BUILD Quarter Life Crisis. It's a thing. v.GN
- Thread starter v6buicks
- Start date
- Replies 388
- Views 8K
It'll make a lot of things easier. I should have done it from the beginning. My main reasons are ease of cleaning and reassembly, but while I'm in there I'll consider a torque converter upgrade and oil pan gasket.
Air actuated cylinder for the engine hoist would be sick, idk how many times I've been jerking mine off and thought about how awesome it'd be to just hold the air valve open like a truck jack and be done with it.
That being said I would bet you could probably make parts from a truck jack work with the longer cylinder for the hoist with enough ambition but I don't have the patience to try and fab it up myself.
Blast cabinet looks like it does an awesome job though. Kinda jelly I'd love to have somethin like that to make stuff look nice and even the muscle car shop next door to work just blasts stuff out back in the alley so be damn proud of what you've done there.
That being said I would bet you could probably make parts from a truck jack work with the longer cylinder for the hoist with enough ambition but I don't have the patience to try and fab it up myself.
Blast cabinet looks like it does an awesome job though. Kinda jelly I'd love to have somethin like that to make stuff look nice and even the muscle car shop next door to work just blasts stuff out back in the alley so be damn proud of what you've done there.
I cleared off a spot on the work bench to get some real work done.
I'm not worried about the valve cover gasket surface since it's a non machined cork seal anyway.
Then I discovered some goofy shit while installing valve springs and stem seals. I thought I lost the first seal, and I couldn't get a new one installed.
When I continued on, I noticed that the other two exhaust valves didn't have seals! I still couldn't believe it. Then I noticed that the exhaust stems have this extra step which would never allow for a seal to work anyway.
but I still couldn't believe it. After asking a buddy about it, apparently it's a thing to machine the guides and fit normal exhaust valves that will work with a seal, but none had any from the factory. WTF. No wonder these cars have an oil burning reputation!
Goofy old springs on the left and new dual Comps on the right. I'm probably going to pull what I've done apart though. I feel like a chump for not cleaning these dirty valves.
I'm not worried about the valve cover gasket surface since it's a non machined cork seal anyway.
Then I discovered some goofy shit while installing valve springs and stem seals. I thought I lost the first seal, and I couldn't get a new one installed.
When I continued on, I noticed that the other two exhaust valves didn't have seals! I still couldn't believe it. Then I noticed that the exhaust stems have this extra step which would never allow for a seal to work anyway.
but I still couldn't believe it. After asking a buddy about it, apparently it's a thing to machine the guides and fit normal exhaust valves that will work with a seal, but none had any from the factory. WTF. No wonder these cars have an oil burning reputation!
Goofy old springs on the left and new dual Comps on the right. I'm probably going to pull what I've done apart though. I feel like a chump for not cleaning these dirty valves.
Hear me out, rubber hose, hose clamped to the valve, and hose clamped to the screwdriver bit of your choice in a drill. Spin them lil bastids in there up against the seat until you can pour water in the port and it holds without leaking and done deal.
I may or may not have done this a few times.
I may or may not have done this a few times.
At least put some toothpaste on there as a lapping compound! I'll do something like that, but the seat is only part of the problem here. This thing has a lot of nasty carbon deposits for a car that's had the breather tube removed and alky injection for the last 12 years. Part of me says that E85 will clean them up, but I'm also right here.
Back in the day these would have had "umbrella" seals on the exhaust probably then a "positive" style seal like the one you have on the intakes. Comp makes a cutter tool you stick in a drill to go to smaller positive style seals. Probably about $100, you can also cut the height down if you want to go to more lift and you'd have keeper/retainer to seal clearance issues.
If you're going this far you may as well get a 204/214 to shove in there you're 99% the way there.
I thought about that, but it's a can of worms that I'm not sure I want to open. Everyone seems to like the roller cams and I don't blame them. $1400 for a kit isn't chump change given the amount it will gain me though. Even if I decided to keep it simple with a flat tappet cam, I don't know how much cam and spring my cloyes timing set, stock retainers, or stock pushrods could handle. I would probably have to measure for new pushrods too which is not something I'm super comfortable with. I was hoping to try that out on the Camaro. lol You think it's worth bothering with a flat tappet?
Leave the stock valvetrain alone. If it works don't screw with it unless your willing to go through the full hassle. Somethin I've learned from my camaro.
I will play devil's advocate here and say at least pull the #3 exh lifter and inspect the lobe and lifter.
These guys ^^ listen to them.
My GN chewed up a 224/224 with about 3,000 miles on the motor. Flatted #3 exhaust lobe. I attributed it to questionable break-in but in hindsight I wonder if the machine shop didn't put in too stiff a spring.
Regardless, for what you're doing, keep the valve train stock and unfucked with unless you're gonna do a roller conversion.
