Zeb's Z28 LQ4 Build
05-01-2011, 12:42 AM
#1
Zeb's Z28 LQ4 Build Ok here's what I've got. Bought a 98 Z28 LS1/T56 camaro with 87,xxx on it. The motor was junk, car was a repo and I think someone decided to have one last hooraa. I found a good buy on a 04 (<-- I think) LQ4 that came out of a wrecked Denali. The motor was running when it was pulled, but the owner made the insurance company replace the motor because his oil pressure gauge was reading zero.
I pulled the motor down and found that the crank journals had some pretty decent scoring, especially the front one. I had another good crank from a previous lq4 that ended up having a bad block so I decided to use it instead(this crank still needed to be ground). Took the block and crank to the machine shop and had the cylinders honed and crank ground .010/.010. Motor then got:
Federal Mogul main and rod bearings
ARP Rod bolts
ARP head studs
Mahle Rings
SLP L92 heads (milled to 64cc chamber, which is approx .030)
.600 lift springs and titanium retainers.
Texas Speed 233/239 595/605 114LSA
LS7 Lifters
Comp pushrods
JP Performance Double roller timing set
Stock ported oil pump
L76 intake and Fuel rail
42# injectors
As of right now I only have the short block assembled, im waiting for my lifters to arrive. I plan to have my motor fully assembled by next weekend.
Transmission will remain stock (unless it doesn't work), except for Centerforce dual friction clutch.
As for the car the body is straight and has no major damage. The paint is decent, but not perfect, its a bit sunfaded and is a little scratched up. Eventually I'll paint it, but for now I'll just deal with it. I'll also be upgrading wheels, im thinking 17" C6 vette wheels.
The interior was by far the worst part of it. I didn't get any photos when i first got the car but i can assure you, it was disgusting. The radio bezel, air vents, center console lid, and door panels were covered with this red cloth (shown in picture of window switch). The door panels had some sweeet 3D flames foamed in under the red cloth. The headliner is covered in similar cloth, only black. If you look at the picture of the headliner it looks like wrinkles but it is actually flames just like the door panels had. The stereo and all the speakers were ripped out. They were nice enough to leave the professional amp wiring in the trunk area (see pics). I picked up some used door panels, center console lid, and radio bezel. I still need the inside side panels, headliner, and the plastic panels in the trunk area. The carpet and seats are dirty but I'm just going to have them cleaned for now. Also Im almost positive that this car was never drivin on a paved road, as you can see from the pictures everything is dusty as hell.
O yeah, this is my first build ever.
I'll try to keep this updated, hopefully I can be driving this before the end of may.
I pulled the motor down and found that the crank journals had some pretty decent scoring, especially the front one. I had another good crank from a previous lq4 that ended up having a bad block so I decided to use it instead(this crank still needed to be ground). Took the block and crank to the machine shop and had the cylinders honed and crank ground .010/.010. Motor then got:
Federal Mogul main and rod bearings
ARP Rod bolts
ARP head studs
Mahle Rings
SLP L92 heads (milled to 64cc chamber, which is approx .030)
.600 lift springs and titanium retainers.
Texas Speed 233/239 595/605 114LSA
LS7 Lifters
Comp pushrods
JP Performance Double roller timing set
Stock ported oil pump
L76 intake and Fuel rail
42# injectors
As of right now I only have the short block assembled, im waiting for my lifters to arrive. I plan to have my motor fully assembled by next weekend.
Transmission will remain stock (unless it doesn't work), except for Centerforce dual friction clutch.
As for the car the body is straight and has no major damage. The paint is decent, but not perfect, its a bit sunfaded and is a little scratched up. Eventually I'll paint it, but for now I'll just deal with it. I'll also be upgrading wheels, im thinking 17" C6 vette wheels.
