If you're going to replace the bearings you may as well replace the rings while you're at it.

I smell a complete engine tear down & overhaul coming.

If it's not smoking, knocking, leaking severely or otherwise making unusual sounds, I would run it until problems arise and then rebuild. But thats just me.

It's good that you'll be able to hear & see it run before hand.

 

I agree, you pretty much have to do all or nothing. You may be able to put it in your car and have it run for a few years. On the other hand, it may last a couple of months and then it is coming back out for a rebuild. If you are not going to run it "as is", you probably should start looking at the numbers for a rebuild, including machine work, if needed.

 

Yeah, perhaps if it sounds, smells and runs okay I'll just put it in until stuff NEEDS to be done. Good point.

Thanks again you guys,

George

 

Aside from an exhaust leak it runs and sounds great. Nice clean exhaust too!! Selling my VW stuff as we speak!!(write?)

George

 

That would be a LT-1 Iron head engine I believe.

Check milage and for smoke on start up and under power (give it hard and have someon follow to see for smoke for the tail pipes).

If theres not much smoke, and it appears in good shape, I would consider putting it in the car as it sits. If not you will have to rebuild it which will cost probably $1500ish.

Either way, it seems to be a good deal assuming the motor and trans is ok. Even if you have the motor rebuilt, it will still be cheaper than a crate engine, plus you got ALL the wiring.

Go for it.

 

I had a 350 TBI engine from my 1989 Chevy truck rebuilt 2 years ago, and it cost me $1200 from a local machine shop. And that was including replacing a cracked head with a used remaned head.

Im not sure what a LT-1 would cost to rebuild, but I cant see it being a lot more.

 

Putting that LT1 in will bring up some new issues. The biggest thing I can see off hand is the accessory brackets, specifically on the passenger side, would hit the upper A-arm.

 

Mostly yes--if, I believe, I was to keep the A/C.

 

So, a 94 Caprice SS would have what, an LT1 5.7?
Would it drop in or would there be interference issues with A-Arms?

 

Yes, a '94 Caprice would have an LT1. The LT1 would drop right in if you took the accessories off. Problem is the weird water pump / distributor.

 

Ahh, what kind of dizzy does it have? If I was to do this I would go Megasquirt control with sequential ignition. Are the accesory brackets set way to the outside?

 

To be honest, it would probably be easier to install the LT1 heads and intake on a TPI roller motor with some better heads and hot cam. Then you would have a standard HEI dizzy, and could use Megasquirt to run it all and even have standard or serpentine accessories.

I'm using LT1 intake and heads on my 405, and that's just harder than using it all on a TPI long block.

 

The LT1's in 94-96 B-bodies routinely run hard for more than 200,000 miles. The stock motor in my 94 SS was at 164,000 mi when I pulled it in favor of a 383. There was nothing wrong with the engine - it could turn a 15.3 quarter mile at 6000+ ft density altitude with nothing more than a good exhaust and freer flowing air cleaner assemby. That was on stock street tires with a 2.20 60ft time, full weight of about 4400 pounds (scale was broke that night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway).
For $500 it sounds like a screaming deal. Make sure it is an LT1 and not the L99, 265ci version in most plain Caprices. The motor will have a 5.7L stamped on the upper rear part of the block, right back where the motor bolts to the tranny. It should also have a "327" cast into the block near the motor mount/freeze plug area on the side of the engine.
If the car runs OK without any unusual noises it's probably good to go. The A/C compressor will interfere with most front crossmembers, but I'm not sure if that holds true with the vette. The only real weak links are tired valve springs, water pumps that leak on the Optispark distributor, and the transmissions tend to go out from hauling around over 4000lbs in a powerful car. The exhaust leak could be trouble though. These engines are notorious for breaking exhaust manifold bolts, usually the rear passenger side bolt, and they can be a real pain to remove. If you're going to pull the motor anyway that isn't quite the dilemma it normally is. And don't be afraid of the computer control. They are tuned with a laptop and some software. There are talented tuners for these motors all over the place - just about anywhere there's a chassis dyno. Find one of these businesses and tune it up. No need to have a mailorder specialty shop "burn a chip" for it.

 

I reverified the motor and it's a 5.7L. This was a former Vermont State Trooper car. Hell I may have been pulled over by it in the past!

ANy idea what to do with the rest of the car? Put my L48 and TH400 in it and do the Grassroots Motorsports $2007 challenge?? My g-friend says to go demo derby with it at the county fair(she's been in VT for too long now!)

Is the concern with the header bolt due to clearance while motor is in car?

Is there a non-A/C set-up that I could change from the current set-up?

Thanks again,

George

 

I think a Corvette serpentine setup for the LT1 might work. It changes the AC compressor location.
Getting the broken manifold bolt out is mainly a clearance issue. There's not a lot of room to get at the rear bolts.

 

Thanks for the info!