AlteredZ - she's down for the count, but hopefully back soon!

[pparaska]

Just a bit of an update.

 

The 327 was making some nasty noises a while back, so I started in earnest on the 406. Finally got the valves I needed for the Canfield heads (needed stronger valves for the stronger roller springs) and lapped into the seats, springs measured and installed, etc.

 

A week ago, gmccoy383 (Glenn) came over and helped me pull the 327. I've been getting the parts cleaned and moved over to the 406 and now I'll be putting it in tonight. I had to get new headers, as the Canfield heads are angle plug and there was NO WAY the Hooker Block Huggers would work. I went with http://www.thermaltechcoatings.com/new_headers.htm

T8019 coated headers, since the_dj said they worked well for him. Hopefully minimal changes to the exhaust pipes will be needed to bolt them up.

 

I hope to have things wrung out and tuned to be able to go to the convention (leaving next Tues), but if the car isn't ready, I doubt I'll go.

[VRJoe]

Hey Pete,

 

Good luck on getting it put in tonight. I have the TTC headers on my LT1 and they clear everything. Good folks to deal with.

 

- Joe

[Brad-ManQ45]

Pete:

 

Hoping all goes well - hate for you to miss a convention...

[qwik240z]

Good Luck, Pete. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

 

We need you at the Z convention. It wouldn't be the same without you. I am looking forward to blasting around Watkins Glen with you.

 

Get to work on that beast!

[jbc3]

Good luck getting everything back together. Then you are going to drive it to New York for the maiden voyage??? Sounds like something I'd do (before I bought a trailer)

 

Jody

[DavyZ]

Pete, wish you the very best in getting it all installed and dialed in...you should be a pro by now, so I bet it takes only two evenings!!

 

I seriously hope that you have better luck with the 406 then with the 327. Let us know what your driving impressions are after it is dialed in---share with us some of the numbers if you take it to the strip...

 

Cheers,

 

Davy

[Mikelly]

Clocks ticking!

 

Let me know if you need help. I'm in the middle of my own install (Getting the new LS1 Prepped), But I don't have a deadline. If you need the help, I could come up Saturday morning.

 

Mike

[pparaska]

Guys, thanks for all the good thoughts - they do help! Power of positive thinking!

 

The engine is in. Yeah, I can do this by myself, like I did at 1am this morning . It's a piece of cake (except for the typical problem of getting the clutch/tranny to align, like any install.)

 

The headers will hopefully show up today. If not, I'll order another set and UPS red label them tomorrow.

 

(grumpyvette will roll his eyes on this one: )

 

Too bad I RUSHED and didn't check for interference with the oil pan and the 400 - I had planned to do this before installing it, but in the rush overlooked it. It's an old Corvette 6qt pan I had on the 327. The crank stops turning and I can tell it's hitting the pan, as the frequency of the drum sound when tapping the side of the pan on the driver's side goes up. Oh well, easy to remove even with the engine in the car. My bad planning here means I get to crawl under the car a bunch of times while clearancing the pan. Torch and hammer time!

 

I know, if I had my head on straight, I would have checked this (and I had planned too) before getting the engine in the car. The Canton 15-240 RR pan and the block huggers don't mix (mocked that up on the stand to make sure it wasn't possible - it's not without a SEVERE bend in the downpipe), so that pan stays in it's box...until I get around to making a set of full length 1-3/4" headers. Don't worry, if I make a set, I will look to get some header company to make a jig off of them so they can be duplicated. I was hoping someone would have done this by now, but the stars have not aligned like that...

 

Mike, I will probably be o.k., but if I need help, I'll let you know. Keep at it on the Vette - BTW cool pictures. Please get some really good ones of that entire drivetrain, and then some pics of how/where the major components connect.

 

If the pan can be clearanced this evening, and the headers don't require too much to adapt to the existing exhaust, it's all bolt back together, bleed the clutch, and tune. I'll probably take off work tomorrow to get a head start.

 

I've not had good luck with the Megasquirt initial VE table tools with the 327 - the VE table I came away with after tuning was vastly different than the one the software gave me initially. I hope the 406 goes smoother...

[Mike kZ]

Good luck Pete, hope you make your trip!! You need to come back to SEZ again with the new engine!

[pparaska]

Looks like the headers will either have to be a huge choke point or maybe Thermal Tech can send me another set that really ARE D-port.

