Bought an 88 formula 350 over a year ago. Starting modding it right away....minor mods.

1. Then came the headers. Jet coated TES...after installing them..heatsink was causing my starter to flake on me. Bought a mini-starter and the problem went away. Cha-ching (cash register sound).

2. Car starts pulling to the right. Take it in for alignment. Well guess what? I needed new idler arms..etc to the tune of a 500 dollar estimate. "Ha!" I thought. I'll buy the full front end rebuild kit from PST for $200-300 and use the money I save to buy some tools. Jacked the car up with a little 2-ton jack. Car starts to slip off of jack and jack ends up supporting the car via the oil pan. Crunch!!!! Readjust jack and support car correctly. Replace suspension components.

3. Start car! BANG..BANG..BANG!!! Crank must be hitting pan?!? Order new Moroso 6 quart pan from summit. Looks nice! Remove old pan...What a pain!!! Jack up engine etc. Hmmmmm...chunks of metal in the bottom of the old pan. Let's take a look here. Yikes...one piston looks different from the others. Lighter somehow. And what could that be??? a bent rod? ALL ON HOLD.

4. Buy "ZZ4 Clone motor on EBAY!." (cha-ching) Takes two months to get the motor. No rockers, no pushrods, no water pump, no oil pump. Have I been taken? Wait!!! What's this no HYDRAULIC ROLLER CAM!!!! This guy sold me a ZZ4 shortblock with corvette heads. Buy Crane Cam, Buy Cloyes true roller timing chain, Buy Crane Gold Race roller rockers, buy pushrods, buy Stewart HV water pump, buy Melling HV oil pump.(cha-ching) Wifey starting to look pi**ed.

5. Take car to shop for motor swap. Motor pulled day one!!!

Day 2 mechainc reveals ebay motor I purchased is a 2-bolt main not 4-bolt. Gonna bite the bullet and go with it. Not much choice since the old motor is out and stuff is spread out all over the place.

1 week later no progress on putting the new motor in. Apparantley I didn't understand that the mechanic was planning to do the work after hours and on the weekend. He just didn't have time.

Week 2, mechanic reveals the new Ebay Crane Gold 1.5 roller rockers aren't self aligning. This means guideplates are in order. I order guideplates that were supposed to be on ebay motor when I bought it. They arrive from summit the next day. Mechanic has since moved on to other things and lets the car sit for a couple of days before he installs the rockers.

But low and behold the rockers with guideplates cause valve cover clearance issues. I order aluminum TALL centerbolt valve covers from summit (cha-ching). They arrive a couple of days later from Ohio. Mechanic has understandably moved on to other things.

As I knew the heads on the new motor were corvette heads. What I didnt' know was that they didn't have the EGR crossovers as did the stock l98 ones. Things are going so slowly I don't want to ask the mechanic to fabricate something using the exhaust. Mechanic moves on to other things and I order TFS 23* heads from summit.(cha-ching). ( I would have gone with AFR..or even purchased the TFS 23*-CNC if they hadn't been backordered.) The mechanics want the car out of their shop.

Check on the order first thing Monday morning. BACK ORDERED. Cancel order. Look other places for heads. TFS owned by Summit. Nobody can get them. Summit finds a set in OHIO and 2nd days them to me. Deliver heads to mechanice on a Friday. Monday morning check in. No progress.

Thursday still no progress. Mechanic says wife would like a deposit because he's got about $30.00 worth of parts into this job already and the cars been sitting in the shop for a month. He feels $500.00 should do it. My feelings are hurt. DEPOSIT!!!

Note: I think they were worried because I'd been spending a ton of money on parts and drive a really thrashed 86 maxima around when the firebird isn't working.

I bring $1300 worth of twenty dollar bills around the next day, Friday, and PIF for the install. Don't want worried mechanics.

Monday no progress on car..mechanic has 5 or six other cars around he needs to Smog. Big money smogging cars in california.

Tuesday...old heads off..new heads.....WAIT new head gaskets. We forgot to order new head gaskets. Research and order the thick felpro head gaskets. Wanted to order the thin ones to raise the compression ratio..but..BACK ORDERED. Did bother me a little going from the 58cc corvette heads to the 64cc TFS ones because of a loss in compression. probably not a big issue. Oh well...


