VIDEO: The Uh-Oh, this has GOT to be BAD video

[GR8 WHITE]

Originally Posted by jub jub

Neither am I. If it were me, I'd slap a new set of plugs in the car and drive it. If they foul out again, slap another set in. Install a set of plugs like the NGK Iridium IX, they have superior anti fouling properties, or so it's advertised. Do this until you PCS stateside where your options vastly improve.

Jub, sounds like a greta idea, but I don't think it is the plugs. It is something internal. Or are you saying drive it anyways? The car has lost compression, or at least feels like it has because it takes off like soup. Blowing oil all over. You seen the video. I don't want to drive it. I would prefer more, to ship it and get it redone and not have it than drive a smoke screen on the Autobahn and have little girls driving cute VW Beetles laughing at me.

I am going to check with POV shipment first thing. I been busy with my new job, I just forgot to call them. But if I can ship it "AS IS" I may just do that.

[jub jub]

Glenn, if your blowing that much oil, more than likely your plugs are oil fouled, thus the loss of power. Changing them will get most of your power back and you can drive it around the base and short trips etc. It's a temp measure by any means but will suffice in the interim.

Are you sure you want to ship your car without being able to take delivery when it arrives at port. What if it's damaged? I don't think that is a good idea.

[MikesZ06]

Originally Posted by GR8 WHITE

Mike, going out on a limb here, but if the engine is a total wash (minus my new springs, cam, heads, lifters, etc....) what would it run to buy the LSX block and have THAT filled with quality parts? Pistons, rotating assembly, etc..... is there a shop that makes it in long block form? Just trying to get an against the odds picture...... Or, as I was referred, to look into an LS3, LS7 or the C5R block.

Glenn, one of the reasons I suggested a new block is so that you would not have to buy new pistons or a whole new rotating assembly.
If you build a new block out with all new parts, you're gonna be talking about some serious cash.
I am in the process of changing blocks right now from my C5R to an LSX and I'm not having to change the pistons or cam, etc. Not sure you want to spend the bucks for an entire engine rebuild unless you have to.

Guess you could always buy my C5R block when I put it up for sale this week....but the shipping would probably cost more than the block

Mike

[jub jub]

Glenn, you should write a book, "The Chronicles of GR8 White".

[GR8 WHITE]

The Chronicles of GR8 WHITE, The GR8 PIMA, Episode 5. Ok Mike, you got my curiosity up. I just did a search for the LSX Block which appears to be the mack daddy of LS series blocks. So, with that said, I guess I can save myself a few bucks in shipping costs on your block. But please share with the forum what any of us could be looking at, price wise to build up an LSX. I searched a few engine builders and the LS7 long block form is $13,000. Can the LSX be beefed up to be less than that with stronger internals to produce more HP? The problem I am having to swallow here, is basically trusting this will get solved. But the ONLY way to know, is to give them the opportunity to do it right. If I just ship the car out, I will never know and will have paid big $$$ to get my car back on road for nothing. When, in the beginning, I should have considered a new engine all together. Looking back, the cost of parts plus labor, it may have been somewhat compareable.

[MikesZ06]

Originally Posted by GR8 WHITE

The Chronicles of GR8 WHITE, The GR8 PIMA, Episode 5. Ok Mike, you got my curiosity up. I just did a search for the LSX Block which appears to be the mack daddy of LS series blocks. So, with that said, I guess I can save myself a few bucks in shipping costs on your block. But please share with the forum what any of us could be looking at, price wise to build up an LSX. I searched a few engine builders and the LS7 long block form is $13,000. Can the LSX be beefed up to be less than that with stronger internals to produce more HP? The problem I am having to swallow here, is basically trusting this will get solved. But the ONLY way to know, is to give them the opportunity to do it right. If I just ship the car out, I will never know and will have paid big $$$ to get my car back on road for nothing. When, in the beginning, I should have considered a new engine all together. Looking back, the cost of parts plus labor, it may have been somewhat compareable.

The LSX is an iron block and it's primary purpose is to allow folks to build a 427, 454, or even 482 ci N/a setup or for racing applications using FI up to about 2,000hp. The reason it is so inexpensive, compared to say the C5R block is that it's iron, not aluminum. To me, that's a bit of a downside because I now have to add weight to my Z's back end at the track to make up for the extra front weighting. We had no choice because the C5R is really not made for much over 1200hp and it was a limiting my setup.

As for your question about cost to build out the long block, I really can't say. It would depend on so many things like.... what ci you were going to build, how high end do you want to go on connecting rods, pistons, cam, main/rod/cam bearings, crank, rockers, timing chain, etc. The prices could vary by several thousand dollars depending on your decisions.

