ok im stuck on what i should do first.. G5X3 Cam.. sum kind of Heads.. or LS6/LSX intake man.... Which would would yall suggest doing first.. i dont have a lot of money and cant do everything.. so which is the best to do without having to mod other stuff.... i want enough RWHP gain to make it faster and noticeable but i dont want to have like engine problems or anything thanx.

 

You seem to have the headers, etc for a cam, but that LS1 intake will be your restrictor, the X3 will make a great power with stock heads, so you won't need new heads if you go that route. But you will want to get an LS6 intake either way you go, heads or cam. I don't think heads would be good without a cam of some sort. I say go for a cam, then add heads later.. if you feel the need.

 

Well before the X3, I would go with forged bottom end, for sure with a 99.
If you do not want problems in the future.

Otherwise go with a smaller cam 220-224 range. Properly done you will get 400+ horsepower with most bolt ons.

 

What he said........the pre-01 rod bolts were not good at all and I watched my friend with a TR230/224 in a 99Z28 stretch a number of bolts, spin some bearings, and crack 2 rods .


Get a set of the top grade ARP LS1 rod bolts ($80) and either change them yourself (getting the oil pan off is a PITA with the stock K-member ) or have a shop do it.

Once you have the rod bolts in so you don't blow the engine up, get an LS6 intake manifold, and then finally get your G5X3 cam. Just realize that the stock lifters probubly won't live long with the fast ramps and that you will still need to change to a stiff valve spring to take the high lift/ramp rates.

 

Do you have to do any other stuff to change rod bolts, remove, etc? Or are they completely accessible with the pan off? Just curious.

 

hmm so i guess the first thing to do is the Intake manifold.. LS6 or LSX... ill do that first then look at cam later on probably...

 

I think with the motor raised; It can be done.

Thinking of some added protection OrangePeel ?/

 

Once you get the pan off (which is the real PITA), you will see a windage tray and the oil pump pickup tube. There are 8 nuts that hold the windage tray on (the nuts are on the "stud part" of the "outer" main bolts) and one of those 8 will also have held the pickup tube on. Then it’s just turning the engine over to access the rod bolts, removing one at a time so things don't shift, and installing a new one in its place. Once you have the pan off, the actual changing of bolts should only take 30mins or so.

 

Predator - Not sure I would like to upgrade to the LS6 oil pump and maybe a new chain, and since the pan will be somewhat off, I would take it off all the way and replace the bolts if it will help me prolong the life of the motor. **** for $80 it would be worth it I think

Chris - I had to replace a pan already, I know how much trouble they can be. Sounds pretty straight forward once it's off. I can have the engine hoisted up with an engine puller, and drop the k-member down to get the pan off no sweat. Just wanted to know what else should be done down there.

 

It’s not hard to replace the rod bolts at all. The ported LS6 pump and a double roller chain are both good investments also. As you said, while the pan is off, might as well do all the stuff down there. You don't need to drop the K-member. Just pull the motor mount bolts and jack the engine up by the bell housing. It will top out against tunnal and you can wiggle the pan out.

So what the hell did you do to require a new oil pan....try to play Dukes of Hazard or something?

 

Cool, I may look into this pretty soon then.

As for the new oil pan, I was driving down the street and thought what I saw in the middle of the street was a bag, turns out it's a HUGE ******* ROCK, and I had no where to go, BAMN! Punched a hole in my oil pan, I was pissed!!!!

 

where was this (side street)? I hate all the cr*p that gets left in the middle of the freeways around here.....makes me almost worried to go back to driving me car.

 

It was on a regular street (Val Vista here in Gilbert). Don't know how it got there, but I found it

 

Sh!tty!!!!!

 

Yeah tell me about it, had to pull over on a side street and watch the oil pour out of the pan, called a tow truck and just sat there.

 

my post on help for what to do first turned into orange peel learning more about waht to do with his car... lol.... but thanx for sum help.

 

Not really, just gave you my advice, then others posted about other things to do too, and I need to do some of them Look at it this way, you won't have to post about how to install rod bolts, etc now

 

yeah....see.....he was helping you get information you just didn't realize it

 

lol.. ok i get it