I'm all for checking things out but put it back together the way it was unless you wanna fight the problems out. Hell I've got a box full of rockers, cam and ls7 lifters for a series 2 I really don't know if I wanna deal with sticking back in myself.
Feed it more boost and keep the fuel fat and the timing low and it'll move anyway.
Feed it more boost and keep the fuel fat and the timing low and it'll move anyway.
I will say on corn it will mean a lot less.......
#3 exh chews because the lifter bore alignment in the block was wrong from what I have heard. The cam lobes are offset to make the lifter and pushrod rotate.
#3 exh chews because the lifter bore alignment in the block was wrong from what I have heard. The cam lobes are offset to make the lifter and pushrod rotate.
Dirty intake
Clean exhaust
I chucked them all up in a drill, wiped the oil off, and spun them on a scotch brite pad. I'm an idiot for not taking any other pictures, but the valves don't look much different due to discoloration. They just feel a lot smoother. All valves seal nicely.
I did some touch-ups on the paint which I'm waiting to dry. Otherwise, this head is done!
With that big checkmark, the only logical thing to do next is pull this engine. I first got the starter out of the way and FFS! I knew these things were big, but it's hard to perceive it until it's out.
It's all clean and ready for paint, but I'm reconsidering an upgrade now. This thing is heavy AF, and I think it's the LT1 starter that's aluminum, much more compact, and basically a bolt in replacement. We'll see.
Then I removed the torque converter shield to expose a massive blue balloon. I think that's going to need replacement just as I intended. I initially didn't want to spend the money, but a little research is showing that it will probably be the best upgrade I do.
Then I undid all the shit on the back of the block and heads including the top most bellhousing bolts.
Then I figured out how to get the hood out of my way.
...and called it quits. It's a glorious day for January and the Christmas lights needed to come down. Now it's beer and new year celebration time. I'll try to get this thing on the engine stand in the next couple days.
Clean exhaust
I chucked them all up in a drill, wiped the oil off, and spun them on a scotch brite pad. I'm an idiot for not taking any other pictures, but the valves don't look much different due to discoloration. They just feel a lot smoother. All valves seal nicely.
I did some touch-ups on the paint which I'm waiting to dry. Otherwise, this head is done!
With that big checkmark, the only logical thing to do next is pull this engine. I first got the starter out of the way and FFS! I knew these things were big, but it's hard to perceive it until it's out.
It's all clean and ready for paint, but I'm reconsidering an upgrade now. This thing is heavy AF, and I think it's the LT1 starter that's aluminum, much more compact, and basically a bolt in replacement. We'll see.
Then I removed the torque converter shield to expose a massive blue balloon. I think that's going to need replacement just as I intended. I initially didn't want to spend the money, but a little research is showing that it will probably be the best upgrade I do.
Then I undid all the shit on the back of the block and heads including the top most bellhousing bolts.
Then I figured out how to get the hood out of my way.
...and called it quits. It's a glorious day for January and the Christmas lights needed to come down. Now it's beer and new year celebration time. I'll try to get this thing on the engine stand in the next couple days.
I fucked my shoulder up installing a starter like that in my Astro when I was 18ish and it bothers me over 20 years later. a mini is NEVER EVER a bad upgrade.
This was sketchy, but after figuring out how to rebleed my brand new and unserviceable hydraulic cylinder, and keep the crane from rolling into the fender I was in the clear. Nothing was harmed in the process, but there's no way this thing is going back in without a second set of hands.
This transmission was rebuilt more recently than I expected. The torque converter date is only about a year prior to my ownership.
I feel so relieved. I have to go back to my real job tomorrow.
Hopefully I can maintain progress during the week!
This transmission was rebuilt more recently than I expected. The torque converter date is only about a year prior to my ownership.
I feel so relieved. I have to go back to my real job tomorrow.
Hopefully I can maintain progress during the week!
Idk man. If it's a 2200 stall like the last owner said it was then it's already not what I should have. A nice 2600-2800 stall 10" converter seems to be the way for stock to mild turbo Regals. I'm willing to spend a bit for that because my stock turbo was shockingly laggy and that shouldn't have been the case.
Idk who rebuilt this, and idk if I want to. However, it shifts pretty dang hard and feels strong for now.
Looking up the part # that seems to be a 1800-2K converter (rated) although it may go higher in boost. I'd send it out for a restall probably and if possible get the fins furnace brazed. I had Carl do a restall for me and it was honestly not a ton of bank.
Interesting. I may want to ask him about that. Full Throttle is selling lock up 2800 stall PTC converters for $800, but that is a lot of dough you never know if they have anything in stock. I usually have to wait a while for stuff.
true, but it did USED to be fast! I just haven't felt that since about the first month of having the damn thing.