1970 GTO Version 3.0
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
I was in the Chicago area for some family business, but it so happened that my engine was ready. This is the aluminum block 5.3L that used to be in my Cougar. It was gone through by Midwest Engine Tech in Mokena, IL. I'll go over the full details in a later post, but the highlights include Molnar crank and rods with Wiseco pistons, with ARP main and head studs.
My buddy BA got a Jegs engine cradle, but it didn't have casters. I couldn't wait for them to arrive, so I went to a local Menards store and picked up some suitable casters. The problem was that the cradle had 12mm x 1.75 nuts already welded in place.
I busted out my TIG and welded some 3/8" nuts on top of the nuts that were already there. The welds are terrible, but it will hold.
Off the truck and into the garage it goes.
My buddy BA got a Jegs engine cradle, but it didn't have casters. I couldn't wait for them to arrive, so I went to a local Menards store and picked up some suitable casters. The problem was that the cradle had 12mm x 1.75 nuts already welded in place.
I busted out my TIG and welded some 3/8" nuts on top of the nuts that were already there. The welds are terrible, but it will hold.
Off the truck and into the garage it goes.
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Yesterday we had a really nice day. It was in the mid 60s, and I couldn't let that go by without working a little bit in the garage. The old 6.2L is sold, so it had to come off the engine stand and go on the cradle, and the 5.3L needed to get on the engine stand. So after swapping some parts around and doing the shuffle with the engine hoist (thanks Ron!) I got the two engines where they needed to be.
Here are a few pictures to the forged internals on the 5.3L. The rotating assembly consists of a Molnar crank, Molnar PwrAdder rods, and Wiseco turbo pistons. Bearings are King. There is also a Melling high volume oil pump.
Andrew
Here are a few pictures to the forged internals on the 5.3L. The rotating assembly consists of a Molnar crank, Molnar PwrAdder rods, and Wiseco turbo pistons. Bearings are King. There is also a Melling high volume oil pump.
Andrew
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Happy New Year Everyone!
Not much to report on the build. Seems like parts are backordered everywhere and now the weather is cold.
I did get an update on my turbo build from Reed at Work Turbo. Here are some details that he posted on his Instagram account.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYC0x1ePsIF/
Andrew
Not much to report on the build. Seems like parts are backordered everywhere and now the weather is cold.
I did get an update on my turbo build from Reed at Work Turbo. Here are some details that he posted on his Instagram account.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYC0x1ePsIF/
Andrew
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
The Cougar got a 6.2L back in September. It was an engine I bought from a friend who installed a LSx454 in his car. This 5.3L is the engine that came out of the Cougar and got a forged rotating assembly.
Andrew
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,617
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Happy New Year Everyone!
My wife and I had a lovely trip to Texas after Christmas and on the way back on New Years Day, we were greeted with 15 degree temperatures. Today was even colder with morning temps at 10 degrees, so I thought it would be a good time to take advantage of that.
My Holley mid-mount accessory drive system came with an ATI two-piece balancer, which has a separate hub that get pressed on the crank. Given that this hub is solid steel, I saw no reason why I couldn't heat it up and slide it on the crank without the need to use a press on tool. The new Molnar crank also has a key, so aligning the hub was critical.
I got the hub from the garage and set the oven to 250 degrees.
One hour later, I took the hub out. My BBQ gloves worked great for this.
I ran out to the garage, aligned the key on the crank with the slot in the hub, pushed the hub on, and it stopped about 1/8" of the way on the crank...
Well, poop...
Sent a message to a buddy and he assured me that 400 degrees was safe for the crank seal. So I set the oven on 375 (just to be safe) and left the hub to "bake" for one hour. Took it out again, ran to the garage, aligned the key with the slot and bang! It slipped all the way on the crank and stopped at the oil pump.
This was too easy.
Andrew
Nice job Andrew. Somewhere in my garage I still have that giant piece of metric all-thread and nuts I used ONCE to get my stock damper installed. I don't think I'd be comfortable putting a whole damper into the oven, but for just a hub that's a great method.
It'd be nice to know what that front seal is actually made of. My guess would be either silicon or viton, either of which should be fine with that temperature. A nitrile/buna or acrylic seal might not like that kind of heat, but I don't think they'd use those in a crank seal application. Even if they did, a short exposure to that temperature would probably be just fine.
It'd be nice to know what that front seal is actually made of. My guess would be either silicon or viton, either of which should be fine with that temperature. A nitrile/buna or acrylic seal might not like that kind of heat, but I don't think they'd use those in a crank seal application. Even if they did, a short exposure to that temperature would probably be just fine.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Vaporworx Slowly, but surely the parts are trickling in.
The perfect compliment to the Rick's RestoMod tank and the ZL1 Camaro pump module is the PWM controller from VaporWorx. The VaporWorx controller is a closed loop controller that will maintain a steady 58psi at the rails, without the need for an external regulator, and a single feed line from the tank to the engine.
Johnny is also doing great. He has gained 20 pounds in 2 weeks and it getting very comfortable in our house. Maybe a little too comfortable...LOL
Andrew
The perfect compliment to the Rick's RestoMod tank and the ZL1 Camaro pump module is the PWM controller from VaporWorx. The VaporWorx controller is a closed loop controller that will maintain a steady 58psi at the rails, without the need for an external regulator, and a single feed line from the tank to the engine.
Johnny is also doing great. He has gained 20 pounds in 2 weeks and it getting very comfortable in our house. Maybe a little too comfortable...LOL
Andrew
Ive got nearly the same setup for a 72 gto. LS3 out of 2010 camaro, T56 and holley terminator and also got the vaporworx system. but i got some questions on wiring. had some trouble with wiring the oil pressure and sone stuff with intake manifold. and how did you get the vaporworx system to work? do you recommend i use the c5 filter/regulator or any other filter? also does the holley harness come with the wires for the alternator or are they seperate?
Thank you very much for the help.