It's time to pull the blown LS7 engine out of Goldie, my GT3-Killer C6 Z06 Corvette. The only problem is, I've never pulled a motor before. Help us get Ruth the foster dog adopted (in the Atlanta area): angelsrescue.org/pets/?id=605...
Love Jeff’s subtle approach to guidance and taking over when appropriate. Solo work in the shop is great, but teamwork in the shop makes for great memories. Thanks for sharing.
You hit the nail on the head! It might not be obvious to the viewer, but the extra effort required to film all this stuff calls for an additional layer of commitment and Jeff handled it like a pro. So I guess you could say he helped with the car hobby AND the RU-vid hobby.
@@JoshVanVeld anything you can do with family, builds better relationships and trust me, your wife heart smiles when you and her father are bonding 😊 It also lets her father knows she married a good man as well☺️
It's me I'm part of the 1.6% :P Honestly I have no clue how I ended up being into DIY because my dad was never much of a DIYer and wasn't much of a car guy some days I do wish I had a bit more guidance when I'm tackling my projects. But I love how relatable your projects are and your super down to earth demeanor you're definitely one of my favorite automotive youtubers right now :)
Thank you so much! I was hoping that line would get some female viewers to comment and it worked! I also find myself looking back and wishing I'd had a hobby mentor so I could have gotten an earlier start with automotive projects but in the end I'm grateful that the internet is there to help us connect with like-minded people when we discover things we're passionate about. Focusing this channel on my projects has helped me to confront the indecision paralysis state that I often find myself in when I'm feeling overwhelmed / underprepared. It's all about taking one more step to find out where it leads.
@@JoshVanVeld The internet has definitely been an amazing help for sure I started really getting into cars only a few years ago and barely knew how to change my own oil without help from my partner and now I've been taking on more and more advanced projects like rebuilding my transmission and I'm getting ready to swap the cam in my own car super soon. Making videos seems so intimidating tbh but it's really interesting how making videos is a part of what inspires you to proceed with your projects.
@@almostlastplace With videos you need to accept that it's a hobby in and of itself, so you're applying one hobby to another. Hobby inception! It's a lot of fun when you get the hang of it because it lets you share stories in a way that wasn't at all possible when I was a kid.
Okay, you got me at cowbell! 🤣 So awesome of Jeff for jumping in to give a helping hand!!! And no, you're not the first guy ever to label the parts, lol!
He then launched into a whole story about a guy who found a tool he pitched down the alley and that led to him putting a clutch in the guy's '52 Chevy. Epic!
As I said in the earlier videos, "You got this!". And I have to say that the organization and cleanliness puts you way ahead of many low end pros pros that have dirty, cluttered shops. The elite shops are clean and very tidy. So great job there and no you don't have a problem. Keep up the great work.
This is my favorite RU-vid channel. Great content brother. You’ve got this. With what I’m guessing about future power levels, it would be a good idea to check the condition of the torque tube as well. Now to patiently wait for your next one…
Thanks Jeff, that really means a lot to me. I'm going to try to figure out a way to pick up the pace but the reality is the editing process for the videos is a huge time sink and slows down my progress on the project. Hopefully I'll get faster as I dial it in. Good point about the torque tube, I've heard there are wear items... guibos? And while the motor is out would be the best time to address any of that stuff. I hate "while I'm in there" stuff because it never ends! 😂
@@JoshVanVeld you could put out 2 a week and I’d still be anxious for more, haha. My advice on that is to keep it at a comfortable pace. We don’t want you getting burned out now. Lol Yes the guibos/couplers and the bearings should be inspected at least. Probably a good idea to just replace them at this point. The old snowball effect…
Nicole and I were remarking on that when we were walking the dogs this morning. You should hear him tell one of his stories about the old days in the neighborhood.
Haha! I love it! We moved out of the city when I was 12 people say I have an accent but definitely not like his 😂. My dad grew up on the northwest side of the city. His accent is home ❤
I had to pause my Saturday morning Honey-Do list to watch your video. Love your channel. There's something very calming about your videos. Before I bought my C5 project car, I had my heart set on LS swapping a BMW M Roadster. Found one with a blown motor for pennies, but timing wasn't right and let it slip through my fingers. Maybe that's an idea for the next project for your M! Keep up the great content, I'm excited to see the direction you take with the Z!
