Out with the old... I had just assembled what I thought was going to be my final setup for awhile... It was a very aggresive stock cubes LS1 build that I never got a chance to take to the dyno or even drag race (blew up a week before the races).

I dont know if it was simply a fluke, or if it was related at all, but I went out a on backroad with a buddy to try the nitrous for the first time on my new build. (I say new build, but it was just new heads/custom cam/caddy lifters/ and I flycut my pistons) Armed the system and put my foot to the floor (WOT switch) and felt nothing, except the car stalled. Slap it in neutral as I was still rolling start it back up, and thus began the minor knocking sound. Then comes the tow truck.

I wasnt sure what had happend, but now after having removed the entire top end of the engine and it being fine. I believe it is what I had originally assumed. Bottom end damage (spun bearing). I havent taken off the pan yet, cause Im just going to pull the engine and replace it. However today I got most of the work done and ready to pull it out, drained the oil, and well check out the drain plug magnet...lol.

In with the new... After doing copious amounts of research and bugging various knowledgeable regulars on the site, I went from deciding to have a shop rebuild my motor to a 383, to ordering a big cubes 418 stroker shortblock from TSP. Ive also decided to change the top end and valvetrain aswell. It's going to be a solid roller setup with afr 225 heads. The shortblock is built and should be on its way and in my driveway very soon. For now, here are some pictures of my driveway.

Just starting to get ready to PULL the engine from the top...plus my girl's Camaro in the background. Ya, were 4th gen lovers, lol. I'll update the post with pics of the engine and build as it arrives. In the meantime if anyone has input or questions feel free.

Jaime

 

Ouch! I recently hydrolocked my motor I feel your pain.

 

Good luck on the swap. Pushing/pulling that cherry picker through your driveway must be a bitch.

 

exactly what i was thinking. you are a brave man. that makes me agravated just imagining pulling that picker in a gravel driveway
good luck on the swap

 

Well, here's an update. Now things make alot more sense. I finally got the engine out, and tore down the block. I thought it was pretty weird that I would just magically spin a bearing by turning my nitrous on....

Now tell me if this makes sense, looks like I BENT A ROD!! Which in turn caused awkward stress on the rod in questions bearing and it wore.

The faint noise I heard, was the bottom of the piston, on the now shortened rod, hitting up against the crankshaft as it turned.

I knew I was pushing my luck with the engine I had, plus with a redline around 7000rpm, and a stock bottom end, plus nitrous. It's a shame I had just flycut all those pistons a month earlier (total pain in the ***). But thats the game we play.

Here's the pics.

 

That sucks!

This is the exact reason my motto is: "A setback is just a setup for a comeback."

 

Sorry to hear man, but hey you got a new motor coming and this block is still good :-) btw, very nice pics with outlined boxes

 

Ya man, and thats how Im looking at it. Of course I never planed on doing this as soon as I am now, wanted to get some dyno and track nubmers with the previous combo atleast first haha. Ohwell.

Thats right! The block is still good, and wadaya know, the girlfriends 3.8L Camaro is sitting right beside here and after showing her a video of 306 That Could's girlfriend dyno'ing her Camaro, she's got the LS1 bug too (I sure dont mind). Thanks, ya figured highliting the reasons I took some of the pics, might help.

 

Getting it in the driveway wasnt so much a problem, but once the engine was lifted on it, the casters sank into the gravel making it impossible to move.

To make things easier, I chained my rear axle to the trailer hitch of my dads TrailBlazer and pulled the car away from the engine. (didnt take any pics of that, should of though)

 

What was waiting for me when I got home from work last night............ a TSP crate-o-sex.


Of course I had to bring it into the living room and inspect it.







It was hard to restrain myself but the g/f was with me, so I resisted my urges. hahaha

Now I just need to transfer some parts over from the old motor, and wait on my top end to arrive. Slowly but surely.

 

umm... sex. GOD I WANT A SHORTBLOCK really bad.

BTW, why are you wanting to go with a solid roller? Is there an advantage. I would think that you could rev higher?

 

There's nothing more exciting than opening up the crate and staring at the new stoker.

 

Yes, valvetrain stability, and all things being equal cam specs wise, the solid roller cam will 'act' milder than the equivilant hydraulic cam.

You got that right, I had to wait 8 hours at work while I new it was sitting for me in the garage, before I could even get to opening the crate.

 

you sir are a trooper. i wish my girl would let me build an engine in the living room it looks so comfortable!

 

I showed my wife this thread with the pics and here reply was basically unprintable.

I will be watching this build with interest.


cheers

 

Very nice keep us posted man what H/C/I Will you run??

TSP is awesome.

 

Hahaha.

Yes I will try to update the thread with as much progress as I can. Not sure how much progress I will be making in the next week or two as I am waiting for the valvetrain and heads. I am also replacing the rear with an as yet not 100% certain rear.

I'll be running mill'd AFR 225's with a solid roller cam, and I have a Mamo ported FAST 90 setup on top.

 

Well I did some minor forward progress today. I installed some washers and modified the windage tray to clear the rod bolts. Also installed my TSP oil pump and JP Performance dual chain, looks like a nice unit.


The holes that needed widening

Adding the washers

Started installing

TSP ported pump & dual chain installed

As I say, baby steps. Im going to bolt up the oil pickup tube next and see how low in or if it even clears the pan. Im hoping 3 washers wasnt too much.

Just ordered a new rear main seal (even tho I probably didnt need one, but it was a high mileage motor and now that the motor is out, why not) so I will do that when it arrives in a couple days.

Then once the cam and valvetrain arrive, I can bolt the pain, front and rear covers on at once and drop the short block into the car!!

I will also be painting alot of my parts with por-15 after a gentle clean up this week before the upper half arrives. I will likely document all of it.

 

Let us know how it goes. I just put in an order a few days ago for a TSP 418. It should be here in around five weeks.

 

Congrats, awesome to hear!