Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from LSX Magazine, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! We'll send you the most interesting LSX Magazine articles, news, car features, and videos every week. Screwdrivers: Truth be told, there are few, if any, screws on an LS engine; but youll still need screwdrivers and will be surprised how often they come in handy, especially flatheads. All rights reserved. And while the cam bearings had some life left, its not worth the risk of messing up a brand new camshaft. Keeter even washed our already clean block, and we could tell a huge difference.

The SI Series bearings are of high quality and very affordable.

The GM manualand specifically, its engine volumewill be your technical resource for those small differences in specifications, and it also makes for a handy thing to point to when youre at the parts counter of your local dealership ordering up that hard-to-describe engine bolt. First, we pulled the intake and then removed the harmonic damper using a tool we purchased from ICT Billet. If that doesnt work, people have used pliers and even a self-tapping screw. The only variable in these tests was the cam. Cross-hatching is crucial because it ensures proper piston ring lubrication.

Micrometers: A set of micrometers is relatively inexpensive, though price rises with dimensional accuracy. Ours looked good, so we went ahead and installed it.

Installing the balancer properly with the correct tool for the job, firing up the beast and listening to the sweet orchestra of horsepowers singing out of the exhaust. The lower half thrust bearing will fit right into the cap of 2014 and newer LS and LT engines, providing full thrust loading capabilities. We decided it was a good time to replace them and called, While we were waiting on the bearings to show up, we made the drive to. High-performance rebuilds excepted, a full engine overhaul is only required if an engine is suffering from incurable poor performance, or wont run at all.

When a customer opens the pump back up, they take a chance on installing the pump incorrectly, and its possible they will not reassemble it correctly., Instead of using shims to center the pump, Risinger suggested this approach. The main resource youll need is an engine machine shop. You must choose UPS Ground to help ensure your order arrives before Christmas. You might be wondering why we choose to use OEM bolts for the bottom end of this engine. Its important to note here that GM used two types of rod bolts on the GEN III engines. The method that we recommend for our pumps is to put the bolts in finger-tight and then rotate the crank 360-degrees and then torque them down. The second category consists both of tools that are strongly recommended and that you probably cant do without, particularly if youre rebuilding for high-performance. Crankshaft rear oil seal installation tool: It is possible to gently tap the rear crank seal into the rear cover, but you can guarantee precise installation and a leak-free seal if you have the right tool. The next step is installing the balancer. The key to this is ensuring you have good leverage on the camshaft when sliding it into the motor. How to determine value of used Snap On tools, The following errors occurred with your submission, LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion, Hand | Power | Hydraulic | Pneumatic | Welding | Painting, Gen 5 Camaro Tuning, Diagnostics, Dyno results, Hot Rod Power Tour/ Pump Gas Drags/ Drag Week. Perhaps youve come to the conclusion that a full overhaul is in the cards for your engine. We had to put the engine back on the hoist to eliminate this problem. Using a handy cam removal tool (PN CSIT-LS) from Melling, we bolted it to the camshaft with the supplied hardware. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. The cookie settings on this website are set to 'allow all cookies' to give you the very best experience. Its really easy to tell which pump has 175,000 miles on it. We then used a new Melling thrust plate (PN MF127) and secured the cam in place. The one and only time you will not need one of these is when using a drop-in ring set (even so-called gapless rings can require file fitting!). We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. Well, now youre probably wondering just what these other resources are! A select few will likely only be needed in high-performance rebuilds, and these will be noted accordingly. So an engine with larger bearing clearances, higher flow rate lifters, added piston and valve spring oilers is a good candidate for a high volume oil pump, Osterhaus explained. All rights reserved. Pushrod length checker: Mandatory for most high-performance applications but also helpful for many stock rebuilds. Its relatively inexpensive, depending on your machine shop.

