Advice please!
Advice please! I have a 99 T/A with 148k on the stock ls1 infront of a 6speed. It still runs great but it has a tapping noise somewere in the valvetrain. The noise has been occuring for about 50,000 miles so I doubt it's a big deal.
This car must last me through college, and I do not want to have to deal with mechanical issues in college, so I figured I may as well get it going good before I take off out of the house were all my tools and such are.
If you had like $3000, what would you do. I wouldn't mind picking up some power, but I mainly want to make it as RELIABLE as possible, like valvetrain wise.
Upgrades that are already done are stated in my signature
This car must last me through college, and I do not want to have to deal with mechanical issues in college, so I figured I may as well get it going good before I take off out of the house were all my tools and such are.
If you had like $3000, what would you do. I wouldn't mind picking up some power, but I mainly want to make it as RELIABLE as possible, like valvetrain wise.
Upgrades that are already done are stated in my signature
With a 3k budget, cam 400 new ls7lifters 125 new pushrods 150 comps trunion upgrade for the stock rockers 140 thats gonna be round 820 heads from TSP round 1200-1500 depending on what you do now your at 2350 can get an LS6 intake for around 300 and a 85mm MAF for rond 100 bringing you to 2750. gaskets and round 100, you can go the FAST intake route but that will prolly blow your budget. This is all under 3k (I am assuming you do the work like most of us do) and you will have a car with some noticable power increase. Itll be plenty enuff to burn up your stock clutch and kill your stock rear end if you put slicks on it . This is one way to go, headers and good exhaust the car will roll. Hope this gives you a lil idea. these were going prices for these parts.
To be completely honest, if this car needs to last, buy a LS1 pull out, out of either a wrecked Fbody, C5, or 2004 GTO.
Since just buying the motor its not too expensive no adays. In your case you just at most need a "Long Block" and swap all your stuff over on.
Do not worry about modding it, its like you said. NEEDS TO LAST. Save your extra cash for repairs.
Also FYI drive it until it blows up, no need to be pre-emptive unless you want to tear it down to rebuild now.
Also to FYI a honest to GOD cam swap typically runs over 1k between parts, fluids, gaskets, misc, and tune. That does not include doing your own labor.
Since just buying the motor its not too expensive no adays. In your case you just at most need a "Long Block" and swap all your stuff over on.
Do not worry about modding it, its like you said. NEEDS TO LAST. Save your extra cash for repairs.
Also FYI drive it until it blows up, no need to be pre-emptive unless you want to tear it down to rebuild now.
Also to FYI a honest to GOD cam swap typically runs over 1k between parts, fluids, gaskets, misc, and tune. That does not include doing your own labor.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 4
I would check to see if the push rods are straight ,and check the rocker arms for loose trunnions.if those look good you mite need new lifter and valve springs.go to TSP and look at lifters,oil pump,and a timing chain.you will need a cam and head swap kit.if budget allows consider a TSP cam kit,and a ls6 intake.you mite get by with a mail order tune for $150.I would try to find some low mileage rockers.you can get used 241s for $100,and used 243s heads for $400.
Yeah, I forgot the tune 400-500. And the parts I listed were for an average build, it can get higher, I have the Morel lifters 525$ and yella terra rockers 420$ so there is almost a grand. The best thing for you is to figure out exactly what you want from the car, then carefully plan it out. careful though, there is no cure for the performance disease, I have a lil over 9K in my 383 alone, not to mention all the other stuff. So you see it can get real expensive real fast.. I was giving perf. advice because your sig says heads and can to come, and you stated you have 3K to spend,,,but if you want no problems and reliability, Dont hop the car up, performance=less reliability.
Last edited by RARON455; Jan 31, 2011 at 05:41 PM.
To be completely honest, if this car needs to last, buy a LS1 pull out, out of either a wrecked Fbody, C5, or 2004 GTO.
Since just buying the motor its not too expensive no adays. In your case you just at most need a "Long Block" and swap all your stuff over on.
Do not worry about modding it, its like you said. NEEDS TO LAST. Save your extra cash for repairs.
Also FYI drive it until it blows up, no need to be pre-emptive unless you want to tear it down to rebuild now.
Also to FYI a honest to GOD cam swap typically runs over 1k between parts, fluids, gaskets, misc, and tune. That does not include doing your own labor.
Since just buying the motor its not too expensive no adays. In your case you just at most need a "Long Block" and swap all your stuff over on.
Do not worry about modding it, its like you said. NEEDS TO LAST. Save your extra cash for repairs.
Also FYI drive it until it blows up, no need to be pre-emptive unless you want to tear it down to rebuild now.
Also to FYI a honest to GOD cam swap typically runs over 1k between parts, fluids, gaskets, misc, and tune. That does not include doing your own labor.
