Started dismantling Trans-Am engine

[TransAmDan]

Well some time ago, back around September 2016 I had a broken rocker. Had to borrow tools to take of the rocker covers at a show in Portchester precinct. There was a broken rocker, took off 2 pairs. Ran the car home on 6 cylinders, it worked quite well. Got some new rockers and pushrods to see if that would cure the problem as the next thing would be to change the lifters which is heads off.
[video=youtube_share;wFnq6FsOYGw]https://youtu.be/wFnq6FsOYGw[/video]
Very rocky, sounds like a bent push rod. Found the loose one, second cylinder back on the drivers side. The push rod is fine, which leave a lifter or Cam issue. So heads off time.

Started today, just taking out the radiator, Will be carrying on at 8am Saturday.





As radiator out, fluid still dripping so will popping in a water catcher.

It's home for the night.

 

[AmericanThunder]

Are the head bolts the stretch type? If so you will need to replace them.

 

[TransAmDan]

Yep, got new ones, and some rags to clear out the holes of water if any gets in there.

Found a thread on ls1tech. ls1 lifter install... - LS1TECH
I will face the oil hole upward like Dave said.

 

[AmericanThunder]

If you can, use an airline to displace any water that will get in the bolt holes.
I was just checking to see if they are stretch bolts and they are but as you have them....
I was going to suggest your local Vauxhall dealer as the 04 Monaro had the LS1.

 

[AmericanThunder]

Maybe too late to get it to you if you need it, but I do have an on-head valve Spring compressor that's works with LS1/2/6.

 

[TransAmDan]

Thanks, hopefully won't need to take valves or springs out as it was done only a few years ago.

 

[saleen 192]

He hasn't got his hand dirty yet . as taking all the photos as his helper is doing all the work keep up the good work

 

[an88fiero]

Hope it all gets sorted and solves your problem

 

[TransAmDan]

Car all packed with new bits and tools.

 

[AmericanThunder]

Good luck

 

[TransAmDan]

Making good progress, stopped for a cuppa.

 

[saleen 192]

stopped for a cuppa core blimey thats just plain lazy hope you had some biscuits or cake with it ?

 

[AmericanThunder]

Instead of drinking tea, you should be cleaning and painting under there!

 

[TransAmDan]

My little car packed with tools and parts.


Intake manifold out. Just allen key bolts holgin it in, and only a few pipes to detach.


Swing it off to the side

A bit of vacumming, getting rid of the built up dirt before we uncover some senstive parts, like inner chambers of the block.

Getting a nice pile of parts.

Lifters all came out apart from one. This is not good, What we done in the end is inserted some cart where the came goes, and pushed the lifter in, and extracted it out the cam chamber using a magnet. It worked Tried fishing for parts, perhaps bits are int he sump.

Very worn cam lobe

This is what a good cam lobe should look like


These two hydraulic lifters should look the same, One is just a bit worn. Lots of metal fragments must have ended up in the oil.

This is how it is at the end of the day Just the pump left to fully remove. Need to drop the sump to get to the bottom bold on the pump.

 

[AmericanThunder]

ouch! are you concerned about the metal fragments that would have hit the crank bearings? I think I would be......

 

[TransAmDan]

ouch! are you concerned about the metal fragments that would have hit the crank bearings? I think I would be......

Yes very concerned, and also cam bearings. The filter may have caught a lot. Thinking hod that roller woulds have broken down, the roller would have stopped moving, and rubbed on the came, loosing more and more of the roller into the oil, the front hand back of the lifter probable would have snapped off in big chunks. The chunks may be in the sump, will be going fishing next.
So that comes onto the next problem, to check crank bearings its engine out. Yeah if time and money was no issue then yeah. I have my car in someones workshop, really no time to take engine out, need it out of there by next Saturday. So I'm wondering what to do...
Perhaps turn engine by hand and listen for sounds, do the first oil change in say 50 miles.

 

[AmericanThunder]

I would disconnect the engine mounts and jack the engine high enough to get the sump off, (you might have to position the crank carefully to do this).
Then I would take one of the main bearing caps off and inspect. If one is ok I would take a chance on the rest. If the one you randomly choose shows significant wear I would be considering my options. Seems senseless to bolt all this nice new stuff into an engine that might already be terminal.
You also have quite a lot of miles on it as I recall? Perhaps its time for a nice new stroker crank!!

 

[saleen 192]

Agree with A/T check bearings but think I put that in message last night as well might as well as you have gone this far.

 

[TransAmDan]

To get the sump off it's engine out. Yeah has a lot of miles on it, almost 180k, and they not been easy miles. I know what you are saying is the right thing to do. Bearings don't cost that much. It's the time, and with the car being in someone else's work property that's where the problem is. Well and getting the engine out, no hoist or engine stand, I'm sure I can borrow one, but gonna be a struggle to do this for Saturday. If I take off one crank bearing and it's play, then mayawesell assemble engine out of the car and put back in. If bearing has marks on it, then new bearings, if crank has marks on it, then put car away for a few months until that work can be done.

 

[AmericanThunder]

The engine is best removed from underneath in a 4th gen. get the car moved to your house and pull the subframe/engine/box together. Use an engine hoist to raise the body.
Do it once, do it right.