Growing up doesn't have to suck

[ivin74]

Since I finally got the all hose clamps I needed from the salvage yard, I was able to install the heater hose connectors. I definitely wanted this to be done before the engine was back in.


3/4" heater core connectors and 1/2" rear heater core connectors. The hoses to the two nipples on the water pump are 5/8":

View attachment 248936


About 12" each of 3/4" and 1/2" heater hoses and box of 3-way Ts and factory hose clamps (factory from GM, Ford and Honda )
View attachment 248937


Semi-comfy seat on cross member in engine bay:
View attachment 248938


The 1/2" tubes were too close, so I trimmed them down:
View attachment 248939


Minimal, but adequate gap and perfect alignment:
View attachment 248940

Chris
Can you share the link to the t's

 

[iamdub]

Chris
Can you share the link to the t's

Sure:

https://jagsthatrun.com/collections/best-sellers/products/traditional-hose-tee


Only $10 more than ACDelco Ts and he should have a few pairs left in stock.

 

[iamdub]

Been too busy to upload pics and post updates so I have a lot of catching up to do in this thread. I'll break it up into a multiple posts. I have to anyway because of the pic-per-post limit.

Going back to last weekend, I hit the shop around 10AM Saturday morning starting with an empty engine bay. I installed the LS3 valley cover with new gasket then hung the engine on the chainfall so I could get the engine stand outta my way. Then I installed the torque converter-

Filled it with a little over a quart of Dexron VI full synthetic:




All the specs I read online called for 1.125" +/- .125" recess. After sliding it on, turning, removing and repeating a couple times, I came up with 1" every time. I expected it to be closer to the 1.25" max spec. But, it clicked/clunked as it should every time and was at least in spec, so I moved on.



Up close:

 

[iamdub]

When a Honda fanboi helps you drop the engine into your GM truck:




EVERY bolt has it's own place @tgui:




This is why I install the heads after I have the block bolted up. Super easy access to the top four bellhousing bolts and the nuts that hold the various brackets:




After using a set of drill bits to measure the gap between the flex plate and converter pads, I determined that the thinner shims provided by Circle D would net me right at the spec'ed .125" gap. I hot-glue the shims to a drill bit to hold it in place while I get the bolt started:




...Works like a champ!

 

[iamdub]

Comparing the Doug Thorley Tri-Y to the stock manifolds:




Wrapped the headers to protect them from scratches and slid them in to rest on the engine mounts while I continued on with the new OEM "LS7" lifters, new OEM lifter trays and Cometic .045" head gaskets:

 

[ivin74]

Looking good, looking forward for a cold start video. Lol

 

[iamdub]

Head work performed by Wall2Wall:




Marked each bolt hole with a "0" mark and 70° mark:




Then installed the heads, torquing the bolts to their initial value of 22 ft. lbs, following the specified sequence. I marked the bolt heads 90° counter clockwise from the "0" mark on the cylinder head, then tightened them all in proper sequence until those marks aligned, achieving the first torque-to-yield spec. The black on the valve stems is just ink from when I was checking the wipe pattern when measuring for pushrods:



Then turned them all, in sequence, 70° further to their final TTY spec then slid in those fat pushrods:

 

[iamdub]

Old, crushed steam port gasket:



New gasket found at Napa. I grabbed eight of these in case I find a four-port steam tube one day:



Heads on, steam port block-offs and tube installed, headers and front accessories installed:



Headers and Y-pipe underneath:



...And from the back:

 

[iamdub]

All the rest is just reassembly of stock components in the reverse of their removal, so no need for boring pics. All reassembly took place throughout that Saturday and the following Sunday.


On Sunday evening, around 1900, after priming the oil and fuel systems and filling it with two bottles of coolant system flush and hose water, I went for the first start:

It fired right up with no hesitation or stumble or lifter tick- all why I prime those systems first. I topped off the coolant and let it come up to temp while keeping an eye on all the vitals:

 

[iamdub]

After a short drive around the block to watch the vitals and test the trans, I stopped in at the local Community Center for another vid. Tropical Storm Cristobal was still visiting so we were getting intermittent bands of rain. Also, neighbor wasn't around to help me reinstall the hood:

...And that sexy idle vid I posted elsewhere earlier in the week: