1978 L-82 Engine color
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From: Holly Michigan
1978 L-82 Engine color
Greetings,
Just a quick question for the forum, can someone tell me what is the proper color of this engine. I know it has the cast valve covers and aluminum color intake manifold, but is the engine head and block blue? Also did corvette have a problem with the idle on this engine? I was told that with the base cam in the engine it was sometimes very rough idling or you might say the engine loaped(? spelling) at idle. Anyone know anything about this? Mine is a 78 and don't notice the idle problems and was wondering if someone may have changed the cam or the engine. Is there anything else about the engine that I could look at that would tell me if this is in fact a L-82?
Thanks,
Jack
Just a quick question for the forum, can someone tell me what is the proper color of this engine. I know it has the cast valve covers and aluminum color intake manifold, but is the engine head and block blue? Also did corvette have a problem with the idle on this engine? I was told that with the base cam in the engine it was sometimes very rough idling or you might say the engine loaped(? spelling) at idle. Anyone know anything about this? Mine is a 78 and don't notice the idle problems and was wondering if someone may have changed the cam or the engine. Is there anything else about the engine that I could look at that would tell me if this is in fact a L-82?
Thanks,
Jack
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (Jack1978)
This is a 1979 L-82 but it is essentially the same engine. Yes, the heads and engine are GM corporate blue. I do not have idle problems but certainly the engine is "lumpy" or lopes at idle. I do not consider this a runnability issue. On your engine, post the numbers on the head pad at the front on the passenger side. People here know the numbers very well.
[Modified by paul79, 10:21 AM 8/8/2001]
[Modified by paul79, 10:23 AM 8/8/2001]
[Modified by paul79, 10:21 AM 8/8/2001]
[Modified by paul79, 10:23 AM 8/8/2001]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,663
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From: Palm Harbor FL
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (Jack1978)
My 79 has blue block and heads and the 78's were the same. Black and silver finned aluminum valve covers. My engine is lopey at idle.
Somewhere on the pad just in front of the valve cover at the front of the passenger side block, you should have a CMR if you have a manual transmission, or a CMS if you have an auto. The CM identifies it as a 1978 L82 block.
[Modified by 79MakoL82, 10:54 AM 8/8/2001]
Somewhere on the pad just in front of the valve cover at the front of the passenger side block, you should have a CMR if you have a manual transmission, or a CMS if you have an auto. The CM identifies it as a 1978 L82 block.
[Modified by 79MakoL82, 10:54 AM 8/8/2001]
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Holly Michigan
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (Jack1978)
Thanks Paul and Mako, My 78 looks just like the picture but can't read the numbers yet. I may have to clean the area with a tooth brush or something. I just had mine out earlier and noticed that the temp gage was reading just under 200. Is this about right? It is about 90 deg outside now.
Thanks again,
Jack
Thanks again,
Jack
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (Jack1978)
Sounds perfectly normal to me. This thread from earlier in the week may be of interest.
http://www.corvetteforum.cc:88/zerothread?id=129026
http://www.corvetteforum.cc:88/zerothread?id=129026
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 82
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From: Holly Michigan
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (paul79)
Thanks Paul,
After reading all of the comments in that thread I feel much better about the 200 deg temp. On my gauge the 200 is straight up. I don't know what thermostate it has in it. Must be standard though.
Jack
After reading all of the comments in that thread I feel much better about the 200 deg temp. On my gauge the 200 is straight up. I don't know what thermostate it has in it. Must be standard though.
Jack
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,032
Likes: 2
From: Newburgh NY
Re: 1978 L-82 Engine color (Jack1978)
200 Degrees is right on the money. I have an Griffin aluminum radiator and an Edlebrock high flow water pump and I run in the 195-200 category even on a hot sunny day with the air on. Sometimes it might creep just over 200 but it's ok. BEfore I did the upgrades, I was running around 240 :cry
Another shot of an L82. If you check out the link to my web site, you'll find the engine in stages as I was detailing the engine compartment and upgrading a few things.
This thing idles with a nice low rumble. I initially had a problem but it was a bad vacuum advance unit (stuck).
[Modified by 78Vette-SA, 9:24 PM 8/8/2001]
Another shot of an L82. If you check out the link to my web site, you'll find the engine in stages as I was detailing the engine compartment and upgrading a few things.
This thing idles with a nice low rumble. I initially had a problem but it was a bad vacuum advance unit (stuck).
[Modified by 78Vette-SA, 9:24 PM 8/8/2001]
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