I will admit that the thought has occurred to me that an M Coupe with an LS7 would be absolutely freaking killer. Feels way too far out of my skillset right now, but maybe down the road when I've got more experience under my belt. Glad you're enjoying the videos, calming vibe has emerged as part of the recipe that I'm putting together thanks to this kind of feedback.
Hi Josh. Its great you have your father in law to help. He will help you build your confidence in working thru the project. Some points worth noting. You and your father in law can decide on cleaning the oil lines, oil cooler and intake manifold vs replacement. Once the engine is out, open it up and check the inside of the oil pump. If there is scoring inside the the pump (rotors) then metal did circulate in the oiling system. Also, look at the scavenging pump oil pickup screen in the sump. If there is metal there then that too is an indicator metal circulated in the oiling circuit and thus proceed accordingly. The oil tank will need to be cleaned and it can be disassembled for cleaning which will need to be done. Good on the engine hoisting rig. There is the challenge in getting the replacement engine assembly installed back onto the splined input shaft. Get the steel alignment shaft from Summit or Tic Performance etc. These will get the friction disc and pilot bearing aligned perfectly when you reassemble the clutch back on the engine so the input shaft will pass very smoothly. The car wasn't really designed to have the engine removed this way. The whole drivetrain is to be removed as a unit and then broken down. Pulling the engine from the top though is less work but the clutch shaft to engine mating needs to be done precisely. They make an engine hoisting plate that has a lead screw so the pickup to the hoist can be set such that the inclination of the engine can be set very precisely. With the rig you have, you can try using a winch strap and connect either to the back or front of the engine and change that tilt angle a needed. Need to get the crankshaft centerline and the input shaft centerline exactly the same for the input shaft to slip into the clutch disk spline. This is the hardest part of re-installing the engine and needs to be planned for when reinstalling the engine. Replace the clutch servo in the bell housing. The stock GM service part is fine. Get the Katech clutch bleeder kit and install that while everything is apart. Way easier than trying to install with the drivetrain assembled and a very necessary as these hydraulic clutches in these cars gets clutch dust in the servo and thus in the fluid. Clutch action then gets bad and not a good situation for a track car. The Katech clutch bleeder makes maintaining the clutch fluid much much easier and the clutch action will be better. The clutch master cylinder was updated on these cars. Get the latest part number master cylinder (pedal side of clutch) from GM and replace that while the engine is out. This can make the shifts cleaner and faster and fixed some potential malfunctioning issues as per GM service bulletin. For the clutch assembly itself, use the GM stock Z06/ZR1 clutch from ZUK (ZUK makes it for GM). Not expensive and has the right balance of torque capacity and pedal pressure for a track car. Chris Sullivan on this RU-vid Corvette show does have an episode where he re-installs the LS7 in the car so that can be a help tp you for the tricky parts of the process. Anxious for what your decision will be on the engine build. Hope all this helps.
Thanks for sharing toothless Ruth I love when you get unexpected dog content. Love seeing when you post new videos and am living vicariously through your engine replacement. I think you should go ls7 again and beef it up for track use.
Excellent video! Great to watch you go through the motions. And your father in law is a cool guy too. From one OCD-like person to another, I think I prefer that over being disorganized and a mess! 😜
The more I watch, the more I am struck that with your positive attitude you have an opportunity to do something here that would be very rewarding and get you to your goal for a budget you can justify IMO. I've built a few engines over the years but I am far from an expert or professional. Get yourself a book on building LS engines- especially one on building performance LS engines and read it through. You have the tools now, the ambition, and the ability to to this and you can build an engine for a fraction of what a crate or special built engine will cost. And you will know exactly what went into your engine for parts. If it were me, I would get a Dart block or some other strong aftermarket block to start with, especially if it is compatible with your existing rotating assembly. Have your existing rotating assembly inspected by a good shop , along with your head parts, valve train, and cam/cam bearings for damage from metal shavings and other debris from the engine breakage. Have the heads repaired, get new bearings , rings, and replace the damaged piston and have the block machined to accept all the existing parts and new parts. If you're not feeling up to it, most good automotive machine shops will assemble the short block for you for a relatively nominal fee. If you want to do it yourself, follow the instructions in the "Build a Performance LS Engine" book, and have a buddy with some experience standing by while you do the more important parts, like checking bearing clearances with Plasti Gage or how to gap piston rings... Add an upgraded cam if you are looking for more power, a different Air Flow meter and intake, etc... to suit your needs, etc... for barely more than putting it back together stock, and save some money. To Rev to 8K, you will need better lifters. You can do this... check out "that engine guy" RU-vid videos on his recommendations what to use to build a high revving engine that will perform...
