Limited 6L LS Conversion

[Kevin87TurboT]

Just a quick update. I haven't had time to work on the Buick much lately. I'll be off all week next week and plan on getting it fired up. Today, I swapped the single 255 walbro for a double pumper setup.

I also started cleaning up the junkyard LQ4. I pulled the pan and installed ARP rod bolts. The bearings looked like new ones.

I also slide in a small Comp Cam shaft in it. (223/224 dur @ .050, .610/.581 lift, 114 LS).

I'll bolt the heads and intake on next week and drop the engine into the car. I'll be sure to give updates as it progresses.

 

[1chance]

Any updateds!

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Just a quick update...I still haven't fired it up yet. I did bolt the heads on the junkyard shortblock. I brought the oil pan to work this week and welded an oil fitting in it. It's back on the engine now. Today, I removed the factory turbo engine wiring harness. I went to the local salvage yard while I was off for Christmas and got a harness out of a NA Buick. I had to order some more fittings as well. As soon as I get those, I can drop the engine in it and do all of the plumbing and wiring. I'll post some more pics next weekend.

 

[kingots2004]

quick question. dont you have to have the rods resized when you install new rod bolts?

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

With the cracked rod cap technology, it doesn't seem to distort the big end like you'd think. For this 100K mile shortblock, it wasn't worth the effort anyway. We'll see how it holds up soon. :smile:

Here are a couple of pics of my first aluminum weld job ever. It looks like I've never welded anything. :frown:

I took a quick pic after removing the wiring harness last night. It looks like I've got a lot of clean up to do before I get it going.

 

[kingots2004]

cool just wondering

 

[TurboTerry87gn]

Thats mis use of company time. Haha. :biggrin: I will be watching this post. I'm doing a 6L too.

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Just a couple of pics of the transmission installation and the required crossmember mods.
It's just a standard rubber GM mount.

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

A couple more updates for tonight...
I installed the base Regal wiring harness and started laying out the XFI wiring harness. This may take a few minutes to wire.

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

I'm not sure what the pic doesn't show up in the above post. My goofy work computer won't let me edit the post either??? Weird. Here's the wiring harness pic that I was trying to post.

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Another quick update...I had a friend come over yesterday and help me drop in the engine and trans. I forgot to take a pic of the engine mounts on the mock up engine, but here they are. Just some 3/8" plate steel and some 1/4" think angle iron. I was missing a couple of fittings and was out of #10 hose for the turbo drain, so I got that stuff on order from Summit today...along with a few other odd parts, plug wires, etc...

I'll get some better pics of the engine and some good underhood shots later this week, but here's a cell phone pic.

 

[1chance]

Updates??

 

[ranger66]

Updates

I know you have a life and work, but can't you put those on hold for a couple weeks and finish this thing up already lol?

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

I know you have a life and work, but can't you put those on hold for a couple weeks and finish this thing up already lol?

LOL! I've made some serious progress lately. I've got married and moved my Wife and Stepson into the house. As far as the car is concerned, it had to take a back seat for a few weeks. She's going shopping today, so I'm at home working on the car.
I'll give you guys an update later tonight. :smile:

 

[BandAid]

its later tonight--updates??

note to self;send wife shopping more often...wanting to know how you like the cam...

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Just a quick update. I measured my lifter preload and found that my pushrods were a little too long. I had to get some 6.350" pushrods...so I splurged for the .105" wall Comp Hi Tech versions. I got those installed this weekend. I also dropped the engine back into the car and found that the oil drainback fitting was really close to the engine crossmember. There was no way to install the fitting on it. I fixed that problem with a torch. I also noticed that the intake rocker screws extended into the top of the intake runners by approx 0.300". I cut all of them in a lathe and reinstalled them with a dab of silicon. I removed the passenger side fenderwell and routed the ECU wires through the factory hole. That's about it. I worked on one of my other cars as well, so that took time away from the Buick. I'll get some more done next weekend. Thanks for the interest in my project!

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Time for an update again. I've really been enjoying married life. Hopefully I'll still be able to say that 5 or 10 years from now! I've actually made a little more progress in the last few days. I've bolted the intake on. Installed the injectors, the fuel rails, the balancer, and started mocking up the fuel system. Finally, I routed the wiring harness to the engine and bolted the fenderwell back in place. I just have the water pump and the alternator and power steering mocked up for now. Check out the belt tensioner on the driver's side. I'll clean them this weekend and reinstall. I had overlooked the waterpump gaskets, header bolts and the high pressure fuel gauge. I just ordered them from Summit last night. It won't be long now. I'm ready to hear this thing make some noise!

 

[Quik]

maybe its a misprint but why are you using 6.35 instead of 7.35 or more common 7.4? ive been in the LS world for several years now and never heard of 6.35 in these motors

what cam did you go with and what all done to motor

 

[Kevin87TurboT]

Oops. You're right. They are not 6.35" pushrods. They're 7.35". My heads have been milled and the 7.35" gave me the correct lifter preload. As far as the cam. It's a very mild custom ground Comp Cam. The specs are 223/224 dur @ .050, .610/.581 lift, 114 LS. The heads are the factory 317 castings that have been ported by Texas Speed. I installed the hollow LS6 valves in them and Comp Springs. They're held on by ARP head bolts. Thanks for looking.

 

[Quik]

Oops. You're right. They are not 6.35" pushrods. They're 7.35". My heads have been milled and the 7.35" gave me the correct lifter preload. As far as the cam. It's a very mild custom ground Comp Cam. The specs are 223/224 dur @ .050, .610/.581 lift, 114 LS. The heads are the factory 317 castings that have been ported by Texas Speed. I installed the hollow LS6 valves in them and Comp Springs. They're held on by ARP head bolts. Thanks for looking.

how much was milled? im guessing .030 with a .041 head gasket? thats a very babyish cam, that 364 is going to swallow that up. i ran a 222/222 LPE cam for 500 miles in my old Lq9 and it was just to small. i then stepped up to a 232/234 cam and it was night and day. i then installed a 242/248 cam in same motor and it really came alive.

i noticed you have the carb'd style intake with elbow, have you thought of ditching that restriction of a elbow and placing the TB right on top of the single plane? they also sell a 4150 that is a 4 barrel TB which bolts directly to the single plane.

with that style intake, i would went with a much larger cam that is going to carry the power band as that intake supplys. a 222 cam is going to die off around 6300

however good luck with your build