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Mike Kelly's Zcar Project


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Lovin it!  Your car is proof that 18" wheels can look very good on an s30.  I also have 18's with bamf flares.  18x10 -40 fill the rear flares out perfectly, but the fronts, 18x9 -25, not so much.  I've got about 1"-1.5" left that needs to be filled, so I might just use spacers or order ZG's for the front.  Out of curiosity, what are the specs of your front wheels? 

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My fronts are zero offset 18X10.

 

My day and weekend were cut short. My car is still forcing oil out of the dipstick with to much crank case pressure. Frustrated is not even close to my current state. I got three laps in and had to bag it because of smoke coming out from under the car.

 

Mike

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My fronts are zero offset 18X10.

 

My day and weekend were cut short. My car is still forcing oil out of the dipstick with to much crank case pressure. Frustrated is not even close to my current state. I got three laps in and had to bag it because of smoke coming out from under the car.

 

Mike

There is some aspect WRONG in the engine rebuild project.  There should not be that much pressure in the crankcase.  Unless the oil is being slung from the crank up the dipstick.  I assembled a high performance 383 stroker and do not have that problem.  Used a big block high cap oil pump and racing pan with kickouts both sides in my build.  Have run it on a run in stand, with EFI, and had no problems.  The EFI is not near a final tune but the engine ran fine on the run-in stand with it.

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Well I don't know about the rings, because the shortblock was installed by someone else. The pan has a wind age tray so I don't think that is it. The crank evacuation tubes run straight from the valve covers now. Wondering if it is the check valves clogging.

 

I may buy a vacuum pump kit and give that a try.

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Put it in the trailer and bring it straight to the machine shop. The crankcase is definitely being pressurized somehow. I'm with Rsicard, something is not right with the rebuild and a leakdown test is in order. Let them do it, they built it.

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BTW, how did you break it in?

Newer honing techniques, and ring designs sometimes require rapid break-in methods. On my last several builds, I've used Total Seal's Quickseat dry film powder on the cylinder walls at final assembly, and after initial start and checking for no leaks or problems, immediately get the car out on the street and hammer the pedal under load. The idea is to rapidly wear in the rings by applying max combustion pressure to the back side of the rings with this method. It seems to work for me. My oil comsumption is low.

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We are home and unloaded. I will do a compression test in the coming days to see what is going on. Break in was 30 minutes run in stepping from 2500-3500, changing oil, running it a few more times with no load and changing the oil again. Couple weeks back I drove the car 1/4 mile to the gas station and back. First hard running time was at the track on Friday. At this point if it is the motor, it is not going back in.

 

I am seriously contemplating a change. I am sick, just SICK of missing track time after so many years fooling with this car. I have some decisions to make in the next few weeks, but I am pretty disgusted with the whole mess at this point.

 

Mike

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Just buy an ls series take out. Any ls series. Put it in the car with a dry sump and you are done for many years. Don't worry about squeezing the last bit of up out of the set up. Get it in the car and drive it. Later maybe swap a cam and intake or heads.

 

When that pukes put another take out in the car.

 

Good luck. Frustrating I know.

Edited by mark
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I will just state again what has been stated before ditch the 383 and buy ANY LS series. The money spent will be forgotten in about one 3 day DE. The feelng of missing so many track days just isn't worth it and honestly the money lost has to pay for a LS by now. We need longer vids!

 

Take a few days and think about it, unless there is any issue that the machine shop will be picking up the cost and labor I wouldn't sink anymore into this setup. Sometimes trying to get ever ounce of HP and track setup makes us miss the main goal - driving.

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I will just state again what has been stated before ditch the 383 and buy ANY LS series. The money spent will be forgotten in about one 3 day DE. The feelng of missing so many track days just isn't worth it and honestly the money lost has to pay for a LS by now. We need longer vids!

 

Take a few days and think about it, unless there is any issue that the machine shop will be picking up the cost and labor I wouldn't sink anymore into this setup. Sometimes trying to get ever ounce of HP and track setup makes us miss the main goal - driving.

There is NOTHING wrong about having a 383 SBC stroker! Displacement for displacement the SBC will be equal in HP and TQ to the LSx.  If the machine shop assembled the lower end, then they did something WRONG.  Do a leak down test.  NOT a compression test. With a leak down test it can be determined if it is truly piston rings or something else.  Disassemble the thing yourself after locating the leak to see if they busted a ring at installation or did something else wrong.  If they busted a ring or rings and the cylinders are not scored and still have the honing cross-hatch new rings and maybe a piston or two can be installed after checking weights of pistons coming out against what is going in.  Use that powder from Total Seal to assist new ring seating.  Only one way to make certain that is done right and that is to do it yourself.

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There is NOTHING wrong about having a 383 SBC stroker! Displacement for displacement the SBC will be equal in HP and TQ to the LSx.  If the machine shop assembled the lower end, then they did something WRONG.  Do a leak down test.  NOT a compression test. With a leak down test it can be determined if it is truly piston rings or something else.  Disassemble the thing yourself after locating the leak to see if they busted a ring at installation or did something else wrong.  If they busted a ring or rings and the cylinders are not scored and still have the honing cross-hatch new rings and maybe a piston or two can be installed after checking weights of pistons coming out against what is going in.  Use that powder from Total Seal to assist new ring seating.  Only one way to make certain that is done right and that is to do it yourself.

 

You have just proven my point. It has nothing to do with LSx vs 383, it is about time and money. Why keep throwing money and time at an engine that has not worked for how man years now? Not throwing shots at Mike here but why not buy something turn key from factory that will be just as good as the "built" 383. You are talking about numbers, and I am saying dollar for dollar the two just don't compare in the long haul.

 

Say it with me......turn key! =)

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Btw, show me 2 Hybridz guys who have had their LSx swapped cars break on them. My opinion is my opinion and doesn't count for a damn thing but personally 5 LS1 swapped S30 cars I have been around since 2007 and none have had issues and we are talking about cars that do see track time.

 

If the machine shop made a mistake and it won't cost you anything to fix then of course fix it..........if it will cost you money out of your pocket again, I would really have to think about it.

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