What a great video! I can’t get enough of your mix of great car content, subtle views into the emotions you feel with everything you do, and a big dose of humor. Wherever you are headed, I’m coming along for the ride. Thanks Josh!!!!’
Thanks for that! I've been putting a lot of effort into trying to find the blend of those elements and I feel like I'm zeroing in on it. The feedback / encouragement helps a lot.
Another great video! Man, pulling a vette engine is challenging! Like you said, it's all packed in there by GM. Imagine the nightmare of dropping an engine from something like a Cayman. The FIL was a cool dude. Experience is a wonderful thing aint it.. Oh and, the dad comments didn't help man!
Thanks buddy! I want to own a Cayman at some point but I wonder if I should make a rule that I won't buy a car if I can't get the motor out using my QuickJacks 😂
I just found this series and I’m hooked! So invested now, about to binge watch to see Goldie live again. Had a c6z for a couple years… Thinking of selling my R35 and get back in one. But the dropped valves are my main hesitation. Seeing this series makes a simple head swap seem like a walk in the park. Thank you for the great content!
You should keep Ruth because she trusts you now. You guys are the first ones to show her love and to send her to someone else’s home will break her heart.
Believe me, we've talked about it! We've got three dogs (two of them "foster fails" where we adopted dogs that we fostered) and three kids. Ruth deserves a family where she can be the center of attention and I don't think she'll have too much trouble bonding with a new family. We also want to be able to foster more dogs in the future and that wouldn't be possible if we keep her.
That's the spirit! I don't want to minimize the struggles people go through with a disorder like that but it's certainly interesting to see how people fall along the spectrum. Nicole watched that segment of the video and remarked that she wished I felt compelled to keep the other rooms in the house similarly neat and tidy.
So great. Truly. This so entertaining.. I mean as much as I’m here for the build and the final product it’s, its.. more. It’s more tangible, more real life. Thank you for inviting us all along for the journey. Really quick- Do we all (Chicagolanders) actually sound like… like that? Haha! I don’t normally “hear” it in daily life but Jeff’s regional accent was awesomely chicaaaago! 👍🏼
Ha! This is so funny! I never noticed how strong my dad’s accent was until I got older. And even more so now that josh and I moved out of state. When I hear people with the accent it feels like home again ❤.
Trying to include the right amount of my life and my thought process to help the project make sense has been the big battle with learning how to make videos and I feel like I'm getting closer. Thanks for sharing the feedback! And yes, you definitely sound exactly like Jeff 😂
Regarding the oil cooler, the other option is to add a thermostat. You’ll get up to temp faster but still have the benefits of the oil cooler when you need it. I’m a month into having the Gspeed kit on my car and it is phenomenal.
I'm so glad your channel exists for DIY kids like me, my C6Z is my dream car, and I'm so happy you exist because I'm in the process of the preparation/excel sheet on budgeting and pricing on my LS7 bottom end.
Thanks that's great to hear. C6Z is such an awesome car, I feel like if the LS7 had a reputation for being bullet-proof prices would be 50% higher than they are now.
@@AarenPho I would love to do time attack competition with Goldie, but I didn't plan the build with a set of rules in mind so it might not make sense. I'm also not sure how I feel about doing any sort of competition driving in a car without a cage and fire suppression.
Always enjoy your videos. Special thanks to pops for all the help. Maybe buying a GT3 would have been a better idea. I'm coming to your house for lunch. Yum.
GT3 might be a better idea (assuming you can afford it, they're usually at least 3X as much as a nice C6Z), but so far I am really enjoying everything I'm learning with this project. I feel like a GT3 doesn't lend itself as well to DIY wrenching. Not nearly as many how-to resources on the internet.
