Donor Car Eminent!!

It looks like will be picking up a 2000 WS6 Trans Am, 59k, complete except for front sheet metal.

I know that this is a broad question, but what do I need to pull off of this donor besides the engine, belt driven accessories, trans, ECM and wireing? Thats the stuff you always see advertised with the swap packages from the yards.

I know, I need to read the FAQ's again. Just excited right now!

Sweet! Where did you find it?

Craigslist. For what I will pay for the complete car, I could not get a complete swap from a local yard or ebay!

She is here and she is FUGLY!
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WOW! That IS ugly!
How could someone let a low-mileage car get that bad?

I know!
I hate to say it, but Camaro's and Trans Am's attract a certain element / life style individual. I suppose that is why there are so many jokes about Trans Am's on blocks in front of the double wide...

It really is scary. I hope the motor is alright. I'll have to pull the pan. I think I'll strain the oil too to see if there is any metal.

If it looks too iffy when I get it pulled out of the car, I'll just sell it and start over.....

Not a bad idea! You probably have to take the pan off anyways to put a different pan on? While you're in there, throw in some ARP rod bolts. Some of the LS1 guys say they're necessary to rev over ~6400 or so. I guess it just depends what your plans are for the motor...

For sure the pan has to come off anyway. Hmm, I bet someone on the board can hook me up! Maybe on the ARP. Certainly worth the couple of bucks to throw them on.

Bluemach1 wrote:I know!
I hate to say it, but Camaro's and Trans Am's attract a certain element / life style individual. I suppose that is why there are so many jokes about Trans Am's on blocks in front of the double wide...

It really is scary. I hope the motor is alright. I'll have to pull the pan. I think I'll strain the oil too to see if there is any metal.

If it looks too iffy when I get it pulled out of the car, I'll just sell it and start over.....

nice find....take the oil filter and disect it. that should tell you ALOT.

If you are going to swap rod bolts do yourself a favor and change the rod bearings. Very cheap insurance. Considering the Federal Mogual Competition bearings are around $75 for a set. Most of the 50k plus mile lsx motors i have ever torn into had some strange wear patterens in the rod bearings. Most people tend to think it is rod bolts as noted. I tend think it is from harmonics, and buy changing the rod bolts you change the weight / harmonics by fractions of grams. Just my personal observation. The intresting thing is i have never seen the same wear patterns in the iron block motors, thus somewhat supporting my theory that the harmonics are different between the two block types.

Sorry for the long responce, change the rod bolts change the bearings.

Could the problem also come from core shift with the aluminum block? The Al blocks rely on the cast oil pan for some of their strength in a STOCK application...increases in TQ would compound this.

Harmonics, core shift, and differences in tolerances add up...

Al alloy expands more than the Fe also and creates tighter tolerances between it and bearing surfaces when at higher temps compared to the Iron blocks.
Alloy also will transmit vibrations/harmonics more easily due to its lower mass.

Huh! Mine had no strange wear on the rod bearings.

944v8inDFW wrote:If you are going to swap rod bolts do yourself a favor and change the rod bearings. Very cheap insurance. Considering the Federal Mogual Competition bearings are around $75 for a set. Most of the 50k plus mile lsx motors i have ever torn into had some strange wear patterens in the rod bearings. Most people tend to think it is rod bolts as noted. I tend think it is from harmonics, and buy changing the rod bolts you change the weight / harmonics by fractions of grams. Just my personal observation. The intresting thing is i have never seen the same wear patterns in the iron block motors, thus somewhat supporting my theory that the harmonics are different between the two block types.

Sorry for the long responce, change the rod bolts change the bearings.

Very interesting! This is the first aluminum block engine for me so good tip on the bearings. Like you have said, cheap insurance and besides, I am goign to be in there anyway.