Progress seems slow but it’s getting there. Turbo coolant pipe in. Couldn’t find 3/8 bulk heater hose so got a molded hose and cut off what I needed. Got all the low pressure lines installed with gaskets and torqued. Got the FICM bracket on, the engine harness connector bracket and the GP module bracket and the fuel filter bracket. Have a new filter housing sitting at the other house that I’ll bring next week. hopefully my balancer pin kit will show up this week. Spent a bit of time chasing bolts that were labeled in ways that made sense when I took it apart but not so much when I’m putting it back together. So far I don’t have a lot of extra stuff I can’t identify.

Don’t have a turbo horn gasket but I have some bulk material I’ll make one tomorrow. Started getting the external oil feed installed. Tomorrow will finish blasting the manifolds and spray cerakote. Probably get some of the brackets on the front of the motor.

 

Really looking good Charles!

 

Thanks Russ. Being my first build this has really taught me a lot about how the systems all work. Will really be ready when I get to building the core block I had machined. The factory shop manuals also helped a bunch. Glad I bought them back in 2001. $125 for 5 volume paper manuals.

 

Charles you are doing a very nice job! Looks beautiful!

 

Made a gasket out of bulk material for the turbo inlet. Not bad if I do say so myself. Finished blasting the manifolds and up pipes and got my mini HVLP gun and shot them with two coats of Cerakote. It’s C-7900 Glacier Titanium and it was really close to the color of the blasted cast iron so it was a bit of a challenge to see it going on but turned out ok. Not holding my breath that it stands up as good as they say it does but hell it was worth a try to see how it works. This project is a learning experience that I can use when doing the next motor.

 

Well some of the ugly stuff starting to get put back on. Need a 12point 12mm 3/8 socket to get the manifold bolts torqued. Decided I was going to disassemble the oil cooler and clean it since it was super grimy. Well wouldn’t you know it, they dont make the coated metal gasket for the body of the cooler anymore…SMH. Either going to have to try to re use the gasket or upgrade to the L5P cooler, but then that pisses me off because I have a ton of Amsoil oil filters for the current set up. So still thinking this out. Running out of parts to put back on it and so far not missing any bolts and dont have a lot of extras.

 

what’s the part number for it?

 

Just go L5P cooler. Wouldn’t even think twice.

 

I believe it increases capacity too?

 

Good thing ol #ihateDave club talked you into all that powder coat. It really does look awesome Charles

 

I personally don’t think the L5P cooler is that worth it but if you don’t want to throw out your oil filters just use the K2 L5P cooler.

 

See see see look Charles new tech and still save money on using the old filters. Sounds settled to me

 

I can see it now...
#Ireallyhatedave
🤣🤣🤣

 

😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈

 

I just switched to a 2020 engine oil cooler too. I gave my LBZ cooler away and 3 Baldwin filters to go with it. Oh well it's for a good cause.

 

Doesn’t take more to install. It was about $90 more.

And damn the dealer rapes you on stuff if you dont have an account. I rushed in to buy the o ring to the water crossover pipe and it was $50. WTF, but I had to have it and didnt have time to set up an account with them.

 

what part number? 😂

 

I copied and pasted that part # in Rock Auto Parts and it showed up at $18.04. How can that be right?

 

GM list price is like 42.00

 

Small town east texas stealer pricing. No other dealer writhin 75 miles. I should have opened an account with them but I was in a bit of a hurry

Got the crank pin kit from XDP installed and ARP balancer bolt in an torqued to 325ish. My 3/4 torque wrench only went to 300 so it was 300 plus an oomph or two. Like two uggah uggahs. Lol

Thanks for the tip @SoCalMike

 

I thought it was 255ft.lbs. looks like there are a couple different instructions for the bolt. Or a couple different part numbers.

 

My engine stand is awesome but it does interfere a bit with the water crossover tube and access to the #3 and #4 cylinder bottom exhaust manifold bolt access so I’ll lift it off and set it on the welding table to finish the last couple of items today and then pressure test the cooling system and then start degreasing and cleaning under the hood in preparation for sticking the engine…errr. MOTOR (@ChevyTech77 ) back in a couple of weeks from now. Wife has a girls weekend here next weekend so I’m being kicked out of my own place.

 

I don’t give a good god damn what Wikipedia thinks btw. It’s not electric so it’s not a motor and I’m sticking to it. 🤣

 

Oh boy getting closey guy

 

Made a little progress but never enough for me. Always finding little bits I need. Like apparently with the PPE manifolds and up pipes I need to buy a bracket to support the down pipe. Got the new filter head and filter on and the water pipe that connects the upper hose to the thermostat housing.

Dismounted from the engine stand and back on the welding table.

Manifolds on, my experimental oil cooler mounted, up pipes on.

I cleaned the metal gasket and used loctite anaerobic 518. Pretty sure its not going to leak.

Tried to anneal the copper washer on the turbo coolant line thermostat and got it a little too hot…..melted a section. So now I get to see how expensive that stupid copper washer/gasket is.

 

Damn Charles! Your ENGINE is looking mighty purdy! Nice work! I like the idea someone had about powder coating the stand and putting it in your living room - just in time for the ladies weekend. Second thought - you better not if you like living in the house! 🤣

 

Are you talking about the turbo thermostat copper washer? 94005941 I got one off of Amazon. It's no longer copper and it is aluminum.
I'm also going to use Permatex 59235 High Temperature Thread Sealant on the threads and spread a little on both sides of the sealing washer. Just like the factory.

 

Looking great Charles if it runs as good as it looks it will be a sweet running engine!

 

Looking good Charles!

 

Looking good buddy

 

X3. Looks good Tex!

 

 

Looks great 👍

when was the last time the power steering gear box was worked on?
there is also the upgrade steering shaft that would be slick to install with no fenders or motor in the way.

Battery tray on the Passenger side looks a little powder coat worthy lol

 

Looks great 👍

when was the last time the power steering gear box was worked on?
there is also the upgrade steering shaft that would be slick to install with no fenders or motor in the way.

Battery tray on the Passenger side looks a little powder coat worthy lol

New red head steering box when i did the full kryptonite steering upgrade when I lowered it from 12 inch lift to 6. Probably 50-75k ago