I debated posting this for a while but decided it would be better as I could always look back at what I did during this install.

Back in June, me and my wife started the journey towards Bowling Green for the HRPT. We've now made it a yearly thing to do as long haulers. It's part of the year I truly get to appreciate the car for what it's worth. My setup was just a stock LS6 block, custom cam, ECS Novi 2000 around 9 psi, FIC 85#, and Walbro 350 in tank with hotwire and BAP. Nothing wild, it dynoed 605/595 after the cam swap.

First day of HRPT, we drove 3-4 laps on the track in bowling green. Drove it pretty hard but nothing over the top. Everything seemed fine afterwards and on to the next day. Decided to see what it could do on the quarter mile. Hit rev limiter pretty hard at the top of second, pulled third pretty well but as I went into fourth, the ENG light started flashing. As soon as I came down to idle on the pit road, I heard knocking. Oil pressure was still good so I called in someone to diagnose while in the lots. Compression on 5 and 7 were 85 psi. Loaded on the trailer and took it to where it sits at the shop. I attached a video of the run and also another video of a burnout in another car we grabbed to finish the HRPT in.

I knew this day would come eventually. Timing wasn't great. So for about 3-4 months I started looking at what options were available for a rebuild. After getting the block out we found a crack in the cylinder on 5 and a nice big chunk missing in the piston. Lucky the heads were ok.





​​​​​I really wanted to keep the LS6 in the car but it was going to cost more to get it resleeved and forged. After talking with some LS industry guys I know, I decided on a LS3 block. However, at the time I was ready to purchase, they were on nationwide backorder.

I proceeded to call Thompson's Motorsports and asked what they had available if anything. They actually had a 6.0 aluminum LS2 block available which I green lighted. Here are the specs I ended up with.
LS2 403 ci 10.1-1
Callie's Compstar crank
Callie's Compstar Forged H beam rods (6.125)
4.005 bore
4.000 stroke
-12.7 CP Carrillo forged dish pistons
King main and rod bearings
ARP main and head studs
Custom Cam Motion from Landspeed
237/247 630/630 115+3
Landspeed Stage 3R 243 heads
248cc/90cc
​​​​​2.02 Manley SS intake valves
1.575 Manley Severe Duty exhaust valves
Morrosso HPHV oil pump
Chris1313 dual 450 intank pumps
Full return system
FIC 85 injectors
LS6 intake/2 bar map for SD tuning
TSP pushrods
Johnson lifters

I'm still on a friendly budget so staying with my heads and LS6 intake. All my accessories are transferring over. Will also be getting rid of the batwing pan for a c6 pan to free up space.

Block arrived about 3 weeks ago...





Heads and cam showed up yesterday....







That's where I'm at right now. I'll keep updating with more progress in the next couple of weeks.

 

I'll be following along. Sorry about the LS6. I'm in a similar boat but mine just bent a valve. I'm having a Thompson 416 installed now with pretty much the same rotating assembly as you.

I was told my heads were ported but I always questioned that since there were no markings on them other than the 243. Turns out they're stock and I'm keeping them that way. Also keeping the stock intake and tb. I'm on a budget too but it doesn't feel that way when I look at the estimate.

Cam specs are 236/252 .629/.630 114.5 +2.5

A&A V3 ti, 8 rib IW w a 3.6". That unit will be maxed out around 6500rpm.

I also went with an RPM stage 6 trans but I went with the MN6 gearing. Car already has an RPM stage 3 dif w 3.90s. The M12 gearing and 3.90s was great na but w the blower it was a bit much.

Sticking w just 93 for now. I'll probably go with e after this power level gets old. I know numbers aren't everything but I'm hoping for 650whp. Maybe that's a little optimistic, we'll see.

 

Finally getting around to start assembly and installing the block. I've been held up at home with building my kids quads for this season so garage space is limited. I told my builder I should have room to get it back in 3 weeks.

I ran up to his shop yesterday and helped with assembling some. Hopefully we will have the block back in at the end of this week.

Johnson lifters getting pre soaked

Cam specs and ready to go in

BTR stuff.

Lifters and trays in

Cam installed

Arp studs getting prepped

Installed

Heads on. LS9 gaskets below them.



ATI balancer getting unpackaged

BTR trunion kit for rockers

Installed

More to come this week.

 

While I'm at it, I had a slight vibration in the car no matter what rpm or speed I was at. The car still has the original coupler and bearings in the torque tube which I think is the problem. So I decided to get those replaced along with new seals for the shafts which have a slight leak as well.

 

Sorry if I missed it, what fuel are you going with?

 

Just 93 right now. My fuel system is below.

Chris1313 dual 450 in tank pumps
Full return system
-8 feed/-6 return
FPR (Aeromotive)
Racetronix rails
FIC 85#s

 

Good fuel system. Double what you need. So you can expand into E85 or enjoy having a backup pump in case your hit 7k rpm and one of them goes weak. Engines are not inexpensive to replace anymore.

 

Very similar to my fuel setup. I'm on 91 with methanol at the moment, but wanted to future proof for e85.

Chris1313 dual 450
-8 feed/-6 return ptfe
Deatchworks AFPR
Radium fuel rails
Radium filter
Deka 80s

 

His system has both pumps running at all time. In any case, yes you're right. Should have enough if I want to push it more down the road.

 

Updates as of today

Cam gear and oil pump on


Pickup tube in

C6 oil pan on

BTR valve covers on. Have red coils and rails. Hopefully it'll contrast good

BTR covers

New seals in

Torque tube rebuilt

 

Some more updates....block is in as of Friday.

 

Oil feed line drilled in to the pan. Since this is a Novi 2000, he forgot that it wasn't self contained 😆He had to pull the block back out to drill the pan. Anyway, it's back in and it continues on.

 

Ouch. That's a lot of extra unnecessary work pulling the block vs dropping the cradle and pan. The work looks clean though. Welded in?

 

This guy is a wizard with these cars. He had my last cam swap done in a day. Pulling the block back out didn't take him long. 😆

I don't think so. I didn't have the fitting welded in my other pan and it never leaked.

 

What material are your pistons?

I was under the impression my builder ordered 2618 pistons but when I was looking at the build sheet from Thompson today it says 4032.

 

Mine are 2618

 

My mistake, these are what are in mine.

 

Some more updates. Shop owner had some storm damage to his house a couple of weeks ago which pushed this back some more. But I think we are going to be able to fire it up next week with a base tune and break in.

Old fuel sender lever. A wire broke off so we had to find another which was just about impossible. Luckily we found a complete fuel assembly and got it replace

Block back in and accessories mounted

ICT relocation sensors. Had to machine a little to get it to fit on the LS2 block.

Chris1313 dual 450s installed

Wiring harness hooked up and mounted. No more BAP.

Brake duct fits.

 

Another shot of the knock sensor

Racetronix fuel rails on stock TB on the LS6 intake.

Ran into a problem with the Novi 2000. Since it's an old unit and I wanted to pulley down a size. It's a 2 pin pulley.

ECS said they had one but new pulley has only one pin slot. Trying to source the right pulley but not having any luck as of now.

Fuel rail is touching the firewall which isn't allowing the intake to install. Installer had to cut into the firewall a little to get these to fit. Wasn't much and he mentioned he's had to do it before. No worries I guess

 

Making room for the PCV system. Had to modify the battery area for it to fit. Still waiting on some parts to finish this up

Novi is back in. New coil packs installed.


Hood shut. 😆