Fastro MK-II (My 1992 Astro Holley Stealth Rammed 383 swap)

[Mr_Roboto]

worked on the 9 inch a bit today. got the last hole drilled, did a bit of welding on the axle and then pressed in studs. it fit my roundy round wheels perfectly and seemed to fit my spare barring the holes are a bit tight.


I ground the second half of the old perches off to get ready for the new ones. With the axle shafts done I am getting progressively closer to fitting the axle. I need gears first but even the 3.50s I have are better than 3.23s I guess. I still want 4.30s.

I had a super shitty angle when I cut the original perches off. I ended up filling the gashes in and grinding them down.

Threw some paint on it so I can just hit it with a flap wheel when it's time to weld the new perches on. Keeping it easy. For some reason I ADHDed and decided to start stripping the rust off the housing.

I turned this slug on the lathe and jammed it in the holes so that I could fix a couple of the welds I wasn't super happy with. It worked pretty well overall.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

When does it get slammed or lifted?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

the general rule in the astro community is 2wd down awd up. I have some half coil cut fronts but the rear needs a cnotch for an axle flip truly and some floor pan fab work for the diff. not easy so it will look like a 70s dragster for some time.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Started having some problems with output and tuning. I pulled plugs and 7/8 plugs were black and sooty. What's interesting was I had a poly lock that was previously cross threaded and that's the plug that still seems to have good burn. I'm wondering if my poly locks backed off. I tightened the allen screws not the nuts which looking online may be my problem (apparently you are supposed to get the jam screw close and tighten the nut after?) I'm thinking about getting a set of new studs and poly locks. For the cost the ARP poly locks are not badly priced at $45ish a set but the poly locks are about 75 a set. I can get a set of Comp or Crower for 50. Are the ARPs worth 1/3 more the money? Also any thoughts on the idea of the locks backing off?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Did more tuning figured out my injector dead time PW was shit. Fixed that up, then discovered via my transmission that my universal TV cable had the retainer come loose at which point it caused the line pressure to drop. Thought the trans fluid came out pretty red until I saw the glitter factory in it. Fack. It's a mystery 700R4 with a B&M Shift Kit, vette servo and a 2400 stall in it and otherwise an unknown. Have enough shit here to piece something together so I'm debating getting a Transgo HD kit for my stock Astro box and seeing how long it would last. With it having 212K+ when I bought it I'm putting odds at it being rebuilt. The question is if it's a fully stock style rebuild or if they stuck the extra 3-4 clutches in that were missing from the 4.3L V6 or not. Heck, maybe I should just pull the pump out (I need to install a .5 boost valve anyways) so I can just make that alteration.

Debating pulling it now or waiting till spring. Honestly I suspect it wouldn't be a bad pull especially after the fucking Escalade this year and it's way lighter than a 4L80E is.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

TV cable felt sticky when I started pulling the box out I need to get another one. It may be I burned my 3-4 pack up and I need to pull it and see.

Got my spare trans half apart, thankfully it has a 6 clutch 3-4 pack which means it was rebuilt at some point (4.3Ls up until 1994 got a 5 clutch 3-4 pack.) I've actually got some parts laying around which is good so I'm going to end up tossing them in. Right now the plan is:
-SK700JR shift kit
-hardened pump rings and stronger pump spring
-.5 boost valve
-Corvette Servo
-The 2400 stall converter that was in the other trans

Just enough to get it running, probably on borrowed time at this point but I just want my shit to work.

 

[NOMIEZVR4]

Man this is a crazy build. Wtf do you so for a living..you're a fabricator galore

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I'm an IT guy. That said at some level it's not about what you build it's about having the mind to build it. This project has been kind of a meander and if I didn't score the 383 for a smoking deal I would have wound up doing the JY LS route instead.

I'm still kind of up in the air but really want to go to a "black box" ECU at some point or an 0411 as I think engine management is part of the problem currently. I'm also in a mood to be "4L80E ready" if you will. The only thing really stopping me right now is the crank trigger stuff. This is an early 350 block so it's a retro roller and that means that I'd have to spend $700 on the EFI Connection conversion parts. If I did that I'd just go L21 Vortec code and use a 24X wheel as well and lose the distributor entirely. I'm thinking I'll end up trying to mount a 4X reluctor to the front of the crank at some point but just haven't gotten there yet.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I pulled the pump apart and found dual springs that were longer than the transgo noyoyo springs. this thing has been tweaked some. From what I remember that pump slide spring was a single spring originally.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Did a bit more work tonight. Pulled the VB off, dicked with the accumulators, swapped a few vb springs. I need to drill holes in the separator plate and got lazy about digging up drills. The plate lokks really good as the accumulator hasn't cut it or anything. I also got the band in place and the pump ready to go. After drilling the separator it is time to get it all back together and deal with the dreaded flex plate bolts in car. After that there's 5 bellhousing bolts to go and popping the cross member bolts out.

