Thanks to the step-by-step writeup @ LS1howto.com, and excellent help from this forum, I might add.... My '02 ZO6 is back on the street with some new goodies. A list..

Trickflow heads from TEA, milled to 61cc, with 2.04/1.575 valves and 215 runners

Crane "Z" cam. 228/232 @ 112*
Trickflow 7.7" pushrods
LS2 timing chain
SLP HD oil pump
GM headbolts/ gasket set (.060 MLS head gaskets)
Powerbond %25 UD pulley
AIR system delete
TR55IX plugs


Pre-existing engine mods include LGM headers/ O/R X pipe, and Magnaflow catback, and Halltech Tric intake.

Items not installed yet.

Ported FAST 90/ LS2 90 TB.
Thought I'd get it rough tuned, and dyno at tuners, then install the FAST and see what difference it made with full tune. Just curious. Also have to check if coupler will fit new TB.

I'm really stoked. It took me 3 weeks, and many skinned knuckles/sweat, as the heat never got much below 95 during this time. Very happy to have done this with no real experience, and have everything work OK. The only real issues seems to be idle quality is poor, but I think this is to be expected. I urge anyone not sure of their abilities should be able to do this if you don't need the car back real fast.
It fired right up and clattered a bit before settling down. After a full warm up had trouble idleing but when it finally held idle at about 750 rpms, you could tell it was cammed. Fairly smooth idle with a mild "gallump, gallump", but it did shake the car. Also it did make the exhaust a bit louder. Had to go to work at noon. I came so close to finishing last night, I took the morning off. I should be able to sleep a little easier now. I tend to worry about unfinished jobs.

 

Thats awesome to hear a story like that. Most you hear about these days all end in disaster. I am in your boat right now. My car is half way done. Been apart for 2-3 weeks now. Taking it slow, and waiting for my heads to get here. Id say another week and she'll be running. I cant wait. Congrats on you install.

 

Good luck finishing your project, too. It really surprised me that once all the parts were off/cleaned, the reconstruction seemed easier. About 4 hours into this project, I was really regretting my decision to DIMyself, but I took my time and finished each step until reaching the end. Of course, having a bit of OCD, everything had to be checked 3-4 times.

 

Congrats. Why are you using iridium plugs though?

 

OCD? **** I checked my timing three times. I lined the dots, removed the chain and put it 1 degree off both ways to make sure I had it right the first time. I finished mine Sunday (first start at 4:00 pm) and I'm still checking ****. I've been watching the oil pressure like a hawk (55 at 2k rpm's) and coolant level. I too followed the step by step on LS1howto and still can't believe how easy it was to do a C5. One of the hardest parts was installing the pulley 'cause I didn't get the longer crank bolt (I think that's what it's for).
Also scraping the the graphite off the deck surface and cleaning the bolt holes. Other than that it wasn't bad at all.


eXXser, have you driven any distance without having it tuned? I'm wondering if I should drive it to Thunder (50 miles) or trailer it. I just don't want it killing everytime I stop.

 

Arctic...whats wrong with the Iridium? They have nice tips. I gapped @ .050, but they came .055. I probably would have bought plugs made of unobtanium, but you know, you can't get them.

T-6. I got off work and put about 50 miles on the car, and it ran like a champ. There was idle fluctuations everytime I pushed in the clutch, but it only died once when I slowed to pull a U-turn. My tuner is a three hour drive and I was planning on driving there. I don't think 50 miles is a problem at all. I have heard the idle will reset itself eventually.

 

I went to a local place called Fasteners,Inc. and got a 140mm long bolt, and that was really easy.

Mine is an '02, with MLS gaskets from the factory, and the cleanup was very minor.

Where I had my biggest problems was reaching anything. My hands are large, and I couldn't fit in the very tight spaces very well. Also the how to was different in a few ways from my car, the power steering cooler, for one.

 

Iridium plugs are just a waste of money in our cars and tend to cause more problems than necessary. The regular TR55's gapped at .050-.055 are perfect and cheap.

 

Why such long pushrods??? 7.700"??? my heads were milled and i had to go with a 7.300" pushrod to keep the preload at a good place. I would think with your heads milled you would need shorter than stock, not longer pushrods as well.

 

Gotta be a typo, no way anyone would run that long of a pushrod.

 

The narrower valve angle of the TF heads requires you to use longer than stock pushrods. (15* stock, 13.5* TF, and 11* ETP) The ETPs require 8.1" pushrods.


thought I'd add this picture,

 

Wow, I had no clue they were so beefy. I thought just the ETP's came that stout.