Speaking of TSP, make sure the spacer for the oil pump is on the right way. The side with the oil passage needs to be on with that passage slightly offset upwards to properly line up with the passages in the block and pump. If it's upside down, it'll cut the area of that passage in half!

 

It's OK no biggie, just helicoil it. You have to drill and tap the original hole, so what I've done was tape the back (if it's open) and then tape and bag the entire front of the engine except for a little window to work on the hole. If you have a shopvac, use it to suck up the shavings as you drill and tap. You may need another set of hands.

As for the oil pump, it looks like a Melling so check for clearance around the timing chain when you go to put it on. It usually hits right around the flange where the pick up tube bolts up. Also, get some clearance between the pump housing and the drive gear. I do this by putting on the housing first and sticking in a few .003" shims, like from a feeler guage, between the housing and the oil pump gear and then tightening the pump bolts down. This helps the pump last longer, and not wear so much.

 

Yep I've had several customers do that with the Rollmaster Timing sets. I've never tried it, but I think it would cause an internal oil pressure leak.

I know the sales guys will tell you not to degree the cam, but if you have the tools and knowledge to do so, that's the best way for any buildup. You can't pick up on how to do that correctly over the phone, there are many websites and books that show how to degree. I do a ton of camshafts, and if its something you don't do everyday, I can see it being a hassle.

 

Great tips guys, thanks a f'n million! KCS, you mentioned the side with the oil passage needs to be on with the passage offset upward, but for the oil pump spacers, I'm not sure I'm understanding how to tell which side is block side and which side is oil pump side. Are you saying that if the three hole spacer is put on upside down, I'll see it blocking half of the oil passage hole??

Also, I just got back from Ace Hardware, with the Helicoil kit. I had to buy a separate handle thing too (Irwin). Now I the cam retainer bolts thread into the helicoils just fine (M8x1.25x20mm), but I'm wondering about two things. The length of the coil is shorter than the length of the bolt. Should I "double up" the coils in the block? Or will one coil be fine? And then I also noticed a little "tab" at one end of the helicoil. Do I cut that off or is that supposed to be left on when I thread the bolt into it? Here's a pic:



You guys kick more *** than Bruce Lee for helping me along my build! I definitely get piece of mind double checking with you dudes on this thread.

 

Once you finish with this build and post a video of it running the mods should sticky this thread. You have almost asked every possible question about engine rebuilding. HAHA! Just kidding but seriously you are helping other people out that are going through the same thing as you.

 

Indeed. +1 on the sticky. I'm following this thread just to learn for any rebuild that might come up in the future.

 

To repair a thread with a heli coil, you're supposed to drill the hole out larger, then thread it with a specific tap. Heli coil kits should have all of this. Then the actual threaded insert (the heli coil) is supposed to thread into the new hole with a special tool, which is probably the handle you had to buy. Once it is bottomed out, you can tap on the end with a hammer to break the tab, or do like me and use a screwdriver and get the tab out with needle nose pliers.

Yes, if the spacer is upside down, it will block nearly half of the oil passage. Just stick the oil pump bolts in the holes on the pump, and slide the spacers on like you're about to install it, and you can look and see how it lines up with the passage on the pump.

 

Wow never considered this being a stickie. Does that mean if I get it dynoed and the engine blows up this doesn't get stickied? hahaha

Ok, here's an update: I got the helicoil done, and the all four cam retainer bolts are torqued to 18 ft lbs!

The helicoil installation actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. First time jitters I guess. Easy instructions; here are a few pics:

This what I got from Ace Hardware:
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com/helicoil_tools.jpg

Here you can see how paranoid I was of getting metal shavings everywhere :
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com/paranoid1.jpg
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com/paranoid2.jpg

Tapping at a steady pace, using masking tape to mark the length of the cam retainer bolt:
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com...il_tapping.jpg

Helicoil finally in:
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com...l_in_place.jpg

All four cam retainer bolts successfully in:
http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com...ur_torqued.jpg

I made sure to blow out all the metal particles with compressed air before putting in the helicoil. As far as the little helicoil tab goes, I didn't see it when I looked down there, and the instructions didn't say anything about it, so I just torqued the bolt down. I left it overnight and double checked the torque setting just to make sure, and it's still at 18 ft lbs so I think I'm ok.

Next up is the double roller timing chain!! I'm wondering about something though...i'm looking through my LS1 rebuild book (by Chris Werner), and it says that there are two different kinds of oil pickup tubes! it says one type necks down near the end before bumping into a flange, and requires a green gm o-ring. the other type does not neck down and this type requires a thinner o-ring that is either blue or black. WHAT THE HELL? i don't know what "neck down" means, but that's what it says in the book. it doesn't show a photo of the two types, only a photo of the one that doesn't "neck down."

