My car is burning oil. I'm not sure if it's the rings or the valve seal guides. The engine runs ok right now, but the burning oil is starting to get annoying. I've been going through about a quart ever two weeks. Because of the oil consumption and the engine could use a major tune/rebuild anyway, I'm wondering: should I rebuild my L98 or swap in an LT1/LS1? My budget isn't huge but it isn't small. I can adjust my budget to whatever I decide to do, but I would like to do whatever option is the cheapest so I can upgrade headers/exhaust/cat/suspension/etc.
My goals for the car when I got it were 325HP to the wheels and 375TQ. If i get 15+/- HP/TQ of my goal I will be satisfied. I'm not trying to make this strictly a track car I just want a fast, fun daily that I can enjoy for years to come. Anyone have any advice on this situation? Additionally, I can't do the rebuild myself since I work everyday 07-1630+ everyday, and would like to know how much I can expect to pay for a swap. I have a friend who has a shop that will do the rebuild, and bore the engine over .30 for $125/day. Is that a reasonable price? Or am I getting ripped off. ANY ADVICE IS GREAT. Thank you!!

 

Cheapest is rebuild the L98 probably. hp/$$ cheapest is LT1 up to 400hp. hp/$$ cheapest 400+hp is LS family.

 

how much would it cost (approximately) to do an engine swap?

 

As said -Obviously, the cheapest route will be to rebuild what you have. You need to define "fast" for everyone…should be fairly easy to get 375 HP/Tq out of a 350.
The engine you have can do that…but the definition of "Fast" is very different than it was say...10 years ago. If you're looking for fast stop light to stop light, you could build a nice 383 with 400 plus ftlbs of RWTQ and it'll be fun and pretty darn reliable…and cheaper IMO than swapping to a LS overall. But - that TPI you have will always limit how far you can go with the 350.

There's literally tons of threads about LS swaps all over this forum…I suggest you do a bunch of searching and calculating to see what suits your budget better. If you want a better platform that'll make more power, be much easier on gas and be reliable…I'd go with the LS swap. You can do the swap the right way, but it won't be cheap…..or you can do the swap cheaply, but it won't be right. Pick one….

Think real hard of what you want this car to be…not just tomorrow but 5 years down the road. If you plan on building the power up even more in the future to keep up with the 425 HP Mustangs and 470 HP Challengers…better do the LSX swap now. If that's not your goal, and you want a nice weekend car then rebuilding what you have makes more sense….IMO…but it's your car, your call!

 

If all you wanna do is fix the oil burning, I'd strongly recommend changing out the valve guide seals first. No sense in spending $$$1000s when $50 will do the trick.

 

Maybe I should look into fixing the valve seals/rings (how will I know which one it is?) and save for an LS1 swap instead...

 

I didnt think it was possible for valve seals to lose THAT much oil. seems kind of crazy. Does it smoke more out of the tailpipe if you go wide open throttle from a stop? Or when you are cruising and let off the gas completely and let it engine brake? Not definitive, and you may not even be able to tell at all. But if you can... first would, I would imagine, indicate bad piston rings, and the latter would suggest bad valve seals. But I doubt you'll be able to tell. Maybe have a friend follow you?

Piston rings are build time. Valve seals are an afternoon and some goofy tools.

 

Valve guide seals can lose ALOT of oil.

Easiest way to tell whether the seals are "it" or not, is to just .... change em out.

When in doubt, swap em out. Say that out loud.

Next most likely thing would be intake gaskets. The bottom of the ports DIRECTLY adjoins oil. They frequently fail there; which connects vacuum and oil. Not hard to figure out where that leads.

Rings ALMOST NEVER go SO bad that they burn oil severely, without also leaving all manner of other symptoms in their tracks as well. I'd suggest ruling those out. Forget that they even exist. Concentrate on the LIKELY things first. (especially since the LIKELY things are also the CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP things)

Keep in mind also that about half of the work of changing out the intake gaskets, is already being done while changing out the seals; and vice-versa. Might be a good idea to just make an afternoon of it and slay all the dragons in the land all at one stroke.

