mcm95403

Yesterday I was able to stop working early enough to get my engine back into the car. It wasn't easy by myself but once I was able to get one dowel pin lined up and once trans to block bolt started, I was able to get the other side lined up.

I did make a run to O'Reilly's to pick up a set of ARP Big Block Chevy intake bolts. Why you ask? Because it's frackin absurd trying to get a 9/16" socket over the stock bolts between the firewall. With these I have the right length, a built in washer and a small head (7/16" I think) that I can use a 1/4" drive socket on for a lot more clearance. That's the plan at least - we'll see how it works out.

I don't think I'll get it all done today, but I should have it running tomorrow. right now I'm off to the muffler shop to get an extra o2 sensor bung welded into the new Magnaflow Y-pipe.

I got tired of the dirty aluminum look so I took a little time to paint the intake and valve covers. Black Wrinkle is an old favorite of mine. It came out OK, but it's so cold I couldn't expect much more for these conditions. I can always touch it up later, but for now it looks a lot better than it did before.

Requisite pics:

383vett

looks great. Keep wrenching.

96 Vette CE

Perfect time to go with some headers.

mcm95403

Not in Kalifornia That's why I went with LT-1 manifolds.

96 Vette CE

Forgot about that, damn regulations.

ch@0s

You should take the time to paint your block or you will regret it later.

mcm95403

I wish I could have but this has become a very rushed job. Racing to get it driveable for Monday.

ch@0s

Wow! how are you going to get it tuned that fast?

black88z51

did you use high heat paint on the black wrinkle? should be, plus you should oven bake them first.

mcm95403

No tuning, it will just have to run as best as possible for now. Not Like I modded it that much. Better heads and a tiny (by everyones comments) cam - .480 lift 204/211 on 115 lobe sep.

ch@0s

You modded a lot.. Remember its SD not MAF. It's just not smart to run without a tune. For example..My LS came out of a car with the same computer and cam. I put it in my car only diff is exhaust and intake and I was running 10% leaner.
I will be surprised if it runs. When I went with SLP runners and a CAM my L98 wouldn't even run.

mcm95403

Interesting. So far it's just run better with each mod. I guess when I get it fired up I'll find out.

ZR-71

Hey Marc, I musta missed your thread on the rebuild. But looks like it's going great

ch@0s

Mark I'm only trying to help here. We are both IT. So in IT terms think about your PCM and a computer/server. This computer takes input from sensors to calculate/run your engine using a table. If its not stock its not correct. Think of it this way, plug a new video card into a machine and its running off default drivers. When you do this to your PCM it can run rich or lean both of those are bad. Even a cheap mail order tune is better than just a stock tune at this point.At the very least you should do a data log if it runs to determine if its safe to drive.

85MikeTPI

The factory tune is rich for safety and emissions, so your mods were just "using" the rich fueling to make it leaner and better/faster. Now you've added a lot more airflow with the heads/cam/manifolds and you're likely going to be dangerously lean on a stock tune.

It might run, but you shouldnt run it hard until you can measure the air-fuel-ratio on a scanners or dyno, or get it tuned...

Frizlefrak

Lean causes heat. Lots of it. Keep that in mind. In the old days, we rejetted the carb when we coaxed more air in and out of an engine. Little tougher now. At the very minimum, put an air/fuel gauge on it.

mcm95403

Right, I understand where you're headed. I guess the good thing is that I just had an extra o2 sensor bung welded into the passenger side of the new y-pipe so that I can build an EGR tube. Sounds like it will be a good idea to get a rich/lean idicator in there for now.

Oh, and my "brilliant" idea about the BBC intake bolts - not so brilliant. Still just as difficult to get them in.

Vetteman Jack

Nice job so far! Good luck getting the rest back together.

3D87C4

She cleaned up nicely.

mcm95403

Well, I'm kinda pissed at GM Perf. The Fast Burn heads are drilled for both bolt pattern valve covers. My stock ones didn't fit and I thought it was the drip tabs hitting the rockers. The paint job also wasn't as nice as I'd wanted, so I went and bought a set of GM Perf Parts polished, short, center-bolt valve covers. Surprise Surprise when THEY DIDN'T FIT EITHER! Turns out the inner lip that the gasket seats against hits the head (gasket rail). So I had to go back to the store and exchange those for cheap chrome plated perimiter bolt ones to use till I can get something decent. That was a good 3 hours wasted.

I also got the wrong power steering pressure line from Corvette Central. I did finally find one semi-local (1.5 hour round trip), plus an hour to hunt it down and another hour fighting with the wrong hose, etc. In the end, a lot of time wasted today, but I did actually get some work done:





The Magnaflow Y-pipe is heat wrapped except for the last part up front. I was kind of disappointed to see that the two beautiful mandrel-bent 2.5" pipes get joined into that crappy Y that only has a 2.5" exit which then does a hard step out to 3". I just don't get why things can't just be done RIGHT. Oh well, no time to mess with it, so it'll go in that way. I was going to wrap the cats since Magnaflow said it wouldn't hurt them, but the Kalifornia required serial numbers on the cars MUST be visible and they cover most of the bottom of the cats.