2001 Z06

Ok I had every intention of removing the engine from the top of the car and I don't think I thought it through all of the way.

Back story.
I started looking for a LS1 to do a restomod on my 1953 5 window pickup truck.
It already has a 67 corvette 327 with a muncie 4 speed but i wanted more, so back to the search. I started searching Salvage rebuilder car sites with out much luck. So I started searching Craigslist for dropout engines. I happened upon a 2001 Z06 and the guy wanted $8,000 for it has 52k miles and bright yellow.
So I drive the 2 hours to look the car over and he tells me the car started loosing power while driving down the interstate and he pulled over and had it towed to a friends house and that is where it sat for 1and 1/2 years. He said the only mods to the car are headers, cam swap, and tune.
So I ended up buying the car for $5500.00 and pulled it back home. I got the car running but it was popping and spitting throught the intake, So I pulled the plugs and did a compression test and for #6 was a dead cylinder. I pulled the intake and head from the right side. I then removed the roller lifters from #6 cylinder and found the roller was eaten up really bad. BAD CAM.

So now I have to remove the engine and have it rebuilt. I have already removed
The Intake, Heads, and loosened the headers.
I have the front of the car up on jack stands and when I got under the car I got lost.
This is my first Vette. so needless to say this is like a 2nd grader looking at a Physics book. I am fairly handy around a car. But I am limited to a tool box full of tools, a floor jack and jack stands.
So where do I go from here?

Would I be better off continuing pulling it from the top?
and if so does anyone have a write up on this proceedure?
I have done a little research but it seems everyone was pointing towards Cajundude's write up but i can not get any of his links to work.
So I really need some help here.
Not sure where to go from here.
Thank You Very Much.
Joe

blueekb

I'm pretty much at the exact same stage as you are. Radiator, intake heads and some accessories off. Going to tackle this job in the next few weeks myself. I'm scared but going to give it a shot and see what happens.

Anyway I was googling a few weeks ago and found this.

http://web.archive.org/web/201012100...ngineswap4.htm

Hopefully that helps because I was going to follow those directions.

2001 Z06

I have also removed the right front tire& wheel, water pump, and radiator & ac evalp.
and I have also bagged and labled everything as I went to this point.
but i want to go back to what I said earlier when I said I had the heads off, I just have the right head off right now. I also have the AC comp. loose and ready to remove but I can not get it all the way out just yet. I got under the car and was trying to remove the headers but they have been welded about a 3rd of the way around where it meets the catalytic converters. so i'm either going to cut it or grind the welds so I can remove the headers.
The 2 bolts that hold the Y pipe up to the bottom of the bell housing are missing.
But I stopped at this point today and I will have to make a trip to town to buy some discs for my grinder.
I am at a stand still untill I remove the headers.
Joe

93Polo

iTrader: (5)

I have done it from the top. Remove the bumper cover to give the cherry picker room. Unbolt the hood, leaving the hinges attached to the hood, unbolt the hinge from the frame. The AC compressor was left in the car. It is easier to use an extension to get to the bottom bolts through the fender well. I used an engine lift plate that bolts in place of the valley cover.

Yes I had the radiator out, accessories off, and left the engine mount pedestals attached to the motor. I would take pictures of the pedestal to know how to bolt them back up.

Another great reference if you are new to C5s. http://ls1howto.com/

RonSSNova

iTrader: (3)

We did it by lowering the front cradle. That allowed us to pull the engine forward to clear the torque tube input shaft. It was an auto trans.
Basically a pain in the ***

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

There are several threads and write-ups on Corvetteforum.com (hope I can say that). You need to remove from the torque tube back and there are write-ups on that as well. Once you move the drive train, you should be able to pull it out.

Given that, wonder if you are better off rebuilding and selling the car then looking for another motor? Wonder if you could clear enough to just buy a crate motor?

J-Rod

Freshen up the motor and sell the car you'll clear more. Figure that you bought it for $550 and you can freshen up the motor for under $2K you will have $7500 in the car, and retail is probably $16K to $20K depending on modifications and condition. The C5 Z06 is still a very popular platform based on its bang for the buck. The 2001 is sorta the black sheep baased on its 385 HP stock vs the 405 for the 2002 and later of the family but since you have to freshen it up, that won't be an issue.

As said, ls1howto or Corvetteforum should give you all the info you need to pull it out of the top.

Is it easier to drop out of the bottom, yes if you have a lift, etc... but lots of folks pull it out of the top.

Post up if you still can't find what you need.

2001 Z06

Got the engine out today.
I owe a very big Thank You to all of the guys that helped me out.
Now to figure out what to do next.
I was talking to Jegs last night about an LS3 crate to drop down in it, But when I called back today the guy informed me I would also need a $1,200 controller to use the engine in the Vette. And if I changed even a cam it would void the warranty.
So I guess it back to the thinking board.
Joe

93Polo

iTrader: (5)

Good to hear you have it out, I sent you a PM. When I pulled mine I ran a ratchet strap from the seat base through the steering and back to keep it from turning. I read when the C5s came out that it would cause problems with the yaw sensor if the wheel rotated while disconnected from the rack, not sure if it is true but I wasn't finding out.

LPE can likely solve the computer issues give them a call:

http://www.lingenfelter.com/mm5/merc...3#.Vo3Q_VLeKdY

You would likely have to buy a few harnesses to relocate knock sensor and some other odds and ends. A few have posted LS3 swap topics in here.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/corvette-...some-pics.html

2001 Z06

I finished tearing down the engine today to get it down to my engine builder.
These are the thing I found as I tore it apart.

#1 Harmonic Balancer came off in 2 pieces.
#2 4 roller lifters were bad. 1 of them didn't even have a roller on the end.
#3 5 of the cam lobes were bad. 3 had deep grooves.the width of a roller..
#4 Small chunks of metal in the oil pan.
#5 Small needle like bearings loose in the oil pan. Where would these have came from?

So did or would the balancer going completely out at 80 mph. down the interestate cause this damage?
Or did the roller lifters go out first and caused the rest of the damage?

I dropped the engine off and talked to the builer briefly and he said he would give ma a call in a few days and let me know what he finds and go from there.

I'm kind of worried about this phone call.
Joe

RonSSNova

iTrader: (3)

Joe,
Probably not related. Balancer failures are not uncommon on the C5.
The needle parts are from the lifter roller wheel that is gone.

Sounds like a crappy hotrod job that got the **** run out of it. And finally blew up.

I'd plan for a total rebuild.

2001 Z06

Thats the plan. Just hope the crank and block are ok.
The block I'm not too worried about. All of the cylinders looked good.
The crank it's going to be a toss up.
That is the only parts that will be reused.
JKent

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

FWIW if you have to get a complete rotating assembly, you might be able to do a 383 for about the same as a 346. So sorry to hear about the carnage on this one. Good thing you tore it down after all.

farmington

iTrader: (14)

As far as crate LS3's go, they do sell a version with a small cam that ups the HP from 430 to 525