Builds Shipwreck (10 Viewers)

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Bummer. In all my years of hot rodding, I've never had one seize. I've slung them apart...but never had one lock up.

Were you still using the stock oil pump?
 
no, it was a pump I've never had trouble with - a high volume Meldon...

this isn't my first, but the first was a 455 Olds that has a hexagon drive.... that if you put it in wrong will push the pump shaft into the pump. It has just enough drag so that when you check oil pressure, it will be fine... just not for long.

with that said, I have no idea how many motors I've built - I'm sure it's in the hundreds and this is a first catastrophic fail of such a part... so I suppose I was due.
 
My dad had a '76 Corvette. Leaked oil like a sieve. He loaned it to a friend who forget to top off the oil. Flying down the freeway it ran out. I think the intake manifold and timing cover were the only parts that didn't detonate.

So Aaron, how about a newer LS or something along those lines. 700 ish HP NA.
 
well I do have that 900 hp twin-turbo 430 Buick motor....

and

no

I had a Camaro with a 427 that ran on race gas (13:1 compression). It was/is a beast (sold it), but it has the distinction of breaking at a stoplight. Simply idling away from the light, it broke an axle... okay maybe idle is the wrong word, but it certainly wasn't under full-race power either.

I'll either build another motor or buy a crate motor - it pains me to do so, but something in the 250-310 hp range.
 
it's a bummer to be so close and then take a giant leap backward. you'll land on your feet though, obviously. especially with a wallet that is so much lighter. :D
 
No buts about it. New chip at a minimum. You will have to find a flow calc for the injectors. Don't know that answer but from having tuned EFI I know that a small change makes a big difference in tune.
 
so here's the deal with TBI. the chip may not have to be changed - generally the settings on open loop are fat enough that it'll run fine; but when I thought the injectors were bad I was looking for alternatives to the holley - source injectors. Turns out they're injectors from a 3.4L Lumina.... but they have an obscene flow rate (like 45 lbs) - even if not, I learned this on another TBI swap. I put a TBI 454 in place of the TBI 350 in a chevy truck. I didn't change the computer because I was lazy - but it didn't need it, it ran fine. Once it gets into closed-loop (reliant on the O2 sensor for input), the base tune doesn't really matter because it will learn while you drive and add whatever extra is necessary.... that said, I think the information I got on the flow rate of the injectors is wrong - so at minimum I'd have to get the 454 injectors. Fortunately, the base flows the higher-CFM of the big block so that's a non-issue....

but still, I need this to run now so that will factor into the decision on what to buy/build. At this point, I'm seriously considering pulling the 350 out of my pickup and running that (I have a 454 that could go in the truck)....
 
still weighing motor options, thinking more and more about a 383 - but if I do, that will take more time since I'll build it myself

but in the mean time, there's lots of other things that need finishing
like the dash




much wiring left but it's closer

the volt gauge - so I decided not to run a battery switch, rather, when I'm not idling or running, I'll simply turn the gauge on (also the two power ports) and monitor the battery's health. If it starts to get down a bit, I have a switch that allows either battery or both batteries to be joined together... simply I'll switch to one and let the other be the starting battery....
 
did you paint that with rustoleum hammered black? Kinda looks like it from the photo.... seems to be my new favorite spraypaint (many pieces of the 40 have that, and the MetalTech 4x4 tube bumper on the 80 just got it as well).

As far as EFI goes - you guys are forgetting a couple pieces.... it isn't always about injector size. Injector flow rate is based on a certain fuel pressure behind the injector. Further, the rating is based on a "per minute" rating - but when running the injectors don't spray constantly. To our eyes it looks like they do, but they run at a speed of milliseconds. They don't run constantly - if they did, the amount of fuel they would spit out would be the same at idle/700 rpm as WOT at 5000 rpm.

So running from a 350 to a 383 - unless there's a huge variance in power or the current injectors are barely keeping up in the 350, they will be fine in the 383 with a change in fuel pressure or injector timing.

If the system is eprom based (like a lot of the 90's systems were, Toyota was NOT) then just about any dyno shop should be able to burn eprom chips with new settings....

The difference between the 350 and 454 could be injectors, but it could also run a higher fuel pressure and a larger pump....
 
