SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Projects => Topic started by: slow67 on April 21, 2010, 11:30:08 AM

Title: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on April 21, 2010, 11:30:08 AM

ere is my extremely cheap build......

Its a 16' 1984 Cimarron SJ. Came from the factory with a 350 and a 12JE pump.

Two years ago I bought it and stuck in an 8:1 350 with a nice little hydraulic cam (I had the motor sitting around). Had problems with #7, turned out it ended up scoring a cylinder wall. Yanked the motor out and it sat for a bit.

Plans:
Rebuild the pump.
I put a Place Diverter on it 2 years ago.
Currently wet-sanding it and buffing the hull.
4.8L LR4 with 320,000 miles (still runs STRONG). I figure the cold block will tighten up the ring seal a little.
It should turn a B impeller 4300 rpm buy my estimation.

Also just received my order of stainless in to build some water jacketed headers. (will be about $100 cheaper than buying the PCM manifolds/risers, and look WWWAAAAYYYY better painted or polished).

Goals are a very reliable family lake boat that does around 60. Keeping the fuel injection. I'm using a 4.8 because it was FREE. Not hard at all to bolt in a 5.3 or 6.0 or 6.2 later down the road.

It did 60 mph (GPS) with the 8:1 cammed 350, hoping this 4.8 will be just as fast, but be more reliable (EFI) and better economy (I'm saving my 76 Rogers Bonneville for the hot-rod boosted LSx)
I will be doing the tuning with HPtuners.


The first 2 pics are from 2 years ago. The last one is from over the weekend from wet sanding and buffing (don't think its ever even been waxed).

Oh and yes, it is wrong hand drive.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on April 22, 2010, 07:22:39 AM

There is $700 worth of stainless. 1 3/4" inside header tube, 2 1/4" outside. 3" collector, 4" outside.

The next pic is my mockup head.

And the last is my worn out Aluminum flywheel and a flexplate. I will use whichever one my PTO/bolts allow  ;D

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on April 22, 2010, 07:27:27 AM

And my welder. Thermal Arc 185.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: beerjet on April 22, 2010, 11:46:05 AM

This is gonna be awsesome.
I've always wanted to build my own headers.
$700 in SS  :o

-beerjet-

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on April 22, 2010, 02:02:26 PM

Quote from: beerjet on April 22, 2010, 11:46:05 AM

This is gonna be awsesome.
I've always wanted to build my own headers.
$700 in SS  :o

-beerjet-

$100 for the flanges.
Most of it was from Columbia River, and they are MUCH cheaper than elsewhere from what I have found. If you want a heart attack, price stainless from Burns Stainless  :screwy:

It wouldn't be so bad, but since they will be jacketed (under a hood) I'm pretty much building 2 sets of headers, 1 set within another.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: beerjet on April 22, 2010, 02:37:38 PM

About a year or more ago me and another board member were chatting about racing a boat with an LSX in it.
I thnk the dersert guys are making some pretty sick power with them.
Keep us posted.
We have tons of lurkers and just people in general taking notes in the backround.
 :thumbup:

-beerjet-

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on May 17, 2010, 07:46:12 AM

Haven't updated this thread in a bit. Still working on the headers, and been wet sanding/buffing the gelcoat. Figured out for sure it wasn't going to get wet by Memorial day, so I pulled out the minivan (25' pontoon). Put a starter on it and took it out for the first time this season.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on July 11, 2010, 04:03:31 PM

Well somewhat of an update......been too busy to work on it, so I'm waiting till winter to finish the headers....for now will be running these  >:D

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: SS-201 on July 18, 2010, 03:44:33 AM

Buit a set of wet manifolds for my FE Ford many years ago, ran perfect. Those years mig, tig welders were not yet used. I brazed them and never had a problem, the braze for my part take vibration better than welds. Keep up the good work.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on July 18, 2010, 08:52:44 AM

Quote from: SS-201 on July 18, 2010, 03:44:33 AM

Buit a set of wet manifolds for my FE Ford many years ago, ran perfect. Those years mig, tig welders were not yet used. I brazed them and never had a problem, the braze for my part take vibration better than welds. Keep up the god work.

Thanks for the advice! I'll still finish the headers this winter when I'll have more time.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: TJS Nordic on July 18, 2010, 07:39:15 PM

Thermal Arcs are pretty cool little TIG machines. I used one of my buddies a few years ago. Works pretty nice. Post as you progress.
T.J.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on July 18, 2010, 09:22:00 PM

Quote from: TJS Nordic on July 18, 2010, 07:39:15 PM

Thermal Arcs are pretty cool little TIG machines. I used one of my buddies a few years ago. Works pretty nice. Post as you progress.
T.J.

Yes, I can tell it welds very nice, and I'm a beginner at TIG.

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: slow67 on May 05, 2011, 10:01:28 AM

Took a year off from it. Been doing glass work and building motor mounts recently.



Worked on some of the wiring tonight.....got all the emissions crap removed and somewhat organized the harness. 

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi249.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fgg234%2Fslow67%2FBoat%2Fengine_wiring.jpg&hash=0ed7403cd037b59d4ea96f03b404bf4fc758e254)


Here is all the crap I removed 

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi249.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fgg234%2Fslow67%2FBoat%2Fremoved_wiring.jpg&hash=15398f616c14f182eaf5b8a056ecd7bce4b02b7e)

Title: Re: My budget (slow) LSx build
Post by: blades11b on July 07, 2011, 04:55:38 AM

gonna be starting the same build with my boat when the season is done.. ill be starting a thread for it soon.. good luck man