Compression check results - where to go from here?
I usually pull heads since I dont own a borescope....lot different looking Directly at piston rather than trying to make out small imperfections in the cylinder walls/ rings/ etc.
I know if I was racing a car competitively I wouldnt hesitate to pull the motor or heads and handle issues rather than leaving it up to a mechanic in a can, although sea foam is a good product..
All I'm saying is that if you wanna race the car legitamatley you are better off assessing the problem and fixing it right, rather than hoping it doesnt blow up/ spin rod/ throw rod/ etc
I know if I was racing a car competitively I wouldnt hesitate to pull the motor or heads and handle issues rather than leaving it up to a mechanic in a can, although sea foam is a good product..
All I'm saying is that if you wanna race the car legitamatley you are better off assessing the problem and fixing it right, rather than hoping it doesnt blow up/ spin rod/ throw rod/ etc
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
The journey continues .... pulled the head today. Found basically nothing. If you look at the cylinders at an angle all you see is the cross hatch. If you look at them straight on (using mirror) then you can see uniform vertical lines. Feel with fingernail and they are all completely smooth. Everything else looks almost new. Very little carbon on anything - most of the top of the piston you can see the machining marks since the carbon is so thin. Intakes runners are completely clean. Rockers and pushrods look new.
So now what? I'm not seeing anything that to my untrained eye would look like anything other than normal and minimal wear. Am I missing something? Anything else to do?
Thanks
Cameron
So now what? I'm not seeing anything that to my untrained eye would look like anything other than normal and minimal wear. Am I missing something? Anything else to do?
Thanks
Cameron
Pull the pistons and check the rest of it. You have already pulled the heads (which is the more expensive thing to do as you have to replace HG and bolts). If I was to the point the heads are off I would pull the pistons and take a hard look at them.
I'll bet a beer that your going to find sticky pistons rings. I've reused rings before but NOT on a track car.
You're already there! complete the "refresh" properly now...
While you have the heads off would be a good time to upgrade things properly in the case of head milling, head gasket selection, verification of deck height, valve pocket creation in the stock pistons, new LS7 lifters, new LS2 lifter trays, the list can be long.....
With the pistons out it's a good time to put ARP rod bolts in and have the big ends resized.
I wouldn't take heads off just to check... I'd DO THINGS while I had them off.
I'll bet a beer that your going to find sticky pistons rings. I've reused rings before but NOT on a track car.
You're already there! complete the "refresh" properly now...
While you have the heads off would be a good time to upgrade things properly in the case of head milling, head gasket selection, verification of deck height, valve pocket creation in the stock pistons, new LS7 lifters, new LS2 lifter trays, the list can be long.....
With the pistons out it's a good time to put ARP rod bolts in and have the big ends resized.
I wouldn't take heads off just to check... I'd DO THINGS while I had them off.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Anyone know of a reputable shop to rebuild the short block in the Central Illinois area? Just basically stock build reusing pistons, rods, crank etc. Ive built a couple motors before without issue but I dont have the right equipment or experience to do it 'right'. Since it lives its life on a racetrack I want the factory type of quality.
I never have anyone work on my vehicles except warranty work which almost without exception has to be done multiple time because they screwed up the first time. I personally built everything for my swap except the driveshaft. You know the only thing that has failed is the shaft due to poor welds from driveshaft shop. To be honest Im really tempted just to leave it alone because Im more scared it will get screwed up more than it will blow up as it is. If there were a reputable, reliable shop i think i would go that way. Recommendations?
Cameron
I never have anyone work on my vehicles except warranty work which almost without exception has to be done multiple time because they screwed up the first time. I personally built everything for my swap except the driveshaft. You know the only thing that has failed is the shaft due to poor welds from driveshaft shop. To be honest Im really tempted just to leave it alone because Im more scared it will get screwed up more than it will blow up as it is. If there were a reputable, reliable shop i think i would go that way. Recommendations?
Cameron
Anyone know of a reputable shop to rebuild the short block in the Central Illinois area? Just basically stock build reusing pistons, rods, crank etc. Ive built a couple motors before without issue but I dont have the right equipment or experience to do it 'right'. Since it lives its life on a racetrack I want the factory type of quality.
I never have anyone work on my vehicles except warranty work which almost without exception has to be done multiple time because they screwed up the first time. I personally built everything for my swap except the driveshaft. You know the only thing that has failed is the shaft due to poor welds from driveshaft shop. To be honest Im really tempted just to leave it alone because Im more scared it will get screwed up more than it will blow up as it is. If there were a reputable, reliable shop i think i would go that way. Recommendations?
Cameron
I never have anyone work on my vehicles except warranty work which almost without exception has to be done multiple time because they screwed up the first time. I personally built everything for my swap except the driveshaft. You know the only thing that has failed is the shaft due to poor welds from driveshaft shop. To be honest Im really tempted just to leave it alone because Im more scared it will get screwed up more than it will blow up as it is. If there were a reputable, reliable shop i think i would go that way. Recommendations?
Cameron
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
So decided to be conservative and rebuild it. Glad to because they found broken ring lands on 3 and 5 plus 7 rod bearing was flaking and starting to go. It's the land between the compression and second ring so you couldnt see it just looking at the top of the piston. Completely stock '02 LS1. So what makes the ring lands crack like this and how do I prevent from happening again?
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
So decided to be conservative and rebuild it. Glad to because they found broken ring lands on 3 and 5 plus 7 rod bearing was flaking and starting to go. It's the land between the compression and second ring so you couldnt see it just looking at the top of the piston. Completely stock '02 LS1. So what makes the ring lands crack like this and how do I prevent from happening again?