Like I said, if ya put a 383 in it will need a good reprogram at a minimum. I have read on EFI tuning forums that it may need the 454 injectors or a significant increase in fuel pressure. Adding pressure is a bit harder since there aren't settings for fuel pressure. There are some base pulse width calculators on the Internet to get you close, but it is more guess work and data logging. The 383 may run with the old tune, but it might not run well an certainly will leave a lot of horsepower untapped. Even a minor cam change along with a better intake in my engine required over 20 chip burns to get the best tune. Thankfully I have everything to do it myself.

toyotaspeed90 said:
did you paint that with rustoleum hammered black? Kinda looks like it from the photo.... seems to be my new favorite spraypaint (many pieces of the 40 have that, and the MetalTech 4x4 tube bumper on the 80 just got it as well).

As far as EFI goes - you guys are forgetting a couple pieces.... it isn't always about injector size. Injector flow rate is based on a certain fuel pressure behind the injector. Further, the rating is based on a "per minute" rating - but when running the injectors don't spray constantly. To our eyes it looks like they do, but they run at a speed of milliseconds. They don't run constantly - if they did, the amount of fuel they would spit out would be the same at idle/700 rpm as WOT at 5000 rpm.

So running from a 350 to a 383 - unless there's a huge variance in power or the current injectors are barely keeping up in the 350, they will be fine in the 383 with a change in fuel pressure or injector timing.

If the system is eprom based (like a lot of the 90's systems were, Toyota was NOT) then just about any dyno shop should be able to burn eprom chips with new settings....

The difference between the 350 and 454 could be injectors, but it could also run a higher fuel pressure and a larger pump....
Click to expand...
 
SuperBuickGuy said:
yep, rustoleum hammered black.... durable, hides imperfections well....
Click to expand...

exactly..... I first used it on my 40's bezel (which, unsurprisingly, came from another 40... and when sanding found tons of bondo, instead of cleaning it up, I pulled all bondo and used the hammered black).

srgould41 said:
Like I said, if ya put a 383 in it will need a good reprogram at a minimum. I have read on EFI tuning forums that it may need the 454 injectors or a significant increase in fuel pressure. Adding pressure is a bit harder since there aren't settings for fuel pressure. There are some base pulse width calculators on the Internet to get you close, but it is more guess work and data logging. The 383 may run with the old tune, but it might not run well an certainly will leave a lot of horsepower untapped. Even a minor cam change along with a better intake in my engine required over 20 chip burns to get the best tune. Thankfully I have everything to do it myself.
Click to expand...

A rising rate adjustable FPR is a pretty easy thing to add into the system....

it's why I like Megasquirt.... it's not for everyone... but once it's setup, changes on the fly, even while running, are doable.
 
If I want a boatload of more work, I'd either wire the Holley dominator EFI or the MS3 I have into the system.... but why do I want to add more stuff that can go wrong? the whole point of TBI is that it's been validated with billions of miles. While both other systems are dang good, they're not as good as the GM system when it comes to reliability, ability to find parts in remote places and knowledge. I'd go back to a carb before I'd put any aftermarket EFI on a motor thats key attribute is reliability.

I've used them all, and even now have several laying about... and don't get me started on Holley's EZ efi.
 
Ha. My thinking exactly. Keep it simple and reliable. That is why I swore never to go to EFI. Love my old TBI now and would not switch back. It is hard to find. Matched engine and TBI combo unless you pull it out of an original vehicle yourself. Even in the same year there were a number of different chips since different cars had different engine and trans options and different needs. I modified my computer to accept an easy to program PROM. Stiff runs the old code, but I can tune it to run better. Would love a megasquirt but funds won't cover it. Plus a bit more complicated. Seems like every thing I do lately just adds complexity.
 
I may buy the motor today, so this could be a retrospective discussion on choices. So here we go: what to choose?

1) buy a 350 crank kit and put it in one of my blocks
- cost goes like this:
Machine work: $500 if I have to bore it (which, presume I do)
Heads, clean up $200
- crank kit $450
gaskets, oil pump $100
total $1200
2) buy a short block
- pretty simple, prices range from $900 delivered on up
- head work $200
- gaskets, pump $100
total $1200
3) do a stroker
- machine work $500 (crack check, bore, clean, cam bearing install)
- heads $200
- gaskets, oil pump $120
- crank kit $600
- bearings, etc $200
- new flywheel $200 (don't know, not having luck finding a one-piece, external balance flywheel)
- stupid stuff like oil pan $200
total $2000
4) buy a GM crate motor (350)
- $1500-$2000

in all the above, I'll re-use my cam and lifters.... thoughts?
 
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