Main bearings, rod bearings, gaskets

You need seals on both the intake and exhaust. Stock heads did not use seals on the exhaust valves, but the guides were higher and the valve stems were made to work with no seals. You have aftermarket valves. Most seals come with a clear plastic sleeve to put over the valve stem so you don't cut the seals. I have used a wrap of tape on the stem if I don't have a sleeve, and oil on the seal.
How do you do the tape? What kind of tape?
 
I put a wrap of electrical tape around the top of the stem. Keep it as thin as possible.
 
So just a thin wrap, slide the seal over and then pull the tape off? Any reason i can reuse the ones i took off?
 
If you are asking if you can reuse the seals, it depends how long they were run. I would get 12 new seals. They may come with the plastic sleeves. If they have no sleeve, you have to keep changing tape. I have put seals on with no protector by being very careful and using plenty of oil. If they catch on the valve groove, stop. Make sure you get the right diameter seals. They are either.500 or .531. I like the TA Viton metal clad seals. They look like the ones you took off. Measure the guides and measure the old seals inside diameter. The seal should be a little smaller than the guides out side diameter for a press fit. 11/32 is the diameter of the stem.
 
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Cleaned and installed the seals, I noticed the spring on one looks funny. Bad seal?
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It's on an exhaust valve so it's not too critical, but a new seal or spring would be better. The part of the stems where the locks go look different on the exhaust and intake valves. Be sure the right locks go on the right valves if the locks are different.
 
I finished both heads, the stems look the same and 6 of the seals are new from when the heads were done. I did not have the seals installed on the exhaust because I heard they were not needed.

I working on the front cover now. I cleaned it up and did Earls mods to it last year. I took it apart again and ran the cover through the dishwasher to get it really clean. Started to assemble and i need to know which way the pump gear faces.

One side has a T in a circle on it, the other side has nothing. I have the T side facing up, is that correct?

Also I have a front cover seal, MTP 5112 that looks like the correct one. Its a factory cover but how does this seal install?
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I looked at the front of my block the other day and the oil galley holes in the front have been tapped very far in on both sides. Will I have problems installing the short TA plug in the passenger side? Should I use permatex 1 or 2 or ultra black on them before installing?
 
I use Permatex Teflon thread sealer. If the holes are tapped really deep, the plugs will go in flush with the front of the block. If the holes are not tapped deep enough, they will stick out a little. They need to be flush or a little below the surface so the cam will not contact them. I have had to grind some material from the allen head side of the plugs.
 
ek02 thanks for the help.
This moring i installed the plugs with some permetax #2. I bought two set of the TA plugs and used both of the short ones. I had a difficult time getting them in. They seem to get tight after a few threads. I put them in and out a few time cleaning the threads after each install. I made sure they were flush with the front of the block. I also installed the timing chain and line up dot to dot at the 0 degree mark.
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I also applied some ultra black to the seal for the front cover and installed it.
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I torqued the pump bolts to 120 in/lb after checking everything again and packing with vaselin.

How am i doing so far, see anything i need to do different?

I was reading through some notes i had when i assembled the rotating assemly and i have written down 50 ft/lb for the rod bolts. My rod bolts are stock not arp and i think the rod bolt torque should only be 40 ft/lb. Should i just back them all off one at a time and retorque to 40? Did i do any damage if i did torque them to 50?
 
It all looks good so far. The rod bolt torque is 40 ft. lbs. according to my GM shop manual. Not sure if you should back them off and retorque. New stock bolts with the correct torque would be the ideal solution if you can find any. I might be inclined to leave them alone at 50.
 
20160115_164016.jpg 20160115_174707.jpg Ya I was thinking probably better to leave them too.

I bolted the heads on today, followed the sequence and torqued to 85ftlbs (arp bolts). I put permatex #2 on the threads of each bolt and some 30 weight oil on the bolt heads and washer.

I stared at 50 then 60 then 75 then 85. I did both sides and gave then a second check at 85. I ate dinner and went back out and torqued again at 85ft/lbs.

Did i miss anything?
 
stared at 50 then 60 then 75 then 85. I did both sides and gave then a second check at 85. I ate dinner and went back out and torqued again at 85ft/lbs.

AIRC, ARP has 2 torque specs, depending on what you use for lube. You use their lube, or engine oil?
 
All the searching i did said 85 ft/lbs with 30 weight oil for arp head bolts.

I dont have the part number to look it up on their site.
 
Head bolt threads MUST be sealed with good thread sealer. Oil on the threads will definitely leak coolant BAD!!!. I use extreme pressure lube on both sides of the washer, and 567 Permatex on the threads. (Both with bolts and studs.) Torque value should be same as the torque used on the torque plate used when honed. No torque plates used? Find a better machinist. I torque factory SPS rod bolts to 45 ft/lbs. (Using extreme pressure lube-CMD) Head bolts to 75 on the short bolts and 80 on the long bolts in 4 steps, then let um sit for at least 20 minutes, then back each bolt/stud off and retorque to full value one at a time. This has served me well since 1988. Good luck on your build.
 
I didnt put oil on the threads I put permatex #2 on the threads and 30 weight on the bolt head and washer
 
So my next step is to clean the roller lifters. Can I just clean them in the parts washer, blow them out with air and then soak the in motor oil?
 
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