how is this build coming? any new updates?

 

It's in a holding pattern. Everything is getting powdercoated and I haven't had a chance to get the new short block yet. Should have some updates soon-ish!


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gotcha,bet the new powder coating is going to look nice!

 

He's shown me a couple of sample colors and they all looked great. I gave him complete creative control so I have no idea what's going to happen. I need to get my sh*t together so I'm ready for everything once it's done, but I've been travelling a lot lately and haven't had any down time.

 

I've been meaning to ask, how's the welder holding up?

 

Haven't used it since the hot side construction, but it did great.

Also got the motor out. #2 rod bearing went south, but everything else looked ok.

#ad



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sounds like an easy rebuild then! Back on the streets in no time lol.

 

Hah! Maybe. How's yours coming?


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Still sitting since I took it to the track, I'm hoping to get back to the track in march so I need to get on it and get the boost control up and running. Always so much going on so I pretty much have to take days off from work to get anything done on it.

 

I understand. It seems to be going the same way for me, although after this weekend I should have most of my traveling out of the way for a while.

 

wonder what happened with the particular bearing/main? think clearance was too tight possibly?

 

No, definitely not too tight. The clearances were all on the edge of being loose. I think it was too much timing/not enough octane


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oh ok, can the crank be turned and used again?

I was thinking you got another shortblock as well

 

Yep, sticking a different short block in. But the journal looked fine, which i thought was odd considering what the bearing looked like


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Oh no! Just got a chance to read up on what's been going on, sorry bout the bad luck man. Glad you have a plan B in action to get it back on the road

 

Need to be working on plan "LS" I joke I joke. What was the boost/timing at? 91 octane?

Keep it up man, looks like maybe you hammered that 1 bearing due to detonation. May have found your lean cylinder there? Drop timing 5 degrees and richen it up a tad and do it all over again! Good luck...

 

Thanks guys! It'll definitely be getting less timing and E85


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one or the other, e85 is this magical stuff that actually likes timing. at the end of this year i was like fuck it i need a new shortblock anyway lets see what more timing does. i went from 19 to 24* at 15 lbs of boost and went from 9.20's to 8.80's in the 1/4. the tired motor survived. about the same time my buddy had gathered most of the parts to build a 6.0 and went to see where the stock 5.3 would pop. it ended up with 21* timing at 20lbs of boost and wouldnt die, i did however keep it on the rich side though at 10.5:1 afr.

 

Really depends on the rest of the combo and the pre/post tune. Hate to hear people suggest throwing timing at a motor just because you swapped to E85. It is 100% not true that E85 will need more timing on every setup. Not saying some won't benefit... but leave your timing low always. Dial in your AFR and boost, then watch plugs close and bump timing in slowly.

I've had combos that were tuned so well on pump gas (IE not relying on low timing to stay out of detonation and not running so rich that they needed huge amounts of advance to burn the mixture.) that they made no additional power with added timing on E85.

 

im not disagreeing with you, but i guess my point didn't get across. im saying ethanol is more forgiving for detonation than pump gas. in the case of the 5.3 i achieved or got close to mbt timing on e85. going from 15 -17 timing knocked .2 off 1/4 times. then i asked my friend if he cared if the motor blew, the answer came back no. i added 1 degree at a time till the car didn't get faster. that was 21* timing at 20lbs. i honestly didn't think it would get there and survive. sloppy mechanics has blown many ls engines with less timing and boost on pump gas, which i was basing my timing off of since they have done destructive testing.

im not saying add a pile of timing but if timing was close or borderline on gas it should be safe on ethanol. instead look at the injectors, the only engine failure i have ever had has been a partially plugged injector screen where flow fell off at higher duty cycles, a simple cleaning and new piston and it was back on the above mentioned 5.3