...I am sure there will be a ton more to come 
Macht schnell E55 project
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1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
Macht schnell E55 project
This thread has been overdue since I've been planning, collecting parts for quite some time. This is how I like to do things, leave the car all stock and then do either the whole exterior like I did last year and now the powertrain. The 55 has been stone stock with 79k miles on the clock until now, and I think everything is here now( at least for this stock engine build) so I can break bad on it all at once with out any more waiting.
This was supposed to be just a Weistec and ARH header install on the stock engine, with the forged MID engine being done later on most likely in June as custom parts take forever to have made as many here know. I can start with a bare LS3 block on Monday and have it machined and built with full aftermarket forged internals by Friday because everything is a phone call and red label away. Not the case with Mercedes stuff, you plan out the parts, make the calls, and sit in your rocking chair waiting for either your parts to show up or your AARP benefits to kick in so you can get good deals on breakfast at Shoneys.
So here's where we're at now- already had the exhaust stripped off the do headers, and the intake off to do the blower, so it was easier to install a torque converter and motor mounts by just pulling the engine.
This was supposed to be just a Weistec and ARH header install on the stock engine, with the forged MID engine being done later on most likely in June as custom parts take forever to have made as many here know. I can start with a bare LS3 block on Monday and have it machined and built with full aftermarket forged internals by Friday because everything is a phone call and red label away. Not the case with Mercedes stuff, you plan out the parts, make the calls, and sit in your rocking chair waiting for either your parts to show up or your AARP benefits to kick in so you can get good deals on breakfast at Shoneys.
So here's where we're at now- already had the exhaust stripped off the do headers, and the intake off to do the blower, so it was easier to install a torque converter and motor mounts by just pulling the engine.
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1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
So while the engine was out, I thought it a good time to put some nice ARP rod bolts in to replace the factory bolts that are in the same league as the screws that hold an IPhone together.
Perhaps the gentleman building this engine went a little hard on the Killepitsch at lunch and got overzealous with the sealant, but there was huge chunks of broken off silicone inside the engine that had migrated to the oil pickup. No biggie
Perhaps the gentleman building this engine went a little hard on the Killepitsch at lunch and got overzealous with the sealant, but there was huge chunks of broken off silicone inside the engine that had migrated to the oil pickup. No biggie
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
So here's a likely answer to many folks' question. Why does my M113(k) powered ______ sound like an 82 Ford Granada with a collapsed lifter at idle? Many have said the oil pump, they're kind of right-
The oil pump drive chain has its own tensioner, and as it loses it's spring over time (not miles, time) the chain gets loose and beats the inside of the aluminum front cover.
So now even though I'm planning on pulling this engine back out in a few months, I can't not fix that. S this means pulling all the parts off the front of the engine, replacing the oil pump drive and getting all new seals for the front cover.
The oil pump drive chain has its own tensioner, and as it loses it's spring over time (not miles, time) the chain gets loose and beats the inside of the aluminum front cover.
So now even though I'm planning on pulling this engine back out in a few months, I can't not fix that. S this means pulling all the parts off the front of the engine, replacing the oil pump drive and getting all new seals for the front cover.
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
Now I realize that this is not a "one day in and out" deal like I wanted. So I might as well put the heads and cams on this one that were earmarked for the built engine. And while thats apart, might as well swap the pistons for some SLR units so theres now no weak links. (thanks Brooke) Time to go spearmint rhino on this thing-
This is gonna be messy-
I hate messy.
Front cover off, here's a closer look at your chain beating into the cover
Peace to the cams- these are a joke in a performance engine
This is gonna be messy-
I hate messy.
Front cover off, here's a closer look at your chain beating into the cover
Peace to the cams- these are a joke in a performance engine
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05 White Pano E55, Cadillac CTS-V
I guess I know where to drop off my car when I don't want to attempt any kind of engine work, Orlando is just a hop, skip and jump away 
What does it take to change the cams in these things anyway, would it be easy to do with the engine in the car? Obviously pop off the valve covers and then the cam caps but how about getting to the chain tensioner and any special tool needed?
What does it take to change the cams in these things anyway, would it be easy to do with the engine in the car? Obviously pop off the valve covers and then the cam caps but how about getting to the chain tensioner and any special tool needed?
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
The rod bearings look like they could be from a 5000 mile engine. They can stay.
Now here's a very important tip for anyone disassembling one of these, or any of the other Benzes or Porsches with Alusil bores. Once removing the heads, don't turn the engine over until you've cleaned the piston tops, wiped the bores with a clean ply oiled paper towel and blown the debris completely from around the upper piston crown/ringland area with compressed air.
The smallest particle of sand will gouge the skirt of the piston and the bore of the block while you're removing it, and you're not fixing it once you gouge it. You're either iron sleeving the block or you're polishing it it to minimize the trouble the gouge will cause.
Now here's a very important tip for anyone disassembling one of these, or any of the other Benzes or Porsches with Alusil bores. Once removing the heads, don't turn the engine over until you've cleaned the piston tops, wiped the bores with a clean ply oiled paper towel and blown the debris completely from around the upper piston crown/ringland area with compressed air.
