Happy day! Moving under it's own power.
So you drove it sitting on the floor?
So you drove it sitting on the floor?
My '76 restoration (long post)
- Thread starter denpo
- Start date
SuperBuickGuy
Well-known member
wow, nice work!
Kid Vette
Master-Baiter
Looks great!! :1st:
SRountree
Well-known member
Really cool...
SRountree
Well-known member
Have you thought about putting the logo on the shifter knob?
Hey, Denpo! I have been away for a while and thought I would check in on you guys. Looks like you are making great progress.
I think I may be done driving for the winter here in iowa and will start my winter upgrades soon. They are minor compared to what you are doing.
keep up the good work.
Brent
I think I may be done driving for the winter here in iowa and will start my winter upgrades soon. They are minor compared to what you are doing.
keep up the good work.
Brent
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
First of all, sorry everyone who replied to my post, for some reason I didn't receive notifications about those, thanks for for the kind words.
Alas the project went into another speed bump.
Yes I managed to drive it sitting on the floor only to have the engine running very rough. After a tiny round trip limping around the neighborhood I went on to check the engine. Bad news: metal shreds in the driver side head, look like a spring damper broke, even if I couldn't find the culprint yet.
I order a compressor to spark plug adapter and try to remove the springs with the head on, but the retainers seem stuck, no way I could remove the spring without removing the head.
While I have the valve cover off I could see that the part list I've been provided when buying the car is probably mostly BS.
At least springs and lifter arms are not what the seller told me they were.
All that kind of discouraged me to fight for a proper 2017 run and went on to home remodeling/fixing projects that had been waiting for way too long according to SO. There is also this 3D printer that's waiting to be assembled.
With that 5.3 L33 sitting in the garage I don't really see the point pouring more money in the failed SBC.
So the plan for now it having it running next year with the LS engine.
And since the floorpan is still a bit too high for my 6"6' I'm looking forward to install sidepipe to clear the underside and lower the driver seat.
Alas the project went into another speed bump.
Yes I managed to drive it sitting on the floor only to have the engine running very rough. After a tiny round trip limping around the neighborhood I went on to check the engine. Bad news: metal shreds in the driver side head, look like a spring damper broke, even if I couldn't find the culprint yet.
I order a compressor to spark plug adapter and try to remove the springs with the head on, but the retainers seem stuck, no way I could remove the spring without removing the head.
While I have the valve cover off I could see that the part list I've been provided when buying the car is probably mostly BS.
At least springs and lifter arms are not what the seller told me they were.
All that kind of discouraged me to fight for a proper 2017 run and went on to home remodeling/fixing projects that had been waiting for way too long according to SO. There is also this 3D printer that's waiting to be assembled.
With that 5.3 L33 sitting in the garage I don't really see the point pouring more money in the failed SBC.
So the plan for now it having it running next year with the LS engine.
And since the floorpan is still a bit too high for my 6"6' I'm looking forward to install sidepipe to clear the underside and lower the driver seat.
No I didn't think about that, but that's a good idea, will think about that.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Hello fellow vetteheads. It's been a long time since I've last updated.
Last year's work on the Corvette ended up with an engine failure at the first try.
Turns out I'm probably the one to blame since it appears valves' lash were totally out of wack, to the point the rockers were floating at some point during the cycle. The engine ran at most 4 time during the 8 years of the restoration process, only a couple minutes at a time and yet it seems it was enough to get the lash completely off. Could it be it's a flat tappet engine, you tell me.
So yeah, it pretty much ruined engine right from the start.
Well, maybe no ruined, but it would take to have the engine apart to really tell.
The amount of work to investigate is pretty much equal of an engine removal, so, since I have this 5.3 LS I assembled the year before I decided I'd go straight for the LS conversion that was I end goal.
If all goes well I could inspect clean and fix the SBC later for resell or whatnot.
So here I am with a fresh new plan and energy. Morale was low after the engine when kaboom, but I got over it, took time to work on other non Vette related task that were taking dust in my todo list and now I have needed time (and probably $$$) to make it happen.
This LS engine started with the purchase of an L33 shortblock on the LSTech classified, got it for 700$, I think this was a fair price.
From there I purchased from many sources (ebay, forums, kijiji, scrapyard) the missing parts at the best deal.
Basically what I got now it a 5.3 LS6 engine:
Flat top stock pistons.
used 799 heads ported in-house.
used LS6 stock cam, pushrods, rollers.
new LS6 valve springs.
Double roller timing chain.
Later LS6 valve cover.
Batwing oil pan.
Truck harness I rewired for car use.
Truck cable actuated throttle body.
Truck MAF.