Wednesday drop off head gaskets. Thursday...Friday..poke my head in to see status. No change! Monday...heads are on. Looking good. Tuesday..mechanic gets enough energy to start putting the Accel TPI manifold on and fuel injection. Uh ohhh. Runners don't have a cold start injector hole. The mechanic is under the impression that "You have to have that". I Research issue on thirdgen.org, etc.; decide "to hell with it. I'm going to plug elinate the CSI any way I can.". I run around looking for a CAP to CAP off the line. No cap in town.

Remove fitting from rail and start looking for a PLUG! No plug in town. Decide to order plug. Now that the mechanic sees a PLUG situation instead of a CAP situation, he finds the PLUG in box of parts that came with the superam. Imagine that!!!! Duh!.

Thursday. Mechanic has time to look at it again..works in it for an hour after regular business hours.

Friday inspection reveals a little progress has been made. Maybe a running car by Monday??

Monday...."ah gee..Friday afternoon we found out the 26lb LS1 injectors ( another e-bay pruchase) won't work, retaining clip won't seat because the gap on the injector doesn't go all the way around.

Tuesday, call everyplace in town. No clips for that type injector, or anyother type in stock. Remember that when you rip them out. Special order from the dealer. Go to dealer on Wednesday. $6.00 each and they don't quite look right..none of the LS1 injection looks right. What to do...what to do?

Order Accel 24# injectors from summit and receive them yesterday. They don't come with clips but at least it looks like the old retainers will fit. Go to the mechanic and put the injectors in the fuel rail. Reach for the old retaining clips. 3 are missing and the 5 remaining are tweaked out of shape....arghhhh. Get ready to go to the dealer and buy the $34.00 injector installation kit that contains the new retaining clips for the old style injectors (can't buy just one..like the LS1 retaining slips). Look in superam parts box and find 5 clips in perfect shape that some angel threw in for good measure.

Now I'm cooking. Should i see if the mechanic has finished throwing the superam on? Methinks my real problems are yet to come.

Is it a good idea to throw the superam on before putting the motor in? The mechanic seems to thinks so. :lala:

 

Wow... sounds like somethin I would go through lol. Good luck with it. I would put the super ram on first, be much easier.

BTW: You wouldnt happen to wanna get rid of the Vette heads, would ya? If so, PM me!

 

"My feelings are hurt. DEPOSIT!!! "

Noting new, We get half the cost of R&R up front and if an engine has to be ordered we get that money up front in full. The lessons you lean when some jerks burn ya for 2k

Ebay has alot of good deals but thats the reason your situtaion doesent shock me too much. I just hope after all of your trouble this sucker runs!! How much HP we talking with this setup?

 

you don't need to run the retainer clips on the injectors ;(

sounds like a NIGHTMARE.

 

dont feel bad my buddy blew up the motor in his 90 ford supercoupe went to have new heads put on, mechanic takes off heads and sees that theyre chunck so he buys another motor, then the mechanic tells him, after he spent 700 on the motor, that hes charging him 538 for the work he did pulling the motor and it would cost 1200 to get the other motor put in, so me and my dad ended up getting the car for 800, give my friend 300, the mechanic 500 and take it home, put the good motor in, now it runs great, books for 4500 and we only got a small amount of money in it, and boy does that thing run, so through that deal i learnt a lesson, shops screw you, i like to try things myself, if you dont know how try it, get a haynes for reference and find a great sight like this to help you on your way. i have yet to try ebay, maybe i wont

 

Well Ebay isn't all bad.....

Put the heads up last week and they are already up to $560.00 for the pair. Plan on putting the LS1 injectors back on ebay this weekend. The guy I bought the motor from also refunded $300.00 for his exaggerations.

Luckily I found out he has an actual engine shop in Tennessee as opposed to somebody that just throws engines together on the side. I mentioned certifying agencies, better business bureaus and attorneys and he antied up real quick.

The only thing that engine had in common with a zz4 motor were the heads, and flat top pistons. oy yeah..it had a timing chain cover too!!!!

Again...don't let me discourage you about ebay. Got the Crane Compucam for $100.00 less than retail and the Crane Gold Rockers (brand new) for $50.00 less than summit (and they were BACK ORDERED.)

