i am going to install a cc503 in my car 97 formula. car has 140000 miles . runs fine,no smoke,no oil usage,good compression, very fast well taken care of stock car. if i pull engine out can i just put in new cam bearings,rod bearings,main bearings,and rings and put it back together? or will it need machine work? i am taking heads off for valve job & seals.also have 1.6 rockers,new springs, longtubes,hardened pushrods ,new timing chain, i have a lift so to do work easier to just drop engine.

 

If you are taking the engine out why don't you go all the way. I.e. if you are going to have a valve job, hopefully you will have the heads, at least, pocketed. And as long as you are goning to have the heads done why not have the block cleaned and checked, especially if the same shop is going to be doing the heads and you are doing bearings and rings, etc.? When the engine is out you might as well do it up right. JMHO

 

the reason i'm taking engine out is because i think it's easier to do cam and long tubes with engine out. i have a lift so that will be easier than taking engine apart in car. i have owned a lot of cars but i believe this is one of the tightest to work on i have owned. plus i can pressure wash engine and clean everything so i can try and keep install as clean as possible. i was just going to do cam and long tubes, but since the engines out might as well get a 3 angle valve job. i talked to some shops about redoing shortblock and the prices are all over the place. thats why i was asking can i just replace bearings. and reuse my stock crank,pistons,rods.

 

If I were pulling the block and I had the cash I would have the block hot tank'd, rods (if need be) reconditioned, and have everything checked out by a shop. If the crank or rods need work, they'll do it and let you know what size rod and main bearings you need.

 

if i had the cash to spare i wouldn't be doing it myself, or i would buy a new one. i don't know about you guys, but money is tightning up. lots of lay offs,no overtime. i just want to freshen my car so i can keep it running good. put cam in to make it sound good.

 

unless you have a cam bearing install tool you will be taking it to a machine shop for atleast that much

 

a guy i work with has all the special tools that are needed. he has a big block and doesn't know that much about lt1.

 

Your plan makes sense to me, but I would add that you need to look it over carefully and even if the cylinder walls are in good shape, at least get a light hone to allow your new rings to seat. Also, put in a new oil pump and oil pump drive shaft and have the crank polished unless the journals look pristine. That's equivalent to the basic "freshen up" I do for a race motor every season. The key is to look carefully at everything for signs of incipient problems and fix them before they lead to a bigger problem later. Another thing to check carefully is the lifters. Make sure the rollers turn smoothly, etc.

Rich

 

Read this before you hone.http://www.snowvalley.20m.com/bikes/dnthone.htm