Dogs, cars and good food. 3 of the best things in life right there. I’d also recommend changing out the harmonic balancer while you have it apart. I’m sure you know as a corvette guy that they are a weak point with the ls platforms and you have to pull the rack to change them on a c6 anyway lol. Mine started to wobble just under 30k miles, replaced it with a Summit balancer and now at 46k with no issues. Depending on the power output when it’s rebuilt maybe go with the ATI balancer but it’s a lot more expensive lol.
Yes sir, thanks for the tip! I had the one wobble right off of my C5Z (the steering rack prevented it from actually falling off the motor), so I have a bit of experience in that regard.
@@JoshVanVeld yikes! Mine started wobbling after my first autocross. I bought it at 23k and focused on maintenance for the first year but autox pointed me toward bulletproofing before mods. Can’t wait to get it back out and push it more. Awesome watching yours come along!
Use a long stud 2 nuts and 2 washer on the passenger side craddle mount for the steering rack. You need to bend those mounts a bit open. Dont bend it too much otherwise u will b looking for another craddle. Magnesium is soft af. That way when u put the rack back in, you wont be struggling too much. The ac compressor u can remove the 4 bolts from he passenger side wheel wel. Lower the 4 craddle bolts 21mm
Nice Job Guys, And by the way being clean and organized is Not a sickness or issue, The fact is it makes big jobs like this doable in a home garage. Good Luck with the new motor install. ! Love from Norther New Jersey !
Great video. And a lesson to any LS7 owner. Even if you buy one and someone says the heads were done GET THEM DONE YOURSELF the 4 or 5k max will pay you over and over look at the work and labor and cost if you risk it.
You've got some serious patience dude. I'm envious of your dedication. BTW while you have the bumper cover off, it's a good time to get aftermarket headlights. I got the Morimoto C7 style headlights and not only do they modernize the hell of my C6Z, they light up the road better than any headlight in any car I've ever head, including my actual C7Z
Hey Josh! Good point about the headlights. I definitely don’t love the body color look of the stock ones but I’m not convinced I want a C7-style look. Maybe stock ones in a graphite color to match the wheels would be an improvement…
Another good video. It’s great you are willing to share your experiences honestly, can be very helpful to your viewers. You are the 2nd RU-vidr that I have watched to show top removal of an engine from a C6. I haven’t tried my self but I think I would go with the dropping of the front and rear cradles to remove, but that is because I have a lift in my garage. Not sure which way is “easier” but it probably is very dependent on if you have a lift or not. Good job. I look forward to seeing what you do for your replacement engine build.
Great stuff Josh. When you finally get the car back together you'll know the thing inside and out. This video will also be a great reference if my LS7 ever quits on me.
Hey man, sitting here in my garage looking at my half disassembled LS7 that I am pulling due to engine issues. Truly your videos are really good, informational, fun to watch, and I relate to them. LS7 rebuilds are really expensive, even the cheap ones ($12k+). Hang in there, take your time, take care of what you need to financially. At the end of the day the car is a material item, don't sacrifice relationships or too much money to see it live. Every person I have seen rebuild the LS7 or engine swap for another LS7 just sees them blow in another 20-50k miles, take that into consideration. I am looking at throwing in a 5.3 L truck motor into mine because everything else would cost $8k+ in parts and labor, then over the next few years rebuilding the LS7 as I have money. Rather have a car thats reliable and drives than one that doesn't do either. I keep trying to find proof that there is such a thing as a built LS7 under 600 RWHP that will last 100k+ miles, still haven't found any hint of that..
I have a 2008 yellow Z06. I so much enjoy watching and learning from your channel. I am also a hobbyist mechanic and raced SCCA for many years. I am getting the head fix and porting from West Coast Heads, American racing headers, Haltech exhaust, and a tune. I am focusing mostly on reliability without adding a little bit of power. Thanks again
Josh, I must say, your video was fantastic! It really struck a chord with me. Seeing your well-organized garage has inspired me to finally tackle mine. It's been over a year since I moved into my new home, and I still haven't gotten around to organizing it properly. However, I did manage to make a smart decision right after closing on the house-I got the floors coated with epoxy. It made a huge difference. I have a three-car garage, and one of those spots is occupied by my '09 Z06. Now, speaking of cars, my biggest concern lately has been the valve drop. I had the heads redone when the car had 13,000 miles on it, so I could focus on other upgrades. Currently, it's at around 15,000 miles, and while I've considered taking it to the track, I haven't done so yet. Your work in the video is truly inspiring, not just in terms of tackling DIY projects but also in reminding us to seek help when needed and to never stop learning. Knowledge is something no one can take away from you. Anyway, getting back to the point, I'm curious about your plans for the motor. My gut feeling is that sticking with the LS7 and building it to be bulletproof is the way to go. And please, keep it naturally aspirated. I don't want to ramble on too much, but I do need to hang my quick jacks and tidy up my garage. Thanks again for the great video!