While, Since the piston rings were so dirty, it was easier to replace them rather than try to save them. With the old bolts out, we inserted new factory GM torque to yield (TTY) bolts in the mains and reused the bolts on the engines side. Older Post Typically, rod and main bearings are pretty standard parts. With the Melling bump stick lubed up and attached to the camshaft installation tool, we slid it into the engine effortlessly. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. LS-specific models are designed to fit onto the oil pump drive gear on the crank snout. Even though we couldve saved ourselves some money, we would have never gotten the parts as clean as they are now. Finally, it was time to get the heads off and inspect the tops of the pistons and cylinder walls, which looked good. With the OEM part out of the way, we put some oil on the o-ring and slid the new plug into place. 2022 CarTechBooks. The manual set is also a good resource for information on necessary undertakings like engine removal and installation, vehicle-specific procedures that are beyond the scope of this book. Theyve redesigned the LS engines main thrust bearing by symmetrically adding a third oiling hole to the upper thrust flange bearing and removing the locating lug. For our application, Osterhaus suggested the high-volume, high-pressure oil pump (PN 10296), which supplies 18-percent more oil flow. If you dont know all of the LS engines torque specifications by heart, Summit Racing has this handy chart that can be referenced. Wouldnt you rather find the problem before having a severe issue causing you to pull the engine back out? 2. All engine parts that move against other engine parts slowly lose metal material from their surfaces and eventually lose their functionality, regardless of quality and quantity of lubrication. Melling recommends not only this method but priming the engine with its engine pre-lube kit (PN MPL-201), as well. But I've seen what often passes as traditional or period correct and in light of that I wholeheartedly recommend it, especially to those who've convinced themselves that they know it all. In the decades since these engines first use, many advances have been made in engineering, metallurgy, manufacturing, and other fields, and todays engines are more dependable than ever. Its during these later years that rebuilds (or if you prefer, overhauls) become important. Privacy Statement - The new design allows for less installation error due to the design, and now dealers can stock fewer part numbers since the modifications enable the bearings to fit both late model LS and late model LT engines. This one is made by famed LS engine specialists Wheel to Wheel Powertrain. Now, hold on a secyou may be thinking, isnt this book supposed to tell me everything I need to know about rebuilding an LS engine? The answer is yes with a small caveat. A system for mounting a dial indicator and measuring piston and lifter movement is a required complement to a degree wheel kit, and some kits include it. Unless youre using aftermarket fasteners exclusively, you will need a torque angle gauge.

Carlisle Truck Nationals Are Almost Here. These can definitely be made yourself using the right items or you can simply purchase one with your new upgrades. The image on the right shows you what it looks like after a gallon of the purple stuff and lots of elbow grease. We also used the Mr. Gasket front cover alignment tool (PN LSTC1) to straighten the cover before installing the harmonic damper. A stretched chain can also affect the base timing, which can hurt performance, Osterhaus explained. We then numbered the pistons, which were in disgusting shape, so we would know what hole to put them in during reassembly.

If there is any doubt, you may want to take them back for calibration (many tool outlets do this). This adjustable pushrod has a thread on the top end which can be adjusted from 6.800" to 7.800" in .050" increments per each rotation. Now that youve got a better understanding of just what a rebuild is, and are better aware of the resources and tools you need to successfully complete it, you can move on to disassembling your LS engine. These manuals are currently published by Helm, and theyre the same ones used by dealership personnel, so the information in them is quite extensive. Rod bolt stretch gauge: Some high-strength aftermarket connecting rods use a bolt stretch specification for fastener tightening, and a gauge like this will be needed to measure it. Want a recommendation for a Christmas movie? If you dont already own a ball hone, then it might make sense to have a machine shop handle this process for you.

Unlike the cam bearings, rod and main bearings are easy to replace and affordable since no special tools are needed. With our short block on the engine stand, we didnt have room to get the plug out of the engine. Other more significant issuesfor example, a blown head gasketare also repairable; yet if something like this has gone unchecked long enough, sufficient damage to warrant a rebuild may have occurred. Cookie Policy - This device makes it easy to remove the cam, giving you enough leverage to finagle it out without disturbing the cam bearings. If you dont know all of the LS engines torque specifications by heart. Then, we pulled the factory intake, valve covers, rockers, pushrods, and lifters. CarTechs Workbench series format takes you step-by-step through the entire rebuilding process, from identification and selection, disassembly, cleaning, parts analysis and assessment, machine shop tips, replacement parts selection, re-assembly techniques, and start-up/break-in. While we were waiting on the bearings to show up, we made the drive to KPE Racing to have new cam bearings installed in our block. Theyre a bit pricey, but the information they provide is official, (usually) very accurate, and far more comprehensive than in some of the cheaper off-brand manuals you can pick up at the local auto parts store. Dial caliper: Calipers are convenient for taking measurements of a variety of parts, whether you need to know an items diameter, length, or depth. Newer Post . We then used the cam bolt locking plate (PN 5461-LPK) to make sure the bolts would not come loose until we were ready to pull the cam.

