73 C20 Performance Engine Build

[LTZ C20]

Yea I thought so too.

[rich weyand]

Wow, lots of posts, lots of progress.  Sorry I've been absent; had a busy time last couple days. 

Just for your peace of mind....

I thought so but checked GM service manual to be sure.  Keyway should be at 45* (1:30 position), which is TDC of #1 cylinder on all GM V-8s, and timing marks should be crank at 12:00 and camshaft at 6:00.

The last picture you showed matches the pic in the GM service manual exactly.

[LTZ C20]

Hey Rich, welcome to the party! Thanks man, once BD set it straight and I got it put together right it made perfect sense. It matches this picture, GM service information website.



Now that's it's done right, I sound like I'm beating a dead horse haha.

Also I got the oil pump bolt problem figured out, got a new bolt, correct length and GM spec is 65 ft lbs. So the other bolt was just 3/8 to short, that's why it stripped the first 2 threads, it will be good tonight tho.

More progress tonight fella's, for now that's all I got!

[LTZ C20]

New question gentlemen, TO or NOT TO apply thread locker red to the header studs on the side that screws into the cylinder heads?? I can't decide, is it better for them to be permanent or not? I don't want them to ever rattle loose but what if someday I need to get 1 or all of them out??

[enaberif]

Thread locker can still be undone its never permanent. Just makes things more difficult.

[bd]

New question gentlemen, TO or NOT TO apply thread locker red to the header studs on the side that screws into the cylinder heads?? I can't decide, is it better for them to be permanent or not? I don't want them to ever rattle loose but what if someday I need to get 1 or all of them out??

The thing about studs - they can work loose at both ends - lol.  Install them into the heads with red.  Double-nut them to back them out if you need to.  If they're stainless steel studs use nickel anti-seize on the nuts.

[FlatBlack77]

i used the red on my valve cover studs but i wouldnt recommend it on anything smaller than that. ive used Red on smaller things and ended up snapping them before the stuff let go.

the header studs will be just fine as said above its good and tight but not permanent.

I have been enjoying this thread man keep up the good work!

[LTZ C20]

BD and Enaberif, thanks. That's kinda what I figured.

FlatBlack, thanks bud! I'm trying but things are being difficult. Plus I'm running out of money lol.

[bd]

i used the red on my valve cover studs but i wouldnt recommend it on anything smaller than that. ive used Red on smaller things and ended up snapping them before the stuff let go.

the header studs will be just fine as said above its good and tight but not permanent.

I have been enjoying this thread man keep up the good work!

On 5/16" down to about a #10 machine apply blue, any smaller use purple.  The green sleeve retainer is the one you have to be careful using.  But, even it will shear with adequate heat and sweat.

[LTZ C20]

It has been few days, had some issues. Got them all cleared up tho, will have more info and pics tomorrow hopefully. For now, it's bout 1 am and time to sleep, gotta be up at 6.

[LTZ C20]

Update:

I had an issue with the engine late last week. Thursday night I think it was, I broke a tap off in the cylinder head, in one of the exhuast bolt holes. So after lots of swearing up and down the street and almost throwing tools across the yard, I had to try and fix it.

I tried a few things that I found online but nothing worked. I was pretty much looking at sending it to a shop to have an EDM job done to get it out BUT one of the guys here at work suggested trying to burn in out with a plasma cutter.

I know what your all thinking! Plasma cutter and aluminum can't end well right?? Apparently they used to do it here when the guy with the plasma worked here. So after some himming and hahhing about whether it should do it, I decided to go for it. Other wise I just gotta spend at least another 100 bucks at a machine shop.

My buddy has a plasma cutter and so we tried it very carefully and IT WORKED GREAT!! It was slow going but we took our time and got it blasted to pieces and out without hurting the head. So then after that, I drilled it out, tapped it, installed a time-sert and installed the header studs. Problem solved, unfortunately I had already bolted the head on so it came back off, had to clean the bolts again and the new head gasket is now useless and got to get another one.

Here are some pics

Plasma cutter setup.











All fixed!


Also, got the balancer and crank pulley on, got the measurements for the pushrods and tonight I should be ordering another head gasket, the pushrods and a little bracket to support the oil pump pickup tube. So when that's stuff is here, it will be time to finally finish building this thing, get it buttoned up and hopefully I can get it back in the truck this weekend. If I'm really lucky, it might be running and drive able for the start of next week.

[enaberif]

Its so frustrating when we do such stupid stuff and we have nobody to blame but ourselves. But that is when I take a step back and just think it through again.

I did something stupid with my wheel studs and I was so mad I left the truck be for a week then went back welded up the stud holes and fixed them.

[LTZ C20]

Yea it's pretty frustrating some times. I felt like such a tard. To add insult to injury, all the other holes went perfectly and I was starting to turn the tap OUT and be done when it snapped off in the LAST hole. That only encouraged the list of new inappropriate phrases I created during my temper tantrum haha. Oh well, it's done now and I'm back on track to get this whole headache over with. I've had to walk away before too.

[LTZ C20]

Well it was a very good nite last nite! I got alot done, I even pulled a rookie move and fixed it and still made great progress.

Last included:
1- installed oil pump pickup tube brace
2- oil pan installed
3- passenger side head bolted back on with new gasket
4- oil filter pre-filled and installed
5- intake installed
6- new push rods in and rockers snugged up just to hold them in place
7- took my old spark plugs clamped them in the vice and then wacked them with a hammer and busted the porcelain off, now I have just the steel body part with an electrode stuck in the end. I then used these to plug the spark plug holes during final assembly and install into truck. So they aren't spark plugs anymore, they are just plugs now lol.
8- got new spark plugs, oil breather filter element, 2 gallons of coolant, new pcv valve and new throttle cable from work also. That stuff will all be installed once the engine is back in truck obviously.

As always, pictures!







In the side pics you can see my hillbilly spark plug hole "plugs".

For your guys enjoyment, this was my rookie move. I got the oil pan on and the engine rolled back up right and was about to start on the intake when I realized I didn't put the plastic retaining collar on the end of the oil pump stub shaft. What an idiot I felt like!! But I was able to quickly pull the pan back off, put the collar on and then reattach the pan. No harm, no foul, just a few extra steps and some extra practice tightening pan bolts.

Tonight will consist of setting the valve lash for the hydraulic lifters, putting the valve covers and serpentine brackets back on and setting the engine up for top dead center so when it's in the truck I can easily stab the distributor. Then it's just go over everything and make sure I've covered all my bases. This has been a few months comming and with a 3 day weekend, I should be driving this sweet piece by monday.

[enaberif]

Looking good man. Quick question does your block have the lower dipstick tube in place?