Engine Build - Going Turblowed
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Most of the stuff to pull the motor was completed today. All that's left is to pull the driveshaft, trans brace and kmember bolts. I cried a little when I let out my freon today... It was ice cold last time I used it... ):
Cheers to keliente for doing the write up of the article on removing from the bottom.
Made progress on the new motor, new rod bearings, new main bearings, new rings, all in the motor already. Waiting on the old motor to come out for cam before installing the heads.
75% complete with the build.
Cheers to keliente for doing the write up of the article on removing from the bottom.
Made progress on the new motor, new rod bearings, new main bearings, new rings, all in the motor already. Waiting on the old motor to come out for cam before installing the heads.
75% complete with the build.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Already sucked it all out. Got a hookup to get it filled back up though.
Old motor will probably be stripped apart by sometime tomorrow after I get off work.
New motor is advancing, bottom end is put together with all new bearings and rings, waiting on the cam then we can bolt her up.
Last edited by JordanRN; Dec 28, 2014 at 09:49 PM.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Stuck on CAM options for the build. I have choices of my regular 01 LS1 cam, TSP 224/224 114 LSA or a Trick Flow 238/243 112 LSA. Pretty certain the TF is too big for my application. Transmission will keep the stock converter for now.
Motor is a 5.3 with 243 heads, upgraded springs.
Motor is a 5.3 with 243 heads, upgraded springs.
I vote ls1 camshaft since staying stock converter. With the heads not getting cut or the deck being milled...those dished pistons only have 9 to one compression. Perfect for one of those snail shaped mufflers..
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
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
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Summer time for that 
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Good read. Cool build so far! Looking forward to seeing it buttoned up!
Unrelated side note, I'm thinking from your username you are an RN? If so where at? We're in Fl. over close to Bradenton area. The Mrs. is working on her BSRN now. I'm going to finish mine soon as things settle down here I'm hoping..
Unrelated side note, I'm thinking from your username you are an RN? If so where at? We're in Fl. over close to Bradenton area. The Mrs. is working on her BSRN now. I'm going to finish mine soon as things settle down here I'm hoping..
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Good read. Cool build so far! Looking forward to seeing it buttoned up!
Unrelated side note, I'm thinking from your username you are an RN? If so where at? We're in Fl. over close to Bradenton area. The Mrs. is working on her BSRN now. I'm going to finish mine soon as things settle down here I'm hoping..
Unrelated side note, I'm thinking from your username you are an RN? If so where at? We're in Fl. over close to Bradenton area. The Mrs. is working on her BSRN now. I'm going to finish mine soon as things settle down here I'm hoping..
I need a bigger garage with less junk in it, haha.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
In quite the dilemma here with tuning and initial break in period.
Tune is made for the 5.7 that blew up. Is it going to be okay to run that tune for the initial break in period or should I just get it flashed over to the 5.3 stock tune before starting it up? Just don't want to have any problems doing the break in of the rings... I know it'll run rich but I just want to get second opinions.
Tune is made for the 5.7 that blew up. Is it going to be okay to run that tune for the initial break in period or should I just get it flashed over to the 5.3 stock tune before starting it up? Just don't want to have any problems doing the break in of the rings... I know it'll run rich but I just want to get second opinions.
TECH Resident
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 980
Likes: 2
I have a question seeing as how I'm about to do my swap, after you pull the body off the engine, how do you roll it out of the way and out from under the car with the legs from the engine lift in the way? I see everyone doing swaps this way so I must be missing something
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
I have a question seeing as how I'm about to do my swap, after you pull the body off the engine, how do you roll it out of the way and out from under the car with the legs from the engine lift in the way? I see everyone doing swaps this way so I must be missing something
Bought two 5.3s because one was $140 and other was $400. Intention was to build a second motor in case anything were to happen later down the road. Glad I did or I'd still be sitting here without an engine, haha.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Doing some numbers today on the build so far.. Budget build, shopped multiple places to try and find the best price.
Engine(s) - $540
Machine Work Block and Heads (Cam bearing install, Hone, Crank Polish, Clean, Valve Job, Surface and Pressure Test - $480
Bearings (Cam, Rods and Mains) - $125
Gaskets - $146
Stud Kit - $99
Lifter/Tray - $136
Misc Supplies - $20
Cam/Springs/Pushrods - $325
Building your first engine - Priceless
Total - $1870 rounded
Engine(s) - $540
Machine Work Block and Heads (Cam bearing install, Hone, Crank Polish, Clean, Valve Job, Surface and Pressure Test - $480
Bearings (Cam, Rods and Mains) - $125
Gaskets - $146
Stud Kit - $99
Lifter/Tray - $136
Misc Supplies - $20
Cam/Springs/Pushrods - $325
Building your first engine - Priceless
Total - $1870 rounded
Last edited by JordanRN; Jan 3, 2015 at 11:29 AM.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
Trying to figure out the Compression Ratio on this build.
Bore Size: 3.780
Stroke: 3.622
Head Gasket Bore: 4.1
Compressed Head Gasket: 0.051
Head Combustion Chamber: 64.45
Piston Dome Volume: -2 ( I've seen -7, -8, -9 )
Stock pistons
Any input?
Bore Size: 3.780
Stroke: 3.622
Head Gasket Bore: 4.1
Compressed Head Gasket: 0.051
Head Combustion Chamber: 64.45
Piston Dome Volume: -2 ( I've seen -7, -8, -9 )
Stock pistons
Any input?
