AI 385 LT1 Motor Re-Build Thread....PICS/VIDEO!!!
#1
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Well winter is here and time for a project.........I already finished the custom wiring harness for the engine/trans/car......and i've got most of the cleanup work done under the hood.......now for a re-fresh on the motor......gonna re-ring, re-bearing and do a copule of little things to make it a little better.......i'll update with pics as I go along........
On its way out......
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_195733.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_201640.jpg)
My buddy having some fun.......now thats a crotch rocket lol....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_201818.jpg)
Removing the valvetrain........
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_213849.jpg)
Little bit of carbon but cylinders look good.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_224434.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_224500.jpg)
The bottom end looks like it didn't even turn.......look absolutly perfect....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231527.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231559.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231548.jpg)
more pics tomorrow after i pull apart the shortblock tonite.....
On its way out......
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_195733.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_201640.jpg)
My buddy having some fun.......now thats a crotch rocket lol....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_201818.jpg)
Removing the valvetrain........
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_213849.jpg)
Little bit of carbon but cylinders look good.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_224434.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_224500.jpg)
The bottom end looks like it didn't even turn.......look absolutly perfect....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231527.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231559.jpg)
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20101230_231548.jpg)
more pics tomorrow after i pull apart the shortblock tonite.....
Last edited by quik95lt1; 04-21-2011 at 09:34 PM.
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#10
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Its amazing how well the rotating assembly looks whens its good stuff and put together with attention to detail...Two years ago, when my motor had 14 years on it, I pulled the pan to swap it with a Moroso stroker unit. The Lunati crank, Oliver billet 5.85" rods and JE pistons still looked brand damn new...Just as yours does...Good luck with the freshening.
--Alan
--Alan
#13
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iTrader: (6)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Its amazing how well the rotating assembly looks whens its good stuff and put together with attention to detail...Two years ago, when my motor had 14 years on it, I pulled the pan to swap it with a Moroso stroker unit. The Lunati crank, Oliver billet 5.85" rods and JE pistons still looked brand damn new...Just as yours does...Good luck with the freshening.
--Alan
--Alan
But those billet parts do look purdy.
![Icondrool](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies2/icondrool.gif)
#16
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![Grin](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_grin.gif)
![Secret2](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/secret.gif)
![Winky](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_wink.gif)
I was running 7qts of 20w50 Valvoline VR1 but I'm doing some oil control mods to the motor this time around so hopefully i can drop down that number and still maintain sufficent oil in the pan up at high rpm.
#17
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oh and anybody reding this thread.......I have a nice set of hooker super comp 1 3/4" headers for sale......they are wrapped with DEI titanium exhaust wrap and also have extra O2 bungs welded into the collectors.......I also welded up the twin tubes in the middle at the flange to add strength and i corrected the geometry so they align and match with the ports perfectly.......ill post up some pic of them later tonite but i gotta get rid of them so i can put the $$$ toward the upcomming changes.....spread the word for me!!! They are freshly painted with Flameproof Black paint too.......looking to get $400
Thanks,
Mike V
Thanks,
Mike V
#18
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Well I pulled apart the shortblock last night to get the block ready to send off to the machine shop, and everything looked great!!! The only thing I noticed is the cylinder wall finish wasn't correct when I first built the motor becuase the rings didn't seat as well as I'd like, I spoke to JE about this already and have the solution
......heres some pics....
As you can see the rod bearings all looked great.....barely any wear at all on them.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_214310.jpg)
You can see here the cam also has virtually no wear on it......
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_214135.jpg)
Crank has a couple of little wear scuffs but nothing major....right now I'm running .001 undersize top bearing and STD bottom main bearing but I'm gonna polish the crank so i can acheive the .0027-.0029 with all STD bearings this time plus it will clean up the scuffs....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213828.jpg)
Here u can see the cam bearings....again very little wear...
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213810.jpg)
Mains looked good as well....and you can also see the cylinder walls here.....the wear on them looked great no "spots" where wear was excessive indicating that there was no sever cylinder twist/walk due to the high rpm of this motor....thats a good sign!!! ....walls are a bit too shiny for me however, I'm not yet quite happy with the seating of the rings.....I will adjust for this on the re-assembly.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213819.jpg)
All of the rod bolts returned their .0055 stretch indicating that the bolts are still in great shape and can be re-used...
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_212935.jpg)
The main caps required a pry bar and a BFH to remove on their tabs.....again a good sign indicating that the block has not encountered any type of twist or flex....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_212833.jpg)
Block is heading off to the machine shop monday for a hone and hot tank after i knock the cam bearings out and make some modifications to the block for oil control.....also the crank is getting repolished and I found that I busted a tooth off of my flexplate when my starter crapped out....so a new flexplate will be balanced to neutral as well......more pics this weekend of the cleanup and preperation for re-assembly....
![Grin](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_grin.gif)
As you can see the rod bearings all looked great.....barely any wear at all on them.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_214310.jpg)
You can see here the cam also has virtually no wear on it......
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_214135.jpg)
Crank has a couple of little wear scuffs but nothing major....right now I'm running .001 undersize top bearing and STD bottom main bearing but I'm gonna polish the crank so i can acheive the .0027-.0029 with all STD bearings this time plus it will clean up the scuffs....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213828.jpg)
Here u can see the cam bearings....again very little wear...
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213810.jpg)
Mains looked good as well....and you can also see the cylinder walls here.....the wear on them looked great no "spots" where wear was excessive indicating that there was no sever cylinder twist/walk due to the high rpm of this motor....thats a good sign!!! ....walls are a bit too shiny for me however, I'm not yet quite happy with the seating of the rings.....I will adjust for this on the re-assembly.....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_213819.jpg)
All of the rod bolts returned their .0055 stretch indicating that the bolts are still in great shape and can be re-used...
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_212935.jpg)
The main caps required a pry bar and a BFH to remove on their tabs.....again a good sign indicating that the block has not encountered any type of twist or flex....
![](http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad38/quik95lt1/IMG_20110105_212833.jpg)
Block is heading off to the machine shop monday for a hone and hot tank after i knock the cam bearings out and make some modifications to the block for oil control.....also the crank is getting repolished and I found that I busted a tooth off of my flexplate when my starter crapped out....so a new flexplate will be balanced to neutral as well......more pics this weekend of the cleanup and preperation for re-assembly....
#20
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thanks lol......the main reason for the tear down was just to see how it was wearing and try to make a bit more power........i never had the motor apart and its always good just to check and see what it looks like......the next refresh will go prob 3 or 4 years.....