Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

Personally, I think this makes your case much weaker for court. Just learn from this experience.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

Personally, I think this makes your case much weaker for court. Just learn from this experience.

Because I bought the motor, heads and they bought the gaskets when I didnt tell them what gaskets to buy? What I don't see is what makes it any different than driving to their shop in a car with leaking head gaskets and saying "I want my head gaskets replaced" and they order the wrong gaskets for your car, I didn't provide the gaskets. I provided the motor - but anyone would in any scenario you drive to a shop for head gasket repair because it comes with your car.

I'm guessing the lesson here is not to undertake major work you're not capable of performing yourself?

[CFreed11]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

I'm guessing the lesson here is not to undertake major work you're not capable of performing yourself?

This is what I've said all along. Nothing against you, you tried and tried, and it sounds like (at the very least) the first shop was more than capable of pulling off the task of a v8 swap. And really, when it comes to the motor work and transmission work specifically, any reputable shop should be able to do a correct build/rebuild. Personally, and many of us here feel the same, I would never trust my car with a shop or somebody else working on it. Yes, I learned most of this stuff from going to an automotive tech school, but when it comes to these cars, I learned a lot of it just by my own hands on experience and referencing sites like this. Long story short, I hope your car gets taken care of and gets finished so you can drive it. I hope it gets all finished up so there are no more issues. I also hope that if you ever decide to do any mods to your car in the future, you attempt to do them yourself. It will be much more gratifying and you will only have yourself to blame for any headaches, instead of getting the run-around with all these different shops.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

This is what I've said all along. Nothing against you, you tried and tried, and it sounds like (at the very least) the first shop was more than capable of pulling off the task of a v8 swap. And really, when it comes to the motor work and transmission work specifically, any reputable shop should be able to do a correct build/rebuild. Personally, and many of us here feel the same, I would never trust my car with a shop or somebody else working on it. Yes, I learned most of this stuff from going to an automotive tech school, but when it comes to these cars, I learned a lot of it just by my own hands on experience and referencing sites like this. Long story short, I hope your car gets taken care of and gets finished so you can drive it. I hope it gets all finished up so there are no more issues. I also hope that if you ever decide to do any mods to your car in the future, you attempt to do them yourself. It will be much more gratifying and you will only have yourself to blame for any headaches, instead of getting the run-around with all these different shops.

Yeah. Thats true. Im really not sure what Im ganna do at this point, half of me wants to tear it apart and do it again and the other half is too afraid I'll open a can of worms by doing so.

[Pewter02Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

What I don't see is what makes it any different than driving to their shop in a car with leaking head gaskets and saying "I want my head gaskets replaced" and they order the wrong gaskets for your car, I didn't provide the gaskets.

Because, its not a normal car. Its pieced together. How can you expect them to know if even you don't. I believe Murphy's law applies to this situation very much.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

The answer is .........there is no answer.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

If I did keep the car, would it be wise to just start off with a long block LQ4 FROM THE SHOP WHO'S DOING THE WORK? All their parts aswell so it's all warrantied? Wiring wise it LOOKS like everything else works. Or should I not touch another shop and attempt to do it all myself?

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

Its all about confidence....why not google
"problems with XXX auto repair, city, state" as see what U come up with.

[bigbrian442]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

IF they are installing a running engine... I wouldn't have an issue. It's ALL on them then since everything else on the car works now. Putting the 5.3 in a V6 car is something most shops will not touch.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

Well. I changed the oil today because I wanted to get all the coolent out the oil plus wanted to see if maybe that would help my oil pressure problem. This is what I get:



Thats the drainplug with a bunch of mesh over it. It didn't even feel like metal shavings it felt more like milkshakish material that creamed when you touched it. In either case I know thats definately not supposed to look like that. The engine still runs and "sounds" fine but does it look like it's finished?

When draining the oil it came out like water, had no viscocity just slippery. The weird thing is I attempted to drain it some more by adding fresh oil (that I wasnt ganna use anyway) into the crank case but it took a LONG TIME for it to drain... I closed the drain plug (after cleaning it) and added more oil just to see what it would do... Oil pressure problem remains, when it warms up it goes to the redline, HOWEVER unlike before, when you rev on it, it WILL go up to 60 PSI mark but then just backs down to redline when you take your foot off.

----

If this motor is toast Im ganna be pissed - just can't get it right regardless of what I do. But my next "plan" is to buy a 4 banger and use it to commute till I can recover from this and take another bat at it...this time with a Long Block LQ4 like I planned originally... Im not sure if Im ganna let a shop do it or not though. I know of a friend who can help me with the labor and tools and he's also worked with these cars before - but then again so have my last 3 mechanics...

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Seems to me that the oil presure relief valve is stuck open if you have no presure at idle. As for the look of that plug its wearing you engine out little by little man. The oil starvation is hurting it. Sorry about your situation man I would be pissed too.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

Seems to me that the oil presure relief valve is stuck open if you have no presure at idle. As for the look of that plug its wearing you engine out little by little man. The oil starvation is hurting it. Sorry about your situation man I would be pissed too.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

The stuck open pressure relief valve = new oil pump? Should I even bother or just replace the motor (again)?

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

I have a 3.8. at the beginning of last week I am driving about 40 and I see the oil pressure falling and the temp of cooling system going up as high as 2:00. I pulled off road and went to a tire store, where I got three opinions. I had the car towed to a mechanic who the tow truck driver recommended. Radiator had rust in it despite the fact that I flushed it two weeks ago. Upper and Lower intake gaskets were replaced. HOWEVER....because the OEM gasket is weak, he did some research and apparently another mfg improved the gasket..It costs about a hundred dollars...anyway I got the back after just four days and it seems to drive fine....thermostat replaced as well as some plastic piece by water pump and oil 10W40 put in. He originally estimated a $800 bill but it turned out to be just $600! I hope it stays good.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

I have a 3.8. at the beginning of last week I am driving about 40 and I see the oil pressure falling and the temp of cooling system going up as high as 2:00. I pulled off road and went to a tire store, where I got three opinions. I had the car towed to a mechanic who the tow truck driver recommended. Radiator had rust in it despite the fact that I flushed it two weeks ago. Upper and Lower intake gaskets were replaced. HOWEVER....because the OEM gasket is weak, he did some research and apparently another mfg improved the gasket..It costs about a hundred dollars...anyway I got the back after just four days and it seems to drive fine....thermostat replaced as well as some plastic piece by water pump and oil 10W40 put in. He originally estimated a $800 bill but it turned out to be just $600! I hope it stays good.

I dont think that would apply in this case, coolant doesnt go through the intake on LS1 cars

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Firebird W68 - My LSX Swap thread.

But it might apply to others...if you go to the 3800 website, you see this issue over and over and over again.