So here's the story...I always regretted selling my 2000 Z28, so I bought a 2000 SS Camaro M6 that someone harvested the drivetrain out of, as a long term project. Been gutting and redoing the interior to get rid of the mouse infestation and fixing the water leaks. It has no drivetrain so I am buying what I can to build it back up and bring the car back to life. Though with the cost of used T56s, I'm probably going with a new T56 Magnum F.

I just picked up a 160k mile LQ9 that was removed from an 03 escalade, I did not get to hear it run unfortunately, though they were quite adamant that it ran great with no issues(or just wanted to get rid of it and lied). I am ending the last remaining bit of oil that was in it to Blackstone to see what they can tell me about it. Leak down tester just came in today so I can test each cylinder individually and see where they stand.

The plan is a nice cam, upgraded springs, oil pump, timing chain, lifters, pushrods, rockers. I have an ls6 intake I picked up with 42 lb injectors(25348180), and BTR rails on it.

Not looking for a race car, just a nice fun driver.

Onto the questions..

Depending on results of the oil and leak down test, should I plan to replace the rod and main bearings anyway if the tests seem promising? I will visually inspect once I get to pull the oil pan.

Should I replace the rear main seal while I have it out? It doesn't look as though it has leaked a drop.

Is there anything else I should put my focus on? I have done top end builds before (cammed the LS1 in my old camaro), but I have not done any bottom end work.

I feel as though the heads and valve covers look quite clean for the mileage, which seems promising to me as well(photos attached).

 

It looks clean. Front and rear seals are always a good idea while the engine is out. Don’t remove the covers, just pop the seals out with a pick or screwdriver and light hammer, and replace the seals. Removing the covers will lead to alignment issues (and oil leaks) if your not very familiar with how the covers line back up.
Pull the oil pan and have a look. While your there, it’s easy enough to remove the windage tray, and pull a rod and main cap to look at bearings. At 160k, I’d bet they are minty with an engine that clean.

 

I had seen that there is a special installation tool for the rear seal, I did not know it was only needed if removing the entire cover, thanks! The front cover will be coming off to replace the oil pump, timing chain, cam ,etc, and probably just getting replaced itself. Pan and windage tray are coming off to replace the LQ9 parts with an LS1 pan, tray, and pickup tube I was given. I was unsure of removing the rod and main caps and reinstalling(obviously be conscious of location and position of each), and whether bolts could be reused. My research had recently begun and its been 11 years since I did my cam swap in my last Camaro, I'm a little rusty. I'm definitely relieved someone else feels the heads looks nice and clean too, it gave me a lot of promise in the condition of the engine.

Thanks for your input!

 

As far as the heads go, I obviously have the factory 317s on it. My plan is to have them cleaned up, resurfaced, 3 angle valve job and get a once over to see what's worn, wasn't planning on any milling but may get it done depending on suggestions. I have yet to choose a cam, I had the TSP Torquer V2 in my last Camaro, which I loved and may run with again. Give me your suggestions and experiences though, info is always helpful.

 

Two pieces I always replace is the lifter trays (factory) and oil pick up o-ring. Those two are cheap and can be the source of a few headaches.

 

Don't take it any apart any further it's fine. You're spending a lot of money on a transmission to fix a car that probably should never have been taken apart in the first place. Man, this hobby gives me a real headache

Anyways, I like what you're doing. I like it a lot. I like that you're fixing a car that somebody tried to kill. Anyway, that's wonderful. Bottom line if that were me I would do the oil pump o-ring, valve springs, valve hat seals underneath the valve springs of course, and a new timing chain, even though it's probably fine as the LQ9s generally have a heavier LS2 stall one on them already. That's it. I'd be done. I leave the stock cam in there for now and get your swap put together with that nice, smooth bigger engine in there.

What's the rear end on the car look like? I'd certainly be looking there first before doing a camshaft on the engine. You had a 5-7 before. This is a 6.0. it's not an enormous difference, but it's going to be a nice difference and with the six-speed you're going to be expelling a lot of torque to those rear wheels people hate to admit how they regret being able to Putt around lugging the engine in the lower gears The way you can with the stock cam. Give it a shot for a while while you sort out the rest of your swap You might like it

 

Added lifter trays to the list, and going with a new oil pump and swapping to an LS1 pickup tube, so planned on the o-ring already. I remember that headache from when I did my cam swap years ago.

Thanks!

 

The trans is definitely going to be the hefty price point, I plan on going with a brand new T56 Magnum F. Mainly due to the cost of a used T56 of unknown condition vs a brand new unmolested trans is so close.

I like your thinking, a big part of me misses my old cammed LS1, but I definitely understand where you're coming from with holding off on the cam. Once I get the leakdown test done, and oil pan off, I feel I'll have a much better understanding of her condition and how deep I need to go into the engine. My main reason for wanting to do the cam and supporting valvetrain now, is the ease while I have the engine on a stand. Though doing it in the car wasn't too terrible either. I definitely have some thinking to do on that. The money savings would be nice too.