With the King main bearings and crank in place, we checked out clearances with Plastigauge, the original main bolts, and a torque angle gauge. Before we removed the cam, we pulled the oil pump and factory timing set from the engine. Timing chains stretch over time, and the most significant risk would be chain breakage. Speedway Motors Customer Appreciation Week Saves You Money, Lingenfelter Performance Hosts 21st Annual Blue Suede Cruise, SEMA 2021: Woolf Aircraft Has Everything For Custom Plumbing, SEMA 2021: Hamburgers Superchargers Stage II Kit For LT-1 Camaros, SEMA 2021: Turbosmarts Straight-Gate50 Is Redefining Wastegates. The front timing cover can be a little tricky to align by eye when doing it in the car as you may not know the alignment is off until the crank seal decides to leak when the car is running and we all know what that means. Harmonic Balancer is coming off. But, Kings new LS main bearings, (PN MB5293SI), offer something a little different. Valvespring height gauge: In order to ensure your valvesprings will be at the correct installed height (and thereby provide the right amount of seat pressure), youll need a valvespring height gauge. Rubber mallet: Despite what youre thinking, this is not just for disassembly!A rubber-faced mallet will be used during assembly as well. There are, of course, other items you almost certainly dont have yet, and some of these must be purchased from special engine build tool suppliers (or borrowed from tool rental outlets). Turns out Die Hard happens to be a Christmas movie too. The simple combination of a high tensile thread, spacers and the right washer/nut combination means that you eliminate this possibility. We also dropped off some parts with the bare block for cleaning. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Since you really only need a set good enough for double-checking diameters of machined items like journals and piston pins, you should grab a set accurate to a half thousandth of an inch (0.0005). This redesign allows the upper block half bearing to be installed in any direction. We grabbed our rubber gloves and a gallon of Superclean degreaser and went to work on the high-mileage 5.3-liter engine. Dont be put off by the need for a little help along the wayan engine rebuild can really be a do-it-yourself undertaking, and this book will be an indispensable resource to help guide you through it! The MTC-7 produced 403 horsepower and 406.4 lb-ft of torque while the MTC-8 we saw 411.9 horsepower and 412.2 lb-ft of torque. You may need a third wrench that is good to high foot-pound readings (75 ft-lbs or more), especially for a high-performance rebuild using aftermarket fasteners. Harmonic damper and gear pullers/installers: As with past small-blocks, the LSs harmonic damper (or balancer) requires a harmonic balancer installation tool (left) to press it onto the snout of the crank. Another handy tool to have is the LSX Camshaft Installation Handle.When installing a camshaft into the motor it is critical to ensure you align the cam journals perfectly with the bearings to prevent damaging a cam bearing which would result in the motor coming out! Well.. These rod bearings also offer improved oil clearance to minimize wear and increase engine life. So, now your camshaft is dialled in, valve springs have been changed and you're on the home straight.A simple check that should always be done no matter how small or large the changes are is to check correct pushrod length. The additional oil flow from the pump will work well in your high mileage engine to support the increased bearing clearances and provide good oil pressure, explained Osterhaus.

The final category includes some less vital, yet still suggested, tools that you may only need in certain circumstances or are simply designed to save you time and headache. The first design has one dimple on the head and no retaining sleeve. 2022 Power Automedia. One advantage of these camshafts is that you can use them with the factory tune. Since the powerplant was included with the trucks purchase, we didnt do a thorough inspection like normal. This time we reached out to Cale Risinger, Technical Services Manager at Melling. But despite all of these innovations, the unfortunate truth continues: all engines eventually wear out. It even features the valve seal install tool to ensure perfect installation of the valve stem seal without the use of the old hammer and socket like the "ol' mate backyard engine builder" method which can easily damage the seal. (Please note that some GM service manuals may only be available in electronic form.). Since we were unsure which one would be best for our application, we asked Osterhaus about it. You can see in this picture that we didnt have enough room to get the plug out.

Unlike the cam bearings, rod and main bearings are easy to replace and affordable since no special tools are needed. You can do this without special tools if you are very careful; however, it is more foolproof if you have the right equipment for the job. Pulling the motor out because you felt brave & decided to risk it, reached for that rattle gun & screamed out a semi inspirational John McClane Die Hard quote while using the old bolt attempting to send it home only to find that you now have a broken bolt in the crankshaft. Simply click the link & check out the range. Not pictured but very useful: a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar. Please click Accept Cookies to continue to use the site. We had KPE remove them for us before cleaning the pistons. With the pistons out of the way, we popped the main caps off and yanked the crankshaft. Heartbreaking right!?

ICT Billet has a wide selection of LS tools perfect for installing your engine components. With that said, and the short block buttoned up and ready to go, our next article will focus on rebuilding the heads and assembling the long block. In essence, a rebuild involves replacing and refurbishing all worn, corroded, or contaminated parts inside the engine.

Banging gears, turning wrenches, and praying while spraying are just a few of his favorite things.

