The engine is out....

[jerrysta]

I don't know where we used on the left hand side. My dad changed the bolt to somewhere else. We were going to use the alternator bracket. On the right we used the place where the throttle line cover slips into. It fits a 3/8 bolt.

Make sure they are grade 8 bolts.

[jerrysta]

I thought I would post a little update on the project since it's been awhile.

Right now the engine is in the final assembly. Here are some of the parts going off of memory that we will be using:

Eagle 4340 Crank

(brand?) Forged H-beam Rods

Hardened pushrods

Manley Valves (2.02 size?)

Harland Sharp Roller Rockers (1.6 intake, 1.5 exhaust)

Trick Flow heads ( Not ported in the pics yet)

Stock Block ported .060 over (Do I have that size right?)

JE/SRP Flat Top Pistons

I'm sure I'm forgetting something too!

Now that I'm in this phase I wonder if any of you experienced guys have any pointers on what order to do things or any words of encouragement? Since I'm doing long tube headers it seems that I will have to wait to do wires until the motor is in the car since the headers will need to go on before the wires. (OTVC style)

I like the idea of doing as much assembly as I can before the motor gets put back in. I'm not sure of what all I can do before it goes in. I wish it would go in with the headers on!

What do you guys think????

Pointers, Ideas, etc.......?

www.cardomain.com/memberpage/634484/3

Help a nervous Novice!

[96Camaro]

I think that you can do the wires with the motor out. But I am not for sure, maybe sombody else will say somthing about it.

[TraceZ]

Stock Block ported .060 over (Do I have that size right?)

I think .030 is the most you can bore out a LT1 block. I could be wrong.

[jerrysta]

From what I heard .30 is the smallest bore most guys use.

It's going to be a 388. I'm not sure how it is measured.

I know you take the bore and stroke and come up with it. I don't know how though. I think all the 396 cars have a bigger bore than .30.

Again, I could be totally wrong on that. I have read so much and heard so much I have sensory overlaod.

I don't know about the wires because they will need to go on with the headers already there so I can arrange them to prevent them from being burned. I think the headers mount with a solid piece that goes from each of the primary tubes. In other words there is no gap to feed them later.

What I maybe could do is hook them to the Opti and just lay them on top until the headers are on.

[fastTa]

.060" is normal and OK on an LT1 block. Some have gone more but that is pushing it on the thrust side of the cylinder wall.

[FroSSty]

Kevin, have you heard of people half "cementing" the block to reinforce the cylinder walls(if you bore over .060)? I was talkin to a guy that had it done and he said there was no problems because of the reverse cooling. Sorry if it is a little bit off subject but...

[fastTa]

Kevin, have you heard of people half "cementing" the block to reinforce the cylinder walls(if you bore over .060)? I was talkin to a guy that had it done and he said there was no problems because of the reverse cooling. Sorry if it is a little bit off subject but...

It is definitely not needed, but most street motors are CNC bored to either a blueprinted center or very close to. Now in some cases, like the 383 LT4 that I did, we "moved" the center of the cylinder bore over a bit to provide more metal on the thrust side. It's not uncommon to do this. So we half-filled the block with Hard Block and never once had a cooling problem...at least not until the timing chain shattered and put half the valves into the pistons. Another story.

If you plan on using Hard Block, just make sure your block is at minimum hot tanked and throughly air dryed with compressed air. This is just to make sure the Hard Block "sticks" and will not shift.

[jerrysta]

Makes sense. I think I remember my builder saying without making major changes .060 is "about it."

He told me to put my finger here and my thumb there and feel, and you could in fact tell that there was not much wall to thin out!

[jerrysta]

It's almost time. I am getting my motor back around the 15th of Feb. I am very excited, nervous and anxious. Thanks to all the board members that have helped me so far and even those of you that have sold me used parts.

I have a few parts left to buy, a new driveshaft, Hughes torque converter, the exhaust (true duals 250 bucks from Summit) and fuel injectors. Other than that I will only have those little things that will come up as well as the fluids and such.

Although I have spent more money than ever on a car I can not tell you how excited I am to get in the car and drive.

A couple of years ago I would have never thought of a project like this. But, I went to the track and got hooked, like many of the rest of you guys.

[fastTa]

You might want to consider sticking with a y-pipe and intermediate pipe type catback setup. It will make more power than a true dual and they sound just as good.

If you want the dual tips, just use a single in-dual out muffler.

[jerrysta]

Really? I thought that 5 inches of flow would be better than three.

[fastTa]

Really? I thought that 5 inches of flow would be better than three.

Flow is good, but optimized exhaust scavenging during valve overlap is better.

Do a search on posts by me for "scavenging". Y-pipe setups with a single in-single out muggler have the potential to make more power than a true dual setup.

[jerrysta]

I thought that the x-pipes main purpose was to scavenge the exhaust? With big headers and ported heads on a 388 is that going to be enough exhaust flow. I can understand on a close to stock car, but I will be pulling in a lot more air.

I am not a car expert by any means but the last thing I want to do is put all this money into the car, especially the heads, and then have it be less than efficient in getting the exhaust out.

[jerrysta]

What is the approximate amount of power before you need duals?