my formula project...It's alive! Mwuahahahahaha

[Formula Z]

well just dropped the heads off at the machine shop. spent about an hour there talking with the guy. he has built some of my 4g63t motors when i was into the turbo talons. i trust this guy basically. he told me since i am this deep into the motor i should look at the bearings. so when i got home i pulled the first main cap and rod cap. bearings werent real bad, but look like they could be replaced. if i do this then my crank will need to be turned, right????? this project is getting out of control fast it seems and the money continues to add up, which isnt really there to begin with, lol. so should i change the bearings or leave them? maybe i can pull the motor again next year and do those, because i might as well put new rings on and hone the cylinders too. how much for bearings???

he also mentioned that i should have marked where the harmonic balancer came off of the crank, which i didnt do, hopefully this wasnt to important.

i need some insight fellas. i didnt want to go this far in, but i think im to late

[Fbomb]

I would take care of everything while the motor's apart and out of the car that way you don't have to spend more on gaskets and bolts later on.

[DETROITMUSCLE]

there is no turning back now after a main cap has been off IMO have it gone through the right way but its gonna cost ya for sure. I don't know for sure whether or not your LS1 gaskets will work Vinnie but I was always told that you can deal with a bigger bore gasket but obviously not a smaller one and I would apply the same principal to the cylinder head as well. Also don't worry about the harmonic balancer the LS1 is internally balanced and putting it on the same won't matter, that tid bit tells me this guy hasn't built many if any LS motors before.

[Formula Z]

well looks like my car will be down this year most likely then. bearings, rings, bolts, gaskets, machine work, not to mention i still need a cam, rockers, lifters, springs, fluids, and all the other little stuff. stall, trans cooler, and repair of current trans still. WTF was i thinking???????????

oh and i still need tires all the way around!

im in over my head, lol

[Fbomb]

I would just buy a "new" shortblock since you have a 98 block.

I was actually planning on saving for two years or so then getting a stroker LS2 shortblock and swapping everything over onto it.

[1BADAIR]

243 heads came on ls6 and ls2 so either gasket should work

[c0ncEpT]

After a cap has been taken off you need to do bearings IMO. Which means you need to turn the crank more than likely. Like Jeff said and LS1 is internally balanced. You may know this guy but I would consider looking for a shop that knows LSX's a little bit better. Your not messing with a regular SBC like I'm sure he is use to.

[Formula Z]

shouldnt hurt to let him turn the crank and install the bearings and rings, thats basic enough isnt it? he may also install my new valve springs. thats about as much as hes going to do. i can do everything else myself. unless i come up with some quick cashis, i may be down and out this season, what a bummer.

my wife told me to come up with a parts/price list to get the motor back together, but i think she will flip when she sees the final price, lol. and again ill be out this season....

[Fbomb]

Just tell her it's quality father-son time teaching him how to build his LSX.

[OIF1VET]

shouldnt hurt to let him turn the crank and install the bearings and rings, thats basic enough isnt it? he may also install my new valve springs. thats about as much as hes going to do. i can do everything else myself. unless i come up with some quick cashis, i may be down and out this season, what a bummer.

my wife told me to come up with a parts/price list to get the motor back together, but i think she will flip when she sees the final price, lol. and again ill be out this season....

Hope you can get it all worked out.. But I agree with everyone else, get it done right while it's out.. Even if that means missing a season...

[DETROITMUSCLE]

243 heads came on ls6 and ls2 so either gasket should work

yep that is my idiot light

[alwaysmessedup]

tell her you will let her take it to work you know she likes driving it, you should beable to install the piston rings , rod and main bearings yourself i wouldnt pay someone else to do it.

[Formula Z]

true. the crank will need to be polished also. so how much does this set me back, anyone know?? im really bummed about this but it started to seem like it was spinning out of control. now i just want the car back together like it was, at least i could drive it. i dont know why i do this to myself. anyone that can offer some kind of advice and/or help would greatly be appreciated. the wife and i have been discussing it since we have some decent tax money coming back, but i know we need to pay some stuff off too. ill happily accept whatever she figures we can afford, if any, for the firebird.

now im just worried about how long the car will sit, im worried that parts will come up missing or misplaced or i cant remember how stuff goes back together, lol. i could just kick myself

[DETROITMUSCLE]

honestly don't panic too much about it Mike. I would talk to a few really good engine builders and see if its acceptable to place the main cap back on and run it. If you start by replacing piston rings, bearings, studs ect. it snowballs very quickly. I bought my LS2 shortblock last winter and had it completely rebuilt using the stock pistons, rods, and crank. They had to slightly grind the crank and I had ARP ros bolts installed, everything else was standard procedure and I went and picked up the shortblock and then assembled the motor from there. Just that cost me $1k but IMO the piece of mind was worth it, would I have loved to throw some forged pistons and rods in and be done sure but the $ wasn't there. I would try and run the motor as it sits for now and replace the pump and valvetrain with the proper gaskets and go with it plenty of guys do cam swaps and run their cars for years afterwards with no ill effects. Down the road save some cash and decide where you want to go from there

[Fbomb]

I wouldn't worry about it Mike, just keep your head clear and everything well organized. There's plenty of how-tos and write ups on getting it back together. Just think about how much better it'll be when you're done. Which is what I think about when I look at my bank account...
And Jeff sorry those heads haven't been picked up but my dad won't be out near Shelby until the end of the month, which is shortly before I get home, so I might be picking them up myself.