JAKE-SON

As many of you knew my father, JAKE died in December of 2010. During the time before his death we were planning to do a 415 build, which turned into a 396, and ended up being a 401 (more details on that in a sec.) Well when he passed away, we had brought a crank, pistons, rods, and obtained a block that already had most of the work done it that we needed. Well we got that block pressure tested and cleaned up (cost $300 **Reher Morrison**) and discovered that it could not pass a pressure test. Even though the seller and my dad witnessed no water in the oil pan when it was removed from the block and it ran fine in the car before being pulled. There was a small hairline crank below the cylinder wall, to the point where it could not be sleeved. We payed $550 for the block, so we attempted to get it welded. That failed. So we ended up purchasing another fully assembled LT1 short block from a local guy for $150. Took it over to Reher Morrison to get the short block dissassembled, cleaned, stroked, balanced..etc. We during this process my father died and all that was done was short block dissassembled and block cleaned. Can you believe this has cost $800 dollars (**Reher Morrison**)! So intially we were going to do a 415, but there were no 4inch cranks being sold, only custom made for like 800+. So we went with a 3.875in crank from Eagle, i think 4340 is the number. Which would have made the engine a 396, well reher morrison measured my already 4.040 pistons to the newest purchased engine block that was already bored 40 over and discovered that the cylinders were a little too big and i would have piston slap. So to make a long story short, I traded my pistons in for 4.060 pistons. So, once i ran up 800 bucks for a cleaning and dissassembly, i decided I could not handle Reher Morrison's hefty price tag, an when I go to pick-up the block. They say, "O, that block will never clear for a 3.875in crank, too big, it will never work. And the compression is way too high." (A-Holes) . So i take it over to Dennis Wells Racing, and they wont clerance it, cause they think the crank is too big. So i got back to the guy who sold me the 1st jacked up block and he recommend Peformance Automotive Tunning, or something like that. (The caps on the block he sold me were expensive so i didnt demand money back, plus he gave me a intake for free after he learned of the issues with the block.) It a couple of guys working out of their house, lead by Mike Bernard, in Axtell, TX. These guys have done LT1's a lot and had not problem doing all the machine work for me. So I was deployed to Iraq in early Feb. of 2011, and over the course of my deployment I saved to pay for the machine work and acquire all the necessary parts i needed to complete the build. Some used from guys on the forum, and some new. Picked the block up over R&R in July and began the build late Nov. 2011. Did it all outside in a car port against post regulations of no "serious" engine work on post housing. So between the weather, work, and hiding my build from the authorities it took some time. (Plus me never engaging in feat like this)

First off I'd like to thank:
yedister
larry93lt1
Orr89rocz

For all their advice as i was learning how to do this. This is my first engine build and the only previous experience I had was pulling the engine and installing head and cam with my dad back in 09. So i had to do a lot of reading over deployment.

Parts List:
Half-way through buying parts, i realized my wish list was going to be too expensive on my little pay check and i decided to turn it into a budget build and buy stuff used if the price was good. Otherwise i would reuse parts.

Block: 2-Bolt main 94 LT1 from Camaro, machined to 4-bolt main
Crankshaft: Forged, Eagle 4340, 3.875in crank
Pistons: Probe SRP 4.060 -4.0cc flat top
Rods: SCAT 6.000in H-Beam with ARP 2000 bolts.
Rings: Mahle
Bearings: Clevite
Camshaft: LE Custom Grind 290/300 Advertised Duration, 240/248 @.50, 110 LSA, .610 lift
Main Caps: Oliver
Intake: LE Ported LT1 Intake
TB: 58mm BBK, re-used
Heads: Dart Pro 1, 180cc, re-used
Rocker Arms: Scorpion 1.65/1.7 non-self aligning roller rockers, re-used
Injectors: 42lb Lucas, used
Fuel Pump: Walbro 255, used
Headers: Pace Setter, Short-Tube, re-used
Exhaust: Corsa, full Cats, re-used
(If not on here, was re-used)
Tune: PCM 4 Less
Compression: 12.5


Cleaning the Block

Blowing Compressed Air to finalize cleaning

Prepping Block for Crankshaft

Eagle Forged, 4340, 3.875in


More to come...

blackozvet

this could make one of those motivation posters;
building a modded engine in your loungeroom = cool

RichS

Brings back memories. I was in the Air Force from 88-92. My buddy needed an engine rebuilt for his Malibu so we built the motor in his dorm room. Luckily he was on the first floor, it was fun getting it out of the room and over to the auto hobby shop. Good luck with your build!

fc_soldier

I will follow along and help as you need as I did with your father. I have sold him parts and answered questions. He still is added as a friend on my list. Really good guy. Keep up the good work.