This will center the pump and alleviate any problems that you might have from disassembling it.. Valve seal puller: To ease the task of removing your valve seals from your cylinder heads (if youll be disassembling yourself), a valve seal puller tool is a nice item to have.

Piston ring compressor: Dont just buy any old ring compressor that looks like it should be an oil filter wrench.

Instead, we waited until we got the unit on the engine stand to give it a good look. These tools are very strongly suggested, and though you theoretically could put an engine together without them, it would be a very bad idea! For now, well also note that if in thumbing through this book you feel any part of a rebuild task would be beyond the constraints of your time, patience, or abilities, machine shops can almost always help you out with whatever labor, parts, or advice you need assistance with. Terms|Privacy, LS Engine Rebuilds: Skills, Techniques and Tools. After looking at the internals, we have no doubt that this engine had some life left before the rebuild. With the pistons out of the way, we popped the main caps off and yanked the crankshaft. You now have all the leverage you need thanks to the 6" inch billet camshaft installation handle. I don't really know what degreeing the cam does so I will have to read up. So, we had to temporarily hang it from the engine hoist to do this process. About Us - You will also need one even with drop-in ring sets (to double-check end gap).

For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Find yours below. At this point, we figured we might be in trouble, and our suspicions were right.

The major wear components to keep in mind are pistons and piston rings, cylinder walls, and bearings, but there are lots of other surfaces that you probably dont think about.

All of the following are must-haves for your project, and happily, you probably already have nearly all of them. And lets state the obviousalcohol and engine building do not mix, nor do distractions like watching a hockey game. Likewise, the locating lug was also removed from the lower thrust flange bearing, allowing the thrust bearing to be installed in any direction (longitudinally). The second design, which we had, had two dimples on the head and a retaining sleeve. Terms of Service - A gearhead for life, Brian is obsessed with all things fast. Many factory-stock performance engines came with standard volume high-pressure oil pumps.. Along similar lines, although the gears of some timing sets slide easily onto the crank snout chances are you will need a crank gear installing sleeve (center) to help the jobthough there is a backup plan here, too, that involves using your old crank sprocket to double up and press on the new one (see Chapter 8 as well). Whats The Reason Enthusiasts Cant Get, Yes I Am A Dinosaur, And Why I Feel Electric Cars. Engine stand and hoist: If youve been working on cars and engines for any amount of time, you already have these. We had KPE remove them for us before cleaning the pistons. Virtually every complicated task in life requires at least a little bit of outside help, and a rebuild is no exception. The deck bridge-style fixture on the right is also helpful, but primarily for measuring piston movement and deck clearance. Since minor variations exist between each and every Gen III and IV engineeven during the same model yearno book can cover them all (heck, even GM Powertrain engineers probably have a hard time keeping track of every nuance!). For most do-it-yourselfers, this means a sufficiently large garage thats relatively clean and is isolated from intruders who might interfere with your work while youre away (or overly distract you while youre in the middle of it). After, correctly, we then lubricated them with oil and inserted the piston and rod assembly in the cylinder using the, With the oil pan in place, we flipped over the engine and went to work on the front cover. Its a cycle analogous to life. You should have standard sockets as well, though, particularly if youll be installing any aftermarket parts (which many times use standard bolts and nuts). With the OEM unit removed, we were able to inspect the lobes, which showed slight wear. Click to Download Our Full Product Catalog on PDF. Nothing is worse than stopping at a critical point in an engine assembly, only to come back a few hours later and find that someone moved the piston rings youve just uniquely file-fit to each cylinder, mixing them up in the process. We will safeguard your e-mail and only send content you request. Click the button below and we will send you an exclusive deal on this book. To determine this, you first need to know what, exactly, we mean when we use the term rebuild. After this, there are some important questions youll want to ask, like: Is this something I am capable of? What tools are needed? And, Where can a rebuild be performed? Well try to answer all of these and more in this chapter. Our plugs werent that hard to remove, surprisingly. This item will be particularly useful during checking of rod bearing clearances, where any movement of the crank can destroy a measurement. Flywheel holding tool: There are a few times where youll need to hold the crank steady in one position, and the best way to do this is to install your flywheel/flexplate on the back and use a flywheel holding tool (the one pictured is the official GM J tool). See Chapter 5 for details on how to select a machine shop and what theyll do for you. Secondly, when you order new bolts for your build, you want to make sure to order the correct ones.

Risinger said, Our pumps are all sealed up and tested before they leave the factory.

