so i bought a z06 two weeks ago.

RPM B3 cam
Vararam
Mamo MSD and NW TB
AI 280 heads
BC2 LVL6 t56

drove it 700 miles home no issue. oil pressure was 50 cruising and 32-36 @ 200* oil temps. took a buddy for a ride and heard a tick. got the heads off today to inspect lifters. rollers all look good. had some trailing marks and could BARELY drag my nail across one. got some 2126SL Johnson lifters and what not to replace. attached is a video of my findings. what would guys do next? oil was nasty and had some metal sparkle mainly in the filter. pulled oil lines by header and drained but didn’t really any sparkle more of a gray/milky swirl which is same as the pan i drained. had lunati signature series lifters in that failed.

Glitter is bad. Especially if the parts you replaced do not show excessive wear on them. Time to pull it apart and find the failure. If doing at home, pull heads and exhaust again, then pull the short block. Easier to do it that way by yourself than pulling out via the bottom.

this is where i’m at now

what is ballpark on this to refresh the short block if i pull and drop off?

debating on parting this car out at this point

i have not swapped anything out. the heads and cam have 2k miles on them (pretty sure this is same oil or one change since work). glitter is silvery and copper/gold in color and i can not feel any grittiness.

Cut open the filter this was at the bottom

My machine shop charged me $400 for a disassemble and reassemble, checking all clearances and such. Included him having to make a custom fixture for the main bearing in order to mill in a greater chamfer for the crank radius.

I would start at that price and figure additional for the bearings and rings, more if you hone it, rebalance it, and or line hone it.

Nows the time time to determine if it’s financially feasible or even wanted by you, forged roatating assembly and/or stroker setup. You will have most of all the same steps and money for labor to spend to go either direction.

interesting you ask this, I’m doing a bottom end refresh now, I got some real good advice from another forum member about this specifically and where I originally went wrong. A few quick questions though. Do you personally know the guys at the machine shop your thinking about using? Are they LS specific? Or do they work on a fair amount of LS blocks and LS7 blocks specifically? It appears you have a solid working knowledge of engines in general and are very capable of doing most of your own wrenching, correct me if that’s not the case. My situation I did not know the machine shop were my block was sent(mechanic recommended) I also don’t have the knowledge or ability to do my own work....yet. So your way ahead of me in that aspect. The advice I was given(thanks Mordeth) was as follows. 1) keep your mechanic and machine shop separate from each other. 2) don’t use a machine shop like a mechanic and request they “check out” your block. 3) when dealing with a machine shop have specifics YOU want done and advise them accordingly if what specific work that is. 4) Trust no one and always verify everything yourself.

If you anwsered yes to knowing the machine shop guys personally or used them a bunch for other builds and they are LS/LS7 specific guys than disregard most of what’s above.

My refresh is as follows:
-replaced factory pistons with new Forged Racetec flat top pistons(2618) upgraded stainless steel rings

-ARP main studs
-all new bearings, cam, main,rod
-polish/superfinish crank
-hone block with torque plate 4.130
-balance rotating assembly
-pin fit rods
-jet wash block
-ARP rod bolts

Block is at machine shop currently awaiting pistons from Racetec. I’m trying to speed the process up a little to make a half mile event(watch) not run, so threw some cash at the shop to expedite. I also pulled all of my parts going back in the motor from the mechanic and to the machine shop, AHP heads, IW balancer, custom blower cam, lifters, pushrods I want the machine shop to do all the assembly and than I’ll bring a motor ready to drop in to mechanic and tuner.

Total is is still pending and that’s significantly more than disassemble/reassemble.

I went with all that for a few reasons, mostly I want the motor done correctly the first time, I don’t want the motor out and apart like this for as long as possible so I’m taking care of the “while your in there” stuff now.

I put down 2k upfront.

Thanks to you both for the super detailed replies! I never took the time to say thank you cause I've been so caught up...chugging along!!

What’s the progress man? I’ve been consumed myself, had to fire a shop and pull my car out before it was complete! Engine is in the car and about 90% finished just waiting on the new shop to free up room.
Total from the engine builder on my bottom end was $2800. That’s pretty much only labor though, maybe $150-200 in parts on their end. I sourced the majority of the parts myself and can give you specifics and prices if you want. Hopefully mine will be finished next week only things left are the radiator and fan, some adjustments on the 8 rib pulley kit and maybe moving the BAP to the rear of the car.