As far as the rear end goes, to be honest, I have no idea whatsoever. The car has 82k on it, definitely had the tires smoked off of it before the heart was ripped out. But I have only had it a month or so and focused on cleaning it up best I could for starters. I haven't jacked it up at all and gotten under it, though the underside from what I saw is nearly rust free thankfully.

 

Make 100% sure that the trays your buying are genuine GM trays. Aftermarket trays will only give you trouble that you don’t want.

 

If it doesn't leak don't touch it. That's my opinion from doing several of these motors. It looks very healthy from the valve covers. It ran this way in the previous vehicle, so it will run in yours. As stocka4 said, I would just shove it in the car stock and make sure the bottom end isn't blown out before you dump hundreds(maybe thousands) into the top end with cam, lifters, heads. Get it going first, then upgrade. Most importantly have fun.

 

Okay so as of now I am leaning toward the suggestions of you all and planning to keep it mostly stock. I do have an LS6 intake manifold with 42lb injectors(8.1L Marine I believe) and BTR rails. I feel I would be better off running the stock LQ9 injectors for tuning purposes, until I eventually cam it, right?

As of now I am looking at ensuring the bottom end and rings are in good shape(through leakdown and visual inspection). If all is well I will put on the LS6 intake with the LQ9 injectors and BTR rails, LS1 oil pan, pickup with a new O ring, and windage tray. New lifter trays(OEM), should I just throw LS7 lifters in there while its all apart? I may drop the heads off to be cleaned up and get a valve job, and new valve seals. Basically get myself a bit closer to swapping the cam down the road, with keeping costs lower.

If I'm going this far, part of me wants to just pop in a new oil pump to be on the safe side.

I feel as though all of the preventative work is putting me inches and dollars closer to just making more sense to throw the cam in her haha.

Greatly appreciate all the wisdom and experience.

 

I started a leakdown test but felt I was doing something wrong with the results, so I switched to a compression test, and the results were less than comforting.
cylinder 1 -60psi
2-120
3 -155
5-170
7- 120

During the leakdown I noticed on 1 and 7 I heard a lot of exhaust leakage, didn't leakdown test the right side bank. I feel I'm looking at either bent valves or pushrods, haven't torn down to inspect yet.

I know the lifters are hydraulic and I don't know the last time the engine was run, so that can skew the results.

What do you all think?

 

Big variances. Shoot some oil in through the spark plug holes. Rings might need to seat.

 

It’s common for an engine that’s sat around unstarted for a long time to develop a little corrosion from condensation on the valve seats and upper cylinder walls. This superficial spotting will cause erratic readings and scare the mess out of you. If it’s been in a shop environment (out of the weather) it will be fine as soon as it gets a little heat in it from run time. As stated above, spray a tad of WD-40 in the intake ports, each spark plug hole, and the exhaust ports. Use a breaker bar and spin it over for a while. Re-test it and it will read fine, unless it’s hurt…which I doubt. Fwiw, rings will not “un-seat”. They are bedded and are permanently married until disassembly.

 

Hard for me to believe there's anything wrong with it, I had one that has been driven a long time with a broken off spark plug, I'm sure that cylinder was nasty but I never took the heads off or anything before I ran it, like ran it to 7500 every time I drove it, trap speeds are more reliable than compression tests imo lol these things are bulletproof it will clean and clear itself up within a few miles just change the oil again after you get it running. Leaving the stock cam in there at first is definitely the way to go if you are worried about it not being perfect. If it's good It will idle baby butt smooth after the lifters pump up and once it been "re-broken" in with a few hundred miles of driving. It will be loud when you first start it but don't be worried just rev it between 2-3k watching the oil pressure for a few minutes occasionally letting it fall back to idle until it shuts up, Once your satisfied it's happy cam swap in the car is no big deal

 

The engine probably wont meet the car until next spring/summer, I have another kid on the way so time will be tough. Ill throw some fresh oil in it and run the starter a few times to try to pump up the lifters before attempting another compression test. As far as storage of it, that's mostly unknown, it was a junkyard engine. From the looks of the yard, it was stored in a barn on a shelf, so no climate control but it was most likely out of the weather.

I planned on changing out the oil pump to be preventative, as I will have the oil pan off anyway to swap to the LS1 pan and it'll make pickup tube o-ring installation less questionable. Should I pull the heads too and just have a look? The engine will be in my basement over the winter so I can go over it and clean it up, unfortunately I don't have a garage.

Thanks for all the comforting insight, I got nervous initially when I was testing it.

 

I would not pull the heads. Shoot some oil in the ports and plug holes, and put it away. It will be fine as long as it’s not out in the rain. Don’t bag it, just keep it covered and dry.

 

Sounds good.

Any other suggestions while I have it out and accessible? I'm swapping an ls6 intake and ls1 oil pan onto it, what should i check out and take care of while I can?