Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I haven't made much progress on my Sy. Personal problems and family emergencies have been taking up most of my weekends. My weekend are busy adn time is flying by, Nat is in less than 2 months!

I finally have my coolant return line for my turbo. My McCoy IC pipes are at the welders being modified so it fit my truck. My transmission that I am rebuilding should be finished up this week or so. I have a few weekends day freed up. I am taking off atleast one day of work put in some good wrenching time on my Sy and I have the long 4th of July weekend free. My wife is going her mother. I am hoping to get my truck up and running by then, if not the next weekend. I have a few things on my list I am going to delay doing in order to make goal. (My alky set up is the major one) I am hopoing that will give me enough timne to get my truck tuned enough with code $59 to drive it to the Nationals.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

So I registered my truck yesterday. I wasted a good hours with the RMV. I had to clean my garage out to make room to work on my Sy. I spent a little more time on my transmission, its almost done.

I worked on my Turbo Oil return line. The wastegate actuator was interfering with line so I couldn't bolt it on. So out came the Angle Grinder

I was going bolt the turbo up, but I couldn't get my 90 degree fitting on OIl Pan to turbo Oil return line because it was hitting the hard transmission lines. I have been putting off pulling my tranny, but I can't wait any longer. (I have to swap the flywheel as well.)

Inevitable I spill a bunch of transmission fluid (caught up on the tranmission shifter cable). Atleast I didn't spill the tranny fluid into my hair this time.

I drill some holes into my torque converter inspection cover for additional cooling.

 

[Richard Le]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Off comes a LB4 head.

Do you happen to know the size of the two bolts holding the spider looking thingy down to the block in the middle of this picture? Also, do those two bolts use washer?

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Do you happen to know the size of the two bolts holding the spider looking thingy down to the block in the middle of this picture? Also, do those two bolts use washer?

No washers. I am not 100% sure but think they are 5/16 bolt (it doesn't look like a fine pitch thread) and about 1/2" long. I have a metric die and tap set and it definately not metric size (closest to 8mm)

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I finished rebuilding my spare transmission. I woke up first thing and was hoping to only spend a few hours on it and start pulling my transmission after lunch. I finished at 5 pm and then spent an hour cleaning up. I am hoping to pull the trans out of my Syclone tonight. I gotta lot of work ahead for this weekend...

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Boy that transmission took me a long time today. Oh well atelasty its done,. though I realize I am missing the transfer case & 4x4 tailhousing gasket.

The tranny is alteast out. It doesn't look loike much but I spent 11 hours in the garage today. I hope tomorrow I can have better visual progress.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

This is main reason I am swapping transmissions at this points. I used the 03 Flywheel and it didn't bolt up to my TC. I think my truck would ready to drive if I put time I put into finish rebuilding the transmission and swapping it out.

I have the two flywheels on top of each other, you can see the slight difference for the Torque Converter holes.

The transmission is in. I am missing the Tranfer Case gasket, so I have order of of those. I am also missing an transmission filter.

JSM Tubular 700 Crossmember.

Now onto the more interesting stuff, like turbo's. The Turbo Oil Return and Coolant Return braided hose's. I had to add a 90 degree fitting to the Oil return hose, because the location I have the bung welded it put the braided hose against the exhuast manifold with the turbo installed. I had to extend the coolant return by a foot.

The turbo is a PTE6131BB.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I got a little further along yesterday. I ran into a problem, I can't find my injector harness (and have no idea where it might be). So I am clean up my garage and look around for it. I am also missing my starter bolts, but I have an idea where those might be. I would have like to get a little further along, but overall I am pretty happy with my progress. I still have a chance of this trucking making it to the nationals this year.

I basically have to install transfer case, starter, finish up the engine compartment, clean up wiring, install body parts (nose/hood), install WB O2, put back interior, and tune. At most I have 2 weekends and little time at night to make this happen and maybe only one. The tuning can happen during the week.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Looking GOOD Dave ! Nice "swiss cheese" inspection cover, I got a damaged one from Aeroking that I cut a third off so that I could still retain the mounting point for the transmission lines on my truck. If you have any trouble getting a transfercase gasket, #1564-2511, let me know I have two or three of them laying around new still sealed in plastic...

Do you happen to know the size of the two bolts holding the spider looking thingy down to the block in the middle of this picture? Also, do those two bolts use washer?

I'll check my mock up block when I get home later tonight and get you a thread and pitch size.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Looking GOOD Dave ! Nice "swiss cheese" inspection cover, I got a damaged one from Aeroking that I cut a third off so that I could still retain the mounting point for the transmission lines on my truck. If you have any trouble getting a transfercase gasket, #1564-2511, let me know I have two or three of them laying around new still sealed in plastic...

