A friend of mine is going to Florida for a week starting August 9th. She said I can use her car while she is gone.

Think I can get the heads/cam/intake and stuff all installed, and at least tuned to a "commutable" level if I worked on it 2-3 hours a night? This is figuring that I already have all the required parts/tools/gaskets/fluids I could possibly need to get it done.

...remember, I drive my '87 about 102 miles a day going to work and back.

 

Do you have the weekend to work on it and can you devote the entire weekend to it ?


This is what I would estimate from my experience working on TPI Vette's & Irocz's:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI> About 4 hours to remove the intake & all front accessories.<LI> About 2 hours to remove the Radiator assembly & exhaust manifolds.<LI> Unbolting the Heads and removing the Cam , about 2 hours.<LI> Reinstalling everything , about 8-10 hours.
</UL>

This assumes you don't break/strip any bolts and have all the tools ready. An air compressor would help.

Remember, do the job in stages and don't rush to beat the clock. I work extra slow and cleanup items on the way.

Also, take plenty of pictures.

I think it is very doable in 1 weeks time. I did a heads/cam job on my old Iroc over a weekend with 1 helper.

Vic

 

Yes, she leaves on a Thursday, and returns the following Wednesday.

We've got an air compressor, and a bazillion tools. I think the only thing I'd need to pick up is a puller for my balancer.

My main concerns are the EGR and exhaust manifold bolts. I'll probably start soaking those in liquid wrench any day now.

 

Scorp, my nephew and i tore mine down this past 5th of July. Both of us with hangovers. started at about 2:00PM and we were down to the short block by about 7:00PM. And that included tracking all the valve train components so they'd go back in the same places. So tear down shouldn't take you more then a couple of nights working 2-3hours. As far as reassemnbly goes, Vic's estimate looks pretty good, however you are probably going to want to do a lot of clean up work while you have stuff apart. This can be time consuming depending on how far you want to go. Then you are probably going to want to degree the cam which can be time consuming it you've never done it before (have a solid lifter available).

Anyway the net of it is; sure you can do it in a week (especially with a full weekend or two sandwiched in). However if you are missing something or have the wrong something you could be screwed. Suggestions: pre-fit as much as possible before you start...looking for any incorrect or missing parts.

And like Vic said "don't rush to beat the clock" i know when i try, i just get frustrated and usually screw something up.

What are you using for push rods? I know i needed customer length rods which i couldn't order until i had the valve train partially assembled. Also how about a custom chip? Do you already have it? New distributor gear? If you don't have a roller block, do you have the button and bear for the roller cam? All the gaskets, sealers and fuilds?? just throwing out things you might not have thought of. you don't want have to hit the auto shop every few hours.

Good luck, it'll be great to have all that new found HP.

 

Scorp

Another tip for the EGR bolts, let them soak for a few nights, I used WD40. Remove these bolts with the torx heads and replace them with grade 8 hex bolts. The torx bolts are a nightmare, they strip and break easily.

 

For the first time ripping it apart I agree with Vic89..

Also I recommend PB Blaster for the rusty bolts.. Spray them a couple times daily a few days before you do the work... It should help a great deal

 

This is what I foresee,
14 guys show up,
9 drink beer and BS all day,
5 get dirty
3 of the 5 get bored and tired, join drunk BS'rs
One starts having internet withdrawal, goes in to post pics of us working on the forum,
One ends up sitting in the engine bay alone turning wrenches covered in blood and oil.
Does this sound familiar?

 

Sound like my house when I have a bunch of people of for a "modfest"

 

I'd probably be one of those drunk BS'rs! Hey at least I'm honest! [img]http]//www.corvetteforum.cc/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

 

It can be done, but 80% of your time will prob be cleaning up bolts, screws, studs fasteners and etc.
Thats what I ended up doing..cleaning EVERYTHING that came off the engine.

Since youre on a time clock, its going topush you...something always seems to pop up and go wrong that you cant forsee at times.

If I had to do what youre doing, Id pull the engine out of the car and do all that on a engine stand.
Its so much easier that way and I think alot faster.

(depends on your skill and speed)
Once you get down to the heads off the engine and see its just the block left thats sitting down there, it almost makes sense to yank it out too.
Everything is accessible when its on a stand..easier to remove balancers,install cams, change seals and torque heads down and etc..

Btw with the car on jack stands, have front the wheels off so you can stand closer to the engine compartment.

You can do it!!!!
Good Luck dude!!

 

Scorp, you don't really want me doing a cam swap on your car do you? Don't you remember what happened to the last car I did that on? RIP oh speedy RedBarron, I still have your grease under my nails...

 

LOL. I should be able to get the cam/heads done with dad on our own. It is the superram that concerns me. [img]http]//www.corvetteforum.cc/ubb/eek.gif[/img]

 

I will volunteer to swing by and drink your beer...

Seriously, one problem I can see is if you want to clean your engine compartment/components as you work, it mmight take longer than expected.

 

That's a Challenge alright! If you're determined..you CAN DO IT.

I'm sure you'll keep us posted on how things progress. I responded to your other post too.

 

I'm not all that concerned about cleaning the engine compartment as I go. One thing I'd probably do is to de-carbon the piston heads if (there has to be) there is 14yrs of carbon on them.

I'm hoping to turn her into a 383ci+ engine within the next 12 months, so we'll clean things when it's yanked.

 

I'm not all that concerned about cleaning the engine compartment as I go. One thing I'd probably do is to de-carbon the piston heads if (there has to be) there is 14yrs of carbon on them.

I'm hoping to turn her into a 383ci+ engine within the next 12 months, so we'll clean things when it's yanked.

 

i think it could be done. but if you really want to do a great job its gonna take longer. the only thing i would worry about is having enough time to make it run right, after its back together.

 

Scorp,

Just do it... I think you probably have a 50/50 chance of getting it done in your time frame. If you don't, you can always rent one of those $ 19.95 a day beaters for your work commute.

As Ralph was saying, go through everything in your mind first. Do you have 2 sets of LPE SR gaskets ? What about the long allen wrenches for the manifold bolts, preferrable the swivel set.

Will you have any help ?? Does any of your helpers have valuable engine experience, particularily with the Valvetrain ?

The Superram has a horrible reputation, but it really isn't that bad, just takes an extra hour or two over reassembling the stock TPI set-up, primarily because of the plenum belly bolts... but once you get them on... its all down hill from their.

Regardless, you won't be sorry with the results, so I recommend the sooner you get started the better.

Good Luck
Beach Bum

 

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Do you have 2 sets of LPE SR gaskets ?
</UL>

Yes.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>What about the long allen wrenches for the manifold bolts, preferrable the swivel set.
</UL>

Yes.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Will you have any help ??
</UL>

Yes.

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Does any of your helpers have valuable engine experience, particularily with the Valvetrain?
</UL>

Yes.

[/B][/QUOTE]

I'm feeling better being able to answer yes to everything.

 

Scorp,Hell Ya You can Do it! But Your gonna Have to cut back on Your forum time for the week. I doubt You have much time for sleep as it is.