Ok long story short here:

I have a Golen 383 short block in the crate ready to build before installing. Going to be doing most of this myself, I have nearly every part needed from what I can tell. I'm sure I'll be posting and searching for stuff as I go.

Being new to the LT1, I have more LS knowledge... What would be good stuff to know before starting this? Anything that is absolutely imperative or like oh my god stop before you ruin this info??

I have factory shop manuals, Golen instructions, good google skills, and also ordered the LT1 performance books that everyone seems to love or hate.

Thanks for any tips before I start. This is all going to be featured on my site HoagiesGarage.com - so progress will most likely be posted here and there. Have a great day!

 

Start by tearing the engine apart and inspecting it because if you had done meaningful research you would have likely bought elsewhere.

 

Op

if you are the same one who ask the same ? on Impala forum, those comments may be more useful

 

Not gonna lie, this LT1 crowd seems pretty hostile and angry!

Lots of nay sayers and unhappiness... Just trying to get some tips on the engine build as I've never done an LT before.

Both forums I've been to, everyone seems just so against one thing or the other. I get opinions on what people have and/or what people don't have - that's fine. I'm sure you all have experience somewhere that I don't I should listen, which I gladly will. Just looking for anybody who has assembled an LT and what they might have learned that would be useful.

 

****** how long did your Golen motor last before you had to have a local put a crank in it?

Which ERE engine was it where he found the blown up Golen core 383 had a Cross threaded rodbolt?

****** how much power does you oversized valve 383 make and how does it perform?

 

How's come you're so against Golen as a company? I mean I've read quite a bit about them and not found them to be too far off most solid engine builders out there. Obviously in this industry not every part is perfect and not every build goes to plan. Just feel like we're missing the point here.

*Also the links in ur sig a broken, just an fyi*

 

Since you have a complete short block already done, next will be installing your top end. What heads, cam and intake are you going with? If you've installed heads and cam before, it's a lot easier than you think. Imo, LT1 is a lot easier to work with than an LS, in which I'm in the process of building one.

 

Dwayne, once again you spew info without knowing the facts. You "hear" or "read" things but don't have all the facts to support accurately support your opinions let alone "direct" experience with wtf you are talking about in this case.

These are the facts Dwayne but don't let them get in the way of your pre-disposed mindset of negativity about my car or a Golen motor.

my crank was broken due to some ahole at a shop who did not know how to operate a lift properly. Car was on the lift so I could measure driveline angle (kind where wheels are supported). The mechanic in the next bay slid a transmission jack under the car near the front to get it out of "his" way. Not a problem until the ahole operating the lift my car was on went down instead of up. The jack caught the damper. The end result was the car was lifted off its wheels where the entire weight of the front end was supported by the nose of the crank. Crank cracked but I did not discover this until weeks later when I felt a "vibration" driving at 35 mph. Motor still ran. The crank broke in front of timing gear. Golen did warranty the motor but the incident had nothing to do with them.

again don't let facts get in the way of your mindless negative bashing of Golen motors

On the ERE build of supposedly a blown up engine Golen had done. I don't know anything about that, why the motor blew, who worked on it or why this supposed striped/cross threaded rod bolt you heard about from Karl or read somewhere. Golen, like any other builder, no doubt has had some build problems. My experience with them has been positive even to the point they replaced/rebuilt my motor for something they had nothing to do with them but were able to warranty the crank since it "broke".

My, as you describe, heavy valve LT1 Golen short block 383....makes plenty of power for my use, passes Calif. emissions, idles smooth, drives great and has been trouble free for about 10 years other than a recent valve spring break that fortunately did not result in any engine damage. The valve spring, and heads, did not come from Golen so that is another myth you can disregard from your fantasy book of info you seem to keep. I just bought a 383 short block from Golen.

OP

you said you have FSM and other "books" on rebuilding a LT1. The one I noted http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hpb-hp1393
in the other forum is what I reference and followed for a 355 build I have for another car. That LT1 is a carb conversion as I am using it in a 70 Nova but since I had a LT1 motor I used it.

If you want to follow Capricemgr advice and tear your Golen short block completely apart to inspect/measure fine. If that is the case you should do the same for any short block you don't personally build....but that is not what I would or did do. Golen has been around for several years. They ship short blocks and complete motors and when those land in the hands of....lets say some people who don't assemble/install them right or run them in a way that will cause damage the only reports you hear is "my Golen engine blew up"...unless it is your motor or you have direct hands on experience with it, just another internet story lacking what are the real facts as to "why" there was a problem with the motor.

I do know from "direct" experience Golen will stand by their work. Not saying they are the "best" builder. One who arguably is Karl Elwin at ERE. He is a one man shop and builds motors one at a time. BTW he used Golen to machine his blocks as he does not have the tooling to do that kind of block prep.

Good luck with your build. Ask ?'s. There fortunately are several people on this and other forums who can offer good advice without throwing insults on your choice of parts.

 

Thanks ****** - I don't doubt any one persons experiences. I'm sure Golen, Lingenfelter, Callaway and anybody else that does this stuff has had a bad build and of course people go to the internet to post it.

I've been in the car game for years now. This top end/LT engine stuff is all new to me. Thanks again.


Bolo,

Cam I need to check on - It is already installed in the engine by Golen - But when my father had it spec'd they went with a mild, streetable cam that is meant to drive daily.

