First time h/c install in progress
07-10-2006, 06:54 PM
#1
First time h/c install in progress Started the h/c install over the weekend. I am installing some stage 2 ported heads (853 castings), a TR230/224 cam, hardened pushrods, Comp lifters, LS6 oil pump, LS2 timing chain, and poly motor mounts. I have only helped with a cam / valvespring swap so this is a learning experience for me! 
Friday night: Pulled the car into the garage and placed the front end on jackstands. Removed headers, drained coolant, removed belts, and all the other items in the way. After removing the water pump I got most of the coolant out of the heads using a wet/dry vac. Works very well! After the heads were off, I put my jack under the oil pan and used an old phone book as a jacking pad to support the engine.
Saturday: Started removing the old engine mounts... 500 hours later, I finally got both of the new mounts in.
The poly mounts were a major PITA to install! Took me about 15 hours to get them both in and lined up! I kept having to remind myself how much better it will be with the new mounts in! After that was done, I drained the oil and went to bed. 
Sunday: Removed the front cover, stock cam, and oil pump. Also loosened the oil pan for extra clearance on the pickup tube bolt. The new cam went in easily along with the LS2 chain. The LS6 oil pump fought a bit before it went in (chewed up the first pick up tube o-ring). I tied some fishing line to the pick up tube bolt so I didn’t have to worry about dropping it into the oil pan and not being able to get it out. Even with the oil pan dropped an inch or so, it was still a pain to get the bolt started. Got everything lined up dot-to-dot and then spun the crank bolt a couple of revolutions to make sure they still lined up. I put a dab of white paint on the timing mark on the crank sprocket to make it easier to see. Put a new seal in the timing cover and cleaned it up a little before reinstalling it along with the crank pulley and new crank bolt. I’ve also finished removing the remaining gasket material from the block (stupid graphite gaskets!), and started cleaning the head bolt holes.
I have to work this week, so I'll be finishing it up after work a couple of hours each night. I have another car to use, so I'm not in a big hurry (just anxious!).
Sorry about the quality of some of the pictures, my camera is not the greatest.
Friday night: Pulled the car into the garage and placed the front end on jackstands. Removed headers, drained coolant, removed belts, and all the other items in the way. After removing the water pump I got most of the coolant out of the heads using a wet/dry vac. Works very well! After the heads were off, I put my jack under the oil pan and used an old phone book as a jacking pad to support the engine.
Saturday: Started removing the old engine mounts... 500 hours later, I finally got both of the new mounts in.
The poly mounts were a major PITA to install! Took me about 15 hours to get them both in and lined up! I kept having to remind myself how much better it will be with the new mounts in! After that was done, I drained the oil and went to bed. 
Sunday: Removed the front cover, stock cam, and oil pump. Also loosened the oil pan for extra clearance on the pickup tube bolt. The new cam went in easily along with the LS2 chain. The LS6 oil pump fought a bit before it went in (chewed up the first pick up tube o-ring). I tied some fishing line to the pick up tube bolt so I didn’t have to worry about dropping it into the oil pan and not being able to get it out. Even with the oil pan dropped an inch or so, it was still a pain to get the bolt started. Got everything lined up dot-to-dot and then spun the crank bolt a couple of revolutions to make sure they still lined up. I put a dab of white paint on the timing mark on the crank sprocket to make it easier to see. Put a new seal in the timing cover and cleaned it up a little before reinstalling it along with the crank pulley and new crank bolt. I’ve also finished removing the remaining gasket material from the block (stupid graphite gaskets!), and started cleaning the head bolt holes.
I have to work this week, so I'll be finishing it up after work a couple of hours each night. I have another car to use, so I'm not in a big hurry (just anxious!).
Sorry about the quality of some of the pictures, my camera is not the greatest.
07-10-2006, 07:04 PM
#2
Looks Good. How many miles on that thing. Mine has 170K and the pistons are not even close to being that bad. Are you running very rich or something. I would get those pistons cleaned up before I put it all back together. Mine still had the crosshatch marks on my pistons when I pulled my heads 30k ago. Should roar down the street pretty good.