Piston ring expander pliers: These handy items will help you install the compression rings onto your pistons with reduced risk of ring breakage or piston scratching. The pieces of the puzzle are all falling together now, all you need is a place to do it. Some are fixed for a very narrow range of bore sizes (right), while others are adjustable over a small range in bore size (left). Now your cam swap/engine assembly is done & it's time to spend your holidays on the road enjoying your new mods instead of in the garage because you don't have the right tools to get the job done. (one member tried to buy an LS9 cam off Amazon and found out it was a LQ9). Tommy Keeter, owner of KPE, hot-tanked the block, pistons, rods, oil pan, front and rear cover, and had them ready for pick up in a couple of days.

Connecting rod vise: A standard vise is a bad way to hold rods secure while their bolts are being loosened. After we tore the engine down, it was evident that the number six cylinder had seen better days and would need to be bored. After we centered the oil pump per Mellings method, we then torqued the pump to the block and installed the windage tray and a new pickup tube (PN 324S). Within 1 degree of intended install position is normal But if you end up 2 or more degrees off, you'll make a large impact on engine performance. Quality time in the garage upgrading the beast! A simple way to eliminate these headaches is a simple tool which is the LSX Pushrod Length Checker Tool. To secure the damper, we used an ARP damper bolt, but first, we applied the ARP Ultra Torque Fastener Assembly Lubricant.

The four-stroke Otto-cycle internal combustion engine variation (as its technically known) has been so successful that it is used to power the vast majority of vehicles on U.S. roads, hybrids included. This complexity can deceive, however, as the truth is that not all poorly running engines are ripe for an overhaul. The best type of tool locks in place when the spring is compressed, as this one from Goodson does. In fact, many vehicle service manuals comprise 4,000 pages or more! Its best to have two checkers (one for each valve of a cylinder), and theyll need to work within the range of 7.400 inches (all LS engines have a stock pushrod length close to this). But its generally safe to say your LS is due for a rebuild once you start consistently seeing at least a few of the things listed below: Not all of the above issues are totally unusual on a near-normally-running engine: some can indicate straightforward problems with items like the ignition, intake, or fuel systems, or even more mundane internal engine problems that simply require minor repair or maintenance (for example, carbon buildup from use of poor-quality fuel). This will make life easy as you calculate the desired pushrod length which gives to correct preload and you use that size pushrod. For the extraction of the plugs, you will need an 8mm and a monstrous 17mm hex wrench.

Not shown but helpful are pliers, both regular and needle-nose. A high volume oil pump will provide more oil flow to the engine across the engines operating range, from idle speed to red-line. Making simple changes such as a cam swap, changing lifters or even going further into the build such as stepping up to ported heads can all effect the pushrod geometry which can cause serious issues if not calculated correctly.Although majority of camshaft packages come with a set of pushrods at the standard 7.400" length which covers 80% of applicaitons it does not mean that the length shouldn't be measured to ensure two important factors are correct.

They begin to perform poorly later in life, and eventually will diei.e., stop operating completely. Such a shop specializes in cleaning, machining, and resurfacing different engine partstasks that are impossible to perform properly without expensive, dedicated equipment and a lot of experience and know-how. Its imperative that the pickup tube stays in place for the life of the engine. Some of them actually are mandatory, but have been placed in this category simply because an alternative tool exists that you may substitute if desired. That Valve Spring upgrade now takes 20mins. Enter your email address below to subscribe to our newsletter and keep up to date with new products and special offers. Without the use of a lever you start to lose that leverage due to the weight of the cam once it gets 3/4's of the way into the motor. A hand-crank version works just fine at setting the end gaps, though electric versions are available that are more accurate and will save some time. Shown in the bottom right is a TDC stop, helpful during cam degreeing (youll need one capable of spanning the wide head bolt spacing of the LS). The Junkyard LS engine is all the rage these days. Give us a call at 316-300-0833 or fill out our online contact form.

Some of our most popular packages DIY packages can easily be upgraded using these tools which will save you significant amounts of time & money in labour. We use encrypted SSL security to ensure that your credit card information is 100% protected.

The only question is, is it that time for your LS engine? We then numbered the pistons, which were in disgusting shape, so we would know what hole to put them in during reassembly. After we threaded the bolt in by hand, we then torqued it to 235 ft-lbs as instructed. Inspection stands: Having your heads lying on the surface of a table makes the processes of disassembly, inspection, and assembly somewhat more time-consuming. This bolts onto the camshaft using the x3 cam bolts to ensure perfect alignment and leverage when installing the cam. Now "ol' mate backyard engine builder" from earlier may tell you that this will be fine and he's done it 100's of times but reality is you are x1 bolt away from two scenarios.1. Whether you have purchased one of our LSX Camshaft Packages or Rotating Assemblies or just doing some maintenance we all know that the most important thing when working on your car is having the correct tools for the job.



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