Hi my name is Kevin.

(Hi Kevin)

So I bought a 350 tpi ttop iroc last spring and it spun a bearing. I have been collecting parts a little for the teardown. I dont plan on making the 300 hp thread anytime soon with this list of parts. If there is any input it would be appreciated. I am also still hunting down a set of hooker 2055s with air...

so far

SLP tpi runners
1.6 Full rollers
LT4 valve springs
I had planned on keeping the stock heads and getting screw in studs.
and maybe just porting the tpi plenum.

heres the cam, i know its a little low on the side of lift. wanted an LT4 hotcam but they were on back order from Stoggin dickies.



lift .503 / .510
duration 224 / 230

 

Hi Kevin, I'm chris.

(Hi Chris)

...anyhow....

...I'm not overly experienced beyond my own research that I've done in choosing my ZZ4 cam, but I think both that cam and the Hotcam are a little big for stock heads. Others may have different opinions.

Keep in mind though, -the LT4 HC specs are given assuming that you're using 1.6 rockers. "most" others are given with 1.5 rockers. ...so in fact, the LT4 HC is actually physically "smaller" than for instance the ZZ4 cam, although it's advertised as a bigger cam.

 

Id like to keep all my smog stuff, and i dont really care if i go with aluminum heads or iron. im thinking because there is probably going to be somthing wrong with my heads ill have wish i put out the money for real heads (i remember thinking this when i redid some ford E7 heads but thats another forum)

been thinking about some Dart Iron, or Brodix aluminum... not sure really what all i should be looking for. like say how small of a combustion chamber can i go? and what cc intake port.. straight or angle plugs? im sticking with tpi tho.

 

ooookay....the project is back on, but due to location and financial reasons the car has been sitting outside for the past 2 years. just put a new battery in it and pulled it in the shop. It looks worse than it did last it was in the air, as i expected, so the floor will have to be patched.

I will be reusing the stock heads with the new valve springs and rockers.
So i need to know if the ecu will be ok for this cam without a tune,

also i have never pulled an engine out before, any tips or tricks? i have access to a hoist, engine stand, cherry picker, airtools, parts cleaner...

 

 

so got the engine out today, the engine spun 2 bearings, and one was spinning on top of the other. the crank is no good, and the block has to be line bored. yayy..

other than that it looked pretty good.

any 350 crank will work right?

 

Should be a 1pc rear main seal crank, they are the later version. You will not be able to use an older 2pc crank. Make sure you pick the right one. BTW since you already have to buy new pistons...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ESP-103523750/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRW-8KH860CP30/

use your stock rods, but you might look into a set of these...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ARP-134-6003/

That is everything you need for a 383 all for about $475, your going to spend somewhere close to that anyways...may as well get the extra cubes. And this combo will hold 6,500 rpm, stock replacements will not.

 

i have to get new pistons? but they all look good. the bearings that were messed dug into the crank.. the bores were fine, pulled them out the top without force.

and with a 383 wouldnt i need larger injectors? i just ordered a new set of bosch 3s..

i have a set of those speed pro pistons for my Ford 5L thats waiting for me to buy a stang or another towncar in the not so near future. thats another topic tho.

 

If your going to bore the block your going to need new pistons. The option of a re-ring is out there but its not recommended, but hey its your engine. As for your injectors, what size are they? 24 pound injectors at a higher pressure would be fine, heck you might even get away with stock 22s.

But hey with all of this I really gotta stress you work with a machine shop every step of the way, it pays dividends. A little extra cash now means a lot less later, unless you like building engines really often.

 

oh sorry, maybe i used the wrong word. i meant i was having the places where the crank meets the block machined. the line? i had not planned on replacing the pistons unless they were damaged or had obvious problems. it is going to a machine shop to get their opinion on it. i will take the stroker and light pistons into consideration but due to cost it wasnt in the original plan.

 

align boring?

anyway, there is a local on kijiji selling a Lt1 crank im calling about that today. hes also got the stock lt1 rods and pistons. will pick it up if its not been turned


same seller has mahle forged flat top pistons for lt1... (i only ask about the pistons because theyre cheap) and if they are can i take flat tops or do i need the valve reliefs?

 

update - the 22lb Bosch 3 injectors from FIC came today, way earlier than i expected. i orderd them on thursday and got them on the monday. included spare orings and some intake plenum gaskets. going to look at the crank and rods in the morning.



im beginning to worry about if the harmonic balanceer and crank pulley is going to line up with my accessories.. and im having a tough time even finding pics online that i can compare clearly from the lt1 or l98.. unless im not looking in the right direction?

