HI.
My 2000 6m Coupe just turned 150 000 miles. From everything I've read on here, I understand that this is a good time to change some things.
So I got from a fellow member who sold his car a brand new set of valve springs, Comp Cams trunion kit for the rockers and Viton valve seals. My motor is stock and I am not going after some crazy horsepower numbers. At this point I am just looking to make it stronger.
So, my question is, what else should I do while I am at this? I understand that the stock rockers are actually pretty good at this power level. But do I need new seats/retainers, or do I use the ones that are on there? I would like to change the connecting rods, just in case too. I think it would be a good idea to change the oil pump at this stage too?
Any advise, tips or recommendations are welcome.
I am not going to do the work myself and I am taking it to a shop (still don't know where), so please keep this in mind.
Thank you.

 

Changing connecting rods is not a mild overall, it's a complete overhaul.

 

Well, I am not cracking the motor open, that is why I said that.
Bottom end, cam, lifters, heads, valves are staying stock….for now.
Therefore it is mild. LOL

 

Anyway. Can somebody address the questions please.

 

I just am a little confused why you'd want to do this if the car is working fine. It's like paying for a performance build, but not getting anything from it. Especially if you will be going for upgrades later. Sounds like lots of work for a car that doesn't need it..

 

I'm sorry, but you can't change the connecting rods without pulling the heads and the oil pan. Pretty Major work!!

No reason in the world to change them if you're not going to make over 550+ hp. Rods to not wear out.

 

I'm guessing the OP meant "pushrods" not "connecting rods."

OP - if your LS1 is running fine, there is no need to go into the engine and replace anything. However, if you are looking for a performance upgrade (cam, headers, etc.) that is a different story.

Please clarify what you want to accomplish.

 

my car is getting springs, truinions, and valve seals, at the end of this season or beginning of next. Anything beyond that starts to be real work.

I will likely pull lifters make sure they look ok, and check the pushrods to make sure they are straight. Neither are known to have issues as far as i am aware though. Mind you my car has 40k so there isn't much concern of wear. May make a bit more sense to just get a whole kit in your case, to just get them done while you are in there.

 

Ok. I definitely meant pushrods, not connecting rods. I have no idea how did that happen.
Basically, what I am trying to do is just perform a sort of preventive maintenance on the engine. The motor is running prety good. But I read that the rockers bearings do fail and worst of all, you can't tell, until one of them needles makes a mess. Also read a fair share of broken springs horror stories.
I don't race my car, but I drive it pretty hard. And at 150K miles, I don't want to worry every time I hit 5500 RPM. So this is why I thaight it would be a great idea to eliminate the known weak links. I already have the springs, the trunions and the valve seals. I was thinking buying the pushrods too, because they are not expensive and it would be easy to replace them at the same time.
My Subaru needs its timing belts replaced every 65 000 miles. It is a pain in the *** and expensive, but it is just part of the maintenance of the car. And this is how I am looking at what I want to do here - some maintenance. I am just trying to achieve a piece of mind.
But I don't know if I need to change anything else at the same time or not. I see that titanium seats ade cool, but they are another $250, which I don't want to spend if I dont have to. Changing the oil pump at this time sounds logical, but I am not too sure. That's why I am coming here for help.

 

pump is a bunch of work. If you are doing it buy a new balancer and a pinning kit for it while you have it off. As the balancers are known to come apart.

 

So I am better off leaving the pump for later on and then change it together with the timing chain, cam and lifters, when I am ready to do it?
My main question is, do I need to change the seats/retainers when I change the springs, or can I reuse the stock ones?

 

it would depend on if you use stock springs or not. IMO if you are going to replace the springs, get springs that will work with any cam you would choose. Personally I am a fan of the Comp Cams 921 springs. The spring kit comes with seats, retainers, springs, and seals. You can get it on amazon for under $500.

There are others I would recommend, but since I don't know if they are sponsors here I am not going to say them for fear of getting banned.

 

Here is the list of what you need to be concerned about:

Rocker trunions, New COMP CAMS
Examine your rocker pedestals! If worn replace There like $12 each
New Pushrods, Chrome moly OEM are weak
New Valve Springs Prefer aftermarket higher seat pressure.
New Valve Guide seals
New LS7 Timing Chain
Melling High Volume Oil Pump
New cover seal
ARP Damper bolt
New or aftermarket dampener

New engine mounts (if yours are seperated/bad

Things that you can Up-Grade

2001+ / ZO6 Intake manifold
If your are NOT going to replace the cam and do the pushrods and springs, you can switch to 1.8 rockers
Headers
VARARAM
Tune
)

 

Thank you Bill.
I already have new Viton seals, the Comp Cams trunion kit and new PAC 1218 springs. I have not bought pushrods yet.
Sometimes next week my LT headers should arrive and I am changing the motor and transmission mounts with Hinson poly ones.
I spent way too much this year already, so I'll leave the cam for next Spring.
I just changed the balancer, tensioners and belts this spring.
I have few concerns.
Do I need to change the seats on the springs or I can use the stock ones?
Can I leave the stock oil pump for now and replace it when I swap the cam?
Should I do the rods now or with the cam?
Should I just seat on the parts and do EVERYTHING together?
I already have a BP Ramair, new airbridge and silicone couplers. I'll do the intake plenum after the cam and I am getting a tune with the headers.
Do I have this planned the right way or should I do it differently?
I do not have bundles of cash to build a killer motor all at once, so I am trying to space it out and do things in stages. In spring I will most likely do a cam swap. Then the winter after that I would like to swap the whole heads. My final goal is 500rwhp. I am not going after crazy numbers and drivability is very important to me. It is a street car that I never race, but it is driven aggressively from time to time and I love carving the canyons with it.