I blew up a 99 LS1 Please Help lol

[99TRANSBOY]

Hey guys its me again, with bad news lol. I overreved my 99 Trans Am and did some valve damage. I have a couple of questions, please remember I do not know everything about how an engine works inside so please do not think I'm retarted lol.

The stupid shop wants like 5,000$ to fix this beast. They want to replace the heads. Couple of questions, can't I get some crazy aftermarket heads cheaper? Can someone please suggest the kind of heads that I should buy, I want to increase power but also have durability.

Second thing I need advice on, my friend owns a race engine shop. I was thinking because I already did some damage that I should just take it to him. I am looking to go to a 383 stroker engine. What all needs to be done? Is a 383 bored .20 over? Or is it .30 over? Is it possible to still use the stock heads? Will I need special heads after having it bored out? Also what kind of cam can someone suggest for me?


I just need someone to tell me what I should do lol. I figured I would make this thing as fast as I could instead of paying some stupid shop 5,000$ for stock heads. I am trying to keep my price with labor included to under 3,000$ can someone please help me in my messed up situation? I would like to go with the 383 stroker, I just need to know all the parts I will need. Thanks for any advice you guys can offer.

TransBoy- aka retard who blows up vette engines lol

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Did your shop tell you a breakdown of what needs to be replaced? By damaging the valve, did the valve contact the piston? I would suggest that you find out what has been done, and what they plan on replacing, because that $5k quote is probably more than just new heads.

[njrextreme]

ouch

Id look into getting a gm short block and put your heads and intake on it. Have your buddy do the swap and fix the heads and valves.

[Trans Am]

i ve seen a set of heads , used , taken off due to upgrade, for ~$250 here, shouldnt be too expensive there either i think , if you want to get used parts

[Joe 1320]

The stupid shop wants like 5,000$ to fix this beast. They want to replace the heads. Couple of questions, can't I get some crazy aftermarket heads cheaper? Can someone please suggest the kind of heads that I should buy, I want to increase power but also have durability.

Yes, you could. Aftermarket heads already put together and shipped in will cost you about as much or just a hair more than what it would cost to send your heads to a machine shop and redone back to stock specs. You won't get redical head work for that price level, but it's made to give you a comparison.

Second thing I need advice on, my friend owns a race engine shop. I was thinking because I already did some damage that I should just take it to him. I am looking to go to a 383 stroker engine. What all needs to be done? Is a 383 bored .20 over? Or is it .30 over? Is it possible to still use the stock heads? Will I need special heads after having it bored out? Also what kind of cam can someone suggest for me?
l

A 383 requires not only an overbore, but a longer stroke. A custom crankshaft is required to achieve a longer stroke so anything more than on overbore will start adding to the cost at an exponential rate.

I just need someone to tell me what I should do lol. I figured I would make this thing as fast as I could instead of paying some stupid shop 5,000$ for stock heads. I am trying to keep my price with labor included to under 3,000$ can someone please help me in my messed up situation? I would like to go with the 383 stroker, I just need to know all the parts I will need. Thanks for any advice you guys can offer.

TransBoy- aka retard who blows up vette engines lol

Woah.... that's a tough call. If I were in the same position, I would most likely get a new pair of heads with some mild work done, maybe a cam..... and have headers installed since the manifolds have to come off anyway. That would probably be the most cost effective of the whole ordeal. Of course after that would be a Y pipe to go along with the headers, then a custom program... the list never ends.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

The assumption here is that all it needs are heads. There is no way to know that without taking the old heads off and seeing if there is any other damage. My question is what is damaged. is it just a broken valve spring or a broken rocker arm or what. A broken valve spring can cause the valve to be slow to cloase and hit and crack a piston. There is no way to be sure there won't be most cost incured until you take the heads off. After that you can get a lot better advise on what to do. If you go buy a set of heads thinking that is all that is wrong and take off the old heads and find a cracked piston your cost is going to go through the roof.


The only exact price anyone can give you is to replace the long block (block and all components and heads and all components).

If it were me I would take the heads off and see what is wrong but if you get the shop to do it they are going to charge for it then if it is really screwed up what do you do. Tow it home?

Something to consider would be a crate engine from GM. From www.GMpartsdirect.com you can get a LS1 complete for about $5000. You can a LS6 for about $5800. Heck it's easier to repalce an engine than the heads. Boy that will get debated but then you have 0 miles on the whole thing and no problems except the driver for may years to come.