 

picked up the crank and rods, he gave me the stock lt1 pistons as well. 2 of the pistons had shattered rings but they are flat tops with 4 valve reliefs. The pistons from my l98 have a tapered ring, and are dished.
I will be replacing the 2 pistons that have the rings shattered in them and will be using them.

Assuming the info on the bore and stroke from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrol...l-block_engine

being correct, flat top with 7CC valve reliefs, 64cc stock heads, and a 0.50 thickness in gasket (?) according to

http://www.race-cars.net/calculators...alculator.html

it should net me a compression ratio of 9.8 : 1

anyone want to check my findings for correctness? should i go higher? lower?

 

Bueller?

 

the LT1 harmonic balancer and flywheel came to my work today.

so i was bored tonight, and threw the specs into dyno 2000. im probably wrong somewhere, too many variables i had to look up online (all of them) lol. but this prog is fun.

the head specs were in some addon for dyno2k i downloaded. one with 9.81 compression the other with 10.81




ill be dropping the heads, block, and rotating assembly off at the machine shop this week.

getting the screw in studs and valve seals put in, the aline bore?, standard key installed on the crank, and it all hot tanked.

 

pistons. the ones in the block are the l98s, you can see the dishness, and the bevel around the outside that the LT1s dont have.

 

stupid long weekend interfereing with my build.

 

hey guy, as far as the pistons go, your cylinder walls are probably worn and will need to be bored. so you need new pistons, but stick with gen 1 350 pistons, not the lt1 which is a gen 2 engine. summit has good prices on pistons, as well as all the parts needed in your rebuild, however i'd let your machine shop order the parts. they would be the one doing all of the machine work, and would get the right parts the first time. also, you should really be using only gen 1 parts, not mixing lt1 parts into your 350, like the balancer and pistons.

 

thanks for the post!

ill be using the l98 balancer. the lt1 balancer looks way different.

but is there a reason why not to switch from gen 1 to gen 2 pistons? even when you shop for pistons on summit, the application chart shows both gen 1 and gen 2 engine family fitment. i have the lt1 rods and crank to go with them. they are the same size diameter, and in the block i can still see hatch marks in the cylinder walls they would sit in.

they and the block are going to be checked out by the machine shop regardless.

 

dropped by the machine shop yesterday... the block is ****ed.

and the valve springs dont fit the heads.

/wrists

 

This is a good start. FINALLY

edit due to being unclear

i bought this block from a guy on kijiji. i think i paid 150$ it is a 2 bolt 1 peice 350 non roller.

my machine shop had to drill the bosses in the oil galley to convert it to roller, and mod the front of the block for the cam if i recall...

 

its been a long year.

the engine was hottanked, and honed, new pistons installed, new cam gear and chain and oil pump. the heads required larger springs than the lt4 springs i was sent.. one of the hyd rollers went missing... and my oil pan has pinholes in it now. it will be replaced with one that has a crank scraper and baffles.

a few hiccups but everything is good so far.

here is a pic before the heads went on

 

sooo, i lost my balancer... and the lt1 balancer wont work with the pulley. so thats on order. the stock valve covers interfere with the rockers, so they have to either be modified or replaced, and my oil pan has pinholes in it..... one with valves, scaper and baffles is on order


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM76w6eKBDo&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg9TxHtl7ZA

350 2 bolt 1 piece, hyper-eutectic pistons, lt1 crank and rods, stock l98 58cc heads, 2 angle and bowl clean, crane xr276hr-12 cam @ 0.006": 276° / 281° .503" / .510" (with 1.5 rocker), screw in studs, larger valve springs, Crane 1.6 full roller rockers.

 

getting closer to 300/400 every day

 

ran into som snags when putting the engine together. didnt notice a bolt wasnt installed back into the rear main seal housing. yaay. missing bolt....

also it was almost 2 years ago the engine was torn down, having trouble remebering where and how things go...

are there supposed to be 2 pcv valves, 1 on each side of the head?

also the coolent temp sender in the drivers side head. is it supposed to be 2 pin connector? or one? i thought it was supposed to be one. but parts place sold me a 2. said it was correct. cannot find original.

 

 

 

no, 1 pcv valve and one breather. or two breathers, but not two pcv valves.

 

looking pretty good...i may do a 383 build for my car one day....i know yours is a 350 but if i am going to spend 500 bucks on parts i want the extra cubes lol

 

Thanks for the replies

 

ok got some of the issues figured out, the guages werent working cause 10 amp fuse was blown. the coolent temp sensor was incorrect for the head. the one they sold me was for in the intake. i told them to sell me one from a 79-80 camaro with 1 wire as they were having probs finding one -that seemed to fit but doesnt work.

couple of things i need to address.

