helicoil

iTrader: (104)

I know, another build thread...... hey, if it doesn't interest you don't read it! No really, I know for alot of you it will help some, and that is one of the points of it.

TRACK VIDEO AT THE BACK!! added 5/12/10

I haven't been over here too much, so I thought I would give it try. I normally read through the Forced Induction forums, but lately it has been all turbos and it gets a little repetitive, not to mention alot of chest pumping and SSP (Shamelsss Self Promotion) from the same sponsors over and over and over again. No knock intended.

I thought I would post a normally aspirated (NA) street engine build I am doing, for no other reason than I get just a little bored in the winter months., and maybe to give some people insight they don't normally get to see. I am not an expert by any means, but I am pretty detailed, so if I can learn a few things along the way, then it will be worth it!

I posted my Procharged D1SC 403 LS2 build in the Forced Induction forum last year and it kept me going on it to the end of the project. I tend to get a little bored and burnt out about half way through having OCD. I do this part time as a hobby really and after building several engines for projects I have done in years past and some friend's stuff along the way the amount of work involved gets to be tiresome.

This is nothing ground breaking by any means.... but I take alot of pictures along the way, and they are always fun to look at. I will be performing all the machine work, engine assembly, and tuning it myself. So no outside work here! I haven't read too many threads where that is the case, so it will be a little different - I hope. For me, that is 3/4 of the enjoyment of this hobby!

The build will consist of the items below and the goal is to run 11.0, may be high 10's, in a FULL weight 00 Camaro normally aspirated without sacrifice of any of the cars creature comforts or accessories. And then who knows maybe a little gas afterwards for some bottom 10's. This car will be used for just toying around on the streets, with occasional drives to work to just cruise and enjoy, and maybe some racetrack events every now and again, but by no means a 'dedicated' track car. Not the intention whatsoever.

-NEW LS2 block
-Callies Compstar 4.0" scrank
-Callies Compstar H-beam rods
-Diamond -10cc pistons
-Vindicator camshaft (240/244 @ .050" on a 112 lsa)
-Yella Terra Ultra Lights
-TFS 225 heads
-FAST 90MM/NW 90MM TB
-60# injectors
-Kooks 1 7/8 headers
-10% underdrive pulley

novaflash2002

iTrader: (51)

nice build. im doing a very simalar build but going with 6.200 rods hoping they will give me a better angle on the crank for tq. looks like its going to be a stout street brawler.

quadman

iTrader: (3)

These are the threads i like the most. A guy building his own engine...........almost a lost art with everybody buying crate short blocks these days. Nothing against the commercial engine builders out there, but imo, this is what hot rodding is all about.
Great pics, too. Keep 'em coming. Plenty of us love to see this ****.
How are you able to do all of your own machine work?
Keep up the good work, and thanks for posting this stuff.

LS123

iTrader: (11)

Nice thread! I'm in between 408 and 418 and still doing research. Since you are doing your own machine work, let me ask you a question. Would you recommend align honing the mains with the NEW virgin block? What other machine work is needed on a new block other than finish honing the bores?

With the cost of machine work going up ($120 hot tank block; $120 mag block; $316 bore and hone; $205 finish hone; $186 align hone mains) I think it's better to start with a new block rather than buying used and perform all of the above steps.

I want to pick your brain a little bit since if I ask my machine shop if I need the above steps, I know he would say YES!

sergo

interested indeed. i wish i had the ability to do my own machine work. i take great satisfaction out of doing stuff myself. unfortunately i can't do everything, just what i can.
subscribed.

STOCK12SECZ

iTrader: (42)

Great Thread. I dont think you will have any problems being deep in 10's with that motor. I'm not sure what converter your running now, but I definately recommend a Circle D 230 MM .We have it in our SS with pretty much the same cam (G5X4) and just a junkyard 6.0. It hits extremely hard and is great around town. Good luck with your build !

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

Thanks guys!

I work at full repair/machine shop/training/education facility. I am fortunate in that regards. For years I paid local machine shops to do my work on other endeavors, never was really happy with any of it or what I paid and how long I waited. I have drag raced for years, the older I get the more mellow my cars get.....I just like to drive them.

Yes, the block will need some work. Follow along, I will show you some of what I did/found with mine. Machine shop work is dying with crate engines and less 'street' work, cars just last longer and people tend to replace them when they are worn out. Of course, they will tell you to bring it in. They have to survive somehow. I have always wondered what some are paying to build these engines and what their machine shops are telling them they need to do. I will do certain things just because I am particular, and know the benefits.

That is great info, I think I have read about your performances somewhere else on the site. I am really interested in what converter you have? That performance would tickle me at that raceweight - impressive!

