Doing it right the 1st time - Help me build my engine
Doing it right the 1st time - Help me build my engine Long story short, this is my third F-Body, a 2000 A4 with Kooks 1 7/8" LTs. The car was a family member's that sat for years due to a sick niece (leukemia) who thankfully is fully recovered. He sold it to me cheap to revive it to its former glory. I've de-miced it, replaced the entire interior and am sending it to the body shop for new paint.
Now comes the motor. She's blowing a small hint of blue smoke @ high RPM so I'm hesitant throwing H&C at it. I figure might as well go through the entire powertrain. I'm trying to find a good installer here in Connecticut (or New Hampshire) but it seems some shops are too busy to deal with a new customer or just don't call me back when I ask for a rough estimate for a bottom end build or a motor swap (any suggestions here would be VERY helpful)!!
Goals: Reliable, 10.99 timeslip completely N/A, no juice or FI
Drivability is important as I do intend to take her to church on Sundays with my wife and kids and pick them up from school on sunny days.
Budget: Within reason. I'm not on a small budget, but I don't want to throw cash at it either. I have a C8 savings plan so I don't need this car to be insane.
Thoughts
Now comes the motor. She's blowing a small hint of blue smoke @ high RPM so I'm hesitant throwing H&C at it. I figure might as well go through the entire powertrain. I'm trying to find a good installer here in Connecticut (or New Hampshire) but it seems some shops are too busy to deal with a new customer or just don't call me back when I ask for a rough estimate for a bottom end build or a motor swap (any suggestions here would be VERY helpful)!!
Goals: Reliable, 10.99 timeslip completely N/A, no juice or FI
Drivability is important as I do intend to take her to church on Sundays with my wife and kids and pick them up from school on sunny days.
Budget: Within reason. I'm not on a small budget, but I don't want to throw cash at it either. I have a C8 savings plan so I don't need this car to be insane.
Thoughts
- Option 1: 383 stroker kit, 225cc PRC heads and torquer V4 cam on a 12-bolt and RPM transmission. Not sure this will get me 10.99 but should get me close, this seems to be a dollar-friendly option
- Option 2: Sell the LS1, swap for Iron 408. TSP has a short block for ~$6K, so adding heads, manifold, TB will have me around $10k for the motor. Not sure what's required for the swap yet but I'll get to that part of my homework if its the best route forward. My factory LS1 motor sale should help offset the cost here (no idea what it's worth)
- Option 3: seems to be so many options in between the cost effective 383 build and the iron 408. I've read the 'recipe' sticky which was fun, though as my ADHD is bad enough that I am feeling overwhelmed by all the options and don't want to do something impulsive. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I'd start with valve stem seals given it likely isn't rings if it's otherwise fine. If driveability is important youll want to limit camshaft overlap. The more cubes the more it will soak up the camshaft. Given that it's an auto and you have an ET goal, you'll want to put some money towards building the transmission and a good torque converter. Honestly a good stall and heads cam package would likely get you near or at the 10s if done right without all the cubes. Just depends on how much power and fun you want and how easily you want to hit your goal lol.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 177
From: ELSA, South TEXAS (956) 802-7700
VALVE STEM SEALS 1ST AS OTHERS HAVE STATED..
A friend with a 4th gen z28, 230-236, 6xx 6xx, 110+2 LSA, some of my home ported 243s, Fast 102 setup, 3600 stall, 4.10s in 10 bolt, built suspension, 15 Bogarts on drag radials, full weight ran 10.86 @ 123.
Another customer with a 4th gen fbird, my home ported 799s with tsp 228, fast 92 set up, 36 or 4k stall, 3.73s, built suspension, 15 Racestars on drag radials, full weight also ran 11.1 @ 119.
So a cam with around 230-232 intake duration, fast 102 set up, 36-4k stall, 4.10s, built suspension, lightweight 15 wheels on drag radials, good tune should you get you there.
ALSO SHOULD HELP YOU $AVE MORE FOR C8.
A friend with a 4th gen z28, 230-236, 6xx 6xx, 110+2 LSA, some of my home ported 243s, Fast 102 setup, 3600 stall, 4.10s in 10 bolt, built suspension, 15 Bogarts on drag radials, full weight ran 10.86 @ 123.
Another customer with a 4th gen fbird, my home ported 799s with tsp 228, fast 92 set up, 36 or 4k stall, 3.73s, built suspension, 15 Racestars on drag radials, full weight also ran 11.1 @ 119.
So a cam with around 230-232 intake duration, fast 102 set up, 36-4k stall, 4.10s, built suspension, lightweight 15 wheels on drag radials, good tune should you get you there.
ALSO SHOULD HELP YOU $AVE MORE FOR C8.