1. i cannot find the 02 sensor wire harness...
this may be because
2. i found 2, 1 wire wiring harnesses with completely melted connectors right by the passenger side exhasut manifold. perhaps 02, and knock sensor?
3. there is a 2 wire, red connector by the rear of the intake that seems to have no where to plug in...

will post pics tomorrow night

went for a short drive with my camera mounted to the back window. cherry bomb vortex is very loud

4. fans dont seem to be kicking on. do not know why. temp guage no work to know if its up to temp.

5. no check engine codes? wtf?






oh and if anyone noticed i didnt use the slp runners.... i failed to note that they were missing the 9th injector provision.

 

okay, i think i know what 3 of those unplugged go to. the 2 melted ones on the passenger side are to the fan temp switch, and the knock sensor (that this engine does not have a provision for)

the red one on the driver side is for the oil pressure fuel cutoff (that this engine does not have a provision for).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb6igMyP_po

 

i think im wrong. and im having a hard time finding the o2 harness.

i have a 1990 firebird service manual but i think it may be different.

any help?

 

theres a yellow or orange wire spliced to the black and white, then connected to some brown wiring that is long enough to go to the fan relay by the battery, but is currently unhooked... i will have to fix this. would this make the fans be on all the time?

 

if you have dual fans the primary fan is turned on by the computer when the proper coolant temp is reached. the second fan is controlled be the coolant fan switch in the passenger side head.

if you have a single fan it is 2 speeds, low is kicked on by the computer and it goes into high when the sender in the head says so. either way you should have two relays. you basically have to wire it so both relays do this at the same time, well that means piggybacking which ever trigger kicks on relay and connect it to the other relay so they both kick at the same time. since you have a melted wire which is for the coolant sender in the head you will need a pig tail to fix that piece of harness. the sender you are looking for is called a coolant fan switch, its the same for all tpi engines and its location is on the passenger side head in between the 2 rear most spark plugs.

if you want to run it off of what the computer wants you can do that to and you won't need a coolant fan switch in the head, the ECM uses the CTS (Coolant Temp Sensor, not to be confused with switch) to not only changed fuel mapping, timing, etc. but to run the fans at a pre determined temperture in the prom. so the only way to change that is to program it into the prom. the switch on the head however has another option that hyper tech makes in a 160 degree or 180 degree.

as far as the temp gauge in the dash that sender is in the driver side head in between the forward most spark plugs. it is a one wire as is the coolant fan switch. i believe the wire for the coolant temp sender for the dash is green, but it could also be black and all it does is change the resistance for needle positioning on the gauge

hope any of this helps

 

In the second picture from top, is that speaker wire? If so what is it connected to?

 

it goes to that yellow house wire tie, thats connected to a yellow or orange wire thats spliced to the black and white striped wire from the middle of the harness.

 

Hmm, that's interesting... are you thinking that is some type of stereo connection done by the previous owner? One of the things that bugs me the most is finding hack job wiring, and then having to sort it all out!

BTW, nice job on the work you have done so far.

 

the diagrams show that wire is for the coolant temp sensor in the intake, so probably the ct switch was dead and this was a ghetto fab to work around it.
i was poking around under the dash, there's the remains of an alarm, and there some stereo wiring in the trunk. so ill probably be taking out a lot of that stuff... most likely with extreme prejudice.

 

Found the stupid wire for the 02. had to look at wiring harnesses for sale on ebay and trace where it was coming from on those. now i have to make it longer to reach where the sensor is on my downpipe.

 

of course i replaced the bulbs with leds

 

pulled up the carpet on the passenger side cause i knew theres a hole in that area.

carpet was wet under there and there i found the blend air door pivot broken off, and a bunch of cut wires. oh good.

the hole doesnt scare me, it actually wasn't as bad as i thought.

passenger side




will pull up driver side tomorrow

 

Can you please let me know what LED bulbs you used.

 

no problem

White Car 194 SMD 5-LED Wedge Bulb Light Bulblight 12V

Member id circle607

there is the name of the bulbs and the ebay user i got it from. they took a few weeks to get, but i have time.




Thats more like it.



this was a drain hole plug that fell apart.



this is under the drivers seat/where the left rear passenger feet go

 

more mail today

those are dome, trunk, fog, shifter and map light, oil pressure sender, coolant temp sender, and fan switch.

 

Those LED bulbs look awesome! I'm gonna have to check those out on ebay.