The smallest particle of sand will gouge the skirt of the piston and the bore of the block while you're removing it, and you're not fixing it once you gouge it. You're either iron sleeving the block or you're polishing it it to minimize the trouble the gouge will cause.
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
It's not too bad. I'm used to the GM stuff which is like muscle memory to me by now having built hundreds of LSXs over the past 12 years but these are designed well with a few exceptions. Youve got to remove the cooling hoses on the passenger side and he alternator, then there's an external bolt which releases tension on the chains. The first one I tore apart had a drivers side cam bolt so stuck that it broke two sockets, bent the official MB tool, and needed to have a socket welded to the bolt so that an impact wrench could hammer it off. This one came off with a 3/8 ratchet.
I guess I know where to drop off my car when I don't want to attempt any kind of engine work, Orlando is just a hop, skip and jump away
What does it take to change the cams in these things anyway, would it be easy to do with the engine in the car? Obviously pop off the valve covers and then the cam caps but how about getting to the chain tensioner and any special tool needed?
What does it take to change the cams in these things anyway, would it be easy to do with the engine in the car? Obviously pop off the valve covers and then the cam caps but how about getting to the chain tensioner and any special tool needed?
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
Here's the block minus it's rods and pistons
This took about 2-3 hours to remove the 8 pistons in a way that left the block still useable. If I were going to have RED sleeve this one it would be of no consequence if the bores or pistons were scraped up.
And the crank could be left in the block to just do a piston swap, as a machine hone isn't needed for new rings on an alusil block. You can just polish the glaze left by the old rings with the block upside down and clean it up when done. However the SLR pistons are 80gs or so lighter than the E55 units so the crank counterweights need to be lightened accordingly. My machinist is backed up as most good ones are, but if it's my personal stuff hell knock it out since I do a lot of work with him. One day turnaround is a gift in this world!
Here it sits now, waiting for the crank to get back and I'm on my way to Mercedes of Orlando to get the new main cap bolts since they're not reusable.
This took about 2-3 hours to remove the 8 pistons in a way that left the block still useable. If I were going to have RED sleeve this one it would be of no consequence if the bores or pistons were scraped up.
And the crank could be left in the block to just do a piston swap, as a machine hone isn't needed for new rings on an alusil block. You can just polish the glaze left by the old rings with the block upside down and clean it up when done. However the SLR pistons are 80gs or so lighter than the E55 units so the crank counterweights need to be lightened accordingly. My machinist is backed up as most good ones are, but if it's my personal stuff hell knock it out since I do a lot of work with him. One day turnaround is a gift in this world!
Here it sits now, waiting for the crank to get back and I'm on my way to Mercedes of Orlando to get the new main cap bolts since they're not reusable.
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From: Orlando
1967 Pro Touring turbo LSX Camaro
Heres all you need to prep an alusil block for new rings-
I've got to stop by the arts and crafts store on the way back from MB and get some felt. You take the felt and affix it to a generic honing stone set like this and polish the bores with honing paste. All you're trying to do is polish off any contaminants left behind by the old rings, and re-expose some of the fresh silicon crystals by removing just a few microns of the surrounding aluminum substrate.
This is what the surface looks like after a fresh polish under a microscope
I've got to stop by the arts and crafts store on the way back from MB and get some felt. You take the felt and affix it to a generic honing stone set like this and polish the bores with honing paste. All you're trying to do is polish off any contaminants left behind by the old rings, and re-expose some of the fresh silicon crystals by removing just a few microns of the surrounding aluminum substrate.
This is what the surface looks like after a fresh polish under a microscope
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From: Jacksonville, FL
05 White Pano E55, Cadillac CTS-V
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you to Hate
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From: Jacksonville, FL
05 White Pano E55, Cadillac CTS-V
All I know is these bigger blower cars have my mind swirling again. I had lost interest since it took so long to come out then bought some 20" wheels/tires for dang near $4k and figured I would be better off just having what I have power wise and keeping my money since that is a good chunk of change to drop on the blower.
If I happen to meet up with Chris on my next visit home end of July and get a ride or do a comparison run it might just have me sold. I freaking love speed and my car is the fastest car I have ever been in and it isn't really fast in my opinion, at least not consistently. I want to be fast all the time and on the next level. Make it happen Chris, make it happen!
After seeing the difference in traps from Gadget's car though on cooled down runs to hot lap runs I say these setups need a killer chiller still like the stock supercharger. Might need to get one of those too.
If I happen to meet up with Chris on my next visit home end of July and get a ride or do a comparison run it might just have me sold. I freaking love speed and my car is the fastest car I have ever been in and it isn't really fast in my opinion, at least not consistently. I want to be fast all the time and on the next level. Make it happen Chris, make it happen!
After seeing the difference in traps from Gadget's car though on cooled down runs to hot lap runs I say these setups need a killer chiller still like the stock supercharger. Might need to get one of those too.
Last edited by urbamworm; May 11, 2013 at 02:37 PM.