The reason I suggested the LSX block was that the price is right. You get a very solid, flexible (in usage) block for about two grand. It's an extra 100 lbs of weight up front but it might fit the $$$'s you have to spend right now.

Again, my point was to consider a new block, but still being able to use most of your current engine components to save some cash.

Mike

[GR8 WHITE]

GOOD NEWS! (Sort of.....)

I just did a GOOGLE MAPS/DIRECTIONS search and guess what? The VPC has a Dallas based drop off that is ONLY 38.5 miles from LG Motorsports, so if all else fails, I know which port to ship my car into. Normally, I would select Atlanta, and that way I just fly in to Atlanta, pick it up about 15 miles from airport, and drive it to wherever the hell it is I would be going. Not such an option apparently. So, based on the authorization from the Vehicle Shipping Inspectors, I may opt to go that route if they give me the green light to ship and bypass this F%$#@!G nighmare all together and get it up to Lou's. That LSX block looks like a good starting point. What do you folks think?

Take to ACP, hope they can fix it (even at a minimum price for parts) and/or at least determine the end result is not worth fixing it, "OR" the hell with it...... ship it back to Lou!!!

[No Doubt]

The problem I am having to swallow here, is basically trusting this will get solved. But the ONLY way to know, is to give them the opportunity to do it right.

Doing it right is what they (ACP) were supposed to do in the first place. That's assuming whatever is wrong is a result of what they did or didn't do. Like you said, you won't know until they tear it down and inspect it. At that time are you willing to trust that what they say and not take you for a ride? I'd be cautious given what I'm reading here. Then again, shipping it as-is certainly its drawbacks as well, but at least it would be stateside.

Jub Jub has a decent idea and that is to put in a new set of plugs, inspect the current ones and see if they're oil fouled (they will be) and see if that makes it more driveable. If so, it buys you some time. Dont get in too much of a rush.

In the long term I'd think seriously about dropping in a new long block, which includes heads, unless you're positive yours are good (less valvetrain) as i'd still be leery of the valve stems/guides, etc. The issue there is you have to find a shop that can drop in a new engine. However, the base shop may be able to do that, at least mechnically speaking, and tuning shouldn't be too much of a problem either if you can stick in a PCM with the correct tune for the engine. That's relatively easy especially if you get both from the same place.

In your situation I'd be hesitant to piece an engine together, regardless of its origin.

Unfortunately, there's no easy and certainly no inexpensve way to do what needs to be done given the situation, so at least try and minimize potential 'gotchas' by keeping it as simple as possible.

[Millenium Z06]

I think I would be tempted to let them look at it to see what is wrong but a bigger part of me says park it and ship it home to a reputable shop. I know it's a tough decision and advice is easy to give, but haven't they been into your engine twice now? The curiosity of what went wrong would eat at me and letting them off the hook would also but how many more times is this going to happen if they fix it again? Think I would ship it home.
Good luck either way, Wes.

[GR8 WHITE]

Thanks Wes. I am up and about, Wednesday morning and headed over to the vehicle shipping facility. They may be closed today (German Holiday) so I may have to suck up more time. What I really want, is to get an idea of what a new engine will be, ground up, whether or not I am able to ship the car "AS IS", and then, whether or not I let ACP wrench on it "One more time".....

Time will tell.... I am out.... Will post decision later....

[undertaker]

you do forget if you change the combo over there who's gonna tune it?

I'd give the boys at www.eastcoastsupercharging.com a call or shoot them an email...give em the entire story.....I'm sure they could throw something together for you and send it over if you're really in a rough situation.

and honestly, you don't need an LSX, mike yes, but he's got a purpose built big boost drag car, you don't need a C5R either the block itself is a small fortune, a simple LS2 block setup for a stroker would do the job fine for alot less money, and with alot less weight.

I love my 427 C5R but its a solid roller road race motor that built for a 300 shot, I don't think thats your speed. Hell my forged 346 makes over 800 at the crank with stock heads, with just pistons, rods, and good fasteners....stock crank and everything. Both motors are built by ECS. I'm positive they could slap something sweet together for you and send it your way, give them the list of stuff you have now and i bet they could build something that would keep costs down in that regard. Numerous people on this board have cars with ecs stroker, antivenom447's 604rwhp 447 (chris-owner just bought it from him), don benson's wilder 402, pcZ06's milder 402, My own 427 C5R (doug the other owner's old motor we redid...has made 1000/1000 on the dyno at 5500 and held the record for centrifugal blower C5 in a vert) The results are there and they're great guys and very accomodating.

Hell its worth a call to explore your options.