At the time I had the engine put together (but not assembled), just to make sure the big LEGO was completed.
Now it's time to disassemble every again, take the shortblock appart and inspect everything.
Cylinder walls (1 to 8):
While cylinder wall seem to still sport the honing pattern, you can clearly see cylinder #3 has seen better days.
Scores can catch a finger nail and match small score on the piston between the top and the compression ring.
Is it doomed for reboring or should it be ok to use as is?
Main bearing: (top and bottom, 1 to 5)
I'm no expert in mail bearing, I just found that bottom bearing looks nicer than top bearing, but that's all. I'd love you guys tell me what you think of those.
Since I'm right at the start, if you guys got suggestion on what I should upgrade/replace, I'm listening with both ears.
Thanks for reading me.
Last year's work on the Corvette ended up with an engine failure at the first try.
Turns out I'm probably the one to blame since it appears valves' lash were totally out of wack, to the point the rockers were floating at some point during the cycle. The engine ran at most 4 time during the 8 years of the restoration process, only a couple minutes at a time and yet it seems it was enough to get the lash completely off. Could it be it's a flat tappet engine, you tell me.
So yeah, it pretty much ruined engine right from the start.
Well, maybe no ruined, but it would take to have the engine apart to really tell.
The amount of work to investigate is pretty much equal of an engine removal, so, since I have this 5.3 LS I assembled the year before I decided I'd go straight for the LS conversion that was I end goal.
If all goes well I could inspect clean and fix the SBC later for resell or whatnot.
So here I am with a fresh new plan and energy. Morale was low after the engine when kaboom, but I got over it, took time to work on other non Vette related task that were taking dust in my todo list and now I have needed time (and probably $$$) to make it happen.
This LS engine started with the purchase of an L33 shortblock on the LSTech classified, got it for 700$, I think this was a fair price.
From there I purchased from many sources (ebay, forums, kijiji, scrapyard) the missing parts at the best deal.
Basically what I got now it a 5.3 LS6 engine:
Flat top stock pistons.
used 799 heads ported in-house.
used LS6 stock cam, pushrods, rollers.
new LS6 valve springs.
Double roller timing chain.
Later LS6 valve cover.
Batwing oil pan.
Truck harness I rewired for car use.
Truck cable actuated throttle body.
Truck MAF.
At the time I had the engine put together (but not assembled), just to make sure the big LEGO was completed.
Now it's time to disassemble every again, take the shortblock appart and inspect everything.
Cylinder walls (1 to 8):
While cylinder wall seem to still sport the honing pattern, you can clearly see cylinder #3 has seen better days.
Scores can catch a finger nail and match small score on the piston between the top and the compression ring.
Is it doomed for reboring or should it be ok to use as is?
Main bearing: (top and bottom, 1 to 5)
I'm no expert in mail bearing, I just found that bottom bearing looks nicer than top bearing, but that's all. I'd love you guys tell me what you think of those.
Since I'm right at the start, if you guys got suggestion on what I should upgrade/replace, I'm listening with both ears.
Thanks for reading me.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
I did a little 'resurfacing' of the block. A thick piece of glass and some sanding paper can do wonder.
The horizontal line is a camera artefact, because the surface was too shiny.
I went 120 - 320 - 600 - 1200 grit on them.
I also received my bearing removal tool, so now the block is absolutely bare, reading to get bored and cleaned.
All my orders should be delivered at my border PO box by tuesday. Maybe I can get it bored before next weekend. *finger crossed*
The horizontal line is a camera artefact, because the surface was too shiny.
I went 120 - 320 - 600 - 1200 grit on them.
I also received my bearing removal tool, so now the block is absolutely bare, reading to get bored and cleaned.
All my orders should be delivered at my border PO box by tuesday. Maybe I can get it bored before next weekend. *finger crossed*
bobs77vet
Well-known member
well too bad on the old engine but who can argue with an LS...looks good
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Well, the SBC may not be that damaged, maybe after inspection it will find another life in some drag racing setup. It's supposed to be forget all the way down afterall. I'll wait until disassembly to confirm this, looking back it's clear previous owner's best quality wasn't honesty.
LS looks rather since (I will miss my gilmer belt setup tho) but more importantly (to my eyes) it's modern, and should provide a more balanced delivery of power. It's gonna be a 5.4 LS6 basically.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Tonight I upgraded my rocker arm.
Pressing off the stock setup
Pressing in the new stuff
And done!
Not much of a performance issue, rather a insurance I won't get the engine stuffed with bearing needles in case of catastrophic rocket arm failure.
Pressing off the stock setup
Pressing in the new stuff
And done!