07-10-2006, 07:11 PM
#3
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WOW...thanks for the ideas.....the fishing line on the pick up tube bolt and a little white paint on the timing marks.
I bought a cam package from TSP (Torquer V.2) last Thursday and am awating delivery. I also picked up a ported LS6 pump and LS2 timing chain. Best of luck on completing the install.
Wish I was still stationed in Hawaii. I was there from 1990 to 2004. I still have roots there (Mother and Father In Law live in Milillani) so I am back every Christmas.
R/
Frat
I bought a cam package from TSP (Torquer V.2) last Thursday and am awating delivery. I also picked up a ported LS6 pump and LS2 timing chain. Best of luck on completing the install.
Wish I was still stationed in Hawaii. I was there from 1990 to 2004. I still have roots there (Mother and Father In Law live in Milillani) so I am back every Christmas.
R/
Frat
07-10-2006, 07:24 PM
#4
Thanks for the encouragement. The car has 98k miles on it and I've had it for the past 18k miles (just under 2 years). It was pulling a lot of oil through the pcv until I upgraded to the ls6 valley cover and catch can setup. I do plan on cleaning up the piston tops before I button everything back up.
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Coy (10-16-2021)
07-11-2006, 07:05 AM
#6
Got a bit more done tonight. Cleaned out the bolt holes and chased the threads. Also cleaned the piston tops.
Cleaned piston vs dirty piston
After that I dropped the lifters and lifter cups in and laid the gaskets down.
Got the drivers side head on and the grounds attached.
Tomorrow night the passenger side head goes on and they both will get torqued down. Then the power steering pump and water pump, etc.
Cleaned piston vs dirty piston
After that I dropped the lifters and lifter cups in and laid the gaskets down.
Got the drivers side head on and the grounds attached.
Tomorrow night the passenger side head goes on and they both will get torqued down. Then the power steering pump and water pump, etc.
Last edited by bshell; 07-11-2006 at 01:35 PM.
07-11-2006, 09:43 AM
#7
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Good luck man. Looks like you got a good handle on it. I went through the same thing here a while back. It gets trying at times, but it's worth it in the end.
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07-11-2006, 10:30 AM
#8
Lookin good that number 6 though still looks like it is running hot or something. Almost looks like the piston is heavily coated in crud. What are you using to clean the pistons.
07-11-2006, 01:35 PM
#9
I should've put a better caption with the piston pictures. In the first picture I wanted to show what a cleaned one looked like next to one I hadn't touched yet. For the cleaning I used some green scouring pads, denim cloth, brake cleaner, and lots of elbow grease!
07-11-2006, 03:44 PM
#10
I was under the impression that you are not supposed to scratch the piston's. When I took my heads off I just used oil and a soft rag and scrubbed a little on them. Worked good but mine didn't have much crap on them. Is it okay to use agressive scrabbing with the scouring pads?
07-11-2006, 04:04 PM
#11
The scouring pads didn't leave much in the way of scratches. I really didn't scrub hard enough to scuff the piston tops (you can still see some carbon spots). After wiping them down with the denim, they were all smooth to the touch so they should be fine. Definitely better than before!
07-11-2006, 04:11 PM
#13
I think what yo have to be afraid of with the pistons is nicking them with a tool or blade because that will cause a hot spot that could possibly eventually burn through....a green scotch brite wont do that, especially by hand and with some cleaner/lube
07-12-2006, 06:48 AM
#14
Hmm good info I think I will do that. What did you use to keep the crap from falling down into the cylinder's. I thought about just putting a vacuum hose up by mine when I pull the heads and then cleaning them but it will be hard to keep the cleaner on the piston tops then. 
07-12-2006, 01:44 PM
#15
Not sure if it is the best way, but I wiped a light coating of oil around each of the cylinder walls before I started cleaning the piston tops. After cleaning a pair of pistons, I ran the vacuum to pick up anything that may have fallen between the piston and the cylinder wall. Then after rotating to start on the next pair I'd wipe and recoat the cylinder walls for the pistons I had just cleaned. After each rotation, I gave all of the cylinders a light wipe down with an oily rag.
