Oil/water pump replacement?

[Geotrash]

From all the reading and comparison shopping I have done. I am STOKED about getting this thing up and running!! My wife is pretty happy about getting more power. She misses her V8 stick shift Firebird.

I'm stoked on your behalf! Can't wait to see it coming together.

 

[iamdub]

I tried turning the rubber boots every which way. Darn things were so hard to get off. Couldn't get the rubber separated it all came as one. At least it came off. If it's really helps I'll put them back. Just wondered if there was something better.

Them plug wires might've just been on there for too long. Are they stock wires or some other "equivalent" brand? Aftermarket ones could be a different rubber that slightly melts itself to the plugs over time. The heat shield and boot and all are supposed to come off as one. But the shield is just a friction fit on the outside of the boot. It does make gripping the boot to twist it difficult. These really come in handy, although you probably won't be dealing with this again. Smear some dielectric grease in the boot before you install the new ones to prevent them from seizing to the plug. The heat shields might not be 100% necessary, but I'd try to keep 'em, especially if you get headers.

I live in Alabama so no car inspection for me. Since I'll be getting a tune would it be better to eliminate the cats altogether?

Cats or no cats is a personal choice. I eliminated my cats to have cheaper headers and more flow for all teh horseytorques.

Buuuut... I'm considering installing some, somehow. First off, they are a very effective muffler. With the same exhaust setup from the Y-pipe back, no cats is WAY louder. In short, I went from an 18" muffler to an 18" and a 22" in series- 40" of muffler to bring it back to an acceptable level. My exhaust shenanigans start here: https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/growing-up-doesnt-have-to-suck.93510/post-1485205

The second, and more difficult hurdle is the obnoxious stench. You can't idle, like while in line in a drive-thru, and not smell exhaust. Lord help them poor kids working under the awning outside at Chick-Fil-A. You can't cruise with the windows down cuz it sucks the fumes in, even at highway speeds. This really soured our beachfront highway cruise last year. You can't idle and leave any doors open, like if you or a passenger (have kid(s)?) needs to hop out right quick. The smell soaks into your clothes like water and you smell it long after. If I'm exposed too much, I'll get a headache just from smelling the chest portion of my shirt long after I've left the car.

I can understand the moisture thing but a few moments after startup would dry it out. Going to research that topic.

Yeah, you gotta remember that some of those commenting on moisture, rust, etc. are from salted areas. Obviously, that's not an issue for us. Definitely not for me, at least.

What part of Alabama?

 

[Gilla]

On the plugs...i thought about getting the high temp sleeves instead but once im done i probably wont have to do it again. Still like the high temp sleeves and i still like the headers. I found ceramic shorties at a decent price made from 304T stainless. Ok ..i am keeping the cats. I cant handle the smell. maybe change to a flowmaster to help. Lastly I live in Enterprise Alabama. I have a good friend that lives over there somewhere. He works on BMW and Mercedes. Down to balencer and timing cover. making progress.

 

[Rocket Man]

I purchased the cam from geotrash on this forum. He game me a good don am! cam, double springs, valve stem seals and moly pushrods. Really nice guy! The cam is from Vinci. I tried turning the rubber boots every which way. Darn things were so hard to get off. Couldn't get the rubber separated it all came as one. At least it came off. If it's really helps I'll put them back. Just wondered if there was something better. I live in Alabama so no car inspection for me. Since I'll be getting a tune would it be better to eliminate the cats altogether? I can understand the moisture thing but a few moments after startup would dry it out. Going to research that topic.

Vinci cams are awesome, I have their Trucker in my blown 6.0. Looking forward to your thoughts once you get it up and running.

 

[Gilla]

Its slow going but its going. I will post a after build thought page. Nice looking rides. Clean look.