under 100,000 and new engine needed

[torana355]

Mate I realise the shop is good and had a few friends go there too, one spent over $30,000 modding his HSV Tourer Black Edition through that shop. But I think it has relatively conservative approach and typical value for money / results. Sure the shop is experienced but I suppose the fine point is it is not an engine builder per sé, more tuners and installers for outsourced engineering. Each to their own, I prefer more cutting-edge experience with the new race technology and direct dialogue with engineers in the detail versus outsourced brands / what's worked in the past.

Yes the L77 responds well to a longer stroke but not with a small cam, crank and rods extra $2500, but while it's cracked and you are honing anyways you might as well take it out a bit to 370ci. I agree those pistons look ####ing amazing in the web video too. When the heads are off for overhaul consider LS3 valves and quality beehives. Then the pistons, bore and 0.040" off the heads will definitely bring it into hi-comp ethanol territory, I'd aim for 13:1. Cam, heads, compression should get a 370 well into the 340's at the rear, on e85 will boost cylinder pressures about 33% to add at least 15% performance on top of that, run better, and use 20% less (cheap) alcohol.

PS You can do better for a couple grand less :yarr:

The cost was a very rough ballpark. I have an engineer mate who is keen to rebuild the motor for me as well and he is much like you, he would want to make his own custom grind camshaft ect ect but Sam specialises in the LS motor and has spent a crapload in development on what works best. Not only that but i know many people that have had their motor built by him and they cant recommend him enough. Im not sure exactly what he will recommend when ive got the cash and im actually ready to get the work done, he may recommend some of the stuff that you mentioned and you are right i will ask to bore out the cylinders and go oversized pistons (he would probably do that anyway). At the end of the day i just want a reliable and quiet engine that makes good torque across the rev range and will not slap when its cold or chew out camshafts every 100k. Do you have any other suggestions on who to ask about getting the motor rebuilt in Sydney?

 

[torana355]

There was a problem with a batch of LS3's that were fitted to MY11/MY12 HSV's, that had soft cam lobes...

Mexican cam quality I s'pose....

I think my motor was built by a bunch of drunk Mexicans lol. Ive seen two new VF GTS's with that camshaft issue.

 

[ssv styles]

Couple of points

1) If genuine Holden warranty (not some dodgy aftermarket ****) it will 100% be new. Never fitted second hand parts under Holden warranty unless required (transmissions over xxx kms or changeover radios being the exemption)

2) Usually lifter munching is a result of oil pressure issues - not low enough to be stuffed but low enough that the lifters and cam start to munch. Oil pump pressure relief valve failure is not uncommon and most cam/lifter munch issues show low oil pressure when cold (say 50-75kpa when spec is about 95kpa). Most of the time when pressure is checked it's fine, but when the valve sticks it's low. Usually it's the top end that suffers.

Well its been almost a month and the dealership has only just given the "dodgy aftermarket ****" warranty place the service history needed to let Holden get the job underway...A BLOODY MONTH!! Talk about dragging the chain. They sent a quote away on Friday for a brand new engine and also a reconditioned item but i think I know what ill be getting. What a nightmare just trying to get the service history for the last 3 oil changes because of course the book is blank and the car was a trade in at Chrysler jeep and dodge so they had no idea where to look for it and/or hadn't been supplied with it when they took the car in. They were more than happy to sell me the warranty in the first place though just without the means to follow through with it. Trust me lesson learned..I just hope Holden can get the job done within the week because this micra im renting is not helping my self esteem.

 

[mine2007]

Wow...my Calais 6ltr had a new engine @ 100,000, I am the second owner and have the paper work...it's NEW or was.
Best Glen.

 

[Vs-AclaimII]

I had my motor replaced at 56,000kms. Crank shaft went fkn everything didn't get back from holden after a month. They placed a new motor etc. Lucky I had extended warranty otherwise I would of been screwed. Ve motors are duds. I'm going to sell mine and get something else

 

[Smashfist]

What a nightmare just trying to get the service history for the last 3 oil changes because of course the book is blank and the car was a trade in at Chrysler jeep and dodge so they had no idea where to look for it and/or hadn't been supplied with it when they took the car in

Wait so you bought a car that has potentially missed 3 oil changes (or gone 27 months/45,000km without an oil change) and think that it's a problem with the motors.......

:hmmm:

 

[Dayvo]

Ok , what happens if you buy a second hand VE/VF with the balance of new car warranty and the old owner missed a couple of services . You service it at the required intervals ,even giving it an oil change in between services then the motor shits itself. Would your claim be knocked back because of the previous owner even if you have done the right thing?

 

[Smashfist]

Ok , what happens if you buy a second hand VE/VF with the balance of new car warranty and the old owner missed a couple of services . You service it at the required intervals ,even giving it an oil change in between services then the motor shits itself. Would your claim be knocked back because of the previous owner even if you have done the right thing?

Quite possibly, yes. Going "a couple of services" without an oil changes is potentially 30,000k between services - that's going to #### a motor in fairly short order.

The smartest thing to do would be to not buy a car with a **** service history - but that's common sense and there's not too much of that around these days...

Whether or not you're the original owner is irrelevant to whether or not the vehicle has been properly maintained.

There's a reason people promote service history when selling a vehicle, because a properly maintained one is desirable over one that isn't....

 

[milhouse]

Apparently Sam's Perfromance also has a license to operate as a Walkinshaw Dealer. So I've heard.