[Injuneer]

With a small block Chevy (Gen 1 or Gen 2/LTx), you bore the 4.000" cylinder out to 4.030", and stroke it from 3.48" to 3.75" (crankshaft throw). But the LS1 engine is not a conventional small block Chevy - it called a "Gen 3" and has very little in common with its predecessors. It has a different bore and a different stroke to start with (its 346ci, not 350ci). And you can't bore an LS1 0.030" over, because it has an iron sleeved aluminum block, and the sleeves will not allow more than about 0.010" overbore. So you are looking at a significantly longer throw on the crank.

You have to find out what is wrong, as noted in several posts above. Typically, the valves contact the pistons. Did they damage the pistons? Was any damage done to the cylinder walls? Are you sure you didn't just bend the pushrods? That's a pretty common problem on the LS1's.

Find out what is wrong. You didn't "blow up" your engine - eliminate the histrionics, and panic. You need to find out what damage you actually did, and specifically what services the shop is proposing. Remember also that the shop is quoting you labor, and unless you can do this work yourself, you need to pay someone else to do it.

[99TRANSBOY]

Quick update (Not complete)

Ok guys just an update on my engine situation. I had the car taken to another shop, the original shop found 4 bent pushrods! They seemed to think this kind of Job was worth 2,800$ and that equals insanity!! I had major concerns after seeing the pushrods for myself, so I had the car towed to another shop, this shop I know will be thorough and find any other damage that has happened.

This morning I got a call from the new shop, He was doing a cylinder leak down test when he called. The drivers side cylinders were leaking down at 12-15%, not the best but no reason to be alarmed correct? However the passenger side showed major leakage. So my first question is this, what is the max number on a leakdown that I should just be ok with?

The shop owner is taking off the heads today and is going to call me later. I am a little bit paranoid this morning, What are the chances that I did damage to the cylinder/piston? It is possible that the valves are causing the major leakage correct? I will be updating with more information as soon as I can, I just wanted to post and read anyones comments or ideas.

I am not looking to race or anything, however as you can understand, owning an LS1 I would like to be getting the maxium horsepower out of the engine instead of her being tired and worn down. I will be updating soon and looking for comments. Thanks again guys for the advice and help, I am hoping to get the beast running strong once again, and this time I am not planning on hurting my baby again lol.

Kev

[ConElite]

If you bent a rod or valve yes its going to cause major leaking.

Lets assume just the heads went bad, Block is A-OK:
Recommended:
Pick up a set of used LS2-6 head which you can usually get for well under $1000. Get yourself a custom grind cam or whatever and maybe a Used LS6 Intake manifold and eliminate the EGR. Considering how radical you go on the cam (Which I would recommend Mild for DD) That should wake her right up, with a good tune close to about 400whp. Long tubes and custom Y-Pipe.

With the LS1 engines, to make some big numbers does not mean you have to rework the block at all. Simply heads, Cam, and Intake has seen close to 500hp NA or maybe more. Some company reworked the HCI and COMPLETELY stock block on a C5 LS1 Vette and broke 9's!

These engines are amazing.

They need to peal those heads and have a look at the pistons. Cross your fingers. Even then you can pick up a Used LS1 for around $1-3k now a days, They are very cheap.

[RAF7789]

Some company reworked the HCI and COMPLETELY stock block on a C5 LS1 Vette and broke 9's!

Holy Guacamole!

These engines are amazing.

Agreed!

The Even then you can pick up a Used LS1 for around $1-3k now a days, They are very cheap.

You mean to say inexpensive. The LS1 is not a cheap engine. Inexpensive, yes. The mustang 5.0L V8? Cheap engine.

[ConElite]

Holy Guacamole!



Agreed!



You mean to say inexpensive. The LS1 is not a cheap engine. Inexpensive, yes. The mustang 5.0L V8? Cheap engine.

Yes I meant cheap in regards to $$$.

Yeah that vette had a custom designed trans but the less ran a high 9 on E/t streets. They even ripped off the head while in the pits to confirm stock bore.

[thomas]

just to give you an idea whats out there

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-pa...ons-rings.html

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-pa...243-heads.html

this one seems like a good deal
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-pa...ged-6-0-a.html