About to start my first LS1 build...I've witnessed a Chevy 350 rebuild or two, and noticed two seals - the front oil pan to timing cover seal, made out of rubber or cork, and the rear main seal, which sometimes is a two piece neoprene or rubber seal, and sometimes is a rope seal (which looks weird but apparently works).

I've done some reading on LS1 builds, but never noticed these seals. I know the LS1 is not your typical SBC but I just want to make sure before I start bolting stuff together - do these seals exist on the LS1, or do these sections on the engine seal in a different way?

Thanks again guys

 

Those shitty seals from the Gen I motors were all reengineered. Almost every seal on Gen III/IV motors are flat. One of the few kick *** changes the general made to these engines.

 

Most all of the seals on the ls1 are aluminum with an orange rubber o-ring outlinging th emetal to me squshed in between. Best gaskets ive ever used. There is a round seal where the balancers comes through in the front cover and a perimeter seal. The bottom of the timing cover is the front side of the oil pan mounting. The oil pan asket seals there although i did add a few dabs of rtv at each of the corners when i asesembled the oil pan.

The rear main seal also has a small barbell piece that if not replaced you wont have any oil presure. It's called the oil galley plug i believe.

 

I love this forum, thanks for the info guys. Any other beginning LS1 engine tips are totally welcomed too!!

 

http://www.ls1howto.com/
This will help you along the way. Also see my sig there's a lot of pic when i built my forged moter.

 

what are u building? a 5.7 aluminum ls1 or a iron block based engine?

 

Thanks, Conan. Noticed in your sig you have a double roller timing chain. Is that pretty much a direct replacement? Or will it stick out too far and hit the timing cover?

 

The doudle roller comes with shims to move the oil pump off the engine about 1/8" to clear the chain. no problems with timeing cover. there is a few diferant slots to advace or retard the timing. just make sure you line the slot with the dot on the crank gear with the key in the crank.

 

5.7 aluminum LS1. 98 block with 98 PCM, 853 heads, Wiseco pistons, 78mm FAST intake and TB, Yella Terra roller rockers, stock crank and rods, ARP rod bolts and main bolts, TSP XS 233/239 camshaft, Granatelli 85mm MAF, FLP headers. Probably AIR and EGR deletes.

 

If you can spend a little more $$$ get some forged rods. In the future you will thank your self for spending the money... It wont take long before you want more power.

 

Hahaha everyone says that. I'll be lucky if I can get this thing to run man.