Even bought my mint dashpad off of ebay for $35.00 + 22.00 shipping.

 

Never pay anyone in full until the work is done (not the mechanic, pest control, hooker... NO ONE), at that point they have no more motivation to do your work first... I know... I get paid by the job too.

 

This is precisely why I do all the work myself unless it requires ridiculously specialized tools, like a lift.

My heart goes out to ya, man.

 

These guys are really good mechanics...I'm not too worried about paying them in full. Very reputable and have worked on my cars for awhile. Honest in all respects...I can't blame them for putting my car on the backburner whenever somthing comes up they didn't expect. I do the same thing in my business.

Not like this was a crate motor.

Someone inquired about horsepower?!?! I have not got even the slightest idea! I got caught up in the.."well if I have to put a new one in anyway..I might as well do it right,," syndrome.

If I had to do it over again....4-bolt main.....ported (or at least CNC) heads. 1.6 Roller rockers, torque converter (not too late if I really should) and a partridge in a pear tree.

If anyone can make sense of what I'm putting in...what do you think I'll make HP and torque wise. Probably a little SOP difference..

 

Damn what a nightmare. I may be young but i am very old fashioned when it comes to buying parts. I go down to my trusted speed shop and talk to the guy tell him what i want and let him order all the pieces. Mayb cost a little more but, works out a whole lot better that way.

 

I'd take your car and go to another mechanic. If he's not going to set time aside to do it, thats wasting YOUR time which is what you don't want to do which is the reason you brought to him in the first place. It might sound a little harsh but if he's going to keep putting off your car so he can "smog" other cars and so forth it doesn't sound like he's too serious about getting it done.

 

At this point I think it would take more time to gather up the pieces and tote them to another shop than just finish the job. Then I'd have to deal with some other mechanic "fixing somebody elses mistake..etc.."

Nah, I'll be patient for a few more days. Would rather drive the parts away..

 

It may have been Divine intervention, fate, or just plain poetry, but MAN, did you pick the right user name....

In any case, thanks for sharing your saga. Maybe we will all have learned something by your experiences. Let's at least hope so. "Caveat Emptor", for sure. I'm more like the Time Titan when it comes to things like this. I like to be able to put my hands on it before I buy it.

 

Ask your mechanic to do something like that, then bring him 1 part at a time for a month and see how willing he is to work on it. I think he's lucky that his mechanic didn't already throw him out!

 

Hey Jim,

I am lucky that he didn't throw me out...But I'm not too lucky that he didn't turn me away before he spread my car out all over his garage.

He's a mechanic...I am not! It has worried me that he would turn it over to someone else and leave me hanging out there with very few options. I did have a ton of options when the car was in my driveway.

Don't flap your fingers all over your keyboard without realizing that I too see it from his side.

 

UPDATE!!!

The car is still in the shop!

 

I hope you didn't spend enough money to buy a RamJet 350. that is a neat plug and play motor.

I can't afford to pay anyone to do my work, so I am forced to learn and do it myself. My brother and some friends helped me yank out my dead 305, and will help me install my LT4 motor when it is put together.

Hopefully you get yours back soon.

 

wow that sucks man,sorry. Lesson LearnedO car work your self,and dont trust EBAY

 

Ah yes, the joys of engine swaps.......
Sucks to hear about your experience..Just Murphy's Law in action. Hopefully things will shape up in the near future [my clutch swap last year was along the lines of this story, so things are bound to turn around for you soon]

 

Everytime I hear somebody say "my mechanic........." it makes me sick, ESPECIALLY when it is somebody who owns a performance car.

People who have an assload of money and don't know CRAP about how to work on their OWN cars shouldn't cry when they get screwed by "their mechanics." If only you took the time to read a small block chevy book (its SOOO simple) and followed the simple instructions to your Haynes manual, you would NEVER even need a mechanic or second guessing. Perhaps only a machine shop to do the machine work, but thats IT. Its so simple I can't believe how many people with performance cars don't know **** about how their engines work, I mean jesus, I could teach my little brother how to do a cam swap, and their are idiots on this message board who pay "their mechanics" $500+ for that 4 hour job!!!!!!! wow. Now I see why mechanics always have such a toothy grin on their face. You guys are total suckers. PLEASE, for the sake of everyone that actually knows WTF they are doing, go out and buy a Honda, lower it, put some neon lights on it, and park it in a performance speed shop to have "NOS installed."

