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From: Upper West Side, New York City/Very Downtown, Houston
Windage Tray Removal & Reinstall
If anyone knows the answer to this, it would be highly appreciated--
By way of background-motor is a stroked LS7 with TFS 235s and a Fast 92. The vehicle is a 2004 C5 Z06.
I want to remove the windage tray to inspect the crank and connecting rods, etc. and then reintstall the tray.
Do I need to be worried about retorquing the mains? Or can I just reinstall the windage tray and retorque the windage tray nuts?
FYI-I have ARP studs.
Also, what is the torque spec for the windage tray nuts?
If you are curious as to the reason behind the inspection, I removed my heads to take out a pushrod that was stuck due to a failed rocker arm. I tried vice grips at first, but it was really stuck in there good.
After removing the heads I could not find all 20 big washers for the big studs. I know I didn't drop anything into the motor and was careful because of the link bar lifters (no trays).
Also a link bar lifter on No. 8 was scored.
So I took of the pan and guess what was in there. An ARP washer in three pieces.
(I did not build or install the heads on this motor and the motor was running for a few years, but without all that much mileage).
Good news is that after a cursory inspection the lifter bore appears fairly smooth so no major damage hopefully on my sleeved LS7.
Thanks in advance!
I remain hopeful that there is no major damage, but I wanted to look for piece of mind.
Do I need to be worried about retorquing the mains? Or can I just reinstall the windage tray and retorque the windage tray nuts?
FYI-I have ARP studs.
Also, what is the torque spec for the windage tray nuts?
You shouldn't have to retorque the mains, the windage tray nuts aren't tightened that tight to make the studs comes loose...or at least they shouldn't be. You can just loosen and remove the nuts then reinstall.
From: Upper West Side, New York City/Very Downtown, Houston
Thanks for everyone's help. It appears to me that the washer got hung up between the main caps on cylinders 7 & 8 and was locked in by the windage tray on the bottom. The windage tray also has a crunch mark in it probably where the counterweight smashed the washer into three pieces.
Below is a picture of the damage. There is also at least one spot on the cylinder wall (not viewable in this picture) where the liner is nicked. This is a darton sleeved LS7.
I think this damage must have occurred early on when the motor was first started years ago. I think I'm just gonna put her back together.
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Windage Tray Removal & Reinstall 
