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I could really use some advice! Just finished my first engine swap, putting a 2002 LS1 into a 1999 Camaro SS. Bought the car with a windowed block, and then purchased a used LS1 from a roll over. Watched a video of the engine running, everything looked good. Just finished the swap this past weekend.
Problem 1 - Fired it up, and she smokes white (as in coolant in the combustion chamber). Looks like bubbles in the rad although I was trying to convince myself it is still just purging air. Coolant level did drop slightly. Car sat for a year before I bought it so I thought maybe water in the muffler, but no dice. Only ran it for 5 minutes, but oil is not milky and level has not gone up. Going to do a compression test next and then try a cooling system pressure test. Any other ideas at this point? I have read that LS1 head gasket failures are not that common.
Hope these YouTube links work:
Problem 2 - New engine has the LS6 block casting with the LS6 intake and throttle body. My 99 throttle linkage is too short - holds the throttle open about 1/2" off the stop. Car has ASR, which might make a difference. Does not seem to be adjustable near as I can tell. Any advice?
Problem 3 - Found a small hole or "passage" at the top of the block, drivers side front. Looks like it should be plugged. Wondering what that passage is for and if this could in any way affect the cooling system? Should it be plugged?
Problem 3 is solved - it is just a blind hole. It must have filled with coolant while I was purging the system via the crossover tube. Still not sure of the purpose of that hole!
Checked the rad tonight and coolant is down another inch or two. Going to pull the plugs tomorrow and check for signs of contamination. Hopefully do a compression test too, time permitting.
Is there any other test I can do before pulling the heads? Any way to tell if the head is cracked vs head gasket? Still worries me that LS engines aren't known to blow head gaskets...!
All right, problem 1 & 2 are now solved!
Problem 1 - smoke cleared up after running for maybe a total of 20 - 30 minutes. Coolant level stabilized after all the air was purged. Oil level looks perfect. The car had sat for 11 months before I bought it, and I guess there was all sorts of gunk in the exhaust. Put about 40 miles on her today, running very well, no smoke at all.
Problem 2 - I relocated the throttle bracket slightly to allow the TB to close all the way. Well after driving for a few miles I noticed the throttle wouldn't open all the way. Put the bracket back in original position and now the range is perfect. It could have taken some time for the ASR/TCS to stabilize or auto adjust (?) but works great now.
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Swapped Engine, Now Problems 