The floor is absolutely the critical component and the place to start. I might do a standalone video about the garage at some point because it was so hard to convince myself to pull the trigger on it. And I realize not everybody is in a position to spend thousands on floor and cabinets, but those are really the two key ingredients and suddenly you've got a space you're proud of that you want to keep clean. Glad you enjoyed the video and glad I could provide some inspiration!
@@JoshVanVeld Oh it sure is.. Makes cleaning oil spills and so forth a breeze. And as for pricing of it. It is costly but well worth it if you are a auto DIY'er
Man so much respect. I feel like I have about your skills in the garage and I would never be confident enough to do this project. Fabulous video all around. Your channel’s success is well earned.
this is gonna be one hell of a build series, your father in law it top notch! ive seen a lot of people pull there motors on vettes from either the diver/passenger side of the car. maybe its easier idk, different strokes for different folks.
So happy this video is getting this amount a views. It sucked watching the car go down. Hopefully the views keep going up, and the channel grows bro 👍🏾
Wow great video. Jeff said to you exactly what my dad said to me when I tore the top half of my engine apart over the last 2 weeks. Whenever I got stuck on something he had a special tool or a trick to solve it almost immediately :) I am really looking forward to seeing what you do with your car from here out.
Way to go dude, I just got done doing the same about a month ago in my garage at home on Jack stands, definitely fun 😅 after being spoiled at work with lifts. You’re doing great.
One more thing about the tools- they take a lot of room and keep them. I'm the guy who rebuilt the Porsche Carrera 3.2 engine last year and kept all of the tools I used. You will run your engine hard and if anything goes wrong you'll be 100% in control of your destiny. It's better that way and the storage is worth it if you're all in on the car.
Kudos on rebuilding a Porsche engine! LS feels like a nice platform to start with because it's so simple in terms of design and has so much aftermarket support. If I ever feel like I'm even 75% in control of my own destiny I'll consider that a huge win. Appreciate the perspective!
Love how you detail this video so much. I have a 2011 L99 camaro with DOD delete cammed and i had a lifter fail (Delphi oem ls7 lifters suck). I wish i had the time and ability to do what you are! KEep it up!
What a great bonding experience for you both! Im glad you kept the mistakes made while working on the car. I can relate in the many mistakes I've made learning 😂. I still make mistakes while they're frustrating at the time after its a valuable learning experience.
True! I heard an interview with Jay Z once where he said something like, "I've never learned much from my successes." The funny thing about editing video of yourself making mistakes is that you see yourself make them 10 or 20 times and it helps reinforce the lesson. I'd never be able to trick anybody into thinking I'm an expert, so might as well show the ups and downs of the learning experience :)
@JoshVanVeld That's a very true quote. You learn the most through failure. Most will never understand the amount of time it takes to edit videos. My videos are not nearly as long as yours but I review over an hour of videos narrowing them down then editing those, so I appreciate the work you put in. I need to start making videos again. I miss the memories with friends. Your videos have good flow to them! I look forward to the engine choice announcement 🙂. I'm hoping for poor man's Zr1 but totally understand an NA ls7 too.
Enjoyed your video. 18:54 - what a pickle, have been there before but through therapy, I have managed to forget the incident - until now! Most people have no idea, but I do - you have a gazillion hours into recording footage, writing your narrative and editing. It works well - very fun to watch!
My first rebuild was an inline 4 and I've got to say that I actually enjoyed the process, I had to do it like 4 times, but I was worth it and I actually can't wait to do it again...
Me too! I like to think one of your comments helped make it happen. Absolutely removed the stress from what would have otherwise been a difficult couple of days in the garage.
