Builds Shipwreck (4 Viewers)

[SuperBuickGuy]

You're one of those glass-half-full kind of guys, aren't you? I am too - it's funny, we had one of the best summers here ever - more sun by a substantial margin - by mid-September, I was wishing for the rain as the excuse to get back into the shop... of course, it does bear to mention that my other hobby is Search and Rescue - so the praying-for-rain was also a prayer to get the stupid out of the mountains....

though, with that said, I'm not sure getting him off the mountain was such a good idea....

and I learned something new. 1986-1996 350 Chevy motors use a shallow oil ring. I got the new compressor yesterday, tried it last night and the pistons still wouldn't go in right. I had measured everything and the gaps were fine. I'll have the new rings on Tuesday.... for those who care, the narrow ring set is a Hastings 5615... they are cast iron rings, but I plan on comparing them to the compression rings (I put the pistons in without the oil ring and they went in correctly).... if they are the same, and it's just the oil ring that's the issue, I'll use the molly rings.

 

[watrob]

Would it have been cheaper to simply buy a $1,500 crate V8 engine?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

no, all in I'll have $750 in this motor since I already have the major parts. Also, with a crate motor, you don't get the compression ratio or the cam that really make these things run.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

So I was curious.... the issue with the rings that came in the kit was it was too narrow (metric rings vs. 5/64 and 4mm oil rings)... which got me thinking, how much different is the old 3/16 oil ring than the 4mm ring? the answer, for those who want the answer now, is "just right".... there were 2 problems with the oil ring the oil rings were just a touch too thick (it's a measurement, I swear) and they were too wide... so, in my thinking, I thought "why not try just the oil ring (not the spacer) from the Vortec in these pistons?" it was a good guess, it worked.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

and I've changed my mind... I'm going with the AX-15/Dana 300 for transmission and transfer case - I'll use the NP 205 in my 3/4 ton pickup

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I can't say I got a lot done today... I did get the pistons in, and they went in correctly with the right oil rings... I also went by a wrecking yard and got the power steering/ac bracket and a power steering pump (which is junk except for the pulley). I'm going to have to compare a few pumps - I'd like to use all SAE connections (since the steering box is SAE), and I may even use hydraulic rather than vacuum for the brakes (mostly because I have a booster) and possibly because I might put a motor in it with no vacuum...

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I got a little further today
here's where I started


and where I ended...


I need to get a timing chain, then I can bolt the pan on forever and start dressing the motor....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Today was a Heep day, so no fun stuff.... but I did find out something, the AX 15 spline is the same as a Super T-10. I may totally cheap out and hit the disk and the pressure plate with an abrasive disk (very lightly) and use this... it came off my Corvette... couldn't hold the power.... worst case is I have to swap it later, but best case is no $$ out today.




and knocked some brackets apart so a friend can sand blast them for me

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Shiney new parts (woohoo)

There are at least 2 companies that make adapters - Advanced Adapters and Novak. The AA adapter is actually an entire, new bellhousing and costs about $150 more - but it's a new bellhousing.. or the Novak. I went with the Novak for a few reasons... cost, I already had a bellhousing, and interchangeability.... with the Novak system, I can put any bellhousing in front that bolts to the GM 4 bolt set up... heck, I can even do a Ford and just be missing one bolt (yeah, no Fords happening here, but it's an option). Some irreversible modifications have to happen to the transmission though (pictures of that later today)



best of all about my bellhousing, it already has provision for a hydraulic clutch... now, if I only knew what it came from (guess is Chevy truck) as it doesn't appear to be offset like the Camaro



mods needed

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

onto tonight
where I started tonight



but first, I'm looking for the ring for the bellhousing


this ring


search the shop, the yard, the house (because Bloodhound).. nothing, dammit
oh wait... it's attached to the bearing support... d'oh


to put the adapter on, it requires cutting off the hydraulic throwout support


and cutting down the collar... on a Jeep, this is also part of the bearing support


only requires maybe 1/4" cut off
then I ran into a problem.... the AX15 for a Colorado is different than the one for a Jeep.... it appears it's simply GM cast the housing to mimic the 4L60e 6 bolt design


so I have to either make or find another adapter... not really a big deal, actually.. just annoying it's not easy


so this is it mostly together


One real benefit to using the GM Colorado transmission is warner (as in borg-warner) was involved with Aisin, so the input is 26 spline and the bearing is stock GM ST-10... otherwise, I'd have to buy a custom bearing from Novak.

the bellhousing is 90s Chevy truck... should be easy enough to find a clutch arm for it... I'll go with a hydraulic slave cylinder like is on my Corvette, or get a Jeep hydraulic cylinder (the chevy truck one is that cute all-in-one master cylinder/slave cylinder design)

put that didn't prevent putting the flywheel on


and putting the power steering pump together



so the intake is painted, and put on.... along with a test-fit Qjet


I also cured the EGR vacuum leaks

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

love it, I'm on the phone with Novak - and they have to go pull a couple adapters out to see what I'm talking about.... SuperIveneverseenthatbeforeGuy

I'd ask on Pirate, but this build is too boring for them (to give a straight answer)...

 

[mr jits]

No, the build isn't boring. You tend to act like a butt-hurt little prick when people give you advice you don't want to hear.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

ah yes, thank for reminding me to ignore you here too... of course, there would have had to be advice that was ignored... too long, or not long enough isn't advice. Perhaps, though, I should pop onto Pirate to post your comment to the moderator who took time out of his busy schedule to tell me that my build was boring... naw, that would make me like you.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so after sundown, I got a little more done... makes me chuckle, the reason behind doing the motor mounts was I needed the water pump for the engine...

 

[watrob]

Are you adding a face plate?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

yep, though I was thinking of something in the middle, inside, maybe with a speed hole. I do have to be careful, though, I don't want to trap dirt and moisture there

 

[watrob]

That will be pretty easy to do.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

You do nice illustrations....

what do you think about boring a 1" hole from the top to the bottom and putting a pipe between the upper and lower?

time to get to the nuts n bolts... the motor should be completely assembled tomorrow, I should have the transfer case, and I can get started on the adapter... then the suspension... to do that, I need a hole.... a big hole


and the brackets for the endeavor




in looking at it tonight, there's a lot of stuff to go in the itty-bitty hole.

 

[watrob]

Your adding around 500lb of steel to this chassis, you will need another 80hp?

 

[White Stripe]

Since your going to be running big tires, think about setting up your saginaw box for hydraulic assist before you install it. That way it will be easy to add later if you want. Lots of info on the net on how to do it.