Gap between distributor cover and firewall? (L98's)
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Canton GA
Originally Posted by CorvAdel
Yeah....I have found the same thing....their are differences in distance from the dizzy cover to the w/strip.
The differences don't just stop there.
The actual rear of the engine.. block, heads, intake, are closer to the f/wall on some cars than others.
On one 86 while fitting the engine, I had another 86 in the w/shop and was referring to it regularly as I was having trouble getting the engine to fit!!
Sure enough, after it was finally in, I realised that there was a significant difference in distance from engine to f/wall between the two cars.
After taking measurements under the cars, esp. of the relative positioning of eng. mounts, I came to the conclusion that the bodies are mounted slightly differently.
In other words, the cars with the "small gap" had a body mounted further forward on the chassis than the other.
My understanding is that there is no difference in size of cyl. heads, blocks and dist. covers between L98's..
There is, however, a significant difference in how bodies are mounted.
This might explain why there is so much adjustment available for doors, hood and front bumpers..!
The differences don't just stop there.
The actual rear of the engine.. block, heads, intake, are closer to the f/wall on some cars than others.
On one 86 while fitting the engine, I had another 86 in the w/shop and was referring to it regularly as I was having trouble getting the engine to fit!!
Sure enough, after it was finally in, I realised that there was a significant difference in distance from engine to f/wall between the two cars.
After taking measurements under the cars, esp. of the relative positioning of eng. mounts, I came to the conclusion that the bodies are mounted slightly differently.
In other words, the cars with the "small gap" had a body mounted further forward on the chassis than the other.
My understanding is that there is no difference in size of cyl. heads, blocks and dist. covers between L98's..
There is, however, a significant difference in how bodies are mounted.
This might explain why there is so much adjustment available for doors, hood and front bumpers..!
Wow, thats interesting... so we're looking at possibly 2+ inches of difference due to the body mounting?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
Maybe not 2 plus inches, but certainly close to an inch from my experience.
Re. your dist. removal problem...if all else fails, loosening off the 4 x C-beam blots might give you enough play to lift the rear of the trans., thus tilting the eng. forward. This could give you the room needed to remove the dist....
Re. your dist. removal problem...if all else fails, loosening off the 4 x C-beam blots might give you enough play to lift the rear of the trans., thus tilting the eng. forward. This could give you the room needed to remove the dist....
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Here's mine.
Seems like they moved the whole engine forward at some point. I have to pull the hood seal out of the way to get the distributor out, and it's tricky getting those rear plug wires on.
Also, when I switched to the ZF6 bellhousing and trans, the C-beam (same p/n for all manuals) seemed like it was 1/4" too long.
Also notice the engine is shifted about 2" towards the passenger side. Yet the rear end is centered. Go figure.
Seems like they moved the whole engine forward at some point. I have to pull the hood seal out of the way to get the distributor out, and it's tricky getting those rear plug wires on.
Also, when I switched to the ZF6 bellhousing and trans, the C-beam (same p/n for all manuals) seemed like it was 1/4" too long.
Also notice the engine is shifted about 2" towards the passenger side. Yet the rear end is centered. Go figure.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Oct 24, 2006 at 09:34 PM.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Canton GA
Here's mine.. check how far back it is... over the weatherstriping. I also had a big problem w/ the c-beam during the ZF swap.
(no comments on how dirty it is! still a work in progress... I rescued her!)
(no comments on how dirty it is! still a work in progress... I rescued her!)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,146
Likes: 3
From: The Motor City
Originally Posted by mikey whipreck
You're comparing two difference engine types in those pictures. Maybe that has something to do with it?
and here I thought it was because they were built on Monday's....
doesn't surprise me, there are a lot of things that are not too straight on these cars, I have to pull the rubber back to pull the cap (1990).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 984
Likes: 154
From: Columbia MD
Originally Posted by tm2k
I asked our parts guys and the part # of 10108425 was the same for years 85-91 and is described as....Extension, intake manifold plenum.
Hope it helps.
Hope it helps.
Last edited by LWesthaver; Oct 25, 2006 at 09:55 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
PROTEST -- not stock
in reply #25 , the trailing edge of the cover is curved...this is a clue that the cover is from a firebird/camaro TPI and is plastic, not alum as the oem vette cover (see reply #28).....plastic f-bod part is lighter weight and not subject to spark arc from distrib....ez to trim to shorter length, ez to find
put thrak in the ''modified'' div
put thrak in the ''modified'' div
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: Canton GA
huh? Mine looks the same as CentralCoasters in #24.
Mine is definitely aluminum too...
Regardless, that doesnt change the location of the distributor, which is up against the firewall, compared to others I see that are an inch+ away from it.
Mine is definitely aluminum too...
Regardless, that doesnt change the location of the distributor, which is up against the firewall, compared to others I see that are an inch+ away from it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
[QUOTE=Thrak]huh?
Mine is definitely aluminum too...
QUOTE]
apologies, my bad...every one that i've checked out that was curved was plastic...i've walked past a few at swap meets because of my error, won't do that now
Mine is definitely aluminum too...
QUOTE]
apologies, my bad...every one that i've checked out that was curved was plastic...i've walked past a few at swap meets because of my error, won't do that now
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Bradenton Florida
From my expierience, mileage, age of vehicle and driver play a part in this. Spun out my '78 and almost flipped sideways. Body moved over 1" towards passenger side. Later bought 160k mile '85. Every year for 6 years replaced dist. cap and watched dist. cover dig deeper into weatherstrip.
I never Questioned why this happened. I figured the body will move under extreme conditions.
Problem with '85 was fatigued bodymounts and constant breaking of city driving.
I never Questioned why this happened. I figured the body will move under extreme conditions.
Problem with '85 was fatigued bodymounts and constant breaking of city driving.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Look at the fins on the plenum on the early vs late TPI. The late plenum is lower profile, the angle is cut further back. This tells me that the whole engine moved forward (and maybe up a little?), and they modified the plenum accordingly to maintain the same clearance above the plenum.
Judging by the pics, it looks like 1/2" or so.
The engine mounts are the same p/n from 85-91, so perhaps the frame where they attach to moved forward in 1988 along with the suspension changes.
This would probably be a good question for Gordon K.
Judging by the pics, it looks like 1/2" or so.
The engine mounts are the same p/n from 85-91, so perhaps the frame where they attach to moved forward in 1988 along with the suspension changes.
This would probably be a good question for Gordon K.
