RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

So yesterday i picked up an awesome deal.
2001 LS1 out of a SS Camaro.
I got the heads, cam and short block. Has 68,000 miles. 241 heads CNC'd with dual valve springs, titanium retainers, and a blower cam. Bottom end is stock. Picked up for $400. Guy put in a blown LS3 and the owner had no place or want to keep the LS1.

My thought is to pull it completely apart, put in new bearings, rings, seals, ARP rod bolts, turn the crank, check the rods and pistons, clean and mill the heads then add my thumpr cam and bolt ons. Hoping for a 50 HP increase over my worn 5.3.

I have $1,600 left to spend to make this happen. The money has to cover all machine work as well. I am debating on replacing the pistons with some hypereutetics. I have done some searches and haven't found much info from people who have used them. Can I use the stock rods with aftermarket pistons? Anyone have any advise before I start ordering parts? I am stripping it all down and bringing the block and heads to the machine shop on Thursday.

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

I thought the stock pistons were in fact hypereutetic, at least in the later motors.

Found this on the Gen III/IV motors: "All OE LS pistons are hypereutectic cast type (alloy with high silica content), except for the LS9 piston, which is a forged aluminum piston (required to handle the higher cylinder pressures associated with supercharging/forced induction). Again, this refers only to original equipment; strong forged aluminum performance pistons are readily available from aftermarket performance piston makers for any LS application (JE, Diamond, Ross, Probe, CP, etc.)."

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was referring to aftermarket Hypereutetic pistons like speed pro

Fry_

Sound like a waste of time and money, with only 68k on the clock that motor has 150-200k left before a rebuild would be worth it, unless your power level dictated a need for forged rods and pistons. You may also want to rethink that Thumper cam, a cam thats designed for cool sound and not optimal performance is not something I'd want.

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

I have been using the Thumpr cam, they are not for sound only. Hot Rod made a 96hp jump in a 5.3 with a Thumpr cam. My truck ran amazing and made great power. I was debating on taking the advantage of possibly increasing the compression ratio with different pistons. I have read that it is never good to reuse pistons, yet i see on here that people do it all the time so it is a possibility.



Dyno Numbers
Test 1 was the baseline test for the stock 5.3L with a GM Performance Parts single-plane intake manifold, a Holley 750-cfm carburetor, and a set of Hooker 13/4-inch headers complete with a 21/2-inch exhaust system and Flowmaster Super 44 mufflers.

Test 2 was the same engine with the only addition being the Comp Thumper hydraulic roller camshaft.

Ccrp 0804 14 Z+325 Chevy Small Block Engine+dyno Run Test 14/14
Test 3 used the same configuration as Test 2 with the addition of West Coast Racing Cylinder Heads (WCRCH) mildly ported stock 5.3L heads.

Test 4 was the same as Test 3 with the change to a pair of WCRCH fully CNC-ported Edelbrock castings.


TEST 1 TEST 2 TEST 3 TEST 4 DIFFERENCE
RPM TQ HP TQ HP TQ HP TQ HP TQ HP
1,600 310 94 273 84 287 88 282 87 - 28 - 7
1,800 320 110 289 101 302 105 300 104 - 20 - 6
2,000 325 124 291 111 304 115 303 115 - 22 - 9
2,200 327 137 290 120 303 125 302 125 - 25 - 12
2,400 328 150 292 132 304 138 303 137 - 25 - 13
2,600 329 163 299 147 311 154 309 153 - 20 - 10
2,800 330 176 310 166 322 172 319 171 - 11 - 5
3,000 332 190 324 186 335 193 332 190 0 0
3,200 335 204 338 207 349 213 345 211 + 10 + 7
3,400 339 219 351 228 360 233 356 230 + 17 + 11
3,600 343 235 360 246 367 251 364 248 + 21 + 13
3,800 347 251 365 263 371 267 368 265 + 21 + 14
4,000 349 266 367 279 372 282 370 280 + 21 + 14
4,200 351 281 368 293 372 297 371 296 + 20 + 15
4,400 351 294 368 308 372 312 372 312 + 21 + 18
4,600 350 306 369 324 374 329 375 329 + 25 + 23
4,800 347 317 371 340 379 348 379 348 + 32 + 31
5,000 342 326 375 358 384 367 385 368 + 43 + 42
5,200 335 332 378 375 390 386 391 387 + 56 + 55
5,400 327 336 381 391 393 403 395 {{{405}}} + 68 + 69
5,600 316 337 381 405 393 417 396 420 + 80 + 83
5,800 304 336 377 415 388 428 392 432 + 88 + 96
6,000 290 332 369 422 380 435 385 441 + 95 +109
6,200 276 326 360 426 370 439 377 447 +101 +121
6,400 - - 351 429 362 443 370 452 - -
6,600 - - 344 432 357 447 365 457 - -
6,800 - - 336 433 349 449 357 460 - -
TQ* HP* TQ HP TQ HP TQ HP
Avg. 328.6 242.7 342.6 281.8 352.8 289.8 353.2 291.2
Averages for Tests 2 through 4 were from 1,500 to 6,{{{900}}} rpm, while Test 1 averages were only for 1,500 through 6,300, so these numbers are lower.


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ramairroughneck

iTrader: (35)

I truely believe that motor has a lot left in it without rebuilding it. I would apply the money your budgeting for the bottem end toward something else. I would even run it with the blower cam. I don't see any mild cams giving much over the one that's in the block now. I am sure I will be quickly disproved by the one guy that took his blower cam out and gained 200 horsepower though.

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

So is there an easy way to inspect the main, cam and rod bearings without having to rebuild it? I am just nervous about throwing it in and hearing a knock.

Boruskarloff

iTrader: (1)

Many guys take them apart to inspect the bearing and if everything looks decent they trhow it back together. Many of these same guys turbo this crap out of these stock "checked" junkyard motors.

I personally wouldn't trust the specs on the the stock bolts in the bottom end (both main an rod). I have not seen a rod come back to a good spec when the rods are retorqued. Check my other threads on this topic.

That said, use the stock pistons. If my memory serves me correct they have an inserted top ring groove. The aftremarket hypers (at least DNJ) do not have that extra tid bit. Although we think DNJ stamping look identical to GM, maybe they are the supplier??

Idk the spec on the either cam but if you have it laying there, run one of them, save yourself a few bucks until you can do some upgrades later on.

AnotherWs6

iTrader: (17)

haha.... so true here on the intra-webs.

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

Here is what I have decided. I pulled the front timing cover off, pulled the heads, pulled the oil pan, cut open the oil filter and inspected the crank and rods. Everything looks great, no metal shavings in the oil pan or filter. I found 2 bad lifters but that's it. I have the heads at the shop getting new valve seals, a valve job and milled 0.020. I will put these heads back on, put in my Comp Thumpr cam, my Performer RPM intake, Holley 750cfm carb, 2" primary LT Headers and let the big dog eat.

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

Fount this sitting on the oil pump against the crank snout, any ideas?

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

murph6908

iTrader: (6)

Check your oil barbell under the rear cover, it sits in the oil galley. That's the only thing I can think of unless that motor had a timing chain dampener.

ragtopz28

iTrader: (57)

That would be my guess...part of a timing chain dampener. One of the pics looks like it has one...does it?

RabidStreetRacer

iTrader: (1)

No it did not have a timing chain dampener on it. I will pull the rear cover on Wednesday and check to see if I missed anything.