I'm finally doing it. I'm putting on the parts that I've been collecting for about a year now.

Edelbrock Intake
Jet-Hot Coated Hooker Shorties
LT1 Cam
TPI heads 3 angle job, new springs
MSD 8.5mm wires
....and other stuff that I can't think of.

Here are some pictures of what I have done so far. Which is tear my engine apart.

I'm going to use my engine hoist to raise the engine to get the cam in, that should work right? Any suggestions on putting this thing back together leak free?

 

whats the other firebird in the pic doing? parts car or did you wreck it? you can get the cam in without raising the motor. youll have you remove the radiator and stuff.

if you do decide to raise the motor definetly go ahead and install the headers while its up...it will be so much easier. trust me.

 

im probably going to do the same thing in the summer, but probably use some SR Torquers.

By the way, how many miles are there on your engine and are you replacing the pistons or not?

 

The other firebird is a V6 I got cheap and couldn't pass up. It was going to be a parts car, but I think I'll drive it a little while and then sell it. It's currently waiting for July 1st when it will be put on the road.

I can't get the cam in without moving the AC radiator can I? I figure it will just be easier to lift the motor some.

When we put the headers on my friends car it was easy without lifting the engine, but he doesn't have AC.


I was planning on using SR Torquers, but I want a bigger engine when this one is worn out, so I went for the TPI heads. I've got 101K on the engine. I'm not touching the short block except for the cam.

 

On some thirdgens, the AC can be unbolted from the brackets, and moved to the side without dischaging and taking apart the system. This is because some have rubber parts in the hoses that allow a little movement. Not much, but enough.
If you take the radiator out, you shouldn't need to raise the engine for a cam swap.
Remember to keep everything clean. Makes things easeir when it comes time to bolt it all back together.
Good luck!

 

Mine has a hardline with no rubber. I think it will be easier to just raise the engine, the motor mount bolts are easy to get to now.

 

Have you thought about swapping the rearend with the one from the V6 car then adding a SLP takeoff posi unit? Don't sell the V6 car till you nab the rearend out of it.

Steve

 

I have thought of that, I don't know if I will do it though. Do you think a v6 car would even move with 2.73 gears?

 

I would lift up the engine a bit to get to the oil pan. Cuase when I did my cam swap I had a bitchin time getting the timing cover to go on without a leak. If I where you I would replace the oil pan gasket so u won't have any oil leaks or problems getting the timing cover back on.

 

Im doing heads/cam/intake/headers/stall/rear this weekend (hopefully) and we're just gonna pull the bitch out and tear it down and build it up, then set the headers in the bay and lower the engine back in. I hope that saves hassle.

 

I think i am also convinced to go with the TPI heads instead of the SR Torquers. I plan to go with a 350 later, so i dont want to dump too much money into the 305. So i will be doing the exact same thing to my car except i already have TES headers, i cant wait to hear how much of a difference these mods made for you.

Also, did u get the heads ported and what type of head gasket are you using?

I just read standard abrasives DIY head porting, i think that im going to do my own porting, it doesnt sound that hard. Another question i have is, are you going to clean the tops of the pistons, they look like they have some buildup on them and if you are, what are you using. My car has 140000+ miles, and i know my engine will need some cleaning when i take it apart.
THANK YOU

 

No porting just a vavle job. I'll probably just use a rag with some oil on it to get that buildup out of there, I'm not sure yet?

 

Well it's been brought to my attention that I can't lift my engine and get enough clearance without undoing the transmission from the crossmember and stuff, so I'm going to move that AC radiator, that hard line flexes so I guess that's the way it will happen.

 

Ooo! Guess who's right? Nya-nya!

Haha, just kidding, I'm sure what you meant to say was "Thanks NTChrist!"

 

Taking out the radiator is way easier than lifting the engine to put in a cam.

I ended up taking out the whole engine

 

uh no, one of friends told me he didn't think it would raise enough, so I went out and looked, and saw that I couldn't raise it enough.

I changed it out today, my AC condeser got a few scars I figured it would. That hardline was a little out of shap and resisted letting the radiator go back into place, but there aren't any cimps so I guess no harm done.

The cam was easier than pullling the heads. I have to get a few gaskets tomarrow and some paint for the heads, and a few other things I have forgotten most likely. I should have it back together late this week if it doesn't rain. I don't think in time for The Super Chevy Show

 

you dont need to lift the engine or remove the condensor, the condensor will lift and sorta swing up out of the way.. be gentle and wear gloves the fins on the condenser are very very sharp. This whole job can be accomplished without moving the engine at all. Those hard lines leading to the condenser will twist a little bit and still be fine you dont need to lift it that much. Its much easier that what it first appears

 

Could have already pulled the engine while all these sig's and photos download!

 

Yea, it is easier than it appears. The AC wasn't a real problem at all, it was the hood latch brace that was the most trouble of the whole cam swap phase, and it wasn't that bad.

I took my friends grinder and did some mild porting on the TPI heads and port matched the heads and intake.

 

Keith I can't wait to hear how this turns out, I've been wanting to do the LT1 Cam/TPI head/TBI intake thing as well (already got the headers). My motor has a lot of miles, so I'm just gonna dig up a 305 shortblock and do a fresh rebuild, plus that way the whole motor is done on a stand and just has to be bolted in (provided all goes well). Gotta do it that way since its my only car, and that way I can just piece together a motor as I get the $$.

What kinda power do you guys think this'll be good for? I'm shooting for this combo and as close to 10:1 compression as possible. Its a daily year round driven car, and I don't wanna have to do much chip work, so it has to be halfway sane as far as behavior, I figure it should be. Think it'd be in the 230-240 HP range? I plan on doing this and backin it up with a T5 later on.

 

I'm thinking what I'm doing to mine right now should get me 230-240hp at the crank. I'm hope at least 185hp at the wheels. I'd like higher, I'm just not sure what I will get. I guess that's part of the fun in it

 

Yeah I did mean crank HP, just to clarify.

 

I'm done! It's about time. Took me a month, of corse I worked on it off and on, just when I could. It doesn't leak, it runs and idles good. I've still got a few bugs to iron out, mainly the stupid tranny cable won't adjust right anymore(adjuster mechanism jammed). It's gonna be fast when I get it all zeroed in. I know it needs more fuel pressure(still on stock system), but it pulls much much harder from 2500 up, it's lost a good amount of low end, but it will be made up for plenty in top end.

 

Great! I was wondering what happend to ya, hadn't got an update in a while. Oh well, sometimes you just have other things to do. Can't wait to hear more.