@@JoshVanVeld well I’m glad my input helped out! Any chance you can have help in the garage even if it’s just someone to talk to helps with the stress levels. Also really helps if that person is experienced 😉
Your Garage is beautiful. Tools all have there place. I have to do the same or I'll waste more time finding the tool than the work on the car! Hope all your plans work out!
Yes. I know the C6 Z06 was the first to get the dry sump. I bought a C5 Z06 new (museum delivery). When I took it to the track I was supposed to add a quart of oil.
I had a C5Z, awesome car and the first one I ever tracked. Museum delivery would be perfect from Atlanta area, great way to get to know it on the drive home.
@@JoshVanVeld Museum delivery was cool. You gotta do it if you're going to take the new car depreciation hit. I was also the first person to ever start my car on the production line.
I'm another subscriber who is loving the ups and downs of your C6 journey. I too work on my own C6, partly budget driven, partly personal satisfaction. I'm not sure whether you've decided on the engine rebuild specification yet, or fully assessed the damage, but given the GT3 killer aim it would be all too easy to go for big horsepower and beat a GT3 laptime. However, with an eye on originality and possible re-sale value I can't help feel that 505hp is enough, you just need reliability. Get the heads fixed, trunions, perhaps change the lifters whilst you're in there, oil pump, water pump and seals and leave the rest original. You'll start to find the limits of your oil cooling as you get faster and sessions get longer. Oh and I can recommend the Improved Racing oil thermostat, given that you drive the car on the road too. Find the lap time through handling upgrades, stickier tyres (second set of wheels perhaps) and continued driver improvement, although you're clearly handy behind the wheel already. Your AP BBK will help next time you are out, no doubt. If you're interested, here is my journey so far, imine is high mileage LS2 Coupe, I've experienced a few highs and lows along the way. I've documented all the track upgrades as the years have passed: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1758933 Kind regards, Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for the comment. Because of the hyperlink it got caught in the spam filter and I didn't see it until now. Looking forward to checking out your build, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Great job getting that beast out. Kudos to the mastertech Father In Law. New sub and look forward to future videos. Always loved the C6 z06. Read a ton about the valve issue. Scared me away actaully. Watching video after video with cracked blocks stopped me from buying. Still have a soft spot for the C6 Z06, but have been looking at C5's instead as a dedicated track car. Less power, but evidently bulletpeoof and cheaper to maintain. As for your engine options - take your time and don't be quick on your decision. Penny wise pound foolish always stops me from going the cheap route. All for saving money, but buy once cry once is 100% true. If you do it right you will have zero regrets and get to enjoy your car for years to come. Look forward to see which direction you go. Personally would fix block if possible or make a bench/table out of it. Next find a used LS7 and rebuild it slowly with the best of the best parts and make it bulletproof. Piece by piece upgrades and document it for the channel. Taking your time researching and getting the proper tools lined up for each step from the ground up. End result will be a beast of an engine you could beat on all day and not have to worry. Might need to look at your tranny/diff upgrades as well.
Thanks for the sub and I appreciate you spelling out what you'd like to see with the build. Sounds about right to me. Bullet-proof (or as close to it as is practical) is the top priority. I also want to avoid snake oil in terms of buying stuff that's ultra-expensive just because it has a premium label on it. There are so many options it's tough to know what's what. The C5 is an awesome platform, I had a C5Z. One thing to keep in mind is that depending on the track you go to, oil starvation is a real concern. AMP has a couple of sections where you can sustain high lateral G's for several sections and that can absolutely lead to catstrophe. Usually not an issue until you've got slicks and aero, but something to keep in mind.
