Looks Like I'ma gonna be a Caddy Guy - Now What? Stroker L92 LS3 Build

[Slidin Gator]

Looks like another item related to the oil pickup tube O-ring. Everything says replace the pickup O-ring whenever you can. Kind of a Duh, but I need to make sure I get the right one to get a good seal and not starve the new motor for oil.

It turns out there are 3 different designs for the pickup tube shape, with different O-ring dimensions required. It turns out I have 2 of them. The L92 Truck oil pickup tube has the tapered design and has the red O-ring on it. The LS3 oil pickup tube is the straight design with the Blue O-ring on it.

Here is the Melling seal reference table.

LS Oil Pickup Style	GM Seal Color	Melling Seal Color
Grooved	Red	Green
Tapered	Red	Green
Straight	Blue	Black

Both of the seals are damaged, so a new one is going on.

These pictures show the tapered L92 Truck pickup with the fatter O-ring.







The LS3 pickup tube that I will be using is straight, measuring at the same diameter as the wide end of the tapered truck tube. I need the skinnier, 1/8" cross section seal (Blue or Black).

 

[One Eyed Gator]

The Last pic I remove the plate and purchased a ICT billet plate with a 1/8" Npt and screwed in an oil pressure gauge (insurance)

Not sure about the 2 ports on the side off the block

I left the pressure relief/regulator valve in place been running the same pan for 5 years no issue. Interesting my pan has the pressure relief but the bottom contours of the pan look like the LS3 pan ????

Can never hurt to have an oil level sensor ( again insurance)

 

[Slidin Gator]

The Last pic I remove the plate and purchased a ICT billet plate with a 1/8" Npt and screwed in an oil pressure gauge (insurance)

I have learned a few things. This cross over plate covers ports for connection of an external oil cooler. Most of the LS setups I have seen do not run an oil cooler. 1eye I assume you are not running an oil cooler? Anyone have experience on this either way?

I left the pressure relief/regulator valve in place been running the same pan for 5 years no issue. Interesting my pan has the pressure relief but the bottom contours of the pan look like the LS3 pan ????

After investigation I have found that this relief valve was added with the VVT/AFM features used on the L92 etc. To support these features GM switched to a higher volume oil pump, but when not engaged the pump makes excessive flow. This valve dumps filtered oil directly back into the pan vs. recirculating into the oil pickup from the pump relief. If VVT/AFM are deleted and the standard flow pump is used, the pan relief can be deleted (there is a plug available or swap pans).

Since I re-used the L92 pump from the low mileage long block, it looks like I need to keep the relief and need to use the truck pan or get the Gen 5 camaro 8 quart pan.

 

[Slidin Gator]

The 8 qt Camaro pans are on who knows when back order, so the truck pan is the plan for now (unless someone wants to go steal Swamp45's for me ). Got my care package in from Summit, guess they heard I'm a possible CM recruit and now they want to send me to Vegas or something...

Here is the correct O-ring for the oil pickup tube on the later model LS engines, including this L92/LS3.




My new care package, ready to oil everything up soon. Notice the bridle for the oil pickup tube. I have no idea why GM didn't put 2 tabs on the oil pickups, they added a second threaded hole in the block. So it makes a lot of sense to use it. The oil pickup is a weak point on the LS vs. the old SBC. The old SBC cam driven pump ran at 1/2 engine speed and was down in the pan, so it could handle some leakage in the pickup. The LS oil pump is on the crank nose, running at full engine speed with more lift. Air leakage into the pickup on an LS is gonna crater something in short order.



Finally, the Melling O-ring kit with both size O-rings is cheaper than the single unit from FelPro. This covers all LS years to date, just use the right one to match what you have. The later model is better because the larger diameter at the nose keeps the O-ring from getting sucked towards the pump, the first edition was stupid, it fails O-ring 101.

 

[Slidin Gator]

Ebay came through on a true 8 Qt. LS3 oil pan from a 2010-2015 camaro/caddy. The dude I bought it from is putting a LS3 in a Mazda Miata, he already had the low profile 5 qt pan or I would have swapped with him. This one is well used, so I need to inspect the gasket and oil level sensor good (or replace) and a clean out on the pan relief. But a good find at $150, should kick this project can on down the road a bit more.

 

[Slidin Gator]

I ended up going with an 8 qt oil pan out of a 2010-15 Camaro. The pan does include the oil pan relief as these cars had the oversize oil pump with displacement on demand.

I've been doing a lot of grinding and fitting. More on that to come but the bottom end is finally all together.

 

[Slidin Gator]

The primary issue is that adding a double row timing chain to an LS pushes the timing chine forward of the timing chain cover seal face. It also intrudes on the oil pump. The solution is to add 1/8" spacers under the oil pump mount surface.

That is where things went south

 

[Slidin Gator]

Except now the Oil pump hits the timing cover. Break out the burr grinder.

Note I am using a new Melling 295 standard flow/pressure oil pump.

In the meantime, I used the Melling "Rotate The Crank" method to center the oil pump (add Blue Loctite everywhere).

 

[Slidin Gator]

I didn't think I needed to, but I did any way. I added some sealant to the oil pump output port, both sides of the spacer.

 

[Slidin Gator]

So, move the oil pump forward 1/8", guess what happens?

I use different color Sharpie pens to color the areas that I think are touching. I keep re-assembling and twisting the Timing cover to make things wear until nothing does. The Sharpie will show up any interference quickly.

 

[Slidin Gator]

Purchased a GM stroker windage tray. They just dimpled the attachment points, but left some interferences.

 

[Slidin Gator]

The GM windage tray had a cut out for the pan relief.

 

[Slidin Gator]

It just didn't fit!

 

[Slidin Gator]

So I cut off a piece of the old windage tray and engaged the Hobart welder, it will work.

 

[FISHSTICKER]

Fun times! Are there other aftermarket options to get rid of all the interference? Did you just choose the cheap ass old man path?

 

[Slidin Gator]

Fun times! Are there other aftermarket options to get rid of all the interference? Did you just choose the cheap ass old man path?

None that I found, so I forged ahead with the grinder.

 

[One Eyed Gator]

I used 2 AN washers on each main bolt under my windage tray as spacers. I also plugged the oil pressure relief valve on my current 408 build.

 

[Slidin Gator]

I used 2 AN washers on each main bolt under my windage tray as spacers. I also plugged the oil pressure relief valve on my current 408 build.

Thanks OEG,
I thought about spacing but just opted for the GM stroker windage tray "In case I was missing something". On receipt I found the spacer plan would have been just fine.

I originally planned to use the L92 oil pump since it is very low miles. But, since this pump is higher volume to support VVT the pan relief is required. Once I got to the timing cover fit I found I had a bunch of interferences with that pump. So I spent more money on the standard volume pump as I was told it would fit. Unfortunately, that was not the case, I just had different interferences.

I decided to stick with the standard volume pump but since I already assembled the pan relief with loctite etc. I just left it in place. Once I went back to final fitting the windage tray I found I had worked my way into a corner. Rather than back up, I grind and welded my way out of the corner.

 

[Slidin Gator]

The cool thing about the LS is that they got rid of all the coolant passages through the intake and came up with good seals. Intake swaps are pretty easy with these things now.

 

[Slidin Gator]

It's sorta like aviation