I did a search on tech and it seems that the general consensus is that I should get the blue o-ring, and that the green ones are for truck ls1s. I think I saw a thread that said the green ones are for LS1 oil pickup tubes that flare out at the end going into the oil pump. So I think I'm good getting the blue o-ring. What do you guys think?

 

Ok, went to install the double roller chain, and the three camshaft bolts that go into the front of the cam...when i screwed them in, I noticed they were kinda loose (they're stock, from the old stock cam). Not a whole lot loose, but you could wiggle it when the bolt was halfway screwed in. Is this normal? The bolts wiggled on both the stock cam and the new cam. Like I said, not a lot, but definitely enough to notice. Wondering if anyone's come across this problem and suggests that I get new bolts or if I'll be fine.

Thanks again guys

 

Got some new cam bolts, and even though it took me FOREVER to get the double roller in (https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/987345-rollmaster-double-roller-not-lining-up.html) I got it installed, and went to install my oil pump.

I put the oil pump on the crank, used the four bolts from the Rollmaster kit to steady it, centered it with 0.002" feeler gauges, put the inner gear in, and put the oil pump cover on, and went to torque those oil pump cover bolts to 18 lb ft, and five of them spun. AND, ONE OF THE BOLTS BROKE OFF at the head. I guess that's what I get for not using new bolts. Looking at them now, they do look scrawny and if the engine is 10 years old and they've been torqued often, they've had their day.

Oh well, it gave me an excuse to get a new oil pump:



SLP PN 55001. got it from jeg's so it should be here this week. should be fun

 

Yeah, I really don't think those tiny 6mm-ish bolts are 18ft-lbs. Thats what GM specs for the stock OE 8mm bolts. I'm not sure, but I think GM says 106in-lbs for those.

Be sure to check for chain-pump clearance. I know that the Mellings, even the 10296, need to be clearanced for the timing chain.

-Kent

 

Front oil pump cover bolts get 106 lb/in. If you torque them to 18 lb/ft they will all break or at least strip the threads out. Sounds like you're having just as much fun with your project as I am with mine! Hehe! I'm currently heating my new underdrive pulley in the oven if it makes you feel any better. MMM...doesn't quite smell like mom's cookies though...

 

Haha, I was just about to ask what the proper torque spec was for those oil pump cover bolts and I saw your responses. I got the 18 ft lb spec from the "How to Build High-Performance Chevy LS1/LS6 V8s" book by Will Handzel (step 24 on page 94). Total mistake! BIG difference. 106 in/lbs is like 9 ft lbs!!

 

Got the new oil pump installed. I blew it all out with compressed air before installing, and I just followed the HorsepowerTV way of doing it, putting a little bit of threadlocker on the four outside mounting bolts and using .002" feeler gauges to center the pump.

http://zigzautonotes.googlepages.com/SLP_oil_pump.jpg

The oil pump cover bolts I torqued to 106 inch pounds. Now that is not a lot of torque, so I'm a little worried, but that's what you guys, LS1Howto.com, AND the GM Service Manual say to do, so I probably shouldn't be worried huh. Only thing is, those are torque specs for a stock oil pump, and mine is aftermarket, so I'm hoping it's still torqued properly...

KCS, I checked for clearance too, thanks for the tip. The chain clears the pump housing.

Halloran, it's been a few hours buddy. Hope you're still not cooking your balancer!

 

Took 45 minutes at 450 degrees and lots of oil and patience but I got that sucker on! My torque wrench didn't go to 200 lb/ft so I have to go borrow one. It's on at 150 lb/ft right now. Now just got that to finish and the sensors, coil packs and prime it up! Then it should be ready to go! Can't wait!

 

NICE! Are you going to get it dynoed before putting it in the car?

 

Another question for someone. Which direction do the rod bearing tabs face when the engine is assembled? Toward the V or away from the V? Logic would say away from the V so when ignition happens the rod bearing has more surface to put the load against. Correct or am I off base?

 

Nah, I wish I could but there really aren't any places in my area to go and get that done. I'll try to get a wheel dyno done once I break the motor in and get some miles on it.

 

After stripped threads and a sheared bolt, both at 18 ft-lbs, I would check the calibration of my torque wrench. Another question is the range of the torque wrench you are using? Torque wrenches are inherently less accurate near the ends of their range.

 

If the timing cover bolts only get 9 ft lbs, and I double that, I'm not surprised the bolts stripped. But to answer your question, I have two torque wrenches, one that's digital that has a range of 10-100 ft lbs, and then a click style one that has a range of 25-250 in. lbs. / 3.61-29.03 Nm. Both are Craftsman.