SUNNY Z

Few more things to wash and I'll have the top end put together. Forgot about my IAT sensor, so I'll be either putting that in the charge pipe or the intake - TBD.

Tick-shift.com is generally who I get my t56 parts from.

I finished lapping the valves last night, and washed them down to prepare for assembly. Here they are after installing the new BTR Platinum springs Excuse the bench, it was getting a bit deep by this point!!! Also, my 'shaft showed back up from DSS (new yoke and shorter for magnum t56). I ordered a Trick Flow timing chain dampener. My LS2 chain is a bit sloppy for my liking. This is the kit that allows use on the blocks that arent drilled for a dampener. ... I'll post it up when it comes in.

Unless you can see that the TOB is indeed doing its job, I'd suspect thats your culprit. Possibly a bad seal on the TOB. See any seepage or leaks?

Please post a brand / model.

For the car or the wife?! Either way, post a pic when it shows up!

I would make sure your hydraulics are new and functioning properly first. I shifted mine at 7200 rpm with zero issues. It might just need the synchros rebuilt! Brass shifter cup bushing and a short stick shifter will do wonders also (if still using stock garbage shifter)

Made a good bit of progress on the engine yesterday. Cleaning cleaning cleaning Before prepping the gasket surfaces Washing the ol girl in the driveway! Everything back together, ready for paint Primed and painted......Because Chevys are Orange!!!!!

Hahaha. Because I don't have another $5K to throw at it! And, the stock bottom end will hold 700rwhp all day.

Well if it were a JY engine, I would have!!!! This came from a dealer with a noise. they replaced it for a bad lifter, but not before they disassembled the entire bottom end. Also, its been sitting for a couple years and had accumulated a lot of dust, and unfortunately some rust in the cylinders. I ended up taking the crank out, and honing the cylinders. They all cleaned up nicely except the #8, which had a slight amount of surface rust where some moisture had sat next to the piston. Yes, I labeled everything, and its all laid out nice and neat. Here's the pics of the cylinder in question You can see the spot at the end of my finger, missing the crosshatching... Again... about halfwa down the cylinder wall . Now my question is: do I just put the stock rings back in it, opening them up to say .028"? OR do I spend the time to put the new sealed power rings in, and just hope that the #8 heals itself? FYI it kinda drags when you run a fingernail over it. Haaaalp

I found this thread on the topic of main bolts, FYI. I'll be re-using them. http://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/1710624-oem-crankshaft-main-bolts-tty-just-little-2.html

Started dis-assembly on the 5.3 last night. Pretty sure this thing never had an oil change in its 60K mile life!!! Its super oil stained and dirty. Pulled all the pistons / rods, labeled them, took the rings off, and soaked them in some high power degreaser (seen here to sit overnight). After about 10 minutes and some very minor scrubbing, it looks like they'll clean up nice. Can't forget the shop help! My lil corgi pup, Nia. Plan is to ball hone the engine, and install new rings. To those who have done this before - Should I keep the crank in it, cover it well, and clean thoroughly, OR do I pull the crank out, hone, clean, re-assemble? Are those of you re-using main bolts torquing them to spec (lbft + angle) or just a lbft value? Thanks!!!

Nice. Buy your own machine, or sneaking it into work? lol

Have you been doing the TIG welding?

Step 1) Buy a $500 engine Step 2) Make 300+ WHP / WTQ STOCK Step 3) Don't over-think it! If its that concerning to you, do an aftermarket pan, and accu-sump setup. Those bad boys hold like 12qt's.

Ryan Mitchell (Maxx mitchell) will be tuning the car. He is a wizard with the Holley setups. Correct on the headaches. And forget the empty pockets, I had to sell my pants! I'd love to make it to the KC event, but I'm not sure it'll work. I have a ton going on at work that weekend, and will probably have to be there.

Finished up the coil bracket, still need to paint it.

In for some raffle action,

Looks good!

Awesome. This is the Z that got me into Z's.

You and your chrome.... Should be a stout engine!

On the FX1 Pro, the bottom of the harness hole is 24" from the top of the seat cushion. For reference, I'm 5'10", and with the top of the seat cushion 36" from the roof (no headliner) I have 2.5" from the top of my helmet to the roof. I felt this was too close, so I dropped the seat down some more.

Except they're not. I have a 98 temp sender which is a 3 wire, and sends the signal directly to the gauge, and to the PCM......

Well I'd hoped to have it done by May 1. The guy building my cage has been unbelievably slow, and hasn't even given me a concrete date yet. I'm just hoping to get it done soon, with the real goal being Drag Week in September. Sigh.

Looks great! I wish my rabbit hole hadn't gotten so deep.... I'd be done..