Much appreciate the feedback on valve seals - honestly, with a 22 year old car (built date 11/99) I'm hesitant to spend all this money on heads without going into the block. It'll give me a fresh motor I won't have to mess with. I'm not suggesting that the block is shot just because of a little blue smoke, just that if I'm going to start doing heads/cams I might as well do the motor over.
383s are hit or miss over the years with ls1s more of a miss. You find the right person like Tony mamo to spec you something out for a 383 then I think it will drive amazing and make the power you want. I’m more of a fan keeping the aluminum blocks for na power just to save that 100plus pounds on the front end. A ls1 346 going 10s is more max effort then not. Weight plays a huge role not saying it can’t be done at factory weight as we see it can be but your average reliable ls1 build is going to be tough to get it there. If you are find with low 11s I think that’s more realistic. You may also hate or love a 4K stall too. Everyone is different with what they consider drivable too. Just something to think about
Trending Topics
I hear gears on these cars can really help, espescially with a bigger cam. I would agree with some of the comments here it does not stop with the engine and that exhaust, trans, rear etc. also need to come into play here.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo My car is just a head cam aluminum 6.0 and should run a 10.9x in cool weather.(first time out in sig) I am full weight (3620 race weight) ac etc..... Performabuilt trans with a yank 4k stall and ford 9". you would have better daily drivability with that 3600 but I doubt it would 60' as good as mine.
Gears are more done for drivability, not for ET from what I've seen.
I tend to agree with DDNspider. More gear adds a lot of enjoyment to normal driving in most cases.
Fellow car club member had a M6 99 Z28 with a 224/224 cam and 3.42 gears. Was harder to drive stop light to stop light in normal traffic, needed more rpm etc and bucked in 6th gear under 80 mph. Another car with 4.10's and 224/224 cam was easier to drive and in 6th gear at 50 mph didn't buck.
A friend had an A4 00 Z28 with 3.23's and upgraded to 3.73's. The car was a lot more fun to drive with the 3.73's. The Yank 3600 SS made the car much faster; the gear swap just made the car more fun to drive.
Fellow car club member had a M6 99 Z28 with a 224/224 cam and 3.42 gears. Was harder to drive stop light to stop light in normal traffic, needed more rpm etc and bucked in 6th gear under 80 mph. Another car with 4.10's and 224/224 cam was easier to drive and in 6th gear at 50 mph didn't buck.
A friend had an A4 00 Z28 with 3.23's and upgraded to 3.73's. The car was a lot more fun to drive with the 3.73's. The Yank 3600 SS made the car much faster; the gear swap just made the car more fun to drive.
I tend to agree with DDNspider. More gear adds a lot of enjoyment to normal driving in most cases.
Fellow car club member had a M6 99 Z28 with a 224/224 cam and 3.42 gears. Was harder to drive stop light to stop light in normal traffic, needed more rpm etc and bucked in 6th gear under 80 mph. Another car with 4.10's and 224/224 cam was easier to drive and in 6th gear at 50 mph didn't buck.
A friend had an A4 00 Z28 with 3.23's and upgraded to 3.73's. The car was a lot more fun to drive with the 3.73's. The Yank 3600 SS made the car much faster; the gear swap just made the car more fun to drive.
Fellow car club member had a M6 99 Z28 with a 224/224 cam and 3.42 gears. Was harder to drive stop light to stop light in normal traffic, needed more rpm etc and bucked in 6th gear under 80 mph. Another car with 4.10's and 224/224 cam was easier to drive and in 6th gear at 50 mph didn't buck.
A friend had an A4 00 Z28 with 3.23's and upgraded to 3.73's. The car was a lot more fun to drive with the 3.73's. The Yank 3600 SS made the car much faster; the gear swap just made the car more fun to drive.
Much appreciate the feedback on valve seals - honestly, with a 22 year old car (built date 11/99) I'm hesitant to spend all this money on heads without going into the block. It'll give me a fresh motor I won't have to mess with. I'm not suggesting that the block is shot just because of a little blue smoke, just that if I'm going to start doing heads/cams I might as well do the motor over.
I'd do as was posted, and try valve seals first. You'll have to go in that far anyway with different springs for your new cam. I say if ain't broke, leave it alone! Plus,you kinda know it's history, so.....Good luck
Forgot to mention, if you're going to install a stall converter, my favorite is Yank. They were what the late John Lingenfelter recommended, and if they were good enough for him, they're good enough for me!! I installed a 3,200 stall Yank in my C5 back in 2005. It's 60,000 miles later, with an LS7 jerking on it all that time, and it's as good as new. My .02.....
Some of the 2000 MY LS1s did have that piston slap problem, especially when driven in the cool temps of early Spring/Fall mornings. I bought my 2000 C5 in July. No noises at all. Man, the first chilly morning we had, that sucker sounded like a Cummins diesel!!! I'm not kidding, I thought a rod bearing had spun at first. But the sound went away after 30 seconds or so......
