Engine Rebuild

[NHRA21]

Hi everyone,
I am new to GTPs. I just picked up a 2000 GTP and it has a rod knock. I will be removing the engine for rebuild this weekend. I know that I will need a new crank and possibly a couple of connecting rods(or have them resized). I plan on running a ball hone down the cylinders, new bearings, oil pump, timing chain and gears, piston rings, and water pump. The car is bone stock with 107k miles and will be my daily driver. Is there anything else I should do to the engine while it is out? Also, I know I can get most of the parts at NAPA, but is there a better place to get the parts?

[matt5112]

timing chain tensioner.

perhaps a new oil pan depending on how thats doing.

Soemone is going to say "cam".

VS cam is a good idea if its a DD and you wanted just a little more "go". Don't need to change the springs if you're keeping the stock shift points of 5800 rpm.

[NHRA21]

Matt5112,
Thanks for the input. I had forgotten the tensioner. I am glad you pointed that out.
The oil pan looks fine, with the exception of all of the bearing material inside of it
I am trying to stay away from putting a cam in it. I am sure that it would make my right foot even happier, but unless there is an issue with the stock ones, I am going to leave it alone. Unless I think about it too much

[matt5112]

Fair enough.

If you need a new rod look up morad parts. He should be able to get you one or two if you need them.

Only other things I can think of are lifters. $120 for a set of OEM LS7 lifters if you wanted to replace those while everything is apart. Those are the same lifters that came in your engine.

Oh and the oil pressure relief valve.

Go to the dealer and ask for the valve, spring and gasket for an 04-08 Grand prix 3.8L.

That'll bump your oil pressure up around 5-10 psi, then 5w30 is the recommended oil.

Same thing ZZP sells for $28 for $5 at the dealer: http://zzperformance.com/grand_prix/...=219&catid=109

[machinegunsquid]

Im in the same boat pretty much, starting to rebuild my motor.
Taking it to a machine shop to get it decked, heads ported, and cylinders honed.

Isn't it a good idea to get the block align bored too??

Replace all the gaskets, all new bearings, and make sure everything it torqued to spec.
Dont reuse any of the TTY bolts.
And Cam it...
that what I'm doing, going with the VS cam, since its my DD.

Also...Be a good idea to paint the block/heads/powdercoat them.
Just not black, that way you can easily see any leaks.

Good luck with the rebuild.

[matt5112]

i believe thats only necessary if you use comp cams rod bolts.

If you use GM TTY you dont need to do that.

Could be totally wrong on that one.

[machinegunsquid]

Haha...thats awesome XD

Could mean the difference between spinning a bearing, or not...meh!?

lol, thanks tho.

Figure I'd rather have everything up to snuff before I throw it back in...try to make this one last more than 1.5 years....

[Reptile]

You don't need to get it line bored if you're using the TTY bolts. It is recommended if you're using main studs though, because that can actually pull your block out of true.

[NHRA21]

Matt5112 - That is a great trick for the oil pressure valve. As for the lifters, do you think that they should be replaced, or are you thinking I might as well do them just because.

MachineGunSquid- I am skipping the machine shop for this build unless I find a problem. I know that many companies use TTY bolts in the head, but you are saying that they are in the rods as well? I tend not to reuse TTY bolts because they stretch when installed and I have been told that they don't stretch the same the second time. Powercoating the block is out. hat would be a real pain. I know I have some POR15 paint around here somewhere that I can paint it with. Maybe silver, like my other blower motor.

Reptile - Interesting information. I don't play on studding it at this time, but I will keep that information handy for future builds.

Thanks,
NHRA21

PS - That VS cam is looking pretty good....

[matt5112]

lifters are probably fine.

Its more of a "since you're in there" item.

Same with the pressure valve.

[machinegunsquid]

Yeah, Im going to have to replace my lifters, because a few of them had damage.
Which the cam has damage too, so why not go ahead and get an aftermarket cam, and make it a little more fun.

Not planning on doing any studs, just TTY bolts.

Other question.
Before the LIM goes on, should I go ahead and wash down the lifter valley?

And once it's run for 100miles or so, go ahead and do an oil change.

[TheOtherNick]

Yeah I would wash down the lifter valley never hurts.

[Reptile]

If the motor is spotless, I'd put lubriplate on the lifters, where the pushrods meet the lifters, and then pour a little oil on everything just for good measure.

The reason not to use TTY bolts over, is because they do stretch, and they never torque the same way again. You can actually take an old bolt, and roll the thin part on a table, and you can see how the bolt is pulled out of being straight. So the torque readings won't be right, and on the rods, you're gonna have to be dead nuts on.

[machinegunsquid]

Yeah, Not gonna reuse the old tty bolts, just gonna get new ones.

Thanks for all the advice so far Reptile.

[Reptile]

No probs man. Anyone that can follow directions can build a motor. Whoever says you can't tear into these things and make them last a long time doesn't have faith in their abilities.

[NHRA21]

So I finally finished tearing down my engine last night. What a mess. The number three connecting rod bearing was so bad, it overlapped its self on the crank. The cam bearings have copper showing, so it looks like new bearings and cam. Guess I am going with VS cam afterall, along with new lifters. At this point, I am figuring that I might as well replace the pistons as they would be the only item left from the factory.
One of the things I was thinking about is putting the NA pistons in it to increase the compression. Anyone have thoughts on that? I want the car to be reliable when I am done and that is my primary concern. If this is going to be a bad idea or if it is going to weaken the drivetrain, I will pass.

[goldgp]

I am not 100% on this but i think the na has more compresion cause the crank has diferent throws.Or the rods are longer, one or the other.

[Bio248]

rods and pistons are different, that's it.

[Reptile]

I think you'll be happier if you just stick with the old pistons provided they don't look damaged.

[NHRA21]

The oil rings are coked and the black coating on the piston skirt is almost gone. I just don't want to go through all this work and have a piston slap issue down the road. I am also realized that the rings are move down the piston on the blown motors, so I suspect that I may want to stay with the blower pistons. I think the wrist pins may also be bigger.