My LT1 hydrolocked a few months back and I'm working on getting a replacement motor. I obviously need a new motor, but I want to swap in a Cadillac cam with some supporting mods (roller rockers, pushrods, springs, lifters, long tubes, tune). I have a Ram HD clutch and I need that to hold whatever I throw into the car. I also want to change to 4.10 gears, but I can't afford to replace my rear. Will my clutch and rear hold up? What if I swap in an aftermarket rear girdle? Would that add some strength to the rear? How much would a used LT1 with low miles sell for? I spoke to someone who was selling one with 40k miles (allegedly) for $1200. Should I jump on it? Also, what's it going to cost to have the old motor taken out and the new one installed? I can get a brand new motor installed with a warrantee for $4000, but I don't know about something custom.

What will I need to pull this off? Do I need to upgrade the fuel system at all? What should I rebuild/ replace while I'm in there. I guess now would be the time to swap in a chromoly K member and pull the A/C.

 

What do you mean by hydrolocked?

 

Hydrolocking is when the engine physically cannot turn over because a cylinder filled up with fluid. This happens when you blow a headgasket BIG TIME, or crack a head. It is the principle of hydraulics, that you cannot compress a liquid. Basically he pumped in so much coolant into a cylinder that it physically couldn't complete it's revolution. It usually bends rods damages cranks, etc....

Cadillac cam? You mean a Fleetwood cam? Why would you want to do this? I don't know the specs, but it can't be anything special at all.

Going to a 4.10 ratio is actually MUCH easier on the clutch, simply because it is mathematically easier to get the car moving due to the lower gear ratio.

Girdle is a total waste of time. There are no band-aid cures for the 10-bolt. Spend your money elsewhere.

$1200 for an LT1 motor? I could only imagine that it would be 100% complete with wiring harness and ecm. I would search around a litle bit. I bet you could find them cheaper. I would need to really see how the mileage is that low on that particular example also, I find that hard to believe.

Labor for R&R an engine is $$$$. It takes an EXPERIENCED shop at least a full day to do this swap. Figure $80 an hour shop rate, most likely 2 guys, for 8 hours, so 16x80=$1280 MINIMUM.

Fuel system will be fine for the mods you stated.

 

The Cadillac cam is a mild bump stick that SpeedInc. came up with (specs).

 

Ah, I see, lol. It makes a little more sense to me now, lol.

 

theres someone here running a cadillac cam thats doing great times with it

 

I'm just hoping my rear doesn't blow. Here's a dyno chart on a car with the Cadillac Cam, K&N filter, 1.6 RR's with Comp springs and retainers, MSD wires and a Hooker muffler



No longtubes, no cat back, not even a CAI and it pulled those numbers. If I had some bolt ons, plus that cam, could my car handle it? I don't want to have to replace the clutch again, and I can't afford a 12 bolt at this point in time. Obviously, traction would be an issue so I'd need, at bare minimum, LCA's and relocation brackets, plus some decent tires. I've heard of LS1's grenading the rear when they were bone stock. I'd be making more power than a stock LS1 with this.

As far as the motor goes, should I buy one and rebuild it? No matter who i buy it from, I won't really know for sure what I'm getting. I could be getting a motor that's on its way out. Then I'd be right back to square one. Should I try and find someone reputable, or should I just go for a cheap, high mileage motor and rebuild it?