Do you guys know a way to get the rods apart without buying a rod vise? They were torqued down at the machine shop for re-rounding.

 

Hmm. I must be missing something. You can't just pull the caps off after you pull the rod bolts out? Mine have pulled off quite easily.
Since the LSx series of engines use a "cracked rod" system, you shouldn't have to worry about alignment.

 

bench vise

 

Nah, I just mean getting the rod bolts off of the rods. They're not on the motor but they're torqued down. My "How to build LS Engines" book says that a regular vice can mess them up but I bet if I used some wood or something to protect them they'd be fine.

 

Grab them with a thick glove or rag in one had and use the 3/8 impact.

 

I have been told many times DO NOT use an impact on them even if just to get the bolts loose. I put them in a vice with a hard plastic block on each side but 2 blocks of wood should work just the same. You just don't want to damage the surface of the rods with the hard jaws of the vice and when you pull the rod caps off pull them as straight off as you can. This is how I did with my LQ9 build and its also what my LS engine book said.

 

I have another question. I ordered piston rings and rod bearings for my stock lq4 pistons but I just found a deal on a set of ls2 pistons and rods. Are the ls2 rings and rod bearings the same?

Also, I have to replace one of the pistons. Is a rebalance required? They're all factory parts.

 

It seems the rod bearings are the same and it was easy to find the answer about the rings by searching. They're not the same and stock ones are expensive. Anyway here's my next question in case anyone cares to help me out:

Are there any clever ways to secure the crank while installing pistons and rods? There's no flywheel on my engine now so the kent moore tool wouldn't work for me. Its too expensive anyway. I'll probably end up fabbing something up to hold from the front but any tips would be appreciated.

 

If you have the block on a stand upside down, put a few of the flexplate bolts in the back slightly and get a long screwdriver or something to wedge against the bolts and the stand.

 

Yeah. That gives me a few ideas.