I need to get a new engine, but where do i go?
 

** This post is a bit long **

hi, i am a new user here but i frequent other forums as a viewer.

ive recently had some work done to my 1996 Z28 camaro, mostly bolt ons:
BBK throttle body,
Aluminum intake elbow,
pace setter mid tube 1 5/8 headers
2 pumps (ac pump/Power steering pump)
Barnetts stage 1 clutch/aluminum flywheel
rear main seal replaced
front crank seal replaced
spark plugs replaced (AC Delco platinum)
spark plug wires replaced (MSD high heat wires)
distributor replaced (GM optispark OEM)
Fuel Pump Replaced (OEM)
Fuel Filter replaced
ALL fluids replaced (literally everything even rear diff+transfer case/tranny and radiator flush)
Water Pump replaced

and finally i get my car back and i notice a vibration in the cab that was never there before so i take it back to my mechanic and he cant figure out wtf its coming from and he drops my tranny (T-56) and everything and calls me in the next day and shows me my crank which is labeled as 20/20 when it should be 10/10.

i bought this car used and my crank is the wrong size and it has a random non stock cam that i cannot identify, that i dont even think is fr an LT1 i was under the impression when i purchased this car 5 months ago that it was stock, as far as the guts went. and its most apparently not, and ive been played for a fool =(

im just so fed up with this engine at this point that ive decided to just replace the thing, because selling it at this point would be wrong in my opinion because my crank is vibrating things loose because its the wrong size. and throw all my bolt ons back on a new block because getting it R&R'd and sent to a machine shop here in the 29 palms area would cost me almost 2800$

my question is, where can i get a reliable, remanufactured performance or stock engine for about 3,000$ (that is my budget) i want this car to be quick but i just dont know where to start and if a more experience user could point me in the right direction id really appreciate it. Im assuming removing and replacing the engine myself will save me alot of money which i can do at the autobody shop here on base (im a US marine, have been for 2.5 years) im also up for someone possibly giving me a list of compatible parts for a budget engine build, that is smoggable again my budget is 3,000$

if youd like to call me my number is 530 216 9623 im in 29 Palms CA.

thank you so much in advance

look into these guys their awesome got my engine from them. went to the local dealership to get it cause i got it for a better price.
http://www.jasperengines.com/index.php

do NOT go to jasper :no: we used to use them at my work but after 1 tranny that didn't shift right and 3 engines that came back to us cause they dropped a cylinder or had a bad head and reluctant to cover the labor and just bad customer service all together we no longer use them.

you can try victory or golen <sp?

jesus! ive heard good things andd bad things about jasper, and apparently they just are no good altogether, and their website was absolutely atrocious. thank you for the pointer? would you reccomend anyone in particular? im just very confused on where i should start.

and stock cam? or aftermarket..what about california smog

Golen? i have never heard of them, or victory. Which one is more cost effective?

I've read mixed reviews on Golen..

http://www.golenengineservice.com/html/lt1_lt4.html

Don't know about Victory..

http://www.victoryracingengines.com/...LTX&BLOCK=LONG

Golen is very expensive, Lingenfelter, for 9k gives you a fully built engine+tranny these guys want like 4-5k for just a long block.

Maybe golen is just that much better, but i cant break 3k =/ thats my budget any other ideas? and jasper is just as expensive. Youd think after 15 years LT1's wouldnt be like 5k+ still XD

in regards to this, Pin Driven or Spline Driven? whats the difference.

Just because the crank is marked .020/.020 does not mean anything is wrong with it. I think you need to do some more research. A vibration could just be a miss from something in the ignition system. With the limited diagnostic information posted, I think you might be jumping the gun.

For the f-body, spline drive optis were used from 93-94 and pin drive from 95-97.

i thought that it could possibly be a Crankshaft dampener, the vibration is most definately internal and on top of that, i thought it could possibly be the flywheel but thats aluminum and brand new as well, and my harmonic balancer is also new. Im just so fed up its rediculous

i want to throw this engine off a cliff right now. its not throwing codes and its not misfiring, i just cant explain the groaning vibration sound that i can hear in the cab when i accelerate. it makes no sense.

can you enlighten me on the crank being marked .020/.020?

and thank you for the info on pin/spline driven.

was the flywheel and clutch balanced correctly? also did the mechanic check the pilot bearing/bushing?

if the vibration has occurred after the flywheel/clutch swap i would start by checking the balance on the flywheel and clutch setup, and also check the pilot bearing..

also check the firing order on the plugwires for the heck of it..

i almost bet your flywheel/clutch assembly is out of balance for a stock bottom end...
when you ordered the flywheel did you get a neutral balanced flywheel?

as far as the engine being stock, they are not neutral balanced stock.... the balancer is neutral balanced, the flexplate/flywheel is not neutral balanced..

the crank being marked .020/.020 means the crankshaft has been reground to .020 under factory specifications and .020 main and rod bearings were used... your engine has been rebuilt at some point...

the bottom end is completely stock, and the flywheel and clutch where done by 2 different shops, the flywheel was done before i got the car, and the clutch was done here in town. There was no vibration until my clutch was taken out, and replaced and now there is

firing order on plugs is right.

how do i check if the flywheel/clutch are balanced, it feels like the vibration is coming from the right side.

Take the flywheel and clutch assembly to a machine shop. Have them check it. They can tell you how it was balanced.