1991 #517 rebuild(timing, ect)

[oricale]

Those of you in the know,..and the folks reading the threads know I had to tear my engine out and aprt due to a drivers side timing chain failure!:dontknow::censored:
And when I had to wait for the time to do the engine I redid lots of other things.

Anyway I am trying to Piece together the pics and such to provide a pretty good thread on what has been going on since Oct. SO!..without further adeu.....

First I got the car and the interior needed to be done:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-5.jpg

DONE(I have to redo the sill covers)
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-7.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-10.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-10.jpg

[oricale]

After the carpet, I moved to the outside of the car and pressure washed and cleaned as much as I could

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo4-9.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-14.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-14.jpg
CLEANED!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo15.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo14.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo24.jpg

[oricale]

Moving on, I rubberized and wire-wheels any rust I could find,..thats when I stepped up to the brakes:...SAD........!!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-12.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo5-4.jpg

This is the way they should look!,..

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo23.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-15.jpg

next was the wheels:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo.jpg

I went ahead and media blasted them and put on a coat of glass black epoxy with a red reflective stripe...(this is mearly a test to see how black will look with the red and white on the car...
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo411.jpg

[oricale]

After these pics I bought center caps with the corvette sybol...they look great:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo2-14.jpg


Next I wanted to work on the top end,....they werent destryoed, but not impressive... so I went to work...

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo5-5.jpg

This was not so fun!!!,...the water leakage corroded the bolts and they swelled into the walls of the bolt hole...the hacksaw was the easiest part of the removal!!!!http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-16.jpg

I did all the top end parts in a ceramic red with a 500 degree gloss clear coat after a full media blasting....The other pics are at home but I will add these later..but suffice to say the red paint looks like glass,..
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-16.jpghttp://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo2-15.jpg
I will be doing the cam covers in White to reflect the outside paint scheme.

Moving on:

[oricale]

OK...AFTER ALL THIS!!..I felt that it was time to move to the engine and see what was actually the culprit!,..sooooo I called some buddies and here we go!...OH YEAH BEHIND PHIL IS THE PAINTED PLENUM!!

Theres Phil!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/050.jpg

Theres Rich!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/057.jpg

Heres Paul!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/051.jpg

So we got the engine out and heres what we found:

5 bad valves
bad valve seals
little dimples on two pistons:(and a nasty engine!!!)
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/063.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/062.jpg

[oricale]

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/036.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/001.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/035.jpg

So I

*sent the heads out to C&C in Manasses,...
*steam and pressure washed everything I safely could
*ordered new rod bearings, seals, valves, gaskets, ect

Engine CLEAN!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/054-1.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/060-2.jpg

heres the newly worked heads!!!!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-17.jpg

NEXT...ONTO INSTALLING THE BEARING AND HEADS!!!

[oricale]

Next I pulled all the rod bearings and replaced them with Clevite bearing and plasti-guaged 4 locations throughout the crank....!(.042mm-.045mm)

Old:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-18.jpg

New:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo4-15.jpg

Using race engine building lube:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-18.jpg

A little trick to get out any crud in the ring space!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo2-16.jpg

And NOW we install the heads and Oil Pan!!!.

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-17.jpg

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo5-6.jpg

[oricale]

ok so thats where we are for now,..I just torqued the heads on and now just waiting for new chains and tensioners..as well as all the other little doo-dads I need to finish and install it...that will be the next post when the engine is all back together....

NOW...here is whey I am fixin it.....


The facing on the cam covers were gone! and these are also broken
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2195.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2189.jpg


So..keep lookin in on me!:):cheers::thumbsup:

[Scrrem]

Looking good man, almost ready for a gathering :cheers: !!
Rich

[GOLDCYLON]

Great work. looks like a lot of effort that will pay off soon. GC

[FU]

:thumbsup: Look's good !

[tomtom72]

Holy smokes! That is some project that you have going on there and it looks like it's going to be a rebirth when all is finished. Good luck with this endeavor!:thumbsup:


:o I have some questions from the "dumb as a box of rocks" gallery! This is the car from Long Island that didn't run and no one could figure it out?

