I have the motor out of my 95 Z and want to rebuild it with some quality parts. I am going to have a shop do the rebuild as I have never done it before and want it done right. There are many sites that have rebuilt kits for around $900 and wanted to know if there is a "better" or "best" one out there? I'm going to keep it stock but want it to last. Any ideas or just point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. The rebuild kit on Summitt Sealed Power CSMHP766-000 - Federal Mogul Premium Engine Rebuild Kits, sounds like the parts a shop in town uses, is this a good quality kit to put in a DD stock motor?

 

Why are you looking to rebuild it?

A kit like that can be filed under "adequate" but I wouldn't call it "quality"

You need to spend a fair amount of money to genuinely improve on the stock stuff. Also power is in the topend FAR FAR more than the bottom, don't go slapping together a cheap 355 and think it is a meaningful improvement with stock unported heads.

 

I'm rebuilding the motor because I lost oil pressure due to a blocked oil pick up screen. Spun a few bearings and just want to get it back together so I can sell it.

 

junkyard engine, I would run one of those if keeping the car before a cheap rebuild that would still cost more and likely be a step backwards.

 

Get some ARP bolts for the bottom end [rod bolts and main bolts] and have the crank turned/polished and the rods worked. If you can get away with new rings on the stock pistons, I'd do that over most budget aftermarket pistons and it'll save you money not boring it out.

Then get some good gaskets, thin ones for the heads to bump compression, and maybe some fresh valvetrain to match a nice aftermarket camshaft and you'll have a nice budget 380-400hp car.

Nevermind I just read you're going to sell it anyways. Building it right and building it to unload are typically two very different things.

-Dustin-

 

Yeah, unfortunately, I got to let the Z go. But it is for a good reason.... Have a baby on the way!

 

You know there is a thread on that subject in the lounge area.

If the car is paid for and cost basically nothing to hold onto then why sell it? The cash you get wont be much and wont go far.

I have two kids in diapers myself so I understand the situation. We talked about maybe getting rid of my car and getting a newer daily I could play with at a milder level but in the end we kept it and are happy.

 

Clevite77 bearings
Hastings racing rings
ARP Rod bolts

I spun a rod bearing and it was cheaper to buy another LT1 crank and have it polished than it was to have the stock crank turned, and I was able to use factory size bearings.

 

I know he wants to just get it together to sell, but a small heads up.

Just be careful if trying the above route. I don't see where the mains are line honed with the new bolts.

I needed replacement bolts to replace the windage tray bolts. I got an oil pan with a windage tray built in was the reason for needing the new bolts. I got some ARP's for my bottom end and it changed my clearances too much(as in too large) to leave them in the motor(without cutting down caps and line honing the mains). I ordered some stockers from GM and they corrected the problem. The heads and shoulders of the ARPs were different enough to cause a clamping difference. ARP did include a sheet that said a line hone may be necessary.

 

ive got a sealed power kit in my car its been used and abused for 10000 miles now

 

and tens of thousands of these things have done 200K on stock parts...................................

 

I think you confused people with these seemingly contradictory statements.

 

I appreciate the intent to put the car back together well before selling it.

Thing is IMO a junkyard engine is better than cheap aftermarket parts then put together by a cheap shop.

There is a LOT of aftermarket stuff that is inferior to stock and probably the majority of "machine shops" can't touch GMs machining quality. To genuinely improve on the stock shortblock cost money, it doesn't happen cheap.

 

Sorry if i confused anyone. I want to have the motor rebuilt to last. I dont want to sell it to someone else and have it take a dump on them. So I guess I want to have a quality stock rebuild done, so whoever buys it does not have the same problems I did. Although I will probably sell it after its all back together, I dont want to push a problem off on the new owner. Hope that helps clear it up a bit. Kind of an ethical thing I guess. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

 

Like I said I get that, but IMO a cheap rebuild kit and cheap machinework is a step backwards from stock.