I also got a new, non universal TV cable. The old one had the screw back out and I am pretty sure that it nuked a clutch pak or two via low line pressure. If I go to a 60e it will be due to my bitter hatred of TV cables.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Bought the wrong tap, need to get this done. By blocking off a few passages on the TV Valve of the 700R4 one can force it to not downshift into third thereby allowing greater top speeds. This is a kind of an FYI for those of you who aren't into the "E" transmissions. Camaro, 'vette and 9C1s often have this done else where in the VB. I've had one of those valves (since discontinued) and it worked as well.

http://www.joby.se/corvette/mods/2002-0X02_tranny_wot/

 

[cap42]

Can't wait to see it all running. So are you using the 700r you got from me or is this your spare your working on?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

The one you sold me is the one I burned up. I'll be curious to crack it and see what's in it. There's not a lot of receipts for the "build" of it in the data you gave just a B&M Shift Kit and a 2400 stall converter. It could be stuffed full of aftermarket parts or stone stock.

This is the one that came in the Astro behind the 4.3L. Due to the 3-4 pack having an extra clutch compared to stock I know that it's been rebuilt at least once. I can tell based on the codes that it is an Astro Trans and I believe the year was correct as well.

 

[cap42]

I'm curious what was really in it as well, for the little time I drove that drivetrain it seemed strong.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Wednesday is forecast at 51. Gonna try to get the trans dropped. almost done re-assembling mine. Had to hit up the atsg book and YouTube to figure out a few things but I have the pump and vb in again ready to be bolted up. The Servo is also in as well.

Here's the TV valve with one of the screws cut off, haven't done the other one yet. Notice the alterations to the servo assembly in the top left corner (the notches cut into it.)

If you do a filter you gotta watch out for the O-ring. Don't know if I've ever had one come out with the filter. You certainly aren't getting a new one in correctly without getting it out first though.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

well, fuck. I checked the atsg book and it said 18 ft lbs for the vb bolts. Got to the second one, it felt funny. Then this happened.



Thankfully I was able to take a screwdriver and it came out super easily.



I had one spare I found in my junk bin, put it in and proceeded to feel the first bolt pop. Thankfully it came out but now I am short a bolt. I think either the atsg book or my beam torque wrench is off. The aux vb and accumulator say 8 ft-lbs not 18 so I am really suspecting the book. I think last two me I just snugged the fucking things up. Why I didn't this time I will never know.


Guess I will loot one from the box coming out. Other than the bolt, filter and pan I am ready to smoke some clutches in this box.

 

[v6buicks]

well, fuck. I checked the atsg book and it said 18 ft lbs for the vb bolts. Got to the second one, it felt funny. Then this happened.

View attachment 75703

Thankfully I was able to take a screwdriver and it came out super easily.

View attachment 75704

I had one spare I found in my junk bin, put it in and proceeded to feel the first bolt pop. Thankfully it came out but now I am short a bolt. I think either the atsg book or my beam torque wrench is off. The aux vb and accumulator say 8 ft-lbs not 18 so I am really suspecting the book. I think last two me I just snugged the fucking things up. Why I didn't this time I will never know.


Guess I will loot one from the box coming out. Other than the bolt, filter and pan I am ready to smoke some clutches in this box.

I'd ditch that beam torque wrench. They're a pain to use even if they are accurate.

 

[Carl@Redline]

well, fuck. I checked the atsg book and it said 18 ft lbs for the vb bolts. Got to the second one, it felt funny. Then this happened.

View attachment 75703

Thankfully I was able to take a screwdriver and it came out super easily.

View attachment 75704

I had one spare I found in my junk bin, put it in and proceeded to feel the first bolt pop. Thankfully it came out but now I am short a bolt. I think either the atsg book or my beam torque wrench is off. The aux vb and accumulator say 8 ft-lbs not 18 so I am really suspecting the book. I think last two me I just snugged the fucking things up. Why I didn't this time I will never know.


Guess I will loot one from the box coming out. Other than the bolt, filter and pan I am ready to smoke some clutches in this box.

