Building a motor

[1998 T/A]

I picked up this book How to Build and Modify GM LS-Series Engines (Motorbooks Workshop): Joseph Potak: 9780760335437: Amazon.com: Books will this help me in building up an lq4/9 from scratch?

[cammed goat]

It should work as the LS motors are aluminum blocks and the LQs are iron. I could be wrong. Others will chime in on this topic.

[98TransAmWs-6]

I have that book and it goes over the pros and cons of both iron and aluminum blocks. LQ4/9 is an iron block fyi. The book goes into great detail on how to tear down and build an engine. I would definitely use it, I have found it pretty helpful.

[SMWS6TA]

Yep, it's one of a few that I have that I'm using for my LQ4 build.

[KMdef9]

Always good to have a friend that's been there before too.

[ls1camino]

I wouldn't trust myself to build a motor and have it last. I've always taken mine to a professional.

[SMWS6TA]

Jeremy same here, it's just nice having the knowledge to make sure the shop you go to knows what the hell they claim they are doing. Shopping around for mine I've had 3 shops tell me they know about LS motors but when it came down to asking questions about honing con rods for arp bolts, aliment tools for front & rear seals I get the Monkey playing with a tambourine look.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Jeremy same here, it's just nice having the knowledge to make sure the shop you go to knows what the hell they claim they are doing. Shopping around for mine I've had 3 shops tell me they know about LS motors but when it came down to asking questions about honing con rods for arp bolts, aliment tools for front & rear seals I get the Monkey playing with a tambourine look.

At least you have shops to choose from there is only one shop I have been able to find around here. I'll have to ask them that same question to see if I get the same look, hopefully they actually know what they are doing when it comes to LS motors.

[2002ssslp]

I wouldn't trust myself to build a motor and have it last. I've always taken mine to a professional.

Once you build your first engine you feel like a pro. I started off with a 289 ford 35 years ago and I have about a dozen under my belt now. With a good guide and some common sense anyone can build an engine. Now building HP is another story, I also port my own heads which takes a lot of time and skill and blueprinting and balancing is necessary. Try one, the worst thing is it either wont run well or it will blow up. Either way at least you tried.

[1998 T/A]

I'm looking for a mild engine I wanna top 425 NA I'm doing iron cause I may want to sc or nitros it and I would just feel more comfortable with an iron block

[SMWS6TA]

Will I'm in Ford Hell. If it isn't a Ford motor, then it's a SBC 350. It's like LS motors are future technology here.

We have a LS following building here, it's just you can't throw a piston without hitting a Ford Mustang here.

[1998 T/A]

I thumbed through the book and it looks like it'll help a lot. Even if I do an lq4/9 the assembly is still very similar

[SMWS6TA]

Its the same if you have a 2000< the pre 99's (and some 99's) have a slighty longer crank. But from 00' on for sure same crank. Ideally look for a 00-04 LQ4/9. They have the 24 reluctor wheel already installed.

[35th-ANV-SS]

the worst thing is it either wont run well or it will blow up. Either way at least you tried.

Pretty expensive error just to say you tried it lol.

[1998 T/A]

Ya the GEN 3 lq4/9 are the better ones to get I think it'll be an ok build everything is pretty detailed in the book so we shall see.

[speedfreak1]

summit racing has lq9 blocks for around 750 with most machine work done.