Also, the chain guide failure caused too much slop in the secondary chain(s) to cause the cam timing to change enough to smack the valves into that piston? So in the end the guide failure is the root of this motor failure?
TIA:handshak: and sorry for being so darn nosey!:o

:cheers:
Tom

[oricale]

TomTom,....your questions are never dumb...thats why the forum is here!:)

1. Yes this is the long island car...
2. what you have said is exactly the case...3 broken guides and the cam guide plastics were gone!(god do you know how much those are!?:censored:)

Anyway, here is the after shot of plugging the secondary holes with Dorman #55-108's and Locktite 242...

Also I am plugging the plenum with the anodized plugs!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo22-1.jpg

So...yes I initally figured if I could'nt afford or fix it..I would figure something else out...but in NO way was I going to "part" it out to make money off of it...these are special cars that deserve to be preserved and taken care of.......AND..when...they are...NOT!...we happy few who have-not only the honor of owning one..but the drive to get it where the car needs to be!:dancing

[Pete]

3 broken guides and the cam guide plastics were gone!(god do you know how much those are!?:censored:)


Yeah,GM used to sell them for $3-4 each

Pete

[VetteMed]

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

[phrogs]

Your parts are on the way.

[Paul in VA]

AWESOME! Amazing work! Can't wait to hear it run!!! Welcome to WAZOO!

[oricale]

OK!...so heres the update!...I am now ready to time and drop the engine in,..I went ahead and had the valve covers powder coated a light pearl white. also I ordered a full exhaust and headers..what do you think?:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-19.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-20.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo4-16.jpg
I also installed braided brake lines as well (a little short for my taste):
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-19.jpg
ALSO:...I dearly loved my Stang,..And it was awesome in every way!!!...BUT....this had to be done:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo2-19.jpg

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo4-17.jpg

[oricale]

The torch has been passed.....:saluting:

[Scrrem]

WOW, that came out AWESOME!!! Your going to have to pass out the "White Gloves" for the engine installation :D. Don't want any big greasy finger prints mucking up that new PC!!
Rich

[oricale]

Dude wait till you see the headers and exhaust!!!:)

[FU]

You do some very nice work there :cheers:
Talk about a total tranformation !!

[jimmy b.]

Hi Oricale,
You have done a lot of work here and it looks great.

I'm new here but I don't have a lot of knowledge on the internals of the LT5.
I hope I could ask a question, it's probably a dumb one but here it comes.

Looking at all the pictures I didn't see the pistons or the rings out of the block?
And if not how do you know the condition of these areas? Did I miss a step?
Or is there a reason for not removing them.

And hey if this is a dumb question you can say it, I can take it I hear them
all the time myself:)....jimmy

[oricale]

Jimmy,.Before I tore down the engine I had it compression tested on all cyl's,..with excellent pressure in all,..when I got the heads off,..other than a good amount of burnt oil on some the piston surfaces, there was no issues,..with these nikasil liners unless you had a water leak into the cyl or a catastophic occurance, there is no need to pull the pistons or the liners,..my liners actually still show the cross hatching so I felt there was no need to open a bigger can of worms...the nikasil liners and the engine itself is fairly bullet proof,...I went ahead and did the bearings on jerrys advice since I had the bottom opened up and replaced both main seals as well...

:)

[tomtom72]

I think micro-fiber gloves would be the order of the day so as not to scratch that awesome finish! Holy smokes!:jawdrop:

Man that is some great looking LT5 you have there!:thumbsup:

[jimmy b.]

Jimmy,.Before I tore down the engine I had it compression tested on all cyl's,..with excellent pressure in all,..when I got the heads off,..other than a good amount of burnt oil on some the piston surfaces, there was no issues,..with these nikasil liners unless you had a water leak into the cyl or a catastophic occurance, there is no need to pull the pistons or the liners,..my liners actually still show the