Northstar Z update

[Guest JAMIE T]

Well, I found a complete engine, no harness or ECM. Cheap-$450. For that price, I am just going to buy it and just lower it in place and see what happens from there. The engine is a 2000 model and has a casting date of 9/99. It was a new car take out, dealer said "It had a noise". Don't know the culprit but it is so new that it doesn't have hardly any soot/carbon in the exhaust ports, and the oil is still golden colored. It was taken from a car that was in the showroom. So even the with the $450 purchase price, I could rebuild the engine and still be ahead. The worst I think it could be is a lifter tapping or a rod knocking, probably with only a few hours run time, there can't be but so much damage. I should be picking up my Z this Saterday, after that, I will be scouring the yards for a 2.8 V6 T5 bell housing and a trans. This might be dumb question, but do all of the T5's have the same bolt pattern were they bolt to the bell housing? I have an older one out of a mustang. The engine was wierd looking with two different colored valve covers, one is silver and one is black? I guess they did not want to waste the pretty silver paint on a cover that was covered up. I guess by now you have realzed that I am not going to put the Vorteched 302 in my Z. With the Vortech I would have to run the 87-93 style intake which is going to be a tight fit(My Vortech intake is taller than stock 5.0) So for the money I can get for my combination on the black market, I can fool around with the Northstar for a long time

 

And I think you for your support,

Jamie

[jimzdat]

Jamie--I have seen a couple of Northstar motors with "a funny noise"--first things you want to check are all the bearings (yes, I'm staing the obvious) but then look at the cam assembly; they had a problem for awhile with cams that would wear prematurely and cause odd noises

 

Jim

[randy 77zt]

it might be hydralic cam followers -when motor runs for a while it might go away.