Doc's new project

[dr_hunt]

Going to pick up my turbo engine on Friday. It took awhile to get the JE pistons and the custom ground hydraulic roller cam.

 

So, I can start assembly of my turbo motor soon.

 

On another note got a new dizzy for the V6 car so I'll have to take pictures of that soon as well.

[dr_hunt]

Well, got most of my engine back, block needs cam bearings, they ordered the wrong ones. The gaskets aren't in and neither are the hyd roller lifters. Pistons are flat top 2 valve reliefs. Heads were freshened up and have matching valve springs for the custom cam.

 

The cam specs are 226/223 int/exh duration at .050, 114 LSA and .565 lift based on 1.5 rockers. I'm running 1.6's so the lift should be around .602. Pretty agressive lobes. Should idle nice!

[dr_hunt]

I ordered the moser axles and wilwood brakes today. I already had a narrowed 9 inch rear end but it had re-splined truck axles and they were 28 spline. Also they had 5 on 5 bolt pattern and you can't get wheels for that that are not truck wheels. So I ordered 31 spline axels and 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern so I can use ford and chrysler wheels which are more plentifull. I bought a detroit locker that is 31 splined also and I will be running 3.50 gears which I have already also. So, when that is all assembled I can start the cage and backhalving the car. Oh, too much fun. They should be in next week!

 

I got the 140-2115 wilwood brakes which are a pro-street brake with 4 piston calipers. I have the same on my Monte which work great.

[dr_hunt]

Got the brakes in finally. I managed to find some 3.25 gears and I bought a 4 link kit off ebay. Then I bought some 1.5 x 3 tubing in .083 to fab the backhalf with.

 

Motor is still sitting in pieces in the shop floor. I was waiting on a new piston ring filing tool which I now have.

 

Today I am going to assemble the rear end so I can measure and determine what wheels to get.

[dr_hunt]

I disassembled both the spare PG transmissions and both had the less desirable 1.82 planetaries. So this evening I managed to get the good 1.76 ratio off ebay for decent price. So the trans can be assembled when that comes in. The rear end is assembled and when the 4 link comes in I will build a small jig to put the car on to do the backhalf. All I have to do is buy some wheels and decide on tires.

 

This is the first time I have ever done just a back half. I have done a mini tub and I have built several circle track cars, IMCA modifieds, late models and sprint cars but never just backhalving a production car. Should be interesting project.

 

Getting there slowly.

[dr_hunt]

The wilwood brakes didn't seem to fit the housing ends right so I had to send the axles and brakes back to get a different setup. Spacers between the bearings and the axle flange to space the axles out 1/4" and different brake mounting brackets. LOL Another $100 in shipping.

 

Going to start assembling the engine and trans this week, that will take awile and I'll document it with photos.

 

Left to buy are wheels, 4 link bars, converter and misc little stuff like injectors and fuel rail, fuel pump, BOV, wastegate. I have most everything else.

[dr_hunt]

One of the more popular racing automatics is the powerglide. It is the easiest transmission to build and the one that is mostly not built right IMO. There are several key things to get right to make it work. Here is my outline for this build.

 

When you start out take the case and have it cleaned. This one is not all that clean yet, but it has been washed several times in a vat. Drill out the cooler line bosses to 1/4" Pipe. They come 1/8" pipe from the factory and are restrictive to oil flow. Keep in mind you want transmission oil temps to be 175 degrees at a maximum IMO. That requires a stand alone cooler of sufficient size and I recommend running a temp gauge to be sure. Transbrake usage builds a lot of heat because you are shearing the fluid in the converter on the line at stall speed.

 

 

If your going to drag race then you will probably use a transbrake. This particular trans is going to get a BTE Pro tree transbrake which is a double dump type brake and is very quick reacting. To install this brake you need to drill three holes, 2 of them here all the way through the case. These are 5/16" holes. They are indicated by the blue wire sticking in each hole.

 

 

Then drill out this hole also to 5/16 and intersect one of the others you previously drilled, debur as you can.

