Lt1 stroker preview

[C4fan]

Got more done this weekend. Really getting stoked and maybe next weekend will be ready to go in. Got the "new valve covers vs alt bracket" issues taken care of, picked up the tranny from the shop with a shift and new seals this week, ordered the last of the small parts to be replaced and picked up a couple of small hoses that were old and cracked. Picked up the fluids including regular oil for breakin. Cleaned up and painted the engine mount brackets. If I can get past this balancer problem and get one purchased this next week I may have a shot.

[nypearson]

Looking forward to the finished job. Maybe you can post a video so we can hear that beast come to life.

[C4fan]

I spoke to my engine builder and he says my engine is internal balanced, front and rear. Unlike the stock LT1 which is internal front and external rear and so has weights on the flex plate. And that means I can't use my flex plate, at least not w/o removing the weights. Anybody familiar with this. I'm afraid to just grind off the weights because there's no way to be sure it will come out balanced. I found one at Summit that is for internal balanced engines for $70. It is 153 tooth, 10.750 converter bolt pattern. Sometimes I think it will be a miracle if this thing works when I'm done.

[PLRX]

I gave my builder everything from balancer to pressure plate. Those guys did a heck of the job.

You'll love your new LT engine, you'll see. Wait for the few seconds when you put the key in the ignition and turn that sucker

[C4fan]

I actually started this project 2 years ago. I'm really getting excited, now if I can just get the rest of the parts I need.

[Vette Jockey]

Originally Posted by C4fan

I actually started this project 2 years ago. I'm really getting excited, now if I can just get the rest of the parts I need.

[nypearson]

Originally Posted by PLRX

You'll love your new LT engine, you'll see. Wait for the few seconds when you put the key in the ignition and turn that sucker

That has got to be one of the coolest feelings, hearing it turn over for the first time.

[C4fan]

Well I got the rest of the parts I need ordered (I think). Thats the good news, the bad news is I don't think they will all be here by this weekend. That means I'll have to postpone another week. But the good news is I will have the next weekend free and hopefully will have help. Finally the good news out numbers the bad news. If any of you fellers want to stop in and help I'll buy the beer (American or Canadian)

[Vette Jockey]

Congratulations! I will be there in spirit!

[C4fan]

Originally Posted by Vette Jockey

Congratulations! I will be there in spirit!

Thanks man, spirit is good.

[C4fan]

Thanks to PLRX I was able to make some engine mount shields.

[PLRX]

Hey, it looks great

[C4fan]

Well, my son and I managed to get the motor dropped in sitting on the motor mounts. Didn't have time to hook anything up and still have to put the tranny in. Only had Sunday aftternoon to work on it. I got the PS pump and resivoir all bolted in and still have one small bolt left. I've looked everywhere to see where it could go and checked the FSM and all seems to be connected properly. I tried to put bolts/nuts/parts in baggies and label them as best I could but a couple of items got set on the work bench. I've got everything figured out (I think) except that one bolt. It's the exact same as the rest of the bolts on the PS pump but no place to go. I couldn't get all of the rockers to oil either when when I hooked a drill up to it. I talked to a buddy and he said sometimes a drill just doesnt have enough speed to get them going. I guess I'll have the valve covers off when I start it for the first time to make sure they all get going. I'll try to get some pics tonight if I get a chance to work on it after work.



update: I figured out where the extra bolt came from. It went to the Alt/AC bracket, just under the AC pump. There are 2 of them that hold a small spark plug wire loom. It was put in the wrong baggy.

[mike100]

don't worry, the lifters won't spit oil up the pushrod tubes until the engine has rotated for awhile. just a splash of oil on the rocker fulcrums will be good for the first couple of minutes anyhow.

[C4fan]

Originally Posted by mike100

don't worry, the lifters won't spit oil up the pushrod tubes until the engine has rotated for awhile. just a splash of oil on the rocker fulcrums will be good for the first couple of minutes anyhow.

Thanks Mike, that peace of mind is what I needed.

Do you think I need to have the valve covers off during initial start up?

[C4fan]

Well my youngest son turned 21 Saturday so I didn't get to work on the car until Sunday after 2:00 pm. We worked on it until about midnight last night and it is sooooo close I can almost hear it running. Still have to tighten a few bolts, hook up the TB cable, add fluids and serpintine,,, OH and that dreaded air tube on the pass side exhaust.

A few statistics:

0 busted knuckles (unprecedented)

1 perfectly good part broken (found replacement on ebay, vette2vette)

2 re-do's (you know when you forget to put something in and have to take it apart again.)

5 wacks in the face (3 in the left eye, no blackouts but did draw blood on the bridge of the nose)

15-20 dirt and debris in the eye

4,321 tools mislocated

4,320 tools found (scratching head)

10,792 bolts/nuts dropped while trying to get first thread started.

I'm sure there are more, but I'm too tired this morning to think of them.

[mike100]

A veteran trick is to not fill the engine coolant until you know it runs ok. Once primed with good oil pressure, just start it without water and make sure the lifters pump up and there are no major mechanical sounds or interferences from spinning parts. Maybe run it 20-30 seconds or so- it won't get hot at idle with a cold block for some time.

This way, you partially satisfy Murphy's Law, because if you had filled the coolant, there would be a huge problem that would require you to get your perfectly dry garage floor wet again.

[C4fan]

Originally Posted by mike100

A veteran trick is to not fill the engine coolant until you know it runs ok. Once primed with good oil pressure, just start it without water and make sure the lifters pump up and there are no major mechanical sounds or interferences from spinning parts. Maybe run it 20-30 seconds or so- it won't get hot at idle with a cold block for some time.

This way, you partially satisfy Murphy's Law, because if you had filled the coolant, there would be a huge problem that would require you to get your perfectly dry garage floor wet again.

I actually thought of that but being a novice I figured better safe than sorry. You mentioned priming oil pressure, I did the drill thing before putting the intake manifold but not all of the lifters/rockers were putting out oil. It was my understanding that was good enough to go ahead and start the engine.

[mike100]

Originally Posted by C4fan

I actually thought of that but being a novice I figured better safe than sorry. You mentioned priming oil pressure, I did the drill thing before putting the intake manifold but not all of the lifters/rockers were putting out oil. It was my understanding that was good enough to go ahead and start the engine.

The only thing you need to ensure is that the main journals are primed with oil- just the crank and rods. The rest of the engine gets splash lube for the most part. the cam bearing will be primed initially too. The rockers could go for a minute without new oil- it probably takes 10-20 seconds for the lifters to prime and fill the push rods anyhow.

If it worries you, just do the old school prime and remove the spark plugs and run the engine over with the starter motor. Not much load on the pistons and it will reach 400 rpm easily. btw, I use one of those old fashioned metal oil spout cans with the finger pump and a spout tip to fill the lifters via the side hole in the body. You can see the plunger push up and oil squeeze out of the hole- it works so much better than dipping the lifters in a bucket of oil (and it doesn't waste oil either).oil can example

it's a small block- if the machining was done right- it will be fine.

[Ch@0s]

Are you done yet?