Not to be confused with the build thread on my redline, I'm posting a thread about my search for a healthy LSJ... I'm finally buying a used one, an 05 block engine with 80k on it, from a wrecked Cobalt SS... The PO had upgraded valve springs and retainers and was revving to 7500...

Anyway, the 05 engine has a broken off alt bracket(I'll get pics once I get it home), and the head studs need tightened back down, and the timing chain put back on, but it's whole... I plan to fabricate a new alt bracket and button the engine back together, then again I might pull the head off for some port work, and then put it back together...

 

So, i got the engine home okay, the alt bracket still needs repaired, head studs still need tightening, crankshaft needs put back to TDC, and then comes the install... Of course im considering taking the head off to port/polish it and maybe doing a semi-build, provided the bottom end is solid enough to use

 

I'd be mighty careful with those existing head bolts if you're trying to retorque them. As they are torque to yield bolts that have presumably already been torqued to the proper spec during their lifetime, they have been stretched as far as they are designed to stretch. Thus, even moderate applied torque could cause a fracture.

How did TDC get messed up?

For that mater what did this thing collide with that would untorque head bolts ?

 

The guy was contemplating removing the head and selling it separate from the damaged block, but didn't actually take the head off... He was running ARP head studs, which to the best of my knowledge can be re-used over and over again... Given that some stock looking head bolts were included in the deal, I believe he does have the ARPs installed in the engine... Supposedly, a couple years ago, he was driving along in his Cobalt and was hit at an intersection or something, but it just broke the alternator bracket...

TDC was messed up when he rotated the crank by hand to show that it's not seized, but since the cam chain is off, I need to get the crank back to TDC and re-time the engine...

 

ok, confuse


1) Why would ARP head bolts be reusable? Are they not torque to yield? That's the only (well maybe not only) obvious conclusion .
EDIT: I surfed the net. ARP said their studs are reusable so they must be.

2) So he was gonna maybe sell the head, so he removed the timing chain, started to remove the head, then stopped? I would make sure those exposed threads and the underside of the head of the head bolts are nice n clean since those portions have been exposed to the elelments. Hell if you can use them again, you might want to pull, clean the bolts the block threads and relube everything.


3) So assumption is that bottom end is not seized. Hopefully he did not disconnect the chain because the head has a bunch of crushed valves. I know what your plans and contingencies are---just saying that would suck.


4) Are you just gonna retime, retorque, and then check for compression by manually rotating the crank? B C it would be a massive PITA to pull your running motor for this one only to find out you have dead cyls, valves, ring issues, etc that make the setup unusable as is.


I'm still wondering, aside fr the alt bracket, why the $ was so low.....

 

How do you know for sure they're ARP studs? I wouldn't just take someones word for it. Do yourself a favor and either get a new set of ARP studs for yourself or a new set of the TTY head bolts. I'd hate to see you do all that work and blow a head gasket. An ounce of prevention. You know what I mean.

 

Well, I plan to check everything out, including the bores themselves, and the tops of the pistons, when I remove the head... He claims he never actually lifted the head off, but I'll probably take the head the rest of the way off and assume the gasket is compromised... I assume that if I find head studs instead of bolts that they're ARPs, as I've not run across many vendors offering them for sale...

I'm not gonna check the compression, but instead look at the bores when the head is off the engine... I assume that if I see cross hatching, compression will be decent enough to use... Keep in mind this will be an intermediate level re-build, with the engine from my car getting a full treatment once it's out and the car is driving... I plan on porting the head, and rebuilding the lash adjusters while the head is off, and if funds allow, maybe getting some bigger cams...

Keep in mind, the other engine will be getting the full works with goals of 8000 RPM, and at least 450whp...

 

nice find, hopefully theres nothing crunched up. ARP studs are awesome. Brother will be getting them in his 6.0 whenever it decides to lift its heads and blow out the gaskets. and with a running motor in yours you can take your time and get everything perfect

 

Only thing actually damaged on the engine is the alternator bracket... The machinist at work is making a thin plate to attach to the backside of the alternator and locate the three holes, from there I'll mock up a bracket that goes to the remains of the third hole of the original alt bracket, and make it adjustable so I can adjust the pitch of the alternator until it's dead on, and then have the machinist replicate it in steel and weld it to the plate he's fabricating now...

Long plan short, I plan on making a new bracket from steel that bolts to the block and locates the alternator in nearly the original location(maybe 1/8" out from the block)

From there, I'll delve into removing the head for porting and gasket replacement...

 

im trying to find a good picture of it on the interbutts so i can get an idea of what the bracket looks like. from some diagrams it looks like it sits behind the alternator and cups it to keep it in place, which im assuming is cast onto the block.