 

Geezus Chris, have something against mechanics?

Some people just don't have time for that stuff. Some people just like to drive a pretty car. Then some people are like us who buy all the specialized tools to do *everything* ourselves.

I took my VW in for a tune-up once (because I didn't have time.) When I got it back, it wouldn't idle at all and barely had enough power to get up to 20 mph. So I took it back. They decided they were going to rejet my carbs with a different jet on each of the 4 throats, break and reweld my throttle linkage, and replace my valve adjusters with units that hit the insides of the valve covers. Naturally, I didn't find all this out until a month later when I went to fix the valve cover leak and found gouges on this inside of my covers. From that point on, *noone* touches my cars. The money I save on mechanics goes into buying premium parts.

 

specialized tools =grinder,hammer, and vise

 

Sorry to make you sick Chris.

With my assload of money I should probably be able to buy a Haynes book, buy all the tools and hardware necessary to complete an engine swap , rent a space to perform the swap, just dive in and do it.

Forget my business, family, life...and just do it. Thanks for setting me straight. Motor goes out and I'm not ready for it. What a dork I am.

I should have known CRAP before I bought the car. Kind of like you must have before you bought your first performance car. How well prepared you must have been. Yep...nothing like experience..Yep sink or swim.

We rich whiners are a sorry bunch.

Do you know me Chris?

Didn't think so.

 

Oh yeah Chris...I also noticed in your profile signature "you need a job".

 

Uhmmmm. :nono:

Well sine were ragging on Mechanics and I happen to be one...
Who has 30K in tools to do all the work nessasary on thier car and various others? I know, I do! Do you????
Who has time to work on thier own cars??? I sure as hell dont and I'm sure someone who does something else for a living doesent really want to screw with something when they can pay someone else to do it right, although I've fixed so many mistakes made by other shops it makes me sick.
Also, according to my labor manual a cam swap "not including replacing cam bearings" calls for 8.2-9.0 hours on a carbed/TBI thirdgen. Could it be done in 4 hours? Yes, but the car has to be stripped with no ac, no sensors, not cleaning parts properly and everthing has to go perfectly back in place. How often does that happen??

 

Chris is obviously unemployed with plenty of time on his hands. Probably alot of things about Chris I don't know...but I won't be so arrogant as to assume tooooo much...He makes reference to a "cam swap" ( like I can't swap a cam.) but doesn't even get the drift that this is an engine swap.

What mechanic would sit there and let me "cherry-pick" the easy parts of an engine swap while he did all of the grunt work? Aren't there insurance issues and such? What about that yellow line you aren't supposed to cross?

Have I ever written that I'm CHEAP, SUSPICIOUS, or ARROGANT?

Not that I can tell!!!!

Beautiful thing about these 3rd gens...everbody can afford one...and everyone has one...

 

I can say that having friends with engine lifts and stands makes life a little easier.
Here is my brother Lino and my friend Dan (he owns the lift and stand) with my old 305 LB9(was an LG4 before the TPI swap)




This was very easy to yank out. Hard part of putting in the LT4 is coming in a couple of weeks. I am not looking forward to that.

 

Well shoot.......I didn't mean to spark a nerve but I guess I did didn't I!! Damn, you guys are just TOO funny. I especially liked the replies from the defensive "mechanics."

If you think it takes 30K dollars worth of tools and 8-9 hours to do a simple carburated chevy cam swap, I just don't know what to say to you. Ok, actually I do: That is BLASPHEMY. 8-9 hours WORK TIME, alright thats understandable if you are going word by word from the book working very methodical, but if you are like me and you have a full time job and your hot rod is also your daily driver (not some POS import), then you like to be a little quicker (ie: EFFICIENT) in your projects. And 30K worth of tools?!?!? BWAHAHAHHAAH my ***, I did my first cam swap with a $15 set of Autozone combo tools in a plastic case with a rented puller and a borrowed jack.

The "i need a job" quote in my sig is a sarcastic joke I wrote in there because my friends tell me I work too much.