 

Grrrr.....

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=561339#post561339

[VRJoe]

Interesting, I'd have to pull mine to check them, but I'm sure they were D-ported. I talked with Buzz at TTC when I ordered them. Maybe they changed manufacturers or something. The only issue I had was I thought the collector was 2.5", but it's actually 2.25". I'm using 2.5" exhaust (dual) for the whole system, so the 2.25" collector should actually give a small venturi effect and help scavenging.

 

Sorry to hear the wrong style headers came in, give them a call and they should straighten it out. Keep us posted, and let them know you're keeping us all posted.

 

- Joe

[pparaska]

Since the Canfield heads are "different" angle plug heads, even the 8019 header has an interference with standard length plugs.

 

I MAY order a set of 8037, which are just "Angle plug" headers. But their design is different to allow just about any angle plug head from the loos of it. (see my thread "Pi$$ed..." in Exhaust forum).

 

I just need plumbing from the port to the exhaust that will fit in the bay without hitting and allow the plugs to fit. Port blockage, etc. is just secondary at this point. Hopefully the 8037s will fit without hitting.

 

UPDATE: For those thinking about the Patriot/TTC 8037, Mike kZ used these but they hit the steering shaft, so he added another u-joint to the shaft to get around it. (I didn't want to mess with that.

 

I found out from Zolden in this thread that JTR's Dat-402C (Sandersone CC5) blockhugger headers are available as real D-port heads, and they fit all angle plug heads and don't interfere with the mounts or steering shaft. They may interfere with the bottom of some aftermarket heads though - just get out the grinder .

 

I can see in my crystal ball a custom set of headers being built this Winter....

[Mikelly]

CONTACT CANFIELD!!!

 

Man, I am sooooo glad I didn't buy into the angleplug head thing... More HP I know, but defenitely not worth the added BS...

 

Let me know if you want to try Jim's old Sandersons for fitment.

 

Mike

[dr_hunt]

The S&S full length headers clear AFR angle plug heads fine. How are the canfields different?

[pparaska]

The Canfield heads have the plugs rotated from straight out, but in about the same plane as the head/block mating surface. If they pointed up (wire end) they would fit the block huggers better.

 

I'd do the S&S full length if they weren't so low and fit around the Canton RR pan.

 

Update:

 

When you build a 400 (maybe a 383 also), and use the Milodon Diamond Stripper Windage Tray made for the regular SBC (PN 32250), (and maybe the stroker version too - PN 32255), it probably clears the rods and crank even with a typical I-beam rod. But if you use a typical SBC pan, like the old Chevy Vette pan, the pan may push the edge of the tray toward the crank when it's bolted on. The tray comes close to the pan rail, and if the pan side is too far in from the pan rail, it can push the tray edge over toward the rotating assembly, causing the rod nut to hit the edge of the tray.

 

I had Dykem'ed the sides and rails of the pan, and installed it on the engine with the tray installed. Turned the crank and at first it stopped near TDC, then continued turning. I turned it through this area a few more times to leave a nice mark in the Dykem. Pulled the pan and saw where the tray had rubbed the pan in a few spots and thought nothing of it. Continued to look for other interference on the Dykem'd areas, to no avail. I finally saw the rod nut through the crack between tray edge and the pan rail. I rotated the engine and there was no interference there (with the pan off). Measured from the oil pan stud to the tray edge and it measured 5/16". Went over to the pan and the dimension from the inside edge of the bolt hole in that area to the pan side was 3/8". Tada! That's what must be happening. The pan gets bolted on and pushes the tray inward making the rod nut hit the tray. Nothing some tin snips on the tray edge can't fix! I was actually relieved as I didn't want to start beating on the pan for fear of moving the rail around and making the pan leak there.

 

BTW, I really wish ARP would send their main stud kits with SIX tray studs instead of FIVE. Sure the stock tray uses 5 but several of the nicer windage trays use 6 and I've had to special order a separate tray stud and nuts twice now. I just noticed that Moroso sells a main stud kit (PN38210) with 6 tray studs.

 

Supposedly, the headers (JTR DAT-402C - Sanderson CC5 for D-port heads) will show up today or tomorrow. I paid for Red Label UPS which ate up the $75 I saved getting them from JTR instead of Sanderson.