@@JoshVanVeld - very good point and didnt think about oil starvation on C5. Assume there is a race pan with more oil and higher baffles. Not a dry sump solution, but might work the best it can. Still not sold on any platform yet as I save. Looking for an affordable car without major flaws that I truely like. All cars seem to have an issue or don't check enough boxes. Most noteable that made it to the list in no order - Miata, S2000, 3 series e30/e36/e46, C5/C6 Z06, and Evo. Have not ventured down the race car / track day hobby yet. Need more savings/budget to feel comfortable financially. In meantime, I am in research mode and waiting till I am ready. As for the parts to buy just don't be quick and research. Only parts I know that are worth the cash is anything ARP and a good torque wrench. I spent up on the same jack stands you have. Again worth the peace of mind. You can use a couple tires by the way for added protection. Easy to get in and out and a fan of more layers of protection. Tons of snake oil as you mentioned. I watch a show on the motor sport channel that builds engines and tests each part. You might want to binge watch it. Cant remeber the name. Some parts add/some lose power or do nothing. Either way buy the best you can afford part by part. Learn as you go and enjoy the journey. Can never over build it enough. It will just last longer and be able to take more abuse. The smile on your face on a hand built by you monster engine on startup/first pull is an experience worth the time/energy.
If you’re looking at other engines besides the factory motor, the M156 engine is a monster engine, bulletproof, and just slightly less displacement at 6.2L so will still sound amazing.
How cool would that be?? I assume somebody has done it by now, but unless there's a kit out there it's probably way above my skill level to pull off a swap that requires fabrication and such.
Trans line c-clip pnum #24205103. Regarding blocking off the oil cooler ports, that is ok for an only street driven car but the better way to raise temps is to buy a thermostat kit like the one from Improved Racing. You get -10an lines as well which will increase flow and oil pressure at speed as well as it allows the oil to get to 200F before the oil thermostat opens to allow the cooler to do its job. Great video, excited to see where you go with the build.
Thank you!! For some reason this got caught in the spam filter and I didn't see it until now. Appreciate you digging up that part number and the tip on the thermostat.
This has become one of my favorite RU-vid channels I’ve seen in a long time. Please don’t stop making videos!!! As far as what to do with the engine. While a high revving LS motor would be awesome I believe you lose some of what makes the LS7 a LS7. Think back to the heads and cam car you drove when deciding what to do. There are quite a few that top the 600 whp range with a milder cam to keep the mid range tq up and losing very little top end power. Refer to any of Race Proven Motorsports videos for ideas. If I knew how to link videos they do one with a z28 that made good power and gets tracked regularly. Side note… I’m sad that that I’ve caught up to the end of the videos lol 😂😂😂
Thanks! Making progress on the solution for the motor but nothing’s happened yet that would warrant a new video. I’m really excited about what’s happening 😃
On the F150, keep an eye on the soft brake line, just had one of those fail and create what appeared to be a stuck caliper. I’d never seen one fail like that. Exterior was fine. Interior was collapsing apparently. So if the issue returns slap some soft lines on it.
After 12 years as a mechanic at couple Chev dealers I can tell you organization is critical to quality repairs. Keep at it, you’ll get there. *Update on my C6Z* I got the engine out and block torn down, everything looks great other than the cracked sleeve and broken ring lands on 5&7. Going to drop it off at Race Engine Development in Oceanside, CA in August for its re-sleeving party.
Progress! Great news! Nice to have a premiere re-sleever in your back yard. I think you gave me your thoughts already, but what's your take on whether I should pursue repairing the old block vs. new block? Keeping in mind that I want to avoid too much down time - I've heard that some of these shops will take 6 months+ because they're so busy and because of parts shortages, but won't necessarily disclose that ahead of time.
@@JoshVanVeld I think it really depends on the condition of the block once you tear it down. Steve at RED told me he’d have mine done in August. He’s out having surgery right now, but might be worth giving him a call once he’s back. If you can afford it, a built short block from Mast would probably be my recommendation. If your block just needs honing you should have no problem reselling it quickly.
I was a Chevy tech too while in school, I’ve since moved on to the career I was in school for. I still like working on my cars and sometimes miss my tech days, I had good times and good teachers. I’ve been liking your videos, I’d like to have a track car like Goldie but been having fun AXing my car this Summer. I’ve had races about every few weeks and while I don’t have the issues you’ve had I’ve had fun upgrading parts and prepping it for race days, it’s an on going project. @bryansmith5415 is right being organized leads to quality repairs and what your FIL said, you do remember where all the bolts go if you’re doing a repair you’re finishing the same day or soon after. Oh and what you said about turning a bolt with your fingers then having to put a wrench back on it. Your finger tips get used to it, if you’ve done it for awhile, and you’ll be able to turn the bolt all the way off. Good luck with the repair, can’t wait to see how it turns out.
