DIY Ls3 Build From a Bare Block
12-12-2013, 06:41 AM
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DIY Ls3 Build From a Bare Block Hi Everyone,
I live in Australia and have a commodore ute, very similar to a 04 gto. Its a daily driver, live in the city and have to deal with a lot of heavy traffic so have built the engine to be pretty torquey without being too savage on fuel.
A couple years ago I rebuilt the top end, 218/222 EPS cam, ls2 heads and chain, ported ls6 oil pump, ls7 lifters, otr intake and mafless tune. Has run really well, very happy with it but now the sump gasket and rear cover are leaking oil on my ls1 and engine mounts are rooted as well. Seeing that the best way to fix all that is to pull the engine out it seems like a good opportunity to upgrade. I plan on keeping the vehicle for a while. Thought about stroking the current setup or putting a blower on it but in the end decided on a ls3. I dont like the idea of the converter boxes, even though the newer ones are meant to be more reliable I want to run a 24t reluctor.
Im going to have a go at building it from scratch, never done done it before but like having a go at DIY. I'm a aircraft engineer by trade and used to working with close tolerances and associated tooling but most of my work has been on gas turbine engines. I did the heads and cam on my ls1, this is a bit more technical but I have a couple books and read lots of build threads over the last couple years. Not the same first hand experience but I'm going to have a go.
Parts l have so far:
Imported a new bare ls3 block from the states and a new stock crank with a 24t wheel fitted.
Stock rods with ARP bolts
JE forged pistons (stock densions and weight)
Ls3 heads with a valve job and exhaust ports touched up and rockers
PSI 1511 springs
Manifold with with injectors + fuel rail
EPS custom cam 222/230 114+2 .605 lift
Parts Im going to order:
DOD delete kit (16 ls7 lifters)
C5R timing chain
ARP head bolts
Clevite main/cap bearings
Valve locks, seals, retainers
Cable throttle body
Injector adapters
Hinson poly engine mounts
Gaskets, plugs etc
Going to swap over the sump, pickup and oil pump (ls6 ported and shimmed)
Have a Manta 2.5 dual system with pacie tri-ys which Im changing to 1 3/4, 4 into ones and 3 in cats
Monster clutch is rated to 525rwhp so it should hold the power.
Basically Im chasing torque with nice manners and half decent fuel economy for a daily driver. Im going to check ptv but I think Ill have the heads shaved .030 to bump the compression up. Cam was ground by Cam Motion on EPS lobes, (currently have a 218/222 EPS and like it) It came with a cam doctor card and the specs are spot on so will just install dot to dot. They are a softer profile so going to keep the valve train light with beehives (.625 lift) shooting for .060 to .080 th preload on ls7 lifters. Going to have the assembly balanced. Would like to go a small dry shot later on.
The pistons are excellent condition second hand ones that were made as a drop in replacement for a ls3 (corvette i think) racing series. Going to run mahle rings. Not many options for the stock (metric) pistons but I think they will be fine. I measured them at 4.0615, JE recommend .0045 ptw clearance so will have the cylinders honed maybe .0001 and a prob line hone for the crank. Will check the rods to see if the arp bolts cause distortion.
Will go a new crank sensor and ls1 knock sensors. Am aware about extending the harness for the knock sensors and changing the location of the map sensor.
Looking to hear from anyone with some engine building experience, especially from a bare block. Do you think I'm on the right track with this build? Is there anything I'm overlooking or should look at changing?
What would be ideal clearances for the crank and rods?
Thanks in advance.
I live in Australia and have a commodore ute, very similar to a 04 gto. Its a daily driver, live in the city and have to deal with a lot of heavy traffic so have built the engine to be pretty torquey without being too savage on fuel.
A couple years ago I rebuilt the top end, 218/222 EPS cam, ls2 heads and chain, ported ls6 oil pump, ls7 lifters, otr intake and mafless tune. Has run really well, very happy with it but now the sump gasket and rear cover are leaking oil on my ls1 and engine mounts are rooted as well. Seeing that the best way to fix all that is to pull the engine out it seems like a good opportunity to upgrade. I plan on keeping the vehicle for a while. Thought about stroking the current setup or putting a blower on it but in the end decided on a ls3. I dont like the idea of the converter boxes, even though the newer ones are meant to be more reliable I want to run a 24t reluctor.
Im going to have a go at building it from scratch, never done done it before but like having a go at DIY. I'm a aircraft engineer by trade and used to working with close tolerances and associated tooling but most of my work has been on gas turbine engines. I did the heads and cam on my ls1, this is a bit more technical but I have a couple books and read lots of build threads over the last couple years. Not the same first hand experience but I'm going to have a go.
Parts l have so far:
Imported a new bare ls3 block from the states and a new stock crank with a 24t wheel fitted.
Stock rods with ARP bolts
JE forged pistons (stock densions and weight)
Ls3 heads with a valve job and exhaust ports touched up and rockers
PSI 1511 springs
Manifold with with injectors + fuel rail
EPS custom cam 222/230 114+2 .605 lift
Parts Im going to order:
DOD delete kit (16 ls7 lifters)
C5R timing chain
ARP head bolts
Clevite main/cap bearings
Valve locks, seals, retainers
Cable throttle body
Injector adapters
Hinson poly engine mounts
Gaskets, plugs etc
Going to swap over the sump, pickup and oil pump (ls6 ported and shimmed)
Have a Manta 2.5 dual system with pacie tri-ys which Im changing to 1 3/4, 4 into ones and 3 in cats
Monster clutch is rated to 525rwhp so it should hold the power.
Basically Im chasing torque with nice manners and half decent fuel economy for a daily driver. Im going to check ptv but I think Ill have the heads shaved .030 to bump the compression up. Cam was ground by Cam Motion on EPS lobes, (currently have a 218/222 EPS and like it) It came with a cam doctor card and the specs are spot on so will just install dot to dot. They are a softer profile so going to keep the valve train light with beehives (.625 lift) shooting for .060 to .080 th preload on ls7 lifters. Going to have the assembly balanced. Would like to go a small dry shot later on.
The pistons are excellent condition second hand ones that were made as a drop in replacement for a ls3 (corvette i think) racing series. Going to run mahle rings. Not many options for the stock (metric) pistons but I think they will be fine. I measured them at 4.0615, JE recommend .0045 ptw clearance so will have the cylinders honed maybe .0001 and a prob line hone for the crank. Will check the rods to see if the arp bolts cause distortion.
Will go a new crank sensor and ls1 knock sensors. Am aware about extending the harness for the knock sensors and changing the location of the map sensor.
Looking to hear from anyone with some engine building experience, especially from a bare block. Do you think I'm on the right track with this build? Is there anything I'm overlooking or should look at changing?
What would be ideal clearances for the crank and rods?
Thanks in advance.
