Rebuild

**jscamaro** · 05-06-2006, 07:54 AM

Guys,
I am going to rebuild my LT1 next week. I lost oil pressure last week and the rods started knocking real bad. I am planning to replace the oil pump and rod bearings. I don't want to pull the engine unless necessary. Is this possible to just pull the pan and do it in the car? Any tips on doing this? And if I must pull the engine, what tips on doing that? Thanks for the help

**RainMan** · 05-06-2006, 11:47 AM

Unfortunately I think it's best you pull the motor. You probably have some degree of damage to the crank on the rod and the main journals. You probably spun a bearing or two. IMO you will be throwing money away on just slapping new rod bearings in. Like slapping a band-aid on a bullet wound.

You will have to go for at least a bottom end rebuild, and have the crank mic'd and turned if necessary. Have the block bore checked, depending on mileage and wear you may be able to get away with .030" overbore. Anything over .040" have the cylinders sonic checked to see if an overbore of that size is ok.
Have the rods checked for cracks, get a good rebuild kit with good pistons.

Now would be a good time to have the heads re-freshed as well. Or you may want to consider upgrades. Aluminum Heads and a more aggressive cam. Stock injectors should be good for mid to upper 300HP range, with the proper retune.

You don't mention how much money you are willing to fork over for this.

These are just some quick thoughts and ideas. Obviously project of this size is much more detailed.

Good Luck and let us know what you decide.
PM if you have questions.
Lot of talented people on this forum, get several opinions.
Just remember, you get what you pay for, you go the low ball route on this type of problem, you will be tearing the motor apart again very soon.

Additional Info on LT1:

http://www.automotiverebuilder.com/ar/ar99928.htm

http://www.gmhightechperformance.com...lt1/index.html

http://store.wpsracing.com/hpbookhowtor7.html

http://superchevy.com/technical/engi...ng/0601sc_lt1/

http://www.softwaregod.com/rebuild/

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=93

**MysticBowtie** · 05-13-2006, 10:19 AM

He's right, it's got to come out. Been there, done that - good luck with the rebuild.

**grandkodiak** · 05-14-2006, 04:51 PM

Not to steal your thread, but how much does the average rebuild cost over jsut getting a new 383/396 lt1 prebuilt? isee motors going for $3500-4500 that are done... i imagine the rebuild parts will reach $1-2k easy plus labor... no?

**MysticBowtie** · 05-14-2006, 08:54 PM

All depends on how far you go. I forged everything, balanced it, all machining, new cam, fluids, etc. for about 2k doing it myself. And besides saving cash, you get an understanding of how your car works which greatly helps in troubleshooting and future mods. Also for what it's worth, if a shop pays its engine builder $18 an hour, and it only takes them a couple hours to assemble it, then after parts and $36 they are making a hell of a profit.

**MysticBowtie** · 05-14-2006, 09:00 PM

Here are some pics of what I did....

[url]http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/ben_035.jpg[/IMG]

http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/ben_038.jpg

http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/06-28-03_008.jpg

http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/06-28-03_007.jpg

http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/ben_005.jpg

http://mysticbowtie.cz28.com/images/ben_006.jpg

**grandkodiak** · 05-14-2006, 10:37 PM

I woudlnt trust a coffee maker if I disassembled then reassembled it, let alone an internal combustion engine that puts out serveral hundred horse power at 6000 rpm and weighs more then i do (not to mention the economic consequence behind a job done wrong)

**seppburgh** · 05-18-2006, 04:40 PM

If you work with motors all day long, then this is a DIY. However, something my dad told me, an ce machanic who's first car was a Dodge Brothers, there is too many places to mess up with. This is from the age when you HAD to rebuild them at 20K.

For the point. just check out the procedures and tools for clearance checking the crank (do you know what a crush gage is?)

Since your have to drop the motor (does not come out the top unless you have a special host arrnagement), buy a crate motor or professional short or long block. Short block will save you some cash.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out. A crush gage is a special plastic strip place on the journal, then the crank is bolted down, then removed. The amount of crush is the clearance between the crank and journal.

**MysticBowtie** · 05-18-2006, 07:39 PM

If a guy who never graduated high school, and barely knows what a toothbrush is used for can build a NASCAR, then anybody smart enough to turn a computer on and post on this forum can do it. The parts are made for us, machine shops assemble and balance the entire short block, so it doesn't require a masters to put the bolts together in the right order. I've done it to plenty of motors! And best of all the service manual from GM is available to the public, that tells you step by step how to do it. It's hard to screw it up! It doesn't sound like he's trying to put together a complicated race motor, just a factory style engine. I did my first Camaro when I was 19, with a Chilton's manual. Biggest trick - when you take a boly out, put it in a ziploc bag and label where you took it from, i.e. smog pump, header bolts, etc.

**seppburgh** · 05-20-2006, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by MysticBowtie

If a guy who never graduated high school, and barely knows what a toothbrush is used for can build a NASCAR, then anybody smart enough to turn a computer on and post on this forum can do it. The parts are made for us, machine shops assemble and balance the entire short block, so it doesn't require a masters to put the bolts together in the right order. I've done it to plenty of motors! And best of all the service manual from GM is available to the public, that tells you step by step how to do it. It's hard to screw it up! It doesn't sound like he's trying to put together a complicated race motor, just a factory style engine. I did my first Camaro when I was 19, with a Chilton's manual. Biggest trick - when you take a boly out, put it in a ziploc bag and label where you took it from, i.e. smog pump, header bolts, etc.

also have the digital camera ready and take lots of shots. A cam recorder to. That way, you can 'see' the before.

One last point. Hold off on the beer UNTIL its fired up.

**MysticBowtie** · 05-20-2006, 08:13 PM

Unless it's "Texas diet coke" (coors light).

**jscamaro** · 06-21-2006, 11:00 AM

well guys, just to let all of you know. We finished the rebuild last night. For those of you who doubted it could be done in the car, it was. Guys, I am not stupid. I have been working on cars since I was 8. My dad has been a mechanic over 30 years and we own a 70 camaro drag car. If I didn't know how to build motors, then I wouldn't have even attempted. I would have asked for any good shops in the area. But anyways, the crank was cracked and we replaced it along with a big block oil pump to add a little more flow. So anyways it can be done guys for those of you willing to work for it. Take it easy guys, Jason

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