Building a small block

[04SilveradoMykk]

The block, crank, pistons & rods, balancer & flexplate just came back from the balancer.

The block turned out great, the scuff mark in cyl # 5 from the previously exploded piston came out. And of course, I imediately painted the block as soon as it was back in my shop.



According to the balancer, the crank was in desperate need of some weight transfer. But now it's good to 7500rpm. I don't intend to go above 5800

[04SilveradoMykk]

I couldn't resist. I had some TBI heads in my shop.

[04SilveradoMykk]

Mocked up the motor mounts with the headers. The passenger side fit great, close but not interfering. The drivers side mount needed some triming to clear the headers.

[04SilveradoMykk]

I assembled the short block.









Check out how far down the flat top pistons sit in the cyl, .004" and from everything I've read they are supposed to sit .018" - .020" I might need to rethink milling my heads.



Just as I was torqueing the last rod cap bolt the 3000 stall converter arrived, and it doesn't mate up to the flexplate that the same company had sent me last week.

Apparently the TC is correct for my application, however the flexplate isn't. The flex is for a 88 astro, good thing I had it balanced with my rotating assembly.

The company says they are un-able to make a stall converter that will work with my current flex... and instead I'll need to have the correct flexplate for my app.

The balancing shop says they can't balance the flexplate alone and will need my crank again...

So I pulled the rod caps, slide out the pistons, pulled the main caps and have the crank out.

I'm not pissed off, there would be no point... at least I've got nothing but time. And can still have this engine finished by the end of august

Cheers ~Mykk

[GreaseDog]

Originally Posted by 04SilveradoMykk

Check out how far down the flat top pistons sit in the cyl, .004" and from everything I've read they are supposed to sit .018" - .020" I might need to rethink milling my heads.

whats wrong with a .004" piston to deck clearance? add a .030-.035" head gasket and you're golden. DO NOT use a head gasket from a gasket kit, they're far too thick. proper quench is VERY beneficial with the Vortec chambers.

Apparently the TC is correct for my application, however the flexplate isn't. The flex is for a 88 astro, good thing I had it balanced with my rotating assembly.

so uh, why exactly did you buy a flexplate for that application?

[04SilveradoMykk]

Originally Posted by GreaseDog

whats wrong with a .004" piston to deck clearance? add a .030-.035" head gasket and you're golden. DO NOT use a head gasket from a gasket kit, they're far too thick. proper quench is VERY beneficial with the Vortec chambers.

so uh, why exactly did you buy a flexplate for that application?

The head gaskets in the kit have a compressed .041" thicknes.. that would be a .045" quench, perfect IMO.

I didn't know I had a 88Astro flex, thats what the company had sent me for my L31 build. The diameter and tooth count was spot on, the TC bolt spacing was the issue.

[04SilveradoMykk]

The roller lifters, retainers & cage arrived today. As well as the valve covers, although I don't have the heads back yet.



Here's a cool trick for ya with valve covers.

Plain ball milled covers.



Paint over the top of the cover. In any color, I chose black because my block & heads are black... but you could do your engine color. Red, chevy orange, blue..etc.



Than take a few brakcleen soaked shop rags and rub off the paint on the cover, and the recessed parts of the cover remain.



Cheers ~Mykk

[04SilveradoMykk]

The crank came back this afternoon. I got the shortblock buttoned up again.



And I got the geardrive & CKPS reluctor wheel to all fit behind that timing cover.

I made a plate so the geardrive idler won't be wearing away the plastic









I got the geardrive to sit between the block & timing cover without hitting the reluctor wheel with .020" to spare.



the reluctor wheel did get moved forward a bit, but enough to still get read by the CKPS



I'll be getting the heads back tomorrow and will hopefully have that work done and the heads bolted on by the end of next week

Cheers ~Mykk

[04SilveradoMykk]

The heads just got back. Of course the first I did was paint them.... but now I need to get going on the gasket match work.



You know me, I mocked up the engine wit the VC's & induction



I am pleased with my choice of valve covers, they are handsom with the fuel injection, not over the top.



Cheers ~Mykk

[04SilveradoMykk]

finished up the gasket match work, also cleaned up the rough casting on the exhaust ports. I might spend some more time shaping those ports...





I also bored out the upper plenum from 72mm to 74.4mm to match the CFM-Tech throttlebody.

New water pump, I've got some new March pulleys on order... Ifigured it would be easier to insure pulley alignment while it was out of the truck

[04SilveradoMykk]

She's all wrapped up and sitting on my sales floor waiting to get installed.

Pinned all 16 rocker studs



The pushrods come close to the 1/2" drilled out pushrod holes in the head, but do not actually touch



Welded O2 bungs to the headers



Opened up the Upper plenum throttlebody port to match the larger CFM-tech throttlebody. Also got the new updated Vortec fuel spider in there too.





I ended up chucking the dampener up on my lathe and shaved off enough material from the hub to compensate for the shims behind the CKPS reluctor wheel.





The motor mount to frame brackets arrived.







Cheers ~Mykk

[dave89iroc]

STOP!!!!!



as you started with a TBI block, and are running Vortec heads/intake/waterpump, you will need to plug the lowest hole in the water pump gasket surface on the pass side of the block, or you will have a huge coolant leak



usually, you can run a 1/8 pipe tap into the hole, and just plug it with a pipe plug

[04SilveradoMykk]

Originally Posted by dave89iroc

STOP!!!!!



as you started with a TBI block, and are running Vortec heads/intake/waterpump, you will need to plug the lowest hole in the water pump gasket surface on the pass side of the block, or you will have a huge coolant leak



usually, you can run a 1/8 pipe tap into the hole, and just plug it with a pipe plug

Already Done ;) found an oil galley plug that worked perfectly, with a little sealer & staked the hole.

[Black90Sport]

wanna build me one?

[5.7L JWL]

Nice build man. Absolutely agree on the VC choice. LESS, can be SO much more. So, the gear drive will be able to work with some computer tuning? Everything I read says they wont on computer controlled engines. I guess thats for the average Joe wanting to use one and not knowing about aftermarket computer tuning.Thats good to know

[04SilveradoMykk]

The motor mount adapter plates arrived.



On the block.



On the motor mount.



Get it?

I also found out how to lower the rear of my truck!



it just means I need to continuously drive with an engine in the bed...



a friend gave me these ignition wire/header boots.



..getting there. Slowly.

Cheers ~Mykk

[5.7L JWL]

Are you going to use locking header bolts when you put it in your truck? I know they (headers) will be coming off again.
Looks great.

[5.7L JWL]

Did you smoke the taillights or buy them like that?

[04SilveradoMykk]

Originally Posted by 5.7L JWL

Are you going to use locking header bolts when you put it in your truck? I know they (headers) will be coming off again.
Looks great.

Perhaps just a drop of locktite on each header bolt.

Originally Posted by 5.7L JWL

Did you smoke the taillights or buy them like that?

They came that way, I've been thinking of tinting them darker

[Underpowered]

good build.

those header boots will be a life saver. i made my own when i put on my OBX headers. but i work for the company that makes what they are made of (fiberglass sleeving)