Looking for more power, but mileage is getting high
10-24-2007, 01:08 AM
#1
Launching!
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Looking for more power, but mileage is getting high My car (see sig) has about 73,000 miles on it and still seems to run strong(car was dynoed with 69,000 miles), but I'd like more power. My problem is I'm not really sure if I should put money into this motor with this many miles, cause I plan on keeping the car for a while. I probably put 10-12 thousand miles on the car in a year, it doesn't see any track time and if it does in the future it probably won't see much. I figure with 400 wheel hp or more I'm going to need a rearend and something better than the original clutch which will probably have to be replaced soon regardless, so this is gonna cost enough in itself. So i guess my question is should I bother spending the money on heads and a cam before a rebuild or buy this stuff anyways and rebuild when the motor starts going down hill? I'm just not really sure what I should do? 
10-24-2007, 06:17 AM
#2
So why is 73k on the clock a problem??
I cracked my motor open for the first time after it hit 100k & we installed my H/C set-up. Block still had the cross-hatching in the bores & timing chain was even still tight like new. Left the short block alone & added new lifters.
You should be fine. As long as your car is in good running condition & you maintaince it religiously it shouldn't be a issue.
On the clutch if you go with a mild H/C combo & don't go to the track with real sticky tires, the LS7 clutch kit is about the best upgrade for the money. Mine is holding like a champ so far & my clutch already had a years worth of daily driving on it before the H/C.
I cracked my motor open for the first time after it hit 100k & we installed my H/C set-up. Block still had the cross-hatching in the bores & timing chain was even still tight like new. Left the short block alone & added new lifters.
You should be fine. As long as your car is in good running condition & you maintaince it religiously it shouldn't be a issue.
On the clutch if you go with a mild H/C combo & don't go to the track with real sticky tires, the LS7 clutch kit is about the best upgrade for the money. Mine is holding like a champ so far & my clutch already had a years worth of daily driving on it before the H/C.
10-24-2007, 06:38 AM
#3
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mine has done over 150,i look forward to bolt on mods+camshaft soon. keep it under 6400rpm should last for years more if i regularly use good synthetic oil.heck if it was a manual 6600-6700 any more and your compromising the conrod bolt rod limitations of a factory spec engine.
wouldn't hurt to put new valve stem seals and affix a vacum crankcase
catch tank with a drainback passage to the dipstick fully sealed to comply with emmisions,oil usage at high rpms will be minimised approx 50% then
wouldn't hurt to put new valve stem seals and affix a vacum crankcase
catch tank with a drainback passage to the dipstick fully sealed to comply with emmisions,oil usage at high rpms will be minimised approx 50% then
10-24-2007, 06:43 AM
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So why is 73k on the clock a problem??
I cracked my motor open for the first time after it hit 100k & we installed my H/C set-up. Block still had the cross-hatching in the bores & timing chain was even still tight like new. Left the short block alone & added new lifters.
You should be fine. As long as your car is in good running condition & you maintaince it religiously it shouldn't be a issue.
On the clutch if you go with a mild H/C combo & don't go to the track with real sticky tires, the LS7 clutch kit is about the best upgrade for the money. Mine is holding like a champ so far & my clutch already had a years worth of daily driving on it before the H/C.
I cracked my motor open for the first time after it hit 100k & we installed my H/C set-up. Block still had the cross-hatching in the bores & timing chain was even still tight like new. Left the short block alone & added new lifters.
You should be fine. As long as your car is in good running condition & you maintaince it religiously it shouldn't be a issue.
On the clutch if you go with a mild H/C combo & don't go to the track with real sticky tires, the LS7 clutch kit is about the best upgrade for the money. Mine is holding like a champ so far & my clutch already had a years worth of daily driving on it before the H/C.
bet you were happy when you saw them bores.
if it ain't broke why fix it.
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10-24-2007, 06:57 AM
#5
My Z had 92,000 miles on it when I bought it. Switched to synthetic oil and never used a drop.
When I did a H/C install my motor was just like Big Mike's. Bores looked great. These engines are built with low tension rings, so they don't wear the cylinders like the old engines used to. I did add a can of MR. Molly to my engine after I did the heads/cam swap, but that is all I did.
I put in a stroker motor this year, but my LS1 was still in excellent condition @ 115,000 miles
You will be fine!
When I did a H/C install my motor was just like Big Mike's. Bores looked great. These engines are built with low tension rings, so they don't wear the cylinders like the old engines used to. I did add a can of MR. Molly to my engine after I did the heads/cam swap, but that is all I did.
I put in a stroker motor this year, but my LS1 was still in excellent condition @ 115,000 miles
You will be fine!
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10-24-2007, 10:13 AM
#8
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I did my H&C at 150,000 miles when a lifter went bad and started digging into my stock cam. The old heads we're good. No sludge. Everything looked great. The block looked good too. I replaced everything from the block up though. New water pump, oil pump, tm chain, new complete 243 set of heads, lifters, and of course a hotcam. Car has 169,XXX miles now. I put in around 25,000 or more miles a year. Still runs great. Chevy builds good motors. Maintaince is the key to having a good lasting motor.