LSX build up

[Blue99fbody]

Originally Posted by Roca Fella Bryan

Hey Brent, can you post mass photos of this entire process as you do it? I'm curious and would like to see it. Haven't seen many engines torn down and shit in my days aside from little Honda engines.

my thread has the build from a bare block in it if your wanting to see pics

[BTM]

Originally Posted by BES_Stroked_Nova

another good investment while the motor is out is to check out a set of Katech Rod bolts. More strength, factory torque specs, so no worries of bearing clearance issues.

is why i figured the arp bolts would need more work that just a simple bolt replacement. maybe the arp bolts have a different torque spec, and should be honed for proper bearing clearances. idk.

Originally Posted by ForceFed

Shouldnt have to touch your bearings to do a rod bolt swap.....Proper torquing will be required. Is this an already assembled engine?
If so, swap one at a time.

im not a car/engine dummy, i just dont know ls1 specifics. the bottom end is assembled complete, but the heads are off.

Originally Posted by Roca Fella Bryan

Hey Brent, can you post mass photos of this entire process as you do it? I'm curious and would like to see it. Haven't seen many engines torn down and shit in my days aside from little Honda engines.

yeah i plan to get pics and a thread together when i have time to really dig into the car. its going to be a slow process, so it will either be a long time untill i get a bunch of work done then update, or update with one little thing at a time.

im really busy until i get home from vacation in about a month or so. hopefully after that ill be able to get some weekends in the garage to get solid work done.

also to get the car on the road its more than just swapping the engine. im doing full body work interior, exterior, and engine bay, plus cage install. so, bear with me lol. im not cutting corners for a faster finish. i want a well built car when its finished.

[Blue99fbody]

go with the katech rod bolts for sure

[240Jeff]

At first I was kinda mad you were ditching the SR. But I'm kinda digging the Lax swap simply because it's BTM and I'm happy that he's excited and motivated about his car again. Good luck buddy and I can't wait to see the results.

[BTM]

/\ thanks bud.

i think the engine swap is a good change. its refreshing. like you said, im motivated to work on the car and get it back on the road. if i were to continue with the sr setup the car would def. not be on the road this season(im going to try for that now), and maybe not even next year if i didnt get motivated.

an engine is just a part that powers a chassis. v8, turbo 4, rotary, they all do the same thing in a different way. no need to get caught up in who makes it or what cars are associated with them.

and lol at your sig.

[Roca Fella Bryan]

Originally Posted by Blue99fbody

my thread has the build from a bare block in it if your wanting to see pics

Yeah I'll check that out. Car sounds mean BTW.

[Dark-one]

If it means anything my arp's are holding over 700hp

[bestracing]

I have only used ARP bolts in my builds and have GREAT results with them. ARP recomends that you use a stretch gauge to properly torque the bolt as friction can cause false torque readings. The reasons I see on line for people selecting Katech is because you don't need to use the stretch gauge, just torque them to spec.

IMHO, Thats fine for most applications including yours but from what I have researched and have read straight from David Reher on race motors, they recommend to use rod stretch measurements on all rod bolts for an accurate torque. Plus the rod should be machined with the new rod bolts installed and torqued to spec.

For what you are doing I'd just go with the Katech, use a good thread lube, and just torque the rod bolts to spec in three steps: eg Katech torque spec = 50 Lb.Ft, so first torque is 25, second is 40 and last is 50.
For heads, rods and mains I always step up the torque to final spec.