I gotta know what you for a living. I've been in aviation Maintenance and engineering for 30 years and I have to bet your in a similar field. The printed checklist is a giveaway! Great vid!
Haha I am a video game developer, specifically a producer, which is equivalent to a project manager in other fields. So I value organization, but basically sit at a computer all the time 😁
Great vid Josh, I was in the same exact boat as you about 9 months ago when my 2008 z06’s engine spun almost every rod and main bearing. These cars are not cheap whatsoever, and by extension the engines and parts for the engine are not cheap either. I think it’s imperative to go into this engine build knowing what you want and to set limits because everything car guy knows the feeling of because your in there and since it’s easy to upgrade parts I should go ahead and install this or that. It soon becomes a battle of trying to stop yourself from changing every part you can and going from a cheap-ish stock style build to a over the top custom build with hardly any stock parts. I went from thinking I’d just replace only the parts I needed to going all out, go big or go home style. Where I thought it would be a 5 to 10 thousand dollar rebuild went to a fully built darton sleeved, forged crank/pistons/rods, Frankenstein heads, Tsp cam, Msd intake, exhaust and a whole bunch of goodies im not thinking of. I stopped counting around the 30 thousand dollar mark. I’m 17 going into my senior year of high school , 9 months ago when the engine blew up I was still 16 in my junior year, the amount of pressure I felt knowing but also not knowing how much work, time, and money it would take to rebuild the car made me sick to my stomach. I take great pride in saying that I, a 17 year old boy still in high school working every day after school and every weekend for the past 9/10 months payed for and built this all by myself with little to no outside physical assistance. And this is why I say this Josh, this most likely will not be easy, there will be times where every little part and thing you try to do just flat out won’t work or will give you the hardest time trying to do it, take your time, do things right the first time if you have to take a break for a day or two to just stop and rethink, do it. My dad is also one of my biggest hero’s too, I don’t think I could have done all this without his help I was very set on not getting any outside physical help putting it together but that’s only half of the build, the other half is the knowledge and skills it takes to undertake something like this which is where he and countless other people have helped along the way, and that’s why I think it’s key to have the jeff type people there to provide assistance and knowledge along the way. Sorry that my comment is very lengthy but I wish I would have known half of the stuff I know now, and I hope I passed some of that off to you. I wish you nothing but the best in this journey of building a sick gt3 killer!! I can’t wait to see what you have in store for the future!!
Bravo for the spot on comment!!! You learn this stuff through experience, age, and wisdom. With that said, you'll remember that experience for the rest of your life and it will always be a regret, but also a priceless memory every car guy will cherish for the rest of your life!!! Kudos bro!!! 😎😎😎
Dude if you keep that perspective and work ethic and make good decisions you're on a path to success. I'm sure your dad is super proud! I appreciate the input and it's a treat for me to be learning from a guy who's still in high school. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I think you're right - trying to find the balance between "budget-friendly" and "go big or go home" is going to be tough. I probably don't need to tell you this but I know I would have had a hard time staying safe on the road with a car like that when I was in high school. Take it to the track for the fun stuff and don't take risks on the street! If you want to come do a guest day at Atlanta Motorsports Park sometime, let me know.
@@JoshVanVeld I plan on going to college and studying either aerospace or mechanical engineering, I’ve never been much of a school person but I hope I can push through and be able to build things I love in the future. A few months after my 15th birthday when I got my driving permit my dad went in half with me on a wrecked 2017 6 speed manual mustang gt that’s in my profile pic, I still love that car and I wish I never sold it but it’s what gave me the opportunity to by my c6z. Me and my dad fully rebuilt it after it had been ran into a telephone pole, it taught me a lot of lessons on driving, and although it didn’t have as much power as my vette it was a lot less refined and harder to predict so I was able to learn a ton about handling a powerful car. And yeah that sounds awesome, I’d love to visit Atlanta motorsports park. I live in Texas so Atlanta is quite a drive but I’ve been debating on having the vette dyno tuned by race proven motorsports. I’m currently getting it remote tuned by them because they are located farther north in Newcastle, but if I ever make the drive to them I’d love to stop by Atlanta a take some laps. I’m going to drop a follow on your instagram so I could stay in touch!