I have hack up the swiss cheese even more, it doesn't fit between the oil pan and flywheel. I think I really need to figure out what newer S-Series use and hackup one of those. At this time its not my biggest concern.

I order the TC gasket last night, hopefully I got the correct one.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I found the starter bolts and ordered the rest of the parts, I just have to find the injector harness or find a used one.

 

[SY2932]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I'll check my mock up block when I get home later tonight and get you a thread and pitch size.

Cool, I get to quote myself... Not so cool, I checked my mock up block last night and it didn't yield any definitive answers with regards to the thread size of those holes. Most of the threads were gone due to rust. Seems to be an SAE size since my 7MM tap felt undersize in the hole. I pitched the bolts and spider soon after I got the block which I use to mock up stuff on the outside of the block like accessories and whatnot. As you can see, it wasn't in the best of shape when I got it to begin with:

At least the price was right for what I wanted it for...

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Mike where did you get that block, from Lake Erie? Here is a picture of your air filter connection tube installed.

This my where I left off when I couldn't find the injector wiring harness.

 

[DynaGlide]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Wow, looks like you've run into some issues. Lucky for me, I've not had any problems getting my truck back together.:roll:

Your thread has inspired me to perhaps fire my project thread back up. I'm nearing completion as well... four years in the making. :lol:

Good luck.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

Good luck.

Thanks I think I am going to need it. I have to get my truck up and running by the end of next weekend to have any chance of making ot the Nationals this year.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I found my Injector Harness while removing my Alky Control Harness, it was tangle up in the wiring I had hanging from under the Brake Booster. I think I figure out why my Alky control wasn't working, the bolt at the pump distibution block were loose. I still need a need pump from letting it setting dry for 3 years. I don't have time to get the Alky Control up and running in time if I want to have any chance of driving my Syclone to the Nats.

I bolted up the Distributor, plugged in the Injector Harness. I found that I will need to use a different spark plug wire for the number six plug (I have MSD 8.5mm Wires). Its basically resting on the Down Pipe, even if I zip tie it out of the way, it will be still way too close. I am have another set of MSD that I am sure I can find a 90 Boot to work.

I almost made a big mistake. I was going to install my upper intake, but I happen to put my finger in the throttle while carrying it to the truck. Aluminum pieces from porting were stuck the inside walls. I had washed it and blown it out but the machining oil and year of build had caught the aluminum shaving. It took quite a bit of effort to get it 100% clean.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

A long weekend for wrenching for me as weekend went on I took less pictures.

I elongated the starter holes. The hole opposite of the gear has an opening to let metal filings in. If doing this again I would plug that hole rather than spending time with a Q-tip and pick.

The Transfer Case was a PIA. If you transfer case tag is in mint shape (like mine was) take it off before install on slip on the jack mangles the tag :roll: I also ended up pulling the stupid thing 3 times, because the transfer case gasket. It fell off twice and I thouht I had it right, but it was wrong, by the third pull I was pretty beat tired.

TC Brace is in.

Rear Driveshafts

Front Propshaft with new ujoint need bearings, racey red seals

Down Pipe and exhaust bolted up. I didn't actually have to change the #6 plug wire. I did change it back whent back the original, it had better clearance. The 90 degree boot was on the exhaust manifold.

Unfortunately my DP hits the frame and it also affected the mating to the upper pieces\ (connected to the turbo). I put some heat reflective tape against it, but I need to pull it out have it rebent

I wired up the fans, installed the PS Pulley, A2A intercooler. I stuggled with the PS pump pulley. I stripped all the threads about 3/4 though press in it. I did hail mary pull with another bolt, it was ugly but I got it on. I am going to have to replace the pump if I pull it off again.

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

The bad news is I can't get it started. I still need to put the front bumper/grill/wheel wells/hood on and put the interior back together. It seem to almost fire the first time, but it didn't. I tried switching wires to see if I was 180 off, nothing. The alarm was screwing up on me, battery went dead, and I have 3 year old gas in the lines. I add 2 gallon of fresh gas.

It's definately getting fuel. I am not 100% sure about it getting spark all the time. I am starting to think I foul the plugs with the first attempts (alarm/battery/gas issues).

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

that's what I did with mine - new plugs and it ran great. I got my alarm out and that helped a lot as well. Good luck with it - seems some solid progress is being made! Hope to see it at Nats

 

[dgoodhue]

Re: Top End Removal/Vortec Swap

I also remembered that I put mystery oil on the cylinder walls, that probably isn't helping either.