DirtyMike

I guess I'm one of those guys that is so cheap I have to learn the hard way. Lol. Right before Christmas I broke the timing chain and bent a bunch of valves, push rods, and damaged the roller rockers. All because I was too cheap to replace the timing chain while the engine was out. I swapped out valves, new push rods, rockers, and chain and have been out beating on it for a couple weeks.

This morning, cruising to work the engine lost power and would not accllerate. I noticed the oil pressure was extremely low (lower than its normal low oil pressure). Pushed the clutch in and it died. Was able to dump the clutch while rolling and fire it back up to get it to work. Had to keep my foot on the gas to keep her running.

I'm pretty sure the pump gave out and probably spun a bearing.... lol. I guess I should have put a oil pump in it. I'll tear it down this week and figure out what went wrong. It's currently still running and after it cooled off it will idle but I can hear what sounds like a light knock.

so.... Let's assume that I need to rebuild the bottom end. What would be the absolute cheapest way to throw this thing back together? I was playing with the idea of pulling the motor, slapping some bearings and a nice pump and see what happens. Lol. Then the part of me that is a professional technician thinks I should go ahead and build it right. Lol, but I'm so cheap and this car has been a budget toy. But I guess if I want to play I need to pay for it. . Opinions welcome....

ss.slp.ls1

iTrader: (36)

I'm not sure how much a stock used short block will run in your area. That might be cheaper than a complete rebuild. When I spun a bearing I found a low mileage '97 long block for 700 sitting in someone's garage.

DirtyMike

I thought about that too, but I think I'll stick with fixing this one. My dad has a few LT1 blocks laying around if I need another one. But I'm pretty sure his all needed rebuilding too.

BALLSS

you really won't know wtf condition the motor is in until you pull it apart

...but from reading your "what happened" it is likely you have spun bearings. Slapping in new bearings without machine work to clean up the surface of what rides on it is a quick path to killing the new bearings

Get crank polished or ground as needed and new rod & cam bearings minimally

if you re-used the oil pump drive rod the plastic colar is aged, brittle and can crack on re-install...and then break down the line. No oil pump drive and no oil pressure. Also the oil pump drive gear top is plastic and on re-install it could have cracked and now broken. The oil pump itself failing does not happen often unless it sucks up metal into its gears

DirtyMike

True. I know it's early thinking.. I've never had the pump apart on this engine. I'm just

Gangly

Like mentioned above, rarely is there a pump failure. Its usually a oil pump drive that fails or a pickup tube that has fallen off or come loose.

DirtyMike

I got the car home tonight.. if I have time tomorrow night I'll pull the engine out and get the pan off. Maybe I'll swing by our local machine shop to see what they recommend for a cheap rebuild.

What kind of power could a fresh but mostly stock bottom end take? Eventually I'd like to build a turbo setup for the car and have it around 500whp.

BALLSS

if you are doing a power adder like Turbo....you will want to go 4 bolt main and forged rods/pistons

quite a bit more $ than just a quick "refresh" of a stock bottom end

DirtyMike

I was just looking at pistons and rods on summit. The stock crank would probably handle what I want if it' ok condition. Is it pretty costly to covert the two bolt to a 4 bolt?

BOLO

iTrader: (40)

Cheap and 500rwhp don't go together! Thats my opinion,GL.

DirtyMike

I have not had the car dyno'd but I'm guessing that my current setup on motor is pretty close to 375-400whp. I did all the work on the heads to keep cost down. I' pretty sure I could build a back yard turbo setup for a fair cost. But we will see.

Lsp Przy

If you want cheap new crank can be had for around 250 from scat everything else speed pro for pistons rings seals ...

DirtyMike

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I'm planning on using the stock crank if it' not damaged beyond repair. I was looking at the speed pro pistons and some eagle I beam forged rods. Then having the block splayed. I think that will get me a solid bottom end for my goals. My goal is to have the short block buttoned back up and stay under a grand.

Lsp Przy

Well engine block clean is going run 200.00
splayed caps run about 230 plus 500 to 600 install

bore and hone 300.00

no ay your staying at 1000.00 maybe 2000.00 but 1000 not happening with splay caps less you have a machine hook up

DirtyMike

I do have a connection at the machine shop. All of the assembly will be done by me along with install. That's not a problem. Boring and honing the block is $20 a cylinder for me.

Lsp Przy

Just get me part numbers I can probably beat jegs and summitt as I deal with one of there wholesalers and I have no over head

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

Well, one could probably do that on a budget and get a one hit wonder out of it, but for 500 reliable rwhp you ain't lyin'!