You should take the oil tank apart and clean it out and get new oil cooler and lines because getting all the junk out of them is damn near impossible and will just run through the motor again.

dang sorry you had to fire a shop....sucks especially during a time when you need people to lean on. What are your power goals? I'd love to see your parts list. I was thinking of all new bearings, seals, maybe light hone, polish crank and cam, and a new oil pump.

Yes sir ditched the oil cooler and lines. New lines on the way and cleaning the sump too!

Thanks for the advice again fellas. I have the sump sitting right next to me waiting to be jet washed!

Hmmm I have Katech valve covers with coil relocation. I see no areas these could trap metal. I did get new gaskets tho! Thanks for taking the time to reply

unfortunately not cheap. I think I got the lines from the dry sump for $150-$170 for both, a forum member hooked me up with a used oil cooler and lines he had laying around, not off a blown motor just extra parts he’s accumulated since he races. A good flush of the dry sump is smart, I got a new pick up tube as well. My engine builder sonic cleaned my oil pan and valve covers. I have emails and receipts for sole of this stuff if you want some links. I just did all this and sourced my own parts so if there’s a place selling for the lowest price I probably know of it. Feel free to PM or post on here if you want any more info.

I typed this up a few days ago so I could try and keep track of everything, I’ve got receipts and paper work as well, I just wanted a run down list for quick referencing. If you want part number or where I ordered from let me know, I did all this in the last 6 months minus the ProCharger kit, headers and x pipe and BAP, those were already on the car. I’m probably missing a few things as well, it’s been an absolute nightmare honesty, super stressful and I’ve been with out the car 110 days now. I bought it March 30 of this year.

2006 C6 ZO6 rebuild parts list

Bottom end got a complete refresh, all bearings replaced with coated clevites, crank polished, main line honed w/torque plate, rotating assembly balanced cylinders honed 4.130

compression ratio 11.22:1

P1SC1 Procharger

Dewitts Short cut radiator

Prospeed dual spal fan

Tial Q 50mm BOV

Mighty Mouse catch can

Cam Motion custom grind blower cam

C5R timing chain

Innovators west 10% OD harmonic balancer

LSXperts dual crank pin kt

Procharger 8 rib conversion kit

Moog front outer tie rods

AHP custom LS7 heads(street port and chamber softening)

Cam Motion 7.775 3/8th .135 push rods(Hardened)

Johnson 2110 SLD lifters

Che trunnion upgrade kit

BTR Dual valve springs .660 lift titanium retainers

MLS LS7 head gaskets

ARP head studs

ARP main studs

ARP cracked rod bolts

Clevite main bears, rod bearing cam bearings

Racetec forged 2816 pistons w/stainess steel piston rings

GMP front timing cover and gaskets

Mclaod RXT twin disc clutch stainless steel billet fly wheel

Injector dynamics 1300cc injectors

MSD plug wires and heat shield

NGK BR7 spark plugs

Kooks 1 7/8ths long tube headers

Kooks x-pipe no cats

Billy Boat bullets exhaust

Dallas performance Big mouth blower intake/filter and dead space cover

Powder coated factory wheels

2 stage paint correction and 7 year ceramic coat

Carbon Fiber ZR1 spoiler

Eagle eye tail lights

Carbon fiber ZO6 badge

MGW shifter with gripper shifter

Dash logic, AEM boost and wide band gauge

Elite engineering tunnel shield with thermal insulator

Di-cut carbon fiber corvette lettering

Ceramic window tint

Nitto NTO5R 345/30/19 rear tires

Kenne Bell BAP

Raptor shift light/launch control

Jake custom center cap stickers

Header gasket GM

LS7 oil pump new oil cooler lines/dry sump lines

C6 ZO6 front grill new OEM

8 rib serpentine belt (89”)

As far as power numbers go.....I don’t really know and honestly don’t care, I mean I care obviously by the parts list but I’m not chasing any numbers. After I put 500 or so miles on the new set up and clutch I make some pulls and see where it’s at. I really just want flames 🔥 from the exhaust (I know a bit juvenile but I like it!) and I think 650+ rwtq would be pretty damn fun. Hopefully it’s finished next week at the latest. Once it’s back in my garage I plan on a doing a full on rebuild thread.

Bought it with around 15k miles, it’s got just over 17k at the moment.