The interior was by far the worst part of it. I didn't get any photos when i first got the car but i can assure you, it was disgusting. The radio bezel, air vents, center console lid, and door panels were covered with this red cloth (shown in picture of window switch). The door panels had some sweeet 3D flames foamed in under the red cloth. The headliner is covered in similar cloth, only black. If you look at the picture of the headliner it looks like wrinkles but it is actually flames just like the door panels had. The stereo and all the speakers were ripped out. They were nice enough to leave the professional amp wiring in the trunk area (see pics). I picked up some used door panels, center console lid, and radio bezel. I still need the inside side panels, headliner, and the plastic panels in the trunk area. The carpet and seats are dirty but I'm just going to have them cleaned for now. Also Im almost positive that this car was never drivin on a paved road, as you can see from the pictures everything is dusty as hell.
O yeah, this is my first build ever.
I'll try to keep this updated, hopefully I can be driving this before the end of may.
Last edited by Zbinkley; 06-14-2011 at 06:11 PM.
05-01-2011, 12:50 AM
#3
Also im not %100 sure what this little box is?? It was under my center console and it looks aftermarket. It's tied into the switch on the left with scotch locks.
I am also going to be upgrading the fuel pump and decided that pulling the fuel tank sounded like awful lot of manual labor, so I decided to go trap door style instead.
I am also going to be upgrading the fuel pump and decided that pulling the fuel tank sounded like awful lot of manual labor, so I decided to go trap door style instead.
05-01-2011, 03:34 AM
#5
Damn, It was rough, inside wise, looks as if it has a good proud owner now, as for the lil box i do believe that is a aftermarket alarm box/sensor. Id trace the wires an scrape all that junk. Good luck with the build, an the engine an engine bay is looking nice!!
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05-01-2011, 12:27 PM
#9
Hey thanks. Its turning into a nice car little by little. I was kinda thinking the same thing with that little box. If I had a little more experience I would have liked to take everything out of the engine bay and really clean it up. I figure for my first build its good nuff.
05-01-2011, 10:16 PM
#12
Cleaned up my motor mounts and painted them red because black was starting bore me, installed my new prothane motor mounts and bolted them on my block.
I also got my double roller timing set and oil pump put on.
Also cleaned up the trunk area and yanked some of the old wiring.
Found a few pictures of the original craigslist add from when i bought the car, you can kinda seen some of the red cloth bullshit on the dash.
Also snapped a few more interior pictures.
BTW if anyone has interior pieces that they are looking to sell, I am in need of the side panels(behind the seats), the side panels in the trunk, air vents and a headliner.
I also got my double roller timing set and oil pump put on.
Also cleaned up the trunk area and yanked some of the old wiring.
Found a few pictures of the original craigslist add from when i bought the car, you can kinda seen some of the red cloth bullshit on the dash.
Also snapped a few more interior pictures.
BTW if anyone has interior pieces that they are looking to sell, I am in need of the side panels(behind the seats), the side panels in the trunk, air vents and a headliner.
05-01-2011, 10:37 PM
#13
I also stumbled across this coiled up wire behind the passenger side panel. It goes to the turn signals in the rear tail lights and the connector was just hangin out there? Not sure where its supposed to go? Any input would be appreciated.
05-17-2011, 08:25 PM
#18
I will be dynoing it (IF I CAN EVER GET IT DONE!!). Keep running into snags. Got the long block assembled, except i need a different oil pickup tube before i can put the oil pan on. Motor should be in shortly, I'd say ill be dynoing it within a month. Hopefully.
06-09-2011, 10:25 PM
#20
So its been a while since ive updated this. I got my long block all assembled and got the centerforce dual friction installed. I've also got the motor in the car. I also have the drivetrain pretty much wrapped up, i still need to bleed the clutch and fill the tranny.
Still to do list:
Modify steam tubes (they dont fit under l76 intake)
install accessories
lengthen front o2 sensors from harness so they reach the bungs in the headers
fill all fluids
turn the key.
Ill put some pics up tomorrow.
Still to do list:
Modify steam tubes (they dont fit under l76 intake)
install accessories
lengthen front o2 sensors from harness so they reach the bungs in the headers
fill all fluids
turn the key.
Ill put some pics up tomorrow.
Last edited by Zbinkley; 06-14-2011 at 06:13 PM.