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

I got all the parts unboxed and unwrapped to inspect them and took some pre-lim measurements. This is the third NEW LS2 block I have worked with and the first where the mains were loose right out of the gate. I have seen this one other time on the orginal LS1 block out of my 2000 car with 2800 miles on it. I took it out and apart to build a forged bottom as a back up. When I started measuring it I noticed the very same exact thing. The main bore was a .0015" beyond MAX spec. Also, on this one the finish on the main bores looked like it had been done at a very high machine speed with a dull tool bit, not really impressed...... although probably wouldn't have been an issue if it measured within spec.

Here are the pre-lim measurements.











I also was disappointed to see this on my cam bearings, ALL 5 of them. The overlay coat on the bearings was through to the copper.



First things first, the entire block needed to be de-burred, it is one very sharp SOB out of the crate. All fresh machined surfaces with sharp corners will peel you open like a can of tomato soup. With all the necessary handling involved during the build this will be one step that will pay dividends.

airforcemanss

iTrader: (23)

looking forward to your thread. so what happened with kp's car?
1. if you got your block from sd then why didn't you go for their iron 427 that they had a deal going for recently?

2. so what was the purpose of you selling me your damper when you were going to need it for this one lol?

btw rick, i see you got something in the works? i hope you go with a 418/427 ls3

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

After all the filing of the block's corners and edges, I dropped the Callies 4.0" crank into the block and rough assembled one piston, con rod and one rod bearing to check for necessary clearance at the bottom of the bores. Seems to me I remember one block needing some hand grinding and one block not needing any grinding. This one was in need of some clearancing, not much, but just enough to make all of this mock up work worthwhile.






I threaded in the ARP main studs, ran them in a few times by torquing them and un-torquing them and proceeded to grind the main caps in the cap grinder and get the main bore 'undersized' to finish line hone it to spec. I took about about .0035" - .004" off the caps.

One interesting note that I'd like to mention is I checked the main bore with the factory bolts installed and then again with the ARP main studs installed and there was no change to the main bore in size or concentricity. Although, it is always good practice to line hone when installing aftermarket main studs. I just like to check and see if things really move on certain engines.













After about 10 strokes in the line hone I was right where I wanted to be, 2.7509" on the housing bore and had a real nice looking finish all the way around the main bore in each block saddle.

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

The blue Firehawk is sitting in the garage....hibernating.

1. Damn , didn't see the deal. Iron doesn't do much for me. I wouldn't want a pre-assembled engine anyway. That is half the fun for me. Also, I have other parts I plan to re-use that are more suited to this size engine, (ie FAST 90, TB, headers/ exhaust etc.) you have to draw the line somewhere...... I have a race car already, actually two. If you re-read the last line in my first post, this is going to be a real 'street car', with manners and reliability, etc. If I want to drive it for a 500 mile roadtrip I will be able to. Besides, if I want it to go 9's again, there is always a 'kit' or the other cars. If I would have gone LS3/L92 the whole rotating assembly/block and then the heads/intake would have just gotten into more money......

2. Don't need an ATI damper for this one. It was a luxury I couldn't afford for this build. Just going to run a SLP under drive set-up I had on the stock LS1 engine. Believe it or not, this is a budget build and I plan on staying within the 'budget'

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

I think I answered your question now.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

The build goals for this engine/car are exactly what I'm looking to do later on down the road with my Camaro. Thanks for posting this!

G Engines

Not surprised to see you had to re-machine the block. The last two new blocks I purchased from GM were just as bad if not worse. GM's machine work is ruff to say the least.

gm02ceta

iTrader: (9)

helicoil, When you mean mild you're talking a engine that will run 92 octane with about 450 +/- hp and will idle at 900 rpm?

Can you build me a street performer LS2 when you're done? LOL!

Roy V.

iTrader: (1)

Great post - thanks for sharing. So the main bores were out of spec .0015 and you had to shave some off the caps and rebore to get them back into spec?

New block too - interesting ....

Subscribed

Petraszewsky

iTrader: (28)

Very nicely detailed....I hope to do a build like this when my LS2 eats it...

Josh@KY-Turbo

iTrader: (120)

Subscribing.

helicoil

iTrader: (104)

Yes, but I was hoping for a minimum of 480 or so to the tire through a stalled A4 and the 9" Ford, 3.70 gears, steel driveline, heavy wheels, etc, etc...500 would be nice but might be tough depending on how much the torque converter soaks up. I won't be hugely dis-appointed if I don't see it, as long as it runs good at the track when I go.

Yes, the mains were loose going by spec. In that image above when measuring the main bore, I had set the gauge to 2.7514" which was the high side of the spec. and it read consistently .0013" -.0015" BIG on all 5 mains .

The fix was just a basic align hone procedure, nothing special, but something that shouldn't have to be done on a NEW block. I have seen them come small before and require a little to be removed, such as .0005" or so, but to be this BIG was kind of a dis-appointment. Heck, the cam bearings really had me scratching my head when I unwrapped it....

RENE'S RAGE

iTrader: (96)

Nice thread. I will follow along.