 

 

I have already installed a new bushing in the back of the case and cleaned all cuttings from the case and holes. Once these modifications are done the only thing left to do is to cut the case if your going to use a safety shield. I am not going to use one so we will have to do that another time.

 

This is going to be built for well in excess of 900HP so one thing you will need for that is 6 clutches in the reverse pack and 8 to 10 clutches in the high drum. I opted for 10 clutches in the high drum shown here.

 

 

This has a billet hub and drum especially made for a 10 clutch application. If you use a stock hub and drum not made for 10 clutchs the bottom clutch will fall off and create a binding problem preventing the high piston from engaging the clutches. When installing the retainer and springs in the high drum alternate the springs 2, 0, 2, 0 and you will end up not using 8 springs. This will allow for a faster high clutch application. A quicker shift if you will.

 

There are two factory supplied gear ratios for the powerglide, 1.76 and 1.82. The 1.76 gear set was used in the V8 applications, 1.82 was used in the 4cyl and 6cyl applications and is the least desirable of the two. Always use the 1.76 gearset which is identified by the machined unit below.

 

 

The 1.82 set looks like this.

 

 

Obviously lighter duty stamped steel housing, pretty thin too. If you are going to build 500hp or less then you can use the 1.82 gearset. But in my case this engine will make more than that N/A and it is turbo anyway so we opted for the better 1.76 gearset.

 

I am waiting for a machined reverse piston, so when that comes in we will detail the rest of the assembly for you DIY'ers.

[shift00]

good job man looks like your car and your shop is coming along nicely.

[Hotrodpez]

kudos to you on the trans build. I will do just about anything mechanical, but I refuse to touch the inside of a transmission. They scare me.

[sq_creations]

You going to have quite the beast. I'd love to check it out sometime.

[mobythevan]

Looking good Doc, how close are you getting to installing the EFI?

[g9m3c]

That's gonna be one nice place to wrench! Can't wait for more progress on the shop and Z!

[dr_hunt]

Looking good Doc, how close are you getting to installing the EFI?

 

Well, once I get the trans built, then I will do the engine. Once I get that done, then I would like to start it on the stand. I will send you a PM as I need some sources for some efi parts and you probably know where I can get them.

 

The shop is insulated and has a wood stove. I fired it up and it is toasty in there. 2 or three small logs and your good for the whole day.

 

 

Back to the build. To install the reverse piston retainer and springs you need a tool. I made mine, but you can buy one too.

 

 

Notice the small hammer. If it doesn't fit, get a bigger one.

 

Got the reverse piston, install the seals on the piston and install the clutches and steels. The steels only go in one way with the notched tab at 7 o'clock position as your looking at the trans in the picture. When you go more than 5 clutches, you will need to rob an old clutch and steel or buy more cause only 5 come in the master rebuild it. You leave out the wavy steel and add a steel from the old trans as long as it is in good shape. You can see in the picture the pressure plate and clutches installed. When you install the pressure plate and ring then you measure clearance. Here is how you do it.

 

 

You want .090 to .120 clearance so that you get a good release. IMO if you are more towards .120 the car can rock when applying the transbrake. You can air check the piston to see if it works which is a good idea, otherwise if you tore a seal then you have to disassemble it again later and hopefully you find out before you put it in the car. I had .095 clearance on this trans so we proceed.

 

The next thing you install is the servo. Here I opted for the billet dual ring servo. They come in 2 flavors, o-ring and steel ring. If your bore is worn, use the o-ring type, seals better. Here is a picture.

 

 

Mine is not worn, you see very few that are, so I used the steel ring version. Make sure you lub the bore and the rings, compress the rings with your fingernails and install. Air check this as well to make sure you didn't nick a ring or tear an oring in the supply hole area when installing.

 

Then you assemble the high clutch drum. Install the seals facing down and lube up the drum and install the piston. Stack the clutches starting with a steel and alternate with a clutch. A clutch will face the pressure plate in the end. Don't forget the pressure plate thrust washer! Alternate the clocking of the steels so that the tabs are not all in the same groove so that the stress from high hp is evenly distributed on the high drum shell. You will need one of these to compress the high clutch retainer and springs. Pretty easy when you leave out 8 springs.

