We first tried updating the PVC to the new Z06 unit and that did not work.  Next was to bypass the PVC by installing a filter type device to see if oil is being sucked up that way.  I was asked to drive the car for about 1000 miles and then we would check it again.  After about two days, the dealer called me back and said that GM was going to replace the entire motor and that they also wanted to buy my Halltech Tric intake!

This triggered a whole chain of events and possibilities!  A new motor sitting on a crate, hmmmm, I could sure go hog wild and save a bundle in labor in the process.  I first needed to clear what I wanted to do with Cliff Kemp, the Lee Johnson Chevy service manager.  Since Cliff is a avid hot rod kind of guy, he understood and okayed every thing I wanted to do.  Only problem now was that Lee Johnson Chevy really did not have any techs on hand that could do what I needed.  With Cliff's approval, they dropped the motor off at Brads Custom Auto in Lake City.  Christian, is the man over at Brads Custom Auto, he does most all of the hot rodding for the Corvette and Mustang owners around here.

My initial plan was to just do a cam, headers and Z06 clutch.  So I picked up a Crane cam, TPIS long tube headers and a Z06 clutch/flywheel assembly.  Christian was working on the engine still when I called and inquired about the progress.  This was a Tuesday and he told me over the phone that the motor was not done since they were waiting for parts.  Parts!  WTF!  I know we did not need any parts to do these mods, but Christian had pulled the factory heads to install/adjust the cam.  Hmmm, now my brains a turning again.  Since Brads Custom Auto is going to make me pay for the new head bolts and gaskets ($133), there was no way I was going to pass up this opportunity.  I immediately got on the phone to MTI and asked about availability of their Stage III heads....two weeks!  Crap, I need this babies right away, so I am on the horn again, but who do I call.  Lingenfelter?  Naw, I got it, Doug Rippie Motorsports!  These guys really know what their doing, so Vaughn hooks me up with set of their heads from their top end package.  He ships those bad boys out to me 2nd day air and boom....now my engine is ready to go!  

Since the engine is installed from the bottom, there was no way to install the headers ahead of the engine install, so these pictures show the new engine with the stock manifolds.  The header install was later, so those pictures are at the end of this page.

Based on the past performance gains of my mods (Tric intake 17 rwhp, Borla XR-1 exhaust 8 rwhp).  I am anticipating 25-30 rwhp from the DRM heads, 10-15 rwhp from the cam, 15-20 rwhp from the TPIS headers.  Assuming a base dyno of 305 for the motor (my last motor had a base line of 308) I am  looking at 380 rwhp or 447 crank hp.  According to DRM, the rwhp rating is from a stock motor (no mods) so in combination with the other mods I have, the actual rwhp gain could be more.  Of course, I am not counting my chickens before their hatched, only the dyno will tell for sure what this motor is going to be putting to the wheels, but I will have to wait for that since the motor needs to be broken in first.  Steve Cole is programming a PowerLoader for me, so here is another item to figure into the rwhp calculation.  Not sure what to expect (hp wise) from the PowerLoader, but I have seen other Corvetteforum members net 10 rwhp with it.  So maybe 390 to the wheels?  Can't wait to get this on the dyno!!!!!

Ok, here we go with the pictures.  The first picture shows the Crane Cam as it was shipped to me.  The cam should be good for 10-15 rwhp (it's kind of on the conservative side, remember I was not originally going to install ported heads). The other pictures show the TPIS long tube headers, these bad boys have 1 3/4" primaries and should net 15-20 rwhp.  The engine could not be installed with these on it, so they will be installed later.

On to the build of the new engine!

This first picture is the LS1 crate motor before any work was done to it.  The 2nd picture shows the rear of the motor with the old clutch installed and the new Z06 unit just to the left.  The 3rd picture shows the back of the motor with the new Z06 clutch installed.

This picture shows the motor with the exhaust manifold and coil packs removed.  The next picture shows the motor with the intake manifold and valve covers removed.  The last picture shows you some internal details with the valve covers removed.

The first picture here shows the engine completely disassembled and all the parts as removed.  The next picture shows the motor minus heads, coil packs etc.  The last picture here shows the stock heads with the lifters and retainers removed.

The first picture here shows the front of the engine with the harmonic balancer and water pump removed.  The 2nd picture shows the motor with the front cover removed.  The last picture shows you the old cam and other old parts.  Notice the new hydraulic roller rockers...yea baby!

This is the front of the engine minus the cam gear, cam retainer and of course the camshaft.  Here we are installing the new Crane cam.  This last picture gives you a side by side comparison of the combustion chamber, the DRM head is on the left and the stock head on the right.

This picture gives you a side by side comparison of the exhaust ports, the DRM head on the left and the factory head on the right.  The next picture is also a side by side comparison of the intake ports with the DRM head on the left again.  The last picture is another picture of the DRM intake ports

This last picture is the completed motor with the TPIS long tube headers installed.  Because of installation problems with the engine, the stock exhaust manifolds were put back on the engine for installation, the headers in this picture were only put on to take some pictures.  The headers will be going on soon.

Since GM bought my old multi-piece HallTech Tric and nylon MAF ends (which, btw netted me an impressive 17 rwhp), I gave my friend Jim Hall a ring and he sent me out one of his new one piece Tric's and a set of aluminum MAF ends.  This one piece Tric is a impressive improvement over the multi piece unit .  The new wedge filter is also quite impressive.  Jim has this system packaged up very well, he even includes a hole cutter, a pattern and complete instructions!  Way to go Jim!  This is the best bang for the buck mod you could do to your C5.  Ok, back to the other pictures.  The 2nd picture shows my C5 up in the air and the old motor being prepped for removal.  The engine drops out the bottom along with most of the suspension.  The last picture here is just a table full of parts that had to be removed before the engine could be dropped out.

This pictures show my new motor (after the mods) you can see the Z06 clutch/flywheel in the first picture.  This is pretty much how GM ships these babies, minus only a few items, but for the most part it is complete.

The cat's and center section of my exhaust needed to be removed before the motor could be dropped.  The 2nd picture here shows the old motor being prepped for removal, if you look close, you will see the small PVC bypass filter that I talked about at the top of this page.  The red hoses were sent to me by Jim Hall and are used for the throttle body coolant bypass.  The last picture here shows the front suspension being prepped for removal.

This first picture is just another of the engine being prepped for removal.  The 2nd & 3rd  picture's are underside shots of the engine bay minus the engine.

This first shot shows the inside of the engine compartment (from below), the other pictures show the old motor freshly removed from the car.

More pictures of the old motor and front suspension as removed from the Corvette.

New motor installed and almost ready to go!

More pictures and driving impressions coming soon.  Stay tuned!