 2 of the passenger side rear cylinder walls. My original goal was to slap a cam, valve springs, rod bolts and car intake on it and throw twin turbos on her to have fun and learn to tune it etc. I have a turbo 400 for it and 3.42 gears. Then after a season or so pull the engine and put forged h beam rods and pistons in it. I cannot afford a short block machining and build right now.

So I am trying to do this on the cheap. I have seen many guys on the turbo mustangs forum pull apart a 302 ford small blocks, hand hone it and put new rings and bearings in it over a weekend. Put it back togethfer and go racing with it. Has been done many times.

Anyone see the September 2011 HOTROD article on the 4.8 liter truck motor. They disassembled, opened up the top ring gap and re-assembled with all original stock parts. Then they bolted on a fast intake, slapped in a cam, stock ported heads, 2 chinese 76mm turbos on there and got 1200hp with over 60 dyno runs above 1000hp. The motor held together the whole time. Conclusion of the article was if ya stay at about 800hp or 900hp it could last quite awhile, maybe even a racing season or two.

Anyone dis-assembled, hand honed and re-ringed or slapped in bearings and rod bolts and re-assembed a LSX motor before? Anyone with experience and knowledge please chime in.

Hpbob1

senor_camaro

iTrader: (1)

if its just surface rust you could probably get away with a hone. when you disassemble make sure you keep everything together with its corresponding cylinder. if your planning on rebuiliding yourself invest in some measuring tools and check the wear on the cylinders, pistons, rods, crankshaft, cam, and all the engine/rod/cam bearings. clean out all the oil galleries, water jackets, replace core plugs. also check that the cylinder heads are in working order.if you want the engine to last do it right. I would suggest investing in a factory service manual to see what the specific clearances are for your year engine. If the cylinders are not damaged and its just surface rust you can probably buy a brush style hone and use a hand held drill to clean up the cylinders.

try this website im currently going to Wyotech and we were shown this video. it basically shows you what you need to do step by step to assemble and disassemble an engine.

box wrench.net

hpbob1

iTrader: (1)

Thanks 1dirtybird. I feel more confident now about just adding Katech rod bolts when I re-assemble with matching rod caps mated to each correct original pre-marked in same direction rod end.

Thanks senor_camaro that looks like a awesome video. I will order that today! I also have a source for a couple of at home do it your self trans rebuild videos too. One for a turbo400 and the other for a powerglide. This website also has step by step sbc and bbc rebuild videos as well. www.idealhowtovideo.com

Anyone have a source for a LSX motor rebuild video???

Thanks guys!

1dirtybird

iTrader: (7)

My buddys STOCK BOTTOM END!!!! Lq4 with nothing more then rod bolts supported 674 rwhp and 65X tq with a Single turbo set-up through a 4l80E(similer to the th400 in power robbing brute streangh).


We pulled it apart honed it, put the stock rings and bearings back in and a set of rod bolts! It saw DD status for almost 2 years over 20k, countless races, countless passes at the strip, trips to ca.... 3 cam swaps..... and 14lbs on E85. All he did was go through the heads, put some SS valves and a good valve job. The motor is still alive and kicking!!!! in another mustang lol


They can handel alot

hpbob1

iTrader: (1)

Hi 1dirtybird,

Thanks thats just what I wanted to hear. That is exactly what I plan on doing. Sucks I have to buy new main bolts and gaskets. I will hone, add katech rod bolts, new stock MLS head gaskets, and hopefully ARP head studs if in the budget, slap in a medium comp turbo grind cam, valve springs and also do the oil pump hone and add a spring. I will also hopefully be able to re-use the stock rings and open them up from .015 to .028 ring gap per the hot rod article for boosted use so the rings dont mesh, twist or break under boost.

The Hotrod 300.00 junk yard 4.8 truck motor with cam, ported heads and fast intake with twin turbos got over 1000 flywheel hp on over 60 dyno pulls, and peaked at over 1219 hp and was still fine and kicking!

I figure my 6 liter 364 cube LQ4 about 800-900 flywheel hp should last quite awhile, with many strip runs and street driving for a season or two. It could blow up the 1st strip run or two, but then again it may last quite sometime especially cause I will do mostly 1/8th mile strip runs! lol

I am going to hook up a Mega Squirt III to control fuel, timing, 2 step, boost controller, electric fan etc. I dont have a factory LS computer, but the Mega Squirt is cheap, and good for really learning and getting to know tuning for street and racing fuel injection, timing, 2 step etc, inside and out. A computer that will control everything that needs a computer on the car.

Anyone know of a LS motor build video anywhere??? I have found a lot of build videos online (see above in this thread at boxwrench.com and youtube), but they are on other V8's, not an LS specific motor. Thanks guys!

Hpbob1

hpbob1

iTrader: (1)

Hi Senor Camaro,

Thanks for the short block build video advice. Do you think I can get away with dis-assembling the short block and just looking at the main & rod bearings visually to check for damage and obvious wear. Then if they look good, re-assemble with the same rings, rod & main bearings afer a light cylinder hone? Just sucks to have to replace all the gaskets and get new main bolts. I planned on adding katech rod bolts anyway. Any advice will be appreciated.

Hpbob1

1dirtybird

iTrader: (7)

We didnt touch the ring gap, if you are gonna run under 15lbs. When you pull the rods if the bearings look good i wouldnt bother pulling the mains.

1dirtybird

iTrader: (7)

Ohh and all this was done using a stock F-body computer tuned with HP Tuners. With as good and easy to tune as the stock computers are I wouldnt bother using aftermarket stuff. Ive delt with Megasquirt in bmw's, no thanks man!!!

senor_camaro

iTrader: (1)

If your going to jump head first into the build, I would strongly suggest taking your time and getting everything measured. its just good insurance to make sure everything is within spec. if the cylinder bores are still within spec, you can just re-ring the pistons. I would buy a ring kit,ring filer, and feeler gauge set so you can set the ring gap in the block. if you are dissasembling the engine down to rod and main bearings you should just replace them and get main caps align bored. it all depends on your budget. I would replace them with new ones, the set of clevite77 main bearing are under 100 bucks as well as the rod bearings. but it all depends on your budget. if your crankshaft is journals are still within spec you can just put standard size main bearings as well as with the rods journals, you would just need to check oil clearance with plastigauge. these engines are notorious for spinning rod bearings.

was there any water in the oil pan when you dissassembled?