 

He can do a leakdown test or at least a compression test while he's doing all that I imagine. Should tell you a lot about the health of the engine by itself.

 

It only makes smoke when it sits a while before it's started or when I open up the throttle a little more aggressive than normal. It smokes really bad in the morning, I usually leave in a giant cloud of blue smoke. Which cylinder should I do the rest on?

 

Sounds like a classic case of bad valve seals to me. You don't just change one or two valve seals...change them all.

 

I actually meant which cylinders should I do the test on. I've been recently learning to work on my Car. I started simple (oil change, filters, radiator flush, etc) and now I'm getting into more complex stuff (i.e. Replaced radiator, rotor, distributor cap, spark plugs, spark plug wires, etc) do you think I could change the valve stem seals myself?

 

Do a test on all cylinders...you could do a dry/wet compression test which will tell you the condition of the rings, and you could also do a leak down test which tells you the condition of the valve seats.

You need an air compressor to do the leak down testing. You only need a compression tester to do a compression test...and a decent battery. You could change out the valve seals yourself, but you'll need to remove the springs (spring compressor) and you need to either connect an air hose to keep the valves from dropping down into the cylinder, or I've heard of others using a short piece of rope and bringing the piston near TDC to keep the valves from dropping....

I suggest searching around to see how it's done to determine if you feel comfortable doing it yourself...

 

I've done some research and I'm kind of 50/50 on doing the valve seals myself. Additionally, I want more power, and if I End up having someone do the valve seals, since they're already Working on the engine I might as well have them rebuild the engine and bore it over .30, etc.
On a side note, my neighbor is selling a 5.3 LS engine and trans for $2k with headers, exhaust. The only down side is I would need to pay someone to swap in (since the car is my daily driver and I work 40+ hours a week) and I haven't found too many reputable shops here in LV. Opinions?

 

That's quite the leap right there...

Are you REALLY saying that if you're going to pay somebody 4 hours of labor and $60 of parts, plus whatever might-as-wells they stumble across in the process like hoses or ignition parts or whatever, then you "might as well" pay them 20 times as much labor and parts, to do something you don't need done? That doesn't pass the common sense test.

Valve guide seals and intake gaskets is something YOU can, and should, do YOURSELF. It should take you no more than a weekend, and probably ALOT less than that; and a minimal investment in tools. The "specialty" ones you need (valve spring compressor) you can "rent" for nothing from AZ or Advance or wherever.

We all work 40+ hrs per week; it's part of being an adult. You can do it if you put your mind to it, same as the rest of us. Go ahead and give it a yank.

If this car is your daily driver, you don't need to be swapping motors and all that, if you have to pay somebody to do it; or, unless you make enough money to be able to afford either ALOT of taxi rides, or a backup car. And with a car this old, you need to learn how to work on it ANYWAY, as it's actually AN ANTIQUE now in most states (25 yrs old). Crossroads and decision time.

 

If/When I change the valve stem seals, should I change the rocker arms/springs too?
I called a few shops around LV (some big name, some mom and pop) and the average quote I got for the valve stem seals was ~$600 to change them. I got a quote from a pretty well known shop here that said they would rebuild the engine (with my supplied parts) for ~$1500. That's where I got to thinking, since it might already cost me $600 might as well go all the way and get the engine rebuilt and bored, since I want more power anyway.

Additionally, my neighbor is selling a 5.3 LS and 4L60e for $2000. Any opinions on swapping that in? How much does an engine swap cost (labor wise)?

 

Springs, yes, especially since there's zero extra labor involved (you simply reach to a different spot to pick up the ones you put back on); given the cam that's there now, the rockers can stay.

