re installing small block and 4 speed as a unit.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 248
Likes: 11
re installing small block and 4 speed as a unit.
I will be re-installing my l82 and 4 speed trans into my '77 vette in the near future. Pulling it out was no problem. My questions are:
1. Do I remove the drive shaft and then reinstall it. If not it would seem very difficult to line up the motor mounts and stab the front slip yolk into place or am I just over thinking this.
2. I will have the Edelbrock Heads and intake on the engine so where is the safest place to attach the brackets using a leveler with 4 attachments. We are talking a considerable amount of weight.
3. This engine will have l the original rotating assembly since it only required a light hone on the cylinders. New Comp Cam 490/ 230/236/ 110. roller tip rockers 1:5 ratio I was advised to use 30 Weight to break in with the Zink Phos additive.
4. I have a new set of standard push rods also Comp and also have a push rod checker. I will need advise on how to really get an accurate reading.
1. Do I remove the drive shaft and then reinstall it. If not it would seem very difficult to line up the motor mounts and stab the front slip yolk into place or am I just over thinking this.
2. I will have the Edelbrock Heads and intake on the engine so where is the safest place to attach the brackets using a leveler with 4 attachments. We are talking a considerable amount of weight.
3. This engine will have l the original rotating assembly since it only required a light hone on the cylinders. New Comp Cam 490/ 230/236/ 110. roller tip rockers 1:5 ratio I was advised to use 30 Weight to break in with the Zink Phos additive.
4. I have a new set of standard push rods also Comp and also have a push rod checker. I will need advise on how to really get an accurate reading.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 493
From: Salmon Arm, BC
Hi there,
1) Yes...pull the driveshaft and then reinstall once the engine/tranny are in place. you'll have to fill the trans with oil once it's installed, or you'll have that gooey mess leaked out all over your shop floor. It's fairly straight forward....don't overthink
2) You can use the threaded holes in the side of the heads for installation, but make sur you use a grade 5 or better bolt, and thread it in as far as it will go without too much force. millions of SBC's have been done this way.
3) I would use a 5-30 oil with the additives in already......a break-in oil. Also if you have some lightweight stock springs use those for initial run-in.....you won't float the valves running it a 2000-2200 RPM.
4) The best way is to use an adjustable pushrod checker and a soft checking spring before engine run in. Use a sharpie pen and color the entire valve tip and then assemble the valvetrain. The idea is to get the rocker arm roller to sweep from just past the centerline (C/L) of the valve tip through the C/L to just inside C/L . You adjust the pushrod checker until you have the correct sweep markings on the valve tip. To check the pushrod length, count how many full turns to return the checker to it's shortest length....each of those turns is .050" added to the shortest length of the checker.
1) Yes...pull the driveshaft and then reinstall once the engine/tranny are in place. you'll have to fill the trans with oil once it's installed, or you'll have that gooey mess leaked out all over your shop floor. It's fairly straight forward....don't overthink
2) You can use the threaded holes in the side of the heads for installation, but make sur you use a grade 5 or better bolt, and thread it in as far as it will go without too much force. millions of SBC's have been done this way.
3) I would use a 5-30 oil with the additives in already......a break-in oil. Also if you have some lightweight stock springs use those for initial run-in.....you won't float the valves running it a 2000-2200 RPM.
4) The best way is to use an adjustable pushrod checker and a soft checking spring before engine run in. Use a sharpie pen and color the entire valve tip and then assemble the valvetrain. The idea is to get the rocker arm roller to sweep from just past the centerline (C/L) of the valve tip through the C/L to just inside C/L . You adjust the pushrod checker until you have the correct sweep markings on the valve tip. To check the pushrod length, count how many full turns to return the checker to it's shortest length....each of those turns is .050" added to the shortest length of the checker.
Last edited by OMF; May 19, 2023 at 03:09 PM.