This may surprise you, but I AM a mechanic. An FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic from an aircraft company, little place down in Tucson called "Hamilton Aviation" (was working full time, sometimes 12 hour shifts 6-7 days a week untill layoff), and now I work as a small time "on-the-side" automotive mechanic, in which I do cam swaps, intake swaps and the like for a reasonable price when people don't feel like getting screwed going to other "real" mechanics, as well as working FULL TIME as the General Manager of a Mexican Restuarant near the University. So NO.......I'm just a lazy *** who doesn't work right............And BTW I live in an apartment and I dont' have a driveway or a garage or a even carport. When i have a major project to do, I borrow a friends driveway or drive to my parents house in Vail and work on the gravel. I didn't mean to be an *** and I'm sorry if I was, but it just kinda erks me when I see people flushing their money down the crapper when they could just learn a few things and save themselves a whole lotta money and make other thirdgenners look better!
Peace.

 

Those people are called ricers

 

Those people are called ricers

:sillylol:

I've worked in dirt and gravel in Three Points... it sucks. But now I live in Vail, and I have a nice paved garage. And I'll be doing an engine swap this fall, actually. Ordering the ZZ4 shortblock next month and a stand to put it on. So soon my garage will start to look like Zepher's. I'll be swapping it out on a three day weekend, most likely. But I don't have 30k of tools......

 

I have probably $100 in tools, maybe $200, but they are all stuffed into a small green bag. I sometimes use friends tools if they are available.
Sometimes I wish I had the money to pay someone to do the work for me, I just get a little frustrated with it.

Like the motor mounts, I tried to pay my friend to do it, but he wouldn't take the money, he'd just help me do it.

 

I probably have around 1500-1700 in tools, 500 of that being a 60 gallon air compressor. *grunt*

I've always believed you could do the best job only with the proper tools, so I go out and buy the tools I need every time. Sure, I'm not going to use the ball joint separators often, or even the coil spring compressors... but at least I have them when I need them at 2 AM on a Sunday.

And if I ever need extreme tools (like a mill, or a chassis jig), that's what my friend is for. He builds Pro-Stock chassis for extra money. I fix his computer, he does welding and fabbing for me... good deal if ya ask me.

 

Well Chris,

Need I say that I AM learning a few things?

This whole issue started when I was swapping out the front suspension and the jack slipped. I was learning how to swap out the suspension and how not to jack up the car...2 things in one day..OH BOY!

You make it seem like I'm flushing money left and right! And I need to take on every single task my car throws at me at the expense of everything else going on in my life.

You might want to start a thread dealing with self-worship or something.
.........................

Yes zepher, friends with similar interests / hobbies can really be a blessing. My friends don't do their own automotive work..but I've run into alot of people in my quest to get this firebird up and running that have been really helpful and supportive..(new friends maybe?)

Thanks for the posts

 

what was the grand total so far in parts??? it sounds like a killing

 

Cost so far:

And I know I could have saved some money..but I thought I was under the gun to get this out of the shop and bought some things without thinking of the cost.


Motor:

2 bolt main..with Speed Pro flat top pistons, reground crank, square decked, Pink Rods, ARP Bolts, Felpro Gaskets, Clevelite 77 bearings, (Corvette 58cc heads)..$1650.00 - 300.00 refund from seller - $710.00 from heads selling on ebay = $640.00.
.
TFS 23* heads $925.00
.
Crane 2032 Compucam (EBAY) $150.00
.
Crane Gold Race Roller Rockers (EBAY) $250.00
.
Crane Chromoley Pushrods $109.00
.
New Lifters (EBAY)..$80.00
.
Tall Aluminum Valve Covers $112.00
.
Gaskets.. Around $120.00
.
USED Accel Superam (base, runners, plenum) with BBK 52mm throttle body..$800.00.
.
Oil Pan with Melling 55hv Oil Pump.$70.00.
.
Accel 24lb fuel injectors..$219.00
.
NEW Tpis Afpr...$80.00 (EBAY)
.
Stewart HV water pump (iron).. $70.00
.
New motor mounts...GM $ 12.00.
.
Cloyes true roller timing chain..$70.00
.
retaining spider for lifters..GM...$15.00.
.
Installation costs:

$1300.00 to r & rk=longblock

Additional $250-300.00 to remove and replace the corvette heads that came with the motor. These would not be legal in CA without serious modification to the EGR setup so I went with the TFS 23* heads to save time and aggravation.

