thinking of motor swap...putting on my flame suit!

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Well, we just finished building this LC2 that's in my signature...and I don't know if I am happy with it. Bought a short block from a respectable board member, and another board member, also good friend, helped me build the rest of it and install it. The motor had a piece of a bad bearing stuck on the wrist pin of one of the pistons, which kinda worried me, so we pulled the caps off and made sure everything was there...which it was. But the motor still smokes after 700 miles, which makes me think rings could be bad, there is a tick in the valvetrain, and I've replaced the oil pan gasket 3 times in 700 miles!!!!!!

I am a GM employee and I've been reading a ton about this new LSX block, which accepts all LS-series heads, cam, intake etc.... Just seems almost too good to be true! I can buy this block for around $1100 and we are talking 6 bolt mains, splayed caps, 6 head bolts per cylinder, dry sump capabilities, full CNC small block that can be punched out over 500 cubes! I am seriously considering "the unthinkable" Now it would still posses a turbo or two....but its hard to pass up the reliability and toughness of these LS-series motors.

Am I both crazy and looking to kill the value of my car? But at the same time, my car has 106K on it, so what do I care about collector value?

I guess I am just thinking, talking out my rear bumper right now.....but its still on my mind!

What do you guys think?

 

[jpratt]

It is your car. The LSX are some pretty sick engines. Easier to get parts for and lots more potential. I think it would be a great swap into a MCSS.

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Put it in the Goat, why have 2 LS_ engines? You've one of each now, keep it that way. Just my opinion.

 

[ttypewe4jim]

If you put it in turbo it that would be a sick car then just my 2 cents

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Well, the GTO is Dad's now, I don't want that payment! I really have thought about purchasing another vehicle to do a LSX project...but I've already got the suspension, rear end, body, wheels, interior etc...that I want with the T Type, it seems silly to do an entire project car again just to use a wicked motor.

I'm fairly sure it would be one of a super few, if not the only turbo LS-series project in my area....

Would I have to switch to a TH400 or a 4L60/80E?

 

[Grumpy]

I hear $$$$$$ falling out of your pocket at a rapid rate :biggrin: why not do the Buick motor over right :redface:

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

I've thought about that....I'm just so pissed that I spent all this time and money, paying attention to detail and trying to do things right and it still doesn't run.

However, I guess doing the 3.8 over again would be cheaper...but not as much fun!

 

[Project TNX]

The LS2's and such are to refined, where the old 80's technology of the LC2 is like uncaging a wild beast.

These modern turbo cars ease into their boost, whatever happened to the good old days...lag.....lag.....lag....BAM!!!, full boost all at once....break traction....ease out of boost a little....regain traction....passenger window pops out past seal...slow down below 65mph.....crank drivers window down a little....pop passenger window back in.....resume full boost. :tongue:

 

[GNTIM]

Well, we just finished building this LC2 that's in my signature...and I don't know if I am happy with it. Bought a short block from a respectable board member, and another board member, also good friend, helped me build the rest of it and install it. The motor had a piece of a bad bearing stuck on the wrist pin of one of the pistons, which kinda worried me, so we pulled the caps off and made sure everything was there...which it was. But the motor still smokes after 700 miles, which makes me think rings could be bad, there is a tick in the valvetrain, and I've replaced the oil pan gasket 3 times in 700 miles!!!!!!

I am a GM employee and I've been reading a ton about this new LSX block, which accepts all LS-series heads, cam, intake etc.... Just seems almost too good to be true! I can buy this block for around $1100 and we are talking 6 bolt mains, splayed caps, 6 head bolts per cylinder, dry sump capabilities, full CNC small block that can be punched out over 500 cubes! I am seriously considering "the unthinkable" Now it would still posses a turbo or two....but its hard to pass up the reliability and toughness of these LS-series motors.

Am I both crazy and looking to kill the value of my car? But at the same time, my car has 106K on it, so what do I care about collector value?

I guess I am just thinking, talking out my rear bumper right now.....but its still on my mind!

What do you guys think?