A former GM engineer told me, across the board, any 6x1.0 bolt is 100 in/lb, and if using a cork gasket, pan is 132 in/lb. never had a pan leak, and never had vb bolts come out. Also, stretch those pump slide springs out some. More stifferer is more betterer.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Welp I dropped the old box today. She fucked. The tc bolts were oddly easy, although I will say I can not rotate a 383 by grabbing the flexplate and pulling. a torrington bearing is just flopping around in the converter so I think it needs cut open and worked over. I also need to extract the governor and a vb bolt as well. Other than that this is basically a core.

debating an S10 converter and sending it or getting this one worked over. My sales receipts say holeshot which is a non lock up but it may be a torkmaster as well. looking at specs zero special except more stall speed.

Ed:take it back this is the number on the converter. Seems worth rebuilding to me. Improved bearings and furnac brazed fins mean it is a mid level converter.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...2145990996868&utm_content=GSAPI+5b9ad3715b1a7

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Pulled the pan off, salvaged the bits I need and am about to throw the original box back in. The old one must have gotten thrashed. I stuck it in the corner for a later core.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

She lives! I got my old converter cleaned out and restalled by Carl@Redline and it's definitely higher. I think I'm short on gear with this (3.23s) but I'm going to look to resolve this ultimately. I just want to get a few miles on this setup first and see how it is. I just took it around the block. He said it should be about 2800ish, I'd believe it based on just a quick drive. The question in my mind is do I have enough head and cam to really do this after I shove some man's gears in. Anyone got some 9" 4.30s?

The cork pan gasket is leaking like a sieve I'm hoping it swells up some and that goes away. We shall see, doing a pan gasket in vehicle is always fun. This one doesn't have a drain plug in it because ironically they have always leaked like a sieve for me too.

In terms of the engine, it sat this winter and clicked right the hell over I rotated it to do the TC bolts but didn't start it at all and I didn't even hook the battery charger in. The idle's still a bit quirky but I just popped the key, let it warm up for a minute and drove. Can't say I can complain really.

Further improvements I'd like to make before driving too far are I'd like to do some wiring clean up (I did secure the WBO2, I have a habit of melting the connector on the cable) getting a dipstick made so I can put the dog house on and wiring in the e-fan. The year's hot as fuck so I think that having the fan would be nice. I may also swap out my 55s (Decapped SVO 35s oddly) to some Cobra 39s I have around here if I can find the injector harness for them. I'd like to see if I can get the AFRs a bit more consistent and Turbocharged400sbc said that those weren't the best injectors for repeatability. I'd at least like to clean/flow em and see if I can get the PWs dialed in better in the MS2.

It moving under its own power again is a huge victory. I'll take it right now.

Lastly, thinking about this going to the "sloppy" board. It's sure as heck not a turbo LS but I think it fits within the low buck spirit of a sloppy build.

 

[Carl@Redline]

She lives! I got my old converter cleaned out and restalled by Carl@Redline and it's definitely higher. I think I'm short on gear with this (3.23s) but I'm going to look to resolve this ultimately. I just want to get a few miles on this setup first and see how it is. I just took it around the block. He said it should be about 2800ish, I'd believe it based on just a quick drive. The question in my mind is do I have enough head and cam to really do this after I shove some man's gears in. Anyone got some 9" 4.30s?

The cork pan gasket is leaking like a sieve I'm hoping it swells up some and that goes away. We shall see, doing a pan gasket in vehicle is always fun. This one doesn't have a drain plug in it because ironically they have always leaked like a sieve for me too.

In terms of the engine, it sat this winter and clicked right the hell over I rotated it to do the TC bolts but didn't start it at all and I didn't even hook the battery charger in. The idle's still a bit quirky but I just popped the key, let it warm up for a minute and drove. Can't say I can complain really.

Further improvements I'd like to make before driving too far are I'd like to do some wiring clean up (I did secure the WBO2, I have a habit of melting the connector on the cable) getting a dipstick made so I can put the dog house on and wiring in the e-fan. The year's hot as fuck so I think that having the fan would be nice. I may also swap out my 55s (Decapped SVO 35s oddly) to some Cobra 39s I have around here if I can find the injector harness for them. I'd like to see if I can get the AFRs a bit more consistent and Turbocharged400sbc said that those weren't the best injectors for repeatability. I'd at least like to clean/flow em and see if I can get the PWs dialed in better in the MS2.

It moving under its own power again is a huge victory. I'll take it right now.

Lastly, thinking about this going to the "sloppy" board. It's sure as heck not a turbo LS but I think it fits within the low buck spirit of a sloppy build.

What did you tourque the pan bolts to? I ONLY use cork on 700/60E, and usually 2 or 3 passes at 132 in/lb does the good girl things.