 

 

If you don't have one, don't try it. You will screw things up. Either borrow one or buy one they are not that much.

[dr_hunt]

Ok, well, been busy playing santas elf making christmas presents, but got sidetracked yesterday.

 

The axles and brakes came back from moser. Wilwood dynalite 4 pot calipers and 11 inch discs. So I needed to bring my transmission bench in to finish the transmission, so I put the rear end on it and assembled it.

 

 

All that is left for this to be ready is safety wire on the bolts. It measures 45 inches wheel flange to wheel flange. This has 31 spline moser axles, detrot locker (used) from a nascar team and 3.25 Ford gears. I think it will fit under the z just fine.

 

More santa work today for awhile then I'll work on the transmission some more.

 

Poor twin turbo monte sitting neglected in the background. Don't worry, it'll be next on my list.

[dr_hunt]

Finally got back to the z! Whew, christmas was good. Hope yours was as well. No I didn't get any hotrod parts

 

I installed the high drum. You put the torrington bearing in needles down install the input shaft in the drum and install the high drum.

 

Then you install the low band. Pretty simple.

 

Next we have to install the pump and check clearances. If the clearances are ok, then we button the pump down and do the valve body and tail section. I'll take some pics tomorrow and add them so you can see what I did.

 

I will have to modify the pump for HP use, so I'll detail those mods as well before we stuff it in and check clearances.

[dr_hunt]

Installed the front pump with no seals and no thrust washer to check the clearance. You do that standing on it's tail. Put a dial indicator on the pump and set the dial up on the input shaft. Push up on the output shaft and check the clearance.

 

You should actually do this before you take the trans apart so you can order shims for the front pump bushing. Since I had to buy planetaries and I ended up buying a front pump cause mine was no good that was pointless.

 

I ended up measuring .125 which is 125 thousandths of an inch. The tolerance is like .026 to .054 and for a race unit you want it as close to .026 as you can get it. The pump thrust new measures .078. So I needed .125-(.078+.026) = .021. Shims come in .010, .015, .017, .020, .025, .030, and .035. So I stuck a .020 under the thrust washer installed the seals and o-ring and installed the pump.

 

Since I used a transbrake the valve body was already assembled. I had to install the spool valves and bolt the brake to the trans with the 7 bolts torques to 15lb-ft. No gasket is used between the transbrake and the valve body unlike the stock valve body. That is the way they come, some have aluminum separator plate, this one had a steel plate.

 

Unfortunately they sent the wrong brake valve so they are shipping me another. The one I got measured .530 diameter and I need one that is .510 diameter. BTE uses 2 sizes of brake valves. Why I don't know and AFAIK they are the only ones that do for the PG.

 

So, it is buttoned up and sitting on the pan waiting for the brake valve and the t-brake solenoid. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.

 

So the transmission is done.

 

Now on to the engine.

[shift00]

Great, i would like to see what you are going to do with the engine.

[dr_hunt]

Well, starting to get all the pieces. Bidding on a tial 60mm wastegate and planning on putting a 5psi spring in that. I was thinking about injectors and what size to get. Pretty tempting just to get 160lb/hr and design the fuel system to run methanol. Then I could run either gas or methanol once I got my maps all figured out. Methanol would be easier, timing map would be straight across the board locked timing at 32 degrees.

 

I guess it is time to wheel the white z around, yank the engine, trans and cut the stock rear end pieces out of it and start the backhalf part.

 

And start on the engine. Need to gap the rings and start assembly. Since it is just a 3.5 inch stroke there are few issues to deal with. I did get another TPI setup complete off of an 86 vette, so now I have 2 TPI setups. I am going to port the base manifold and get it going together. Lots to do.

[ZZZeee]

Hey Doc... Is E85 available in your area?

[dr_hunt]

No, not yet anyway. If it was it'd be a no brainer. I think I just need to put the car together, then figure out what to do about fuel. Seems pretty sane just to plumb it in -10 and call it a day whether it's gas or alky or E85.