Heads are trick flow gen x 195 with 62cc chambers. From what I gathered, my dad worked with Golen on these and the engine/cam was built with these in mind.

 

i have a golen 383 in my car as well. i only have less than 500 miles on it so far, but my experience with Chad during the build process and after when setting up my motor in the car has been excelent. he has answered any and all of my questions as well as walked me through breaking in the motor and tuning advise as well. his shop is also about a mile from where i work, so if anything were to go wrong he is very close.

i think some of the negativity about golen is from earlier on he was using eagle cast cranks in some of his motors before it was common knowledge that they were crap. he has since stopped using them and has had zero problems with the scat cranks (cast or forged) in his motors.

as for the cam, he spec'ed me a custom mild comp cam that he has used in the past with a blower that has made over 600 on stock heads (which i am also using). i plan on putting a procharger on it later on down the road. are you staying na?

the only bad stuff i have heard about golen's engines/building process has come from 96caprice, who doesnt seem to have any personal experience with golen...

 

No personal experience with Golen good or bad....my advice is to pay attention to the desired CR when you are buying heads/gaskets and buy the best valve train parts you can the first time.

 

The engine is staying naturally aspirated and using the Trick Flow heads - So far, the dealings with Chad have been solid and reliable. I need to check on the cam he picked out for this, as he said it would meet the needs of this as a daily driver.

I'm sure he'll love answering my 50 questions too...

Thanks!

 

Any idea what your calculated static compression ratio with the 62cc heads will be? It might end up lower than ideal for a na motor unless the pistons, deck height, gasket, etc. are accounting for the larger than stock combustion chambers.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...383-build.html
Here is your own build thread.
Quotes from people that are not me.
Post #15 OP, I find it mildly amusing and slightly ironic that you want a reliable boosted daily driver..but you went with a golen motor.

Post #21 " I wouldnt trust golen unless he built the motor with you. I wouldnt trust golen unless he built the motor with you. "
Post #23 "HERE'S YOUR SIGN"



Here one of Golen's victims already did the legwork.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...l#post17573248

Here is a guy that had twp bad motors.....
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBullet...Golen+problems
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBullet...7&postcount=41

He has LOTS of practice trying to make things right for customers. Accidents happen and how a vendor handles them is important, but finding lots of customers who were happy only after the second or third time the engine is built is not comforting to me.

Then I challenge anyone to find 3 of his engines that actually perform WELL. Even when reliable they VERY VERY rarely make any power.

 

aerojt, hey man, take your time, build the motor and have fun! Take the advice from only those that have positive things to say. Nothing has changed here, you still have ******** that think they know everything!

 

My advice is to find a local builder instead of going through the internet. I have no experience with Golen, but have read not-so-good things about them.

 

Thanks so much. The one thing here is I already have purchased my parts and engine. As I appreciate the opinions on what I have, it is highly unlikely that I'm going to ditch everything and start over.

Just going to be building up my first LT1 and learning as I go. Being an LS guy, some of the items are new to me so I want to just get everything covered. The Impala is going to be daily driven and never tracked. The engine coming out has 180k on it with the stock opti and no major mods, so I am convinced the LT1 can be reliable and solid performer. I'm just excited to get all these parts together and have fun.

 

yeah my advice is take your time. if you have that lt1 engine build book just follow that. its not hard to build an lt1 as long as you pay attention to what your doing. make sure you check all clearances and torquing specs and make sure you lube everything very well

 

Well since u have the opportunity with the heads off u can measure the piston and head chamber volumes and nail your static compression ratio. I would only use calculated volumes from data sheets if the engine was already assembled and forced to. Measured volumes are much more accurate. Let us know if u need help here.

Once u have your static compression nailed u can choose a cam to match giving u a dynamic compression for street or strip if u choose.

I should warn u the GEN II is still a small block chevy and the options and combinations are endless. But again i would choose a cam to match my final compression ratio. BTW custom grinds are less than $50 additional charge nowdays.

The LT1 does has a quirk with a ball installed to block a drilled hole into the oil galley. My self i would check and verify the ball is there then reinstall it - just for peace of mind. U need a very long thin drift/punch to knock it out from the top at the rear china wall above the lifter valley. The ball comes out (and goes back in) on drivers side of rear main brg cap (its the hole the bolt doesnt go into).

Also use caution not to over tighten the oil pump retainer in the oil galley. Its only plastic and over torquing will crack it. Other than that and the ball the GEN II assembly follows that of any sbc. Seems like the opti gets put on crooked a lot though. And the timing cover seals from FelPro some dont use any oil - have to be installed dry (took me a long time to accept that) so use caution and read the Felpro instructions.

Dont know which hyd lifters u plan to use but the new LS7 lifters take a smaller preload - i dont use them and cant tell u much of them but something u need to be aware of. Since your from the LS house u already understand them though.

The B body comes with dual exh and a stronger rear end which is a better platform to start with - though heavier. I think u will have fun driving the family with it.

Good luck and let us know how it runs for u.

 

Thanks so much! Just started to get this going finally, adding up all my parts and getting what else was needed. I'm going to be posting/blogging about the entire process from start and have a few entries already.

If you want to follow along, or possibly even wait till the very end to see the first startup... It could be must see TV if a catastrophe occurs... Anyways, it'll be on the site whatever happens.

http://www.hoagiegarage.com/impala-project/