[Terry Mc]

So Busy weekend, this weekend!
Friday
pulled the driveshaft and some little things that needed done.
But Saturday was the bid day.
I will say this car is one of the easiest I have ever worked on other than getting the tranny out.
The last 2 bolts on top of the tranny that are blind are hard. The driver side began the cussing.
The passenger side with the bracket attached and blocking your fingers from being able to reach the bolt was over the top.
I worked on that last bolt for what seamed to be an hour to try and get it to break loose.
My good friend that came over to help crawled under the car when I decided it was in everyones best interest that I get out from under there.
He got it out in 5 minutes!!!

It proves what I have always known which is when you get too frustrated walk away it will be easier when you cool down.

Here are some pics

 

[Terry Mc]

I pulled the clutch and flywheel.
Damn I think someone road this clutch hard.
Thank god I made the decision to replace it with the LS7 clutch kit.
Hot spots on the flywheel and pressure plate.
Friction plates are wore out as well.

 

[Sacrifice]

long extensions make it easy for those top bolts. you can get them from behind the transmission that way

 

[Terry Mc]

Yeah I had read that and had them.
problem was they flexed enough to get the socket out of alignment. and it would slip when I was trying to break it loose. It was a 12 point with a separate universal joint.
I will find a nice swivel 6 point swivel socket prior to reinstall. (6 point 15mmswivel socket has been ordered)

For me the worst part was the damn bracket that kept me from getting my finger cleanly on the socket when pulling the bolt.
At least on the driver side I could get a finger on there to see if it was seated.

 

[Terry Mc]

I found a lot of little things that will come with this swap.
1 LQ9 block on the LS364/450 has bosses for the knock sensors but they need to be tapped.
2 The LQ9 block also has a boss for the alternator, that will need to be tapped.
3 LS3 intake will need an LS3 MAP sensor and wiring adapted. (I have ordered an LS3 MAP and michigan motorsports 6" adapter harness.)
4 LQ9 block has rear cam sensor location instead of timing chain cover, so I will pull the cover from the old motor and get a sensor block kit for the block and a new cam timing gear. (block off and new cam OEM gear ordered)

Obviously I knew this was not a simple yank it and replace it but there are a lot of little things that you find that are more surprises.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

long extensions make it easy for those top bolts. you can get them from behind the transmission that way

i've started to just pop off the intake manifold and lay on top of the engine in the valley, lol. easier for me than 36 inches of extensions hooked together.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

I found a lot of little things that will come with this swap.
1 LQ9 block on the LS364/450 has bosses for the knock sensors but they need to be tapped.
2 The LQ9 block also has a boss for the alternator, that will need to be tapped.
3 LS3 intake will need an LS3 MAP sensor and wiring adapted. (I have ordered an LS3 MAP and michigan motorsports 6" adapter harness.)
4 LQ9 block has rear cam sensor location instead of timing chain cover, so I will pull the cover from the old motor and get a sensor block kit for the block and a new cam timing gear. (block off and new cam OEM gear ordered)

Obviously I knew this was not a simple yank it and replace it but there are a lot of little things that you find that are more surprises.

with #4 you can get a cheapo amazon chinese cam sensor and leave it in there as a plug.

you don't NEED an ls3 MAP, but it definitely flows way better than the stock MAF.

 

[Terry Mc]

i've started to just pop off the intake manifold and lay on top of the engine in the valley, lol. easier for me than 36 inches of extensions hooked together.

So did you just pull the bellhousing from the motor then?
I contemplated this but had read the transmission needed pulled from the bellhousing to have the pan clear the steering rack when pulling the motor.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

i've pulled the motor while leaving the trans in with the bellhousing still attached, i believe. a little bit of a PITA getting the input shaft clear of the clutch but it's doable.

 

[Terry Mc]

good to know.
I was ready to try it when the bolt was giving me fits.

 

[Terry Mc]

So I started an autopsy on the old motor last night.
To find what the sqeel was inside.

Definitely had some oil starvation going on.

Every rod had signs of gauling of the bearings and scoring on the crank. The front was worse than the back but all showed signs.

I did not pull the mains, but I will guess they are the same or worse.

Nothing spun and nothing showing signs of hammering so thats good.

Still I am glad I bought the new motor.
Saves a lot of time on this build

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

you could definitely reuse parts from that old motor or use them as cores for a future build. or part it out and sell it. a lot of that is still usable.

 

[Terry Mc]

you could definitely reuse parts from that old motor or use them as cores for a future build. or part it out and sell it. a lot of that is still usable.

Agreed.
I will probably sell them or sell the whole motor as a motor to rebuild for someone else.
I am surprised at how much the used LS2 in need of rebuild are going for. I have seen a bare block and heads listed for $3500 and they needed serviced.
If I could get that much it would pay for a lot of other things I want to do for this car.

 

[Terry Mc]

If I build a motor in the future for this car is it going to require a bigger block as I want to do a 427 or larger at that point.
So the LS2 bores would not allow it. Yeah I know sleeving etc.. but at that point just buy the block designed for it.

 

[Terry Mc]

So I tore the stock oil pan baffle out and see why the bearings are shot...

The bottom of the pan looks like MUD.

So after a ton of ckeaning the pan is like new again.

And in goes the improved racing baffle.

Also got the block drilled and tapped for the knock sensors.
That was the most nerve racking part drilling into a new motor.

 

[Terry Mc]

I have been pushing to build a bullet proof motor.
Lots of money spent on non-flashy parts people will never see.
Lots of improved racing parts, oil pan baffle, oil filter pressure relief valve bypass, pickup tube second bolt, and today I decided to add the billet barbell.
Additionally I decided to replace the brand new factory timing chain with a Katech C5R chain, and install a timing chain damper which surprisingly this motor did not have.
I want to get the chain changed now while I have easy acess instead of waiting until I do a cam in the fall.

 

[Terry Mc]

My dog says it is boring watching me work on the car so it is beer thirty. Hahaha

 

[Terry Mc]

So she is running now.
It has been a long road and I have been updating on the "what did you do your GTO today" thread.

I actually drove it to work today.
Still have some little tuning issues that will need to be addressed.

 

[Nothubertjfarnsworth]

wooohooo!

 

[Terry Mc]

Later stages of putting the motor back together

As expected the extra weight droppped the nose, and I LOVE the new stance.
Even with the drop, and Hinson 3/8" lowering motor mounts she does not drag the Kooks headers.