Not much of a performance issue, rather a insurance I won't get the engine stuffed with bearing needles in case of catastrophic rocket arm failure.
bobs77vet
Well-known member
those certainly look beefy, nice work
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
You betcha, thanks.
Sorry for reply late all the time, I don't receive post notification anymore, gonna have to check my thread setting.
Just got the block back from the shop. They were awesome, for the price of the boring, they've thrown in the honing and the washing.
Now it's a 5.4L.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Crank clearance checked, 0.002 all around, calling it good.
Crank is in :
Piston rings have been gapped, I opted for 0.021 top, 0.023 bottom.
Next step it to check crank runout and rods bearing clearances.
Crank is in :
Piston rings have been gapped, I opted for 0.021 top, 0.023 bottom.
Next step it to check crank runout and rods bearing clearances.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Clearance on connecting rod is 0.002 +/- 0.00025
Crankshaft play is 0.0025, we're all good.
New pistons are in.
It all went butter smooth with the tool my machinist made me out of bronze.
When I saw how easy it was with this kind of fixed diameter tool, I had to try. And since those tool don't come in 3.820" size I had to have it made.
Crankshaft play is 0.0025, we're all good.
New pistons are in.
It all went butter smooth with the tool my machinist made me out of bronze.
When I saw how easy it was with this kind of fixed diameter tool, I had to try. And since those tool don't come in 3.820" size I had to have it made.
bobs77vet
Well-known member
there is something beautiful in looking at machined metal, that looks very nice
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
And worked beautifully, a couple of wack with the palm of the hand was all what piston needed to slide in the cylinder.
My late father was a machinist, I actually grew in a valley were almost everybody lives from machining, every summer jobs I had were spend attending a CNC or a Lathe.
Damn, I wish I had space to host a lathe and a mill.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Ok, took longer that planned, but the engine is finally done.
After receiving my LS7 cam (thank you mggray87 !), I tried install it only to discover I borked the cam bearing install. So I caved in, took everything apart again and let the work to competent people, namely the shop that did the boring. Once again big thank to Moteur Ultra for the cheap and good work.
Among the update, there is the double cam chain, the LS2 chain damper and the cam bolt lock plate. The one I don't have picture of is the LS6 valley cover, with integrated PCV oil baffles.
Here is it. I'm not sure this accessories setup will fit....
Notice the fitting tapped into the water pump for the vapor line.
Crank pulley installation was no joke, torquing a sacrificial bolt to 240lbs to make it seat was quiet a workout.
All I need now (beside sorting out the wiring harness grounds and VCC) it to find hose for the vapor line and the PCV.
Exhaust collector studs were all bent and stuck. Since GM canada want 20$ for a single of those studs, I made up a mine.
Mini cat are fitting in nicely, which is normal since the pan and the exhaust are coming for the same car.
One concern tho, I tested where my clutch Zbar stud adaptor is supposed to land and this does not bode well. Look like the manifold are right in the way. *sigh*, what will this mean? headers or hydraulic clutch?
One note : I had problems with my cometic head gasket, one of the low rivet that keeps the layers together was interfering, I had to drill it out. According to the internet I'm definitely not the first one to experience this.
So this time every bolt got the proper torque/grease/rtv/whatnot.
Next step is finishing the harness and preparing the removal of the SBC.
After receiving my LS7 cam (thank you mggray87 !), I tried install it only to discover I borked the cam bearing install. So I caved in, took everything apart again and let the work to competent people, namely the shop that did the boring. Once again big thank to Moteur Ultra for the cheap and good work.
Among the update, there is the double cam chain, the LS2 chain damper and the cam bolt lock plate. The one I don't have picture of is the LS6 valley cover, with integrated PCV oil baffles.
Here is it. I'm not sure this accessories setup will fit....
Notice the fitting tapped into the water pump for the vapor line.
Crank pulley installation was no joke, torquing a sacrificial bolt to 240lbs to make it seat was quiet a workout.
All I need now (beside sorting out the wiring harness grounds and VCC) it to find hose for the vapor line and the PCV.
Exhaust collector studs were all bent and stuck. Since GM canada want 20$ for a single of those studs, I made up a mine.
Mini cat are fitting in nicely, which is normal since the pan and the exhaust are coming for the same car.
One concern tho, I tested where my clutch Zbar stud adaptor is supposed to land and this does not bode well. Look like the manifold are right in the way. *sigh*, what will this mean? headers or hydraulic clutch?
One note : I had problems with my cometic head gasket, one of the low rivet that keeps the layers together was interfering, I had to drill it out. According to the internet I'm definitely not the first one to experience this.
So this time every bolt got the proper torque/grease/rtv/whatnot.
Next step is finishing the harness and preparing the removal of the SBC.
