Not so good first drive of the year. UPDATE 9/12/14 VIDEO

Got the motor back today. Measuring for push rods and hope to have motor assembled by the end of the week and back in the car next week.


 
Making some progress! Got the rockers on last night and went to install the intake and got bogged down a little bit. The block was decked so I may have to plain the intake a tad to get it to line up. It's real close with the valley pan gasket installed but once the front and rear rubber gaskets are on the block it's way off. I have a friend who's a machinist and engine builder coming over today to take a look. Actually his son (firecat) on this forum built this motor. Between those two everything always works out but I definitely want a second opinion before I go any further.

How many of you guy's run a silicone bead instead of using the rubber gaskets? I always have on any other motor I've done but it seems the rubber gaskets cradling the block would be a better idea?



 
Just went through that. Try a dry fit without the rubber gaskets and check the fit. Mine without the gaskets looked fine and the bolts threaded in no problem. With them it sat too high and the alinement was off. The bolts were hard to start. Silicone on the block front and back sealed fine.
 
I would get it machined to fit properly. Eliminate any headaches you can so you can be assured trouble free miles ahead. Just sayin.
 
Making some more progress. Been busy with other things so going a little slow.

Got the intake to fit properly by drilling out the bolt holes rather than milling it. Matt didn't want to take anymore off the intake. My old motor had Cometic head gaskets and the new motor has stock gaskets so that was a large part of the difference.

I should have it ready to install in the car after tonight. Maybe by the weekend I'll have it running. Going to prime the motor today and set the valves.

How far can I assemble the front of the motor? Should I drop it in with the turbo and all the accessories bolted on? I have search many engine pics threads and see a lot of motors with everything on them on the stand. Not sure if guys are just mocking them up for fun or that's how they install them. Just looking for the easiest method.

 
I put mine in with everything but the starter and crossover.

http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/88129-day-life-earl-2.html#post792776

It's so much easier to bolt stuff up while it's on the stand.

if you run an oil cooler, just put a cheap stock filter on there to keep crud out.



For future reference on your intake, the fit is checked without the valley seals. If the gap is too small to them to play nice you can either shorten them with a razor blade by shaving off the ribs, or toss them all together and using The Right Stuff.

I hope you didn't mess yourself up by elongating your holes downwards. The base bolts don't load the intake in a downward fashion they are splayed outwards. If your rubber seals have the intake sitting artificially high, the bolts will be trying to 'stretch' the intake. Any energy spend loading the flanges outward aren't compressing the gasket between the ports.
 
I rerouted the trans lines so I can put mine in with the starter and crossover
 
earlbrown said:
I put mine in with everything but the starter and crossover.

http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/88129-day-life-earl-2.html#post792776

It's so much easier to bolt stuff up while it's on the stand.

if you run an oil cooler, just put a cheap stock filter on there to keep crud out.



For future reference on your intake, the fit is checked without the valley seals. If the gap is too small to them to play nice you can either shorten them with a razor blade by shaving off the ribs, or toss them all together and using The Right Stuff.

I hope you didn't mess yourself up by elongating your holes downwards. The base bolts don't load the intake in a downward fashion they are splayed outwards. If your rubber seals have the intake sitting artificially high, the bolts will be trying to 'stretch' the intake. Any energy spend loading the flanges outward aren't compressing the gasket between the ports.
Click to expand...

I eliminated the oil cooler and as of tonight I have everything on the motor minus the bolt on parts on the driver side front of the motor.

As far as the intake we didn't plane it. My machinist/engine builder decided to drill out the holes evenly (not elongated) so the intake would sit where it should be with just the valley pan gasket in place. He didn't think there was enough meat there to plane it. Even after the mod it was real tight. I tried to install the intake with the rubber gaskets once I got it back and I got it started and tightened it slowly realizing that the bolts were taking the intake to the head more so than the top of the block. In the end it pushed the rubber gasket out in the corners so I went with silicone. Not really what I wanted to do because I think the rubber is a better deal on these motors. I thought about trimming the rubber but didn't think I could make it uniform enough.

What basically happened it my old set up had cometic steel head gaskets and I went to stock on this build creating some extra clearance.

I used the Gray Permatex on the intake which I've heard good stuff about. Never thought about the rightstuff.
 
Last edited:
I did get the motor primed today, 60 psi while priming. Set the valves and installed the cam sensor 25 degree's atdc. Torqued the balancer, installed injectors, fuel rail etc. Installed new O rings on fuel lines and installed them. Ran turbo oil feed and installed turbo, hoses etc.

Basically buttoned up as much as I'm going to before dropping it in the car tomorrow night.

Then I need to finish cam sensor, plum CAI I pieced together myself so I can still use my Tomko. Husek showed me that way on the CAI set up.

If all goes well I'll be firing it up by the weekend.
 
Just about there, we'll be firing it up tonight. Need to button up a few things like the CAI, plug wires, clamps etc.

Needless to say I'm pretty excited and a little nervous that everything goes ok. Basically everything is new from chip to oil pan so there's a lot of things that can go wrong but I took my time and had a lot of help from the best people I know of so I did everything a person can do.





I went back and forth on a CAI system since I had to start over. Got some help from a few board members and Dave Husek. I decided to make my own and keep my Tomko filter set up where is was. I went to a 4" hose to the MAF (Got lucky and found the hose on ebay), reduced from 4" to 3 3/4 then reduced from 3 3/4 to 3.5 to a 45 degree tube then reduce 3.5 to 3" on the turbo inlet. Husek sent me some pictures and I went off those and it turned out great. Fit like a glove. I didn't enjoy running that 4" hose through the radiator support but other than that all went pretty easy.



 
If all goes well I'll be putting some miles on it this weekend for sure. I plan to make it to a test and tune event in Cordova this fall once I get some miles and a safe tune in it. I'm just going to do some 1/8 hit's like you did at first and work my way up. I'm in no hurry to break it and I'm sick of wrenching for a while. I did 2 motor builds this summer and I'm getting a headache thinking about it.;)

I have to hook up the A/C pump lines yet, waiting on new O rings and 2 clamps for CAI and it will be time.
 
Your doing it right by taking your time and getting to know the car and what your doing first. But I will say this... It will be a low 11 sec ride around 18-19psi when the tune is right.:cool:
 
I would think so, I'm real heavy though, 3940 with me in it and full tank of gas. I'm 9.1 compression so it should pull hard at low boost which is why I went stroker and Husek's recipe. I'll be happy in the high 10's in full street trim. I could probably ditch a few pounds if I took the factory rims off. My 15x10's and 275 60's weigh a sh&t load. My Barracuda has Bogart racing wheels and they weigh nothing compared to the GN rims.

Not going to chase the tenth with this car on ET or 60. Been there done that. Get's too damn expensive breaking and buying parts and like I said earlier I'm about sick of wrenching for a while. If the car performs respectfully then I'll leave it be, if someone else is faster than me with less I'll live with it.

Yeah right!:D:D
 
You didnt spend all that money to show off a small pecker:p Im gonna keep the duct tape in the pass. seat in case your head starts to swell. Mine did:D
 
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