I feel your pain bro. I was throwing punches around when I bought a motor from a different board years ago and it had a n/a crank-also wiped the cam among other things. The lsx motors are really awesome but it would cost WAAAY more than fixing what you have. Sleep on for a few, maybe find a good machine shop to fix that motor or another. Thats what I did, worked for me. Just my 02 worth.

 

[TurboDave]

I've thought about that....I'm just so pissed that I spent all this time and money, paying attention to detail and trying to do things right and it still doesn't run.

However, I guess doing the 3.8 over again would be cheaper...but not as much fun!

Glad you got your flame suit on!
Because if I read your posts correctly I don't see that there was any "attention to detail" or "trying to do things right".
What I mean by that is, the motor should have been completely torn down and inspected, cleaned and re-bearing'd at the very least.
You trusted someone else to sell you a good motor, but didn't go the extra mile to ensure that it was all good before firing it up.
Sorry, no nasty's intended. It's just that the basics weren't covered and shunning the motor in favor of something else isn't right.

 

[Grumpy]

like Dave said used motors are tuff to find .. I have bought a LOT of them .... most had problems now I figure them for parts only !!! hate to say but it's like buyer beware ... you have to check them your self ..otherwise they will bite ya in the butt

 

[GNTIM]

like Dave said used motors are tuff to find .. I have bought a LOT of them .... most had problems now I figure them for parts only !!! hate to say but it's like buyer beware ... you have to check them your self ..otherwise they will bite ya in the butt

Yeah, what he said! I learned that lesson the hard way. It is my belief that most are sold due to some sort of problem, wether they could not get it tuned right {which damages parts} or they know something is wrong with it, as in my case. Although I am sure some are legit sales for whatever reasons such as a stage upgrade or parting a car out.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Well, I agree that I didn't tear the motor down and go through it...however, this was supposed to be a fresh build from a board member who does this for a living. I'm sorry for trusting someone's professional work...but buying that motor was only done because I didn't have the technical know-how to assemble a bottom end, install rings etc. While you can say "I told ya so" all day long...I was not at a juncture in my life to be able to take on that task. Life is a learning process, and I guess I learned something.

 

[TurboDave]

Well, I agree that I didn't tear the motor down and go through it...however, this was supposed to be a fresh build from a board member who does this for a living. I'm sorry for trusting someone's professional work...but buying that motor was only done because I didn't have the technical know-how to assemble a bottom end, install rings etc. While you can say "I told ya so" all day long...I was not at a juncture in my life to be able to take on that task. Life is a learning process, and I guess I learned something.

Sorry I said anything. You said you were wearing your flame suit, but apperently not.

If you don't want oppinions or advice, don't ask.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Hey, don't get bent out of shape becuase I repsonded to your comments. I think that am being pretty open to suggestions here. I asked opinions and advice...you guys gave them...and I repsonded to them. You telling me I should have torn the motor apart doesn't change the fact now. I agree I should have and I will know that in the future...I'm not ripping you for giving your opinion, just commenting on it.

 

[WIKEDV6]

Tom, what makes you so sure it's the rings? what is the history on the turbo or the valve guides? How about the PCV?

Prasad

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Prasad! How are you? Haven't talked to ya in awhile. Well, I am thinking rings just from what I know about the rest of the motor. The turbo is a brand new PT54 which I got from Jason's brother-in-law and the heads were fresh from machine shop....Indy cylinder head I'm fairly sure. I relpace the the PCV valve and hose when we put the motor in. All I know is when you first fire it up, it belches a mix of water and soot all over everything within about 15 feet of the exhaust and then once out on the road, any time you're not idling or coasting it looks like its on fire, but gets worse as RPM increases.

We are planning on trailering it up to your place eventually...should have been last weekend, but I had some emergency surgery which killed those plans. My guess is, if the weather permits, we will come up middle of January. I hope we get this thing figured out...all I hear from my dad is "I told ya you should have left it alone"

 

[WIKEDV6]

Good to hear that you are OK man, Jason told me all about it. Pull the downpipe off and look at the exhaust wheel of the Turbo and see if that is soaked in oil just to make sure.

Prasad