 

good LORD!!!!!! you have a money tree that we dont know about???

 

i don't get it
guess I'm stupid

 

Wow, that sucker better be fast for that amount of money.

I've got $1,000 in my complete LT1 and $850 in my LT4 Heads and LT4 Intake, and $85 in my LT4 Hot Cam.
I am shooting for 300+hp at the wheels.

 

Hi,

I've got 10,000 into my firebird so far. I had the luxury of growing up in dealerships, and garages. I was about 10 when I learned how to rip down a motor.. heh

Whats that short block got for pistons and the sort??

Doing things the "right" way is expencive. I normally pay 600+ dollars in machine work alone for a block, you paid about that for your whole shortblock.

But we all learn, and thats whats important.

TO answer your question about installation, most mechanics assemble the whole thing and put it in. I like to assemble just the baseplate of the intake, and put it in from there, then connect all the electrical + plumbing, and then the remaining parts..

-- Joe

 

Dropped by the shop this morning and heard the car run...for about 5 minutes.

2 problems....

1. They didn't run the TV cable under the plenum so it's hanging over the top of the motor hooked up to absolutely nothing. They should have waited to put the superram plenum on until the motor was in the car.

2. Intake leak where the runners meet the manifold.

The mechanic is hoping I bail and take the car elsewhere.... He has said he will not charge me any labor for the earlier head swap, which he estimates at $400.00, and will only charge me $225.00 for the additional parts he has had to buy. Oh yeah, I think he knows I need the car in a hurry because he said he won't be able to get back to it for a week.

My dilemma is this, when we first started this I had a work order to R & R the motor for $1300.00. Later when the heads needed to be swapped he estimated $200-250.00 parts and labor. Now if I want the car finished, I'm going to need to wait another week, cough up $400.00 labor and $225.00 parts. I think the price has become inflated to encourage me to take the car to another shop.

We had no workorder for the head swap..and I find $400.00 a little steep to swap heads.

If I take it to another shop it's probably going to cost me a fortune to get the work done since....the smog pump, the headers, the valve covers, and at least a couple of rockers, need to be removed to get at the lower plenum bolts, to remove the plenum to get to the bolts that connect the runners to the manifold.


I printed out the instructions for the Superram install and gave them to the mechanic. They clearly indicated that the plenum should have been left off to route all the various cables under it when the motor was in. Besides...who's fault is it that their was an intake leak????

Sounds like I'm going to be bending over. And before some "****" flaps his fingers over the keyboard and types " You should do all your own work...yada..yada...yada!!!", I would just like to say, "Save it! I've learned my lesson / lessons!"

I know I could do as good a job at this point as anyone else in fixing the problem....but I paid good money for this motor to be installed and I feel as if I'm getting the short stick.


Any constructive comments, observations, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

How much you got intot hat, deff would of dumped that ebay engine and other stuff and started over
Aj

 

Man, If I wasn's 3000 miles away, I would finish the car for you just to see you get it done. There is no sense in the way you have been treated. Call around, ask a few friends if they know of anyone who is cheap and reliable. Maybe there is someone or a shop out there who has some experience with 3rdgens and aftermarket parts.

 

Just an update:

Chris, I actually changed the valve springs myself and saved a boatload of money.

AND.....I have the tools to do the job again when my son builds the most AS*KICKIN Camaro on the West coast.

I learned so much from the engine swap nightmare that it was well worth the aggravation ( I'm probably exagerating a little.).

The Dali Lamai could learn a few things from me about control...:hail: .

Thanks for all the input and support. If there are any Chico California types out there..and I see a ton of them...who want to start a gathering...contact me.


Take care!!!!!!

 

Wow! Long time for an update! I just read the thread for the first time, and all I can say is: "wow"

I just hope that not everybody has such a low opinion of the people in the automotive repair profession. It really frustrates me when someone has a bad experience at another shop, or even worse, the shop where I'm employed. I know there are some bad apples out there, but not all of us are out to get your money. We are in it for the money, don't get me wrong, but I know that I don't get paid for something that's not right. Period...

