So finally got the car home, and I'm coming to realize more everyday, that this is not gonna be cheap, at all.

Mrbelvedere was recommended to me from another member for getting my sleeves done, but will it be cost effective vs a zzp gen3 shortblock? I've been crunching numbers and I feel like just getting my block fixed will cost almost as much as a shortblock. And a shortblock costs as much as a used drop-in engine!

 

U need to decide what you want in the future.
TVS
Turbo
Nitrous
M62

If you plan to stay m62 then drop a OEM LSJ in it.
If you want more, build it up then.

Mongo just sent my buddy a 2.1 stroke using a gen 3 block for his LSJ. It ran a tad over 2k. His head is being ported and clean up by LSJion. $500 plus parts. He will be about $3-3.2k fully assembled to drop in the engine. However, he is on a s252 and going to switch to a s256et. Goal is 450whp daily.

Cheap. Fast. Reliable.

Pick two and move on because you cannot have all three together.

 

So I found a used longblock from a member on here a about a month ago, and I'm going to pick it up this coming Saturday. It has 150000 miles and was under tvs power before he replaced his block with a built one. There's a lot I would like to do, but I'm going to do the bare minimum for now so I can get this car running and not just taking up space.

My plans are to compression test it on the ground first, and if/when it shows good numbers, clean it up really really good, swap it out with my block using my m62, and drive it until I can get the blown motor rebuilt for turbo power and put together a nice 450whp turbo kit.

If it passes the compression test with flying colors, should I even consider replacing the head gasket and timing chain assembly? I'm gonna be running a 2.8 pulley, 60s, full exhaust, intake, and tune to start. And if I need the cooling mods I will buy them but if my plan is to go turbo I want to spend minimal on the supercharger setup.

And another question, if the motor was under tvs power making around 325, would that mean the motor didn't work as hard as it would have spinning the m62?

 

if the compression is between 180 to 210 put it in and run it

 

383 stroker?

 

Yea

 

Got my engine yesterday, even with 150k, internally from what I could see, it looks 400% better than the engine I had with a third the miles. 383_stroker is a pretty straight shooter, even had a couple other parts for me for next to nothing, and a few I might be wishing I bought, like the ported m62 and trans mounts with poly inserts, but I have an m62 already and plan to go rotated for mounts , so I declined.

Gonna get it on the stand and start cleaning it up. I still feel like there's a lot of little parts/gaskets I may need to replace since both engines and all parts have been sitting for two years. Anyone care to chime in on what parts are the most important, laminova seals perhaps? Amongst other things...

 

if the compression is good put it in and rund it

 

So it's in the air now but I have a feeling it's gonna be a biotch dropping the cradle using jacks and stands. I searched for a engine removal thread to see if most garage mechanics pull from the top or bottom. Can I get some thoughts and opinions please!!! I'm not doing anything else until I'm sure which way I should remove it!!

 

Bottom.

 

Bottom. Scour the internetz for the LSJ build book, it will detail the process exactly for you. It is difficult without a lift, but I would argue easier than lifting the engine.

 

I have the service manual for our cars. PayPal me $5 and I'll scan every page and email the procedure to you in pdf. Lol

 

I have the gm lsj power bible, I was just asking people who had experience pulling it already. Any tips for jacking my car up 3ft?

 

What I did:

Put some other wheels under the rear wheels to lift it about 3-4in. My uncle has a long steel beam that we positioned about a foot or so behind the front wheel wells that went across the width of the car with a jack under it. Then lowered the front and dropped the cradle onto a piano dolly with 2 well-positioned 2x4's to hold it. Then use the jack under the steel beam to raise the front of the car enough to wheel the cradle out, then rested the front on jackstands again. That part took about 30minutes max

 

So I sourced most of the stuff you said you used, I grabbed a 4x4 1/4in thick steel post that's wider than the car by about a foot each way, grabbed two wheels to throw under the rears, and I already have a slew of 2x4 2x8s and 2x10s and a saw for any blocking I gotta do to the cart to hold the cradle. Already have the hoist chilling there waiting on the motor.

 

Just take off the front bumper, radiator, AC lines, condensor, and crash beam. Pull it out the front then. Thats what my buddy and I did.

 

Wish y'all did a write up on that, since my head is off I was thinking about using two head studs to lower the entire cradle with down onto my cart while the car is up about 18", then jacking the car up the rest of the way after it's sitting on the cart, my bumper and headlights are already off too... Don't know if the head studs will be strong enough to hold all that weight tho

 

We wrapped 2 ratchet straps around the entire motor like a sling and then used the ratchet mechanism to lower it.

 

Nice! I have slings and shackles at work im gonna grab two tomorrow after work, I'm tossing in the towel for tonight I got as far as "wiggle the u joint off the splined shaft". Need a tip or toe here, bc the gm book didn't say **** about the steering shaft not having much play!!! Looks like I have just that and my tie rods/ball joints left to come out then I can drop this biotch

 

That was a pain. I can't remember exactly what we did. I want to say we started separating the cradle from the frame to give it more play, but I could be wrong and i wouldn't want you to mess up the steering rack/column. I know when we put it back in i made sure the joint went together as we dropped the car onto the cradle. BTW, don't forget to lock the steering wheel.

 

Bump this, for info/help with removing steering u joint!!! I went at it for almost 45 min, and quit before I got pissed off.

 

Had the day off work so I made use of a couple hours today. Got the cradle unbolted and pulled away from the car today. It wasn't near as bad as it sounds. Had my car jacked up about 12" front and back, made a cart, adding 2x4s and 2x6s until it was blocked up to within 1/4" of the cradle in all 4 locations. Dropped the car down one click on front jackstands, unbolted 4 21mm bolts, moved in hoist for security measures since I'm working solo, hooked it to the motor got the chain snug, then unbolted the motor and trans mounts. Since my bumper was off already, I removed the crash beam, which allowed me to only have to jack the front up about 8 more inches to roll out the cradle. Also my problem with the steering u-joint fixed itself when I dropped everything. Now I need to get this motor and trans off.

Next time will be cake, I know I'm taking forever, but I'm new to this platform, and never have had to remove drivetrain from the bottom before.

 

 

#4 sleeve damage

 

maybe the #4 injector is/was bad? who knows