1991Z07

It's been nearly 15 years since I've pulled the darn thing...so I have a couple questions.

1) Do you have to drop the tail housing to get the top bolt out to remove the shifter? I've backed it out as far as I can with the allen wrench...and I still need about 1/8" more or so (I think). I'm hitting the tunnel with the wrench now...so I can't get anymore room.

2) Does the tapered pin for the shifter linkage need to be driven from the top to detach it from trans?

Getting everything ready...have the shifter loose up top, got the zip ties off so I can reach the pin. Trans jack is in place and secured...but the shop manual doesn't really give you a lot of details to go on.

LTxDave

I pulled mine out and reinstalled with the shifter attached.

1991Z07

How far did you have to drop the tail to get it to clear the tunnel?

It would sure be easier to leave the shifter in place...but I have a tall hydraulic transmission jack. I need the shifter to clear the tunnel before I can pull it backwards.

PLRX

Ensure it is on third gear

1991Z07

I went ahead and pulled the shifter. Headers and something on the upper engine prevented the back of the engine to fall far enough for the shifter to clear the tunnel.

The pin drives in from the top...found my original instructions from Hurst in the box.

Now on to more fun...Street Twin clutch & flywheel, new seals and cryo-treated stub axles for the D44...button up the bottom of the car and get it down off the lift so I can pull the front of the motor apart and replace the water pump and the timing chain cover seals. Maybe then she'll stop leaking like a sieve.

I guess that's what happens when you park them for a few years...lots of BS that never would have happened if I'd have kept driving it.

The great news is I already have ALL the parts I needed, sitting on the shelf. Bought them years ago.

Cliff Harris

I'm going down this path right now myself. Took the water pump off last night. I've been putting this off for a long time because I knew it would be a major pain.

I found out I bought the wrong timing tab for the front cover (the outer ring on my harmonic balancer walked into the cover and ground a hole in it). The new AC Delco cover came without a timing tab so I had to buy one. For some reason I was stuck on the Corvette having a 8" diameter harmonic balancer. Turns out it's 6-3/4".

Now I'm trying to work up enough enthusiasm to go pull the oil pan. I know I'm going to hate this, so I'm procrastinating... It's kinda weird because once I get going I know I'll be fine, but the anticipation is killing me.

I'm a lifetime member of the black fingernails club... Maybe I should capitalize that and start something: Black Fingernails Club. BFC?

1991Z07

I've been pretty lucky on mine so far Cliff. I had a second motor built while I drove it around on the original. When the new motor was ready...I simply swapped them out. Short of a minor hiccup when I spun 3 rod bearings and destroyed a crank, the car has been pretty bullet-proof for over 45k miles on the race motor.

Lesson learned...when the machinist says "You need a road race oil pan"...pay close attention to the words coming from his mouth.

On another note...when I drained the trans the Castrol oil in there was still looking like honey, not very dirty at all. It has over 25k miles on it since the last change.