"Rebuild the engine with parts" for $1500 doesn't mean what I think you think it does. What it means is, they will take your VERY NICE roller 350 block with VERY NICE late-model heads as a core, and give you back the cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepest thing they can give you; which will be, a 70s non-roller block, with 70s smogger heads, a 70s smogger turd cam, "rebuilder" pistons that would be 8.2:1 AT BEST except that since they will have the extra .020" of deck clearance that such things do the end result will be a CR well below 8:1. In short, a 160 HP phone company van replacement smogger turd fully downgraded to the cheeeeeepest of the cheeeeeeeeep in every possible way. It WILL NOT be anywhere near as good a motor as what you have now, let alone "more power". You will get the absolute cheeeeeeeepest of the cheeeeeeeeeeep, slapped together at as low a cost as possible, etc. etc. etc.

Very very very different from "rebuild my motor with more power".

And then of course, that doesn't include installation; or any of the "might-as-well"s that go along with a new engine. New water pump, new ignition parts, belts, hoses, and on and on and on and on. Let alone, the installation labor.

In the end, if you go down THAT road, you will have a 20,000 mile el cheeeeeepo POS smogger motor, with at least 50 HP less than what you have now; and your bank account will be AT LEAST $3000 lighter; and you won't have your L98 core any more. IOW, no going back.

Change out your valve guide seals and intake gaskets yourself; it's just not that hard; set aside the cheeeeeeeeeep engine pipe dreams.

 

Doing an LS swap is eazy/hard

All of the parts are available but getting all the electronics done properly can be a hassle unless you have a best friend who does wiring professionally...

If you want to make this car fun/reliable..i'd do a RamJet 350 crate engine.. It will run $5,000+ but it results in a strong, perfectly tuned, fuel injected engine.. You drop it in, supply 12 volts and connect your fuel lines...viola... Of course..you can buy a nice used compact car for that kind of money but then this website wouldnt exsist now would it...

After having 5 different engine combos in my IROC.. A RamJet 350 sounds really nice.. Even with a 150 shot of nitrous for fun times...

 

" In short, a 160 HP phone company van replacement smogger turd"

Hahahaha he's for real.. My jasper 350 that replaced my 305 was a mega dog turd.. It seriously was a crap-tastic 70's dump truck engine with 8.25:1 pistons, flat tappet POS..

 

Hahahahahahaha. That was very humorous and informative! I was unaware that during a rebuild they gave you a different engine.

All jokes aside, I really just want my car to run well and have 325-375Hp/TQ to the wheels. I don't care what I have to do to attain that goal. If I could do it on my L98, great, if I have to save and do a swap, so be it.
What's your opinion on the TPIS miniram? Would it get me close to my goal?

Also, my neighbor (the same one selling his engine) has an ebay turbo on his 01 SS and he said he's been running it for 20K+ miles at 15psi. I've been researching and found a few people that have turbo'd their L98s and made some good power. Turbo daily driver? I would only want to run approx. 6-8lbs of boost to keep it safe/practical. Opinions?

 

I work the same 40+ hours a week, with a 16 month old daughter and my son on the way. If I can have the carb/intake/heads off in about an hour or so dragging *** juggling my daughter and my pregnant wife lol then I'm sure you can tackle this. My car is also my DD with the occasional borrowing the wife's car when it's raining. I've never had my car in the shop unless it was for something I didn't have the correct tools to do myself(a/c work..etc), I work at a shop and I can't understand how customers can even afford to get work done here lol.

 

TPIS MiniRam..

Intake manifolds don't make power.. They allow power to be made based on your engine size/heads/cam. Intake manifolds just dictate where in the rpm range your peak power will be made. TPI engines make big atQ snd choke horsepower MiniRams kill bottom end power and allow higher rpm power. Power that stock heads/cam don't appreciate.

Adding all of these parts are useless if you can't tune or alter the engines fuel and timing demands. Can you tune a TPI ecm? I still dont know any TPI tuners...

Stop talking power adders if you aren't willing to change an intake gasket/valve seals.

 

Yeah when you buy a "$1500 rebuilt motor", that's not, they take out our motor, lovingly optimize it etc., and drop it back in.

No.... they hand you an already-built motor in a plastic bag, and charge you $200 or something for your core. You get the core charge back when you turn in your core.