As for the Ebay stuff.....I've heard of a few people having issues with companies that sell on Ebay, but with the large number of engines and parts sold on Ebay, I don't think it's fair to say it's bad to buy through Ebay. I've made many purchases on Ebay, and I always make sure I check feedback first. It CAN be an indicator of who you're dealing with.

 

Geez it took you two years to finsih the engine

Since weve all lost touch on this thread, how did she run after all the suffering?

 

well I'm going to go ahead and put in my 2 cents. I'm surprised that you found a shop that would put in your own motor, (I was under the impression that if a shop does it they have an agreement with a builder). also good luck and I hope it works out for you in the end.

ohh I'm going to school to be a diesel mechanic and I already have $2500 or so in tools, and while I find $30000 to be a little hard to belive, its entirely possible if its all brand name tools.

 

We're not picky where I work, but if you supply the parts, or engine, or whatever, don't think you're gonna get a warranty. We won't turn work away, but we won't stand behind someone elses engine.

As for tool inventory, I'll have to figure up what I even have! I have no idea! I'm sure I have at least $5k in just tools, then a $3400 toolbox, and other misc equipment.... I don't have Mac and Snap-on exclusively, in fact, most of my basic tools are Craftsman. Professional series wrenches, chrome sockets, some extensions and ratchets.... Mainly Mac, and IR air tools.... Quite a few inexpensive, but decent quality, no-name brand items, axle nut sockets, etc...... Several Channel-lock pliers, cutters, needle nose, etc..... Stanley Screwdrivers (cheaper than craftsman, and different than what everyone else has!!!!)

:edit
Forgot to mention, snapon 3/8 metric deep impact sockets, swivel impact sockets (SAE and metric) and Mac 1/2 deep impacts. Also, Gearwrench brand ratcheting wrenches. Most valuable!!!
/:edit
To throw a tangent on this thread (and to stay on topic, somewhat), I have found many high quality, name brand tools on Ebay, for good prices. I look all the time!

 

The car is fun to drive. I had it running quite awhile ago just never posted it on this thread...and that's one of my pet peaves too!!! People who post a problem..get numerous replies with possible solutions and never post which one worked!

The motor is VERY strong and pulls forever. I hit the pedal and it just keeps accelerating. I STILL need to tune the chip but am pleased with it's performance.

Problems with the overall motor?

1. Trick Flow Head springs were a major problem; too small for the cam.

2. Oil leaks from the pan.

3. Blowby ( I'm pretty sure this was caused by the PCV grommets being so stiff they wouldn't open and close right. It's not bad it all since I opened them up a bit.)

4. Exhaust leaks at the headers. ( with the edelbrock TES ones, the stage 8 locking bolts don't work very well. The washers aren't big enough to connect with the tubes stopping the bolts from turning.)

Thanks again for all of the input.

 

Martyr,

Well thats cool she turned out ok, with all the investments you made that thing should never have had any problems and last for at least 100+ years. Thats the only down side about working on cars, you know eventually somthing that was fixed is going to unfix itself in a few years.



Red90bird,

Actually I have more then that in tools and equiptment now. I had my personal at home tools which are better then most shop mechanics . From time to time since I was 14 I was working at my partents shop Ive had time to gather alot of tools as a matter of fact a few month before this thread I purchased a Macsimizer to fill space in my new workshop thats now owned by my ex-wife. The workshop not the box. Not to mention when my dad passed I got all of his tools a tool boxes from his 40 years of being a mechanic, 22 of those were owning and operating a shop. Those are the tools I use mostly now.

Anywho if you do go through with the diesel mechanic thing, you will quickly learn how expensive name brand tools are especially
if the diesel's your working on are big trucks $120 a pop for one snapon socket.

 

yeah I know tools and stuff get very expensive very quick, I really wasn't trying to flame anyone I was just commenting. eventually I plan on having an entire shop at my house, of course first off I need to get a house . since I'm in school I usually go through craftsman or matco, I get pretty deep discounts through both, I haven't really got any snapon stuff (just a starter button) and I don't have any mac (not that I don't like snapon and mac its just expensive). anyway I'm slowly building up my tool collection for both work and my car.