My Monaro rebuild and improve thread

[marksx]

Most of you will have seen my other thread where I have killed my engine.

Sending the car and/or engine away in their entirety is financially out of the question. So, I am going to remove and rebuild the engine myself. Along with a few other repairs and bits of maintenance:

- Repair leaking diff
- Repair switchable exhaust
- Replace front pads, possibly rebuild brakes
- Repair/rebuild iffy handbrake
- Suspension refresh
- New wing
- other 'stuff'

Obviously a long term project, with engine a priority.

Now, it's an engine that's done some miles, so I'm going to do a full rebuild, not just repair the damage. I'm also going to add some more power. I've decided I don't want forced induction. So I need to learn what can be done with cams etc.

Also, the car is LPG converted. If t appears this has caused the oil loss that resulted in the damage I may remove the system. Otherwise I need to figure how to make this work with more power.

First things first though, I need to get the lump out, strip it and assess the damage.

Now to but some tools.

[mfp4073]

I will watch this topic with interest.
Best of luck with the rebuild.

John

[selym]

Good luck with it all. Let us know where you live and locals might be keen to pop round and help.

[lincsls2]

Excellent stuff! And when you decide to become a Monaro specialist centre, I may pop across for you to do a few jobs for me!
A new Monkfish?!

[lincsls2]

Personally, if you only plan to do relatively low miles in this car I'd remove the LPG system help keep it simple.

[BartW]

Good luck with the rebuild.

I also had an encounter with an LS engine, which decide to chew itself. Planned for a rebuild but ended up buying a crate engine.

Nevertheless, what you are doing is certainly more fun!

[marksx]

I'm in Ossett, West Yorkshire if anyone wants to help on the spanners

I'm already familiar we the everything from the box back. I stripped everything off my last one back to the shell to underseal. Maybe I could be a specialist once I figure out the noisy bits!

[wozzza]

marksx said:

I'm in Ossett, West Yorkshire if anyone wants to help on the spanners

I'm already familiar we the everything from the box back. I stripped everything off my last one back to the shell to underseal. Maybe I could be a specialist once I figure out the noisy bits!

Need topping up again if you fancy it..... It's on my list of jobs to do. This month it's had 4 new tyres and an LS7 clutch upgrade though so it's been expensive.

[marksx]

wozzza said:

Need topping up again if you fancy it..... It's on my list of jobs to do. This month it's had 4 new tyres and an LS7 clutch upgrade though so it's been expensive.

Is it coming off? That's disappointing. Though I suppose it has been what, 5 or 6 years?

I'm never, NEVER doing that on my own on my back again

How much did the clutch set you back? I have one on mine, but might replace.

[IanLWarrington]

marksx said:

Most of you will have seen my other thread where I have killed my engine.

Sending the car and/or engine away in their entirety is financially out of the question. So, I am going to remove and rebuild the engine myself. Along with a few other repairs and bits of maintenance:

- Repair leaking diff
- Repair switchable exhaust
- Replace front pads, possibly rebuild brakes
- Repair/rebuild iffy handbrake
- Suspension refresh
- New wing
- other 'stuff'

Obviously a long term project, with engine a priority.

Now, it's an engine that's done some miles, so I'm going to do a full rebuild, not just repair the damage. I'm also going to add some more power. I've decided I don't want forced induction. So I need to learn what can be done with cams etc.

Also, the car is LPG converted. If t appears this has caused the oil loss that resulted in the damage I may remove the system. Otherwise I need to figure how to make this work with more power.

First things first though, I need to get the lump out, strip it and assess the damage.

Now to but some tools.

Just saw this after posting response to your other thread - a bit surplus now!!

:-)

[marksx]

IanLWarrington said:

Just saw this after posting response to your other thread - a bit surplus now!!

:-)

Not at all!

[wozzza]

marksx said:

Is it coming off? That's disappointing. Though I suppose it has been what, 5 or 6 years?

I'm never, NEVER doing that on my own on my back again

How much did the clutch set you back? I have one on mine, but might replace.

Rock auto, LUK 04905 (listed as heavy duty for the GTO) It's an LS7 clutch kit just without the middle man markup. LUK being the OEM of the LS7 kit. I did loads of research and the Americans have compared the part numbers of the individual parts. It's an LS7 kit for a lot less money. I'd probably spend the extra for the aluminium flywheel though. The clutch kit is seriously heavy.

Obviously only issue is no warranty getting it from them and it would be rather expensive to send back if there is an issue. However. I was quoted over £1100 for parts alone in the UK and I got it down to £450 doing some research and buying bits on rock auto. That was for Slave /TOB, clutch kit, new pilot bearing, and rear crank seal. Spent an extra £60 on the remote bleeder from Walkinshaw.

Edited by wozzza on Tuesday 26th June 02:07

[lincsls2]

^^^ A very useful post! Thank you.

[motomk]

A couple of older books, but still some good info.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Rebuild-LS-Engines-Desi...
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Modify-Engines-Motorb...

Edited by motomk on Wednesday 27th June 11:16

[marksx]

motomk said:

A couple of older books, but still some good info.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Rebuild-LS-Engines-Desi...
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Modify-Engines-Motorb...

Is the first book the Chris Werner one? Link isn't working. I have that one and I'm soaking it up now. I'll have a look for the other.

Good info wozza, thank you!

[fred bloggs]

If my engine ever logs itself, id go crate lsx 376. It makes more financial sense to me. Its close to 4k for a properly done rebuilt ls1/2 that makes the same power. lsx376 has forged pistons too.

[motomk]

marksx said:

Is the first book the Chris Werner one? Link isn't working. I have that one and I'm soaking it up now. I'll have a look for the other.

Good info wozza, thank you!

Yes, that is it. I have tried to fix the link.

[SturdyHSV]

wozzza said:

I'd probably spend the extra for the aluminium flywheel though.

Just to contribute, I have the LS7 clutch kit but with the aluminium flywheel.

Zero driveability issues, I don't find the car easier to stall or anything like that

Just checked on RockAuto, seriously an LS7 clutch kit is £172?!

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=469579...

That's remarkable, great info Tom!

Edited by SturdyHSV on Wednesday 27th June 16:11

[ARAF]

fred bloggs said:

If my engine ever logs itself, id go crate lsx 376. It makes more financial sense to me. Its close to 4k for a properly done rebuilt ls1/2 that makes the same power. lsx376 has forged pistons too.

I agree. When I lunched our LS3 it was cheaper to just put a new crate engine in. Sell the lunched engine to someone who wants a long term re-build.

[wozzza]

SturdyHSV said:

Just to contribute, I have the LS7 clutch kit but with the aluminium flywheel.

Zero driveability issues, I don't find the car easier to stall or anything like that

Just checked on RockAuto, seriously an LS7 clutch kit is £172?!

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=469579...

That's remarkable, great info Tom!

Edited by SturdyHSV on Wednesday 27th June 16:11

If you look at some of the US forums. It does look like that part number used to be a lot more expensive. Some of the corvette forums show it originally around $900 for a complete clutch kit. Which is right inline with the GM LS7 kit.

There’s loads of info on parts on the US forums though. There’s some info from LUK themselves that state the clutch is designed for 590ft lbs.

Will say with regard to Rockauto as well I read some horror reviews around delivery times taking weeks. But for the savings I thought sod it. However, I’ve made 3 orders with them now. Longest one took 6 days. Clutch arrived in 3!