For the absolute bottom-$$$$ motor, which is what a $1500 one will be, you will get a stock cast crank (442 casting); the block will be some random 70s - 80s generic 4" bore block; it will be punched out .060" (because that way, they don't have to "check" ANYTHING, they just jam the bar through it and if it hits water they throw it away - costs less to do it that way than to "check" ANYTHING at all); it will have the cheeeeeeeepest of the cheeeeeeeeeeeep cast "rebuilder" pistons in it, with at least 12cc and more likely 18cc dish; the pistons will have an extra .020" of deck clearance above stock (stock, the pistons come up to about .025 - .035" below the deck, but the ones you will get will be at least .020" lower than that, which reduces the compression even more), because that way it's impossible for them not to "fit" (again, that way they don't have to "check" ANYTHING, they just run it down the production line and slap all the same crap into every one as it goes by); it will have a 929 "replica" cam in it (flat-tappet, .390"/.410", 194°/204° more or less, the cam that came in every single smogger motor made throughout the 70s); the heads will be random whatever is laying around in the head casting heap, might or might not even be the same casting # let alone a "pair", will almost certainly be either TBI "swirlies" or smoggers, but turds of the lowest order regardless, those being the cheeeeeeeepest and most common thing available; all of the machine work will be the absolute bare possible minimum for the motor to "run" (no torque plate bore or hone, no deck work unless it was damaged, no align bore or hone or even a "check", NOTHING beyond the least they can get away with) and make it through the warranty period which will probably be 90 days or 3000 miles, if it has a warranty at all; no tin (oil pan, timing cover, valve covers); no oil pump; plain cast-iron rings; as little money as possible spent on ANYTHING because even at $1500 their margin is already razor-thin.

Did I mention, everything will be CHEEEEEEEEEEEEP?

Some lucky employee will snarf your 083s and your late-model roller block with MUCH better quality control and tighter tolerances than any 70s block, the instant they hit the door, for his own toy, and you will have forever lost your L98. You will not only NOT make 300 HP to the rear wheels, you probably won't even make 150. But they won't care, because you bought the cheeeeepest of the cheeeeeep because it was cheeeeep and they know it and you know it; and since you get AT BEST what you pay for, you paid the least and therefore got .... you do the rest of the math.

Change out your valve guide seals and intake gaskets. It's just not that hard. You can do this. Put on your big-boy pants, steel your resolve, dive in there, and DO something you can be proud of.

 

OH LOL! I meant having my engine rebuilt by a friend of a friend who works at a shop. He said they would do it, and bore it over .030" for $1500 but I had to provide the rebuild kit (i.e. one from Summit or something.)

 

So, that'll end up being around $3000 drive-in-to-drive-out, plus ??? days of riding the bus, to "fix" a problem you can fix yourself for about $100 plus some elbowgrease... does this seem like A Good Idea yet? What's the big deal about actually just fixing what's wrong with your car and moving on?

 

Why kill a bird with a stone when you can kill a whole flock with a shotgun?

 

I get what you're saying though and I ordered the new valve stem seals, a leak down test (so I have the attachment for my compressor to keep the valve up) and new springs.
Should be here by Tuesday and I'll try to do the fix on Saturday of next weekend! Wish me luck!!

 

Good choice!!

Don't be too surprised if the air thing doesn't work out too well; it usually doesn't. The rope method works better.

Also, the valve guide seals to use, are the "positive" type. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fel-ss72861/overview/ Not O-rings, not "umbrella" type.

You'll also need valve cover gaskets http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fe...make/chevrolet and intake gaskets http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fe...make/chevrolet (if you want to change out the intake ones... I HIGHLY recommend knocking it out all at once), valve springs (the cheep "Z28" ones you can get from Summit and such like these http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-98214/overview/ , are fine). Be prepared to find lots of vacuum lines, coolant hoses, etc. that are deteriorated; you can get all that stuff locally.

Good luck! Hopefully you won't need it, and instead skill and perseverance will win the day; but if you need some luck, I hope you get it.

 

I already ordered these (after you convinced me lol) http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sl...t/model/camaro
would they work?

 

Should be fine, just, a coupla more $$$, nbd.