OP
OP
autolover3
Full Access Member
Hey! sorry been busy had to pack up to leave college and move back home. Doin alot of work wround home for dad and started my new job as an intern auto/diesel mechanic! already have done injectors on some 6.7 cummins and helped swap over a whole new longblock in a 08 5500 chassis cab.
Update: the first turn of the key it started right up. Dialed in the dist with a tech 2. Finsihed cleanining up engine bay and what not. Also while I had it on the lift I welded in a flowmaster super 44 muffler (great choice). Right away I cruised around the country 2-4000 rpm to help break in cam even though instructor said it wasn't really needed since it was a GM cam, but did it anyways for piece of mind. Played with header bolts a couple times retightening them to rid exhaust leaks.
It's been about a week and a half since I left the shop with it. Just having a few problems with startup occasionally it will try to find idle but after a few blips of the throttle it smooths out. Down low its a bit laggy and feels like its bogging down rich wise and I exhaust smells rich. I hate driving it like this until I get it retuned but only vehicle I have right now (besides my 86 which is in pieces still haha) I had emailed Blackbear since I saw ND as a potential dyno tune location and they responded pretty quick and they added me to the list but am still waiting for any updates. Otherwise I'm just gonna do the scancable tune from them once I get some cushion back in the bank account haha.
Back to the driveability part. Idles smooth except for a slight miss and a p0300 random code once but I'm going to be checking fuel pressure along with a couple other things to solve that. Just need to find the time now. Power/torque is still not what I was expecting down low, could be it not running right yet, maybe shoud have went with a little higher stall converter even though it's not a big cam?, or cause I installed cam straight up even though when I degree'd it it showed 4 degrees advance ground into it. I have read people install the ZZ4 4 degrees advanced but instructor said no.. ? But once it hits 2500 rpm it starts pulling better and 3-3500 it feels like it hits boost haha. Revs clean and smooth all the way to limiter. Sounds great too especially with the super 44 on. After the rebuild and before the muffler I took a quick test drive and it was insanely loud... like you would not believe. Temps have been staying right around that 190-200 and its been pretty hot lately. It has a noticeable drive train noise due to the rocker arms which I think sounds pretty cool. slightly noticeable in the interior but not bad.
I am planning on ordering coolant temp and oil pressure gauges with a pillar column to help monitor things, not sure on which third gauge I should get. Tranny temp? Oil temp?
And sorry for the long update the reason I bypassed tranny cooler is my lines were leaky and the vortec lines are known for that. I don't plan on doing any towing with it. So yes it was kind of a quick cheaper fix. The welded up lines are solid though and fit without issue.
Can't remember if I'm missing anything, any questions feel free. I still have to get all my receipts together so if anyone is wondering on total cost of this it'll be a few days. I think I have some more pics of finished end product and video soon too.
Update: the first turn of the key it started right up. Dialed in the dist with a tech 2. Finsihed cleanining up engine bay and what not. Also while I had it on the lift I welded in a flowmaster super 44 muffler (great choice). Right away I cruised around the country 2-4000 rpm to help break in cam even though instructor said it wasn't really needed since it was a GM cam, but did it anyways for piece of mind. Played with header bolts a couple times retightening them to rid exhaust leaks.
It's been about a week and a half since I left the shop with it. Just having a few problems with startup occasionally it will try to find idle but after a few blips of the throttle it smooths out. Down low its a bit laggy and feels like its bogging down rich wise and I exhaust smells rich. I hate driving it like this until I get it retuned but only vehicle I have right now (besides my 86 which is in pieces still haha) I had emailed Blackbear since I saw ND as a potential dyno tune location and they responded pretty quick and they added me to the list but am still waiting for any updates. Otherwise I'm just gonna do the scancable tune from them once I get some cushion back in the bank account haha.
Back to the driveability part. Idles smooth except for a slight miss and a p0300 random code once but I'm going to be checking fuel pressure along with a couple other things to solve that. Just need to find the time now. Power/torque is still not what I was expecting down low, could be it not running right yet, maybe shoud have went with a little higher stall converter even though it's not a big cam?, or cause I installed cam straight up even though when I degree'd it it showed 4 degrees advance ground into it. I have read people install the ZZ4 4 degrees advanced but instructor said no.. ? But once it hits 2500 rpm it starts pulling better and 3-3500 it feels like it hits boost haha. Revs clean and smooth all the way to limiter. Sounds great too especially with the super 44 on. After the rebuild and before the muffler I took a quick test drive and it was insanely loud... like you would not believe. Temps have been staying right around that 190-200 and its been pretty hot lately. It has a noticeable drive train noise due to the rocker arms which I think sounds pretty cool. slightly noticeable in the interior but not bad.
I am planning on ordering coolant temp and oil pressure gauges with a pillar column to help monitor things, not sure on which third gauge I should get. Tranny temp? Oil temp?
And sorry for the long update the reason I bypassed tranny cooler is my lines were leaky and the vortec lines are known for that. I don't plan on doing any towing with it. So yes it was kind of a quick cheaper fix. The welded up lines are solid though and fit without issue.
Can't remember if I'm missing anything, any questions feel free. I still have to get all my receipts together so if anyone is wondering on total cost of this it'll be a few days. I think I have some more pics of finished end product and video soon too.