STL94LT1

GREGGPENN

Wow, what a saga. Sorry to hear about all the BS and turmoil with the block. That's gotta suck.

I gotta ask (since I don't remember). You did a 383 first (with Jake), right? Is this the same motor/same car? If so, was the upgrade in CI supposed to be for more power or did the 383 shoot craps? How did/do you like the 383?

FWIW: 4340 is the crankshaft material, not the model number. AKA a forged crank (good stuff)! Also, Probe/SRP listed under pistons is two different brands of pistons AFAIK. Both are great brands though SRP makes some klller-light stuff!

Good luck getting the build finished successfully. Looks like you've got some "fun" ahead!

JAKE-SON

Hi, the build is actually complete. Just telling the story now. As fire as the 383. My dad built that alone while I was at school. That car unfortunately caught on fire one year after the build.

radar502

Sorry about your Dad.. It's refreshing to see people building there own Hot Rod " OLD SCHOOL" so meany just buy a new Camaro or Muchtang add some shiney wheels and said look what I did the same can be said for new Vetts ..Happy to see your Dad passed the old school thing to to you..Bad about the block but we learn from the Boo Boos and makes a better person or a seril killer, we hope a better rodder and I don't care if you build it in church..I sometime clean parts in the dish washer..My wife askes why do we have to buy a new dish washer every year.. I don't know..LOL

desertmike1

you

JAKE-SON

Installing Caps. Once i tried to torque them down, some of the holes were stripped. So i called a fellow soldier over and asked him to take a look. He ended up heli-coiling 3 of them. Once he left i watched him enough to learn, and I ended up having to heli-coil another. At then end, all caps were tightened down to their correct settings


Installing rods. The pistons were a nightmare. I ended up snapping a ring while putting it in and did not know till i was impossible to turn the engine over with only 2 pistons in. The cylinder wall was scrapped up a little, and i ended up having to hone the cylinder wall. Was a new experience for me, but in all i was able to repair it and get all pistons in. The piston ring compressor i had was whack, it took me plus 2 others to get the pistons in with a different compressor, rings were constantly popping out. Thing in all i snapped like 4 rings.

The LE 290/306 cam


Melling 55 Oil Pump

Canton 7qt oil pan

Assembled short-block. As you can see i re-used some stuff due to budget constraints. Opt-Spark was replaced in Oct. of 2010, but it didnt need to be.


More to Come....

C409

........ Heli-coiled Mains ? ... 12.5:1 compression ? ... You might want to restart your project before you frag all of it ...........

lltrevino

If somebody knows how to put heli-coils in correctly, heli-coils are as strong as a normal thread. but 12.5-1

GREGGPENN

Are you going to run E85? If not, what's your quench, chamber volume, head gasket thickness, and gasket bore? Also, what's the cam's ICL?

If I'm guessing right (on the compression calculator), your dynamic compression will be 9.4ish. It does sound destined to detonate unless your going to run some very high octane fuel.

radar502

Just keep digging it's all good...It takes time to be a good motor builder.. I have a brother-in-law pop in 8 pistions in before I can put one in . About two taps with the hammer handle end and it's in.. He builds 2-3 week 30 years worth takes time ...I blew a 400ci GTO motor years back before I put it in the car ,that's another story... So sad... Hang in there..Sometimes it's just about doing something ....

95wht6spd

The reverse flow heads will help a lot w the 12.5, but I would prob run meth too, and make sure the tune is dead on.

bjankuski

I doubt it will be 12.5 compression, depending on the head gasket and head volume it will probably be around 11.5 compression. With a 64 cc head and .040 total head to piston clearance it is 11.6 compression which if done correctly will work just fine.

PAINTER MAN

I was in the Army for 18 months from 70 to 72. I was working with a rock band started at Ft Knox to do concerts and promote the Army VOLAR program. We were given our own barracks building to live and rehearse in. One day I was sitting upstairs rebuilding the engine on a Harley 55 panhead when two Col's walked in to look at the building. Both of them become more interested in the Harley then giving me a hard time for doing something I was not allowed to do. Thank God.

PLRX

Cool Story

STL94LT1

What compression would his 58cc heads make?

STL94LT1

Dart's website claims 58cc.

http://www.dartheads.com/products/ai...aitfile_id/94/