the GTA is leaking oil very badly and so it's time to pull it and replace gaskets. it's mostly stock right now other than CAI and headers.

so other than a gasket set, if i want to do some small performance what should i do? this needs to be a in and out kind of thing so i'm not removing the heads to save time.

 

I would probably atleast put an oil pump in it. Might even put bearings in it. Can easily be done without pulling the heads.

 

Timing chain, and if you have the time, valve seals

 

this is what i would do, since they tend to leak oil and since changing headgaskets is EASY on these engine i would do so. there are questions you need to ask yourself, does it hold oil pressure? does it get hot? does it stay cool? does it make any noises at cool start? or running warm anything?

pull motor, pull intake , pull timing cover, pull pan, pull heads, bam all hard work aside now the fun starts. get a set of gaskets from autozone (felpro) and head bolts, then check timing chain to make sure it doesnt have to much slack, then i would take a scotch brite pad and a razor and clean all gasket surfaces! even with mineral spirits.first change rear and front seals, then put timing cover on and torque to spec, then put new oilpan gasket on and torque to spec. then i would put the heads on going from center to outer bolts go from 25lb, 50lb then to 75lb and call it a day on the heads, then change intake gaskets and it will be like haveing a crate engine. well not exactly but you get the idea. just think while your there why not put a lil time into her and make her last alot longer! and it is all fairly simple. upgrades you coule do at this point. a cam, poorting heads, new valves and make sure to replace valveseals, port oyurintake man oyu can do so much while your there.

 

this is what i would do for upgrades, i would put ls7 lifters in it, lt1 cam, set of headers, and ported heads. bam there you go you got a healthy sounding car with a lil mor umf. not talking 450horses! but maybe like 275-285 something like thatthats enough to have fun in though

 

If it were me and I am prone ot wanting to do performance upgrades from time to time.... I'd put a two-piece timing cover on it so you can swap the cam without lowering the pan in the future - especially now that you're pulling it to replace the oilpan gasket and front/rear main seals.

Otherwise I'd just leave it be. Replace the gaskets and go home. I wouldn't touch any bottom end bolts unless you wanted to go through alot of trouble to freshen it up. You never know how much the bolts have stretched, clearances have widened, etc... I'd leave em where they are. I've never heard of an oil pump failing aside from some of the new mellings that are prone to cracking, but just look at it, if it looks fine I"d leave it. This is definitely a case whre if it aint broke I'd leave it the hell alone.

 

I only see the word "gaskets" being used without any specificity.

It would be helpful of the OP would elaborate.

If it's just the oil pan gasket then why yank the engine?

If it's the intake gasket then again, why yank the engine?

But, if the engine is leaking, and the OP really wants to yank it, then there is no way that i would not also replace

seals
head gasket
valve seals
timing set
oil pump
oil pressure sensor

if auto tranny then the front pump seal on that.

there's no better time than when the engine is out. An extra day of inconvenience is well worth it.

 

You didn't mention the miles on the engine, but this is what I would do if I were you and the engine was out.

-used LT1 cam
-new double roller or true roller timing set
-new rod bearings
-new poly engine mounts

The reason I am not worried too much about the rest, is that everything else can be done with the engine in the car pretty much as easy as it can be done out. Heads and head gaskets, and valve springs, can easily be done with the engine in the car.

Your car is a MAF system car, so the cam will work well and not give you too much tuning trouble. Later on when you DO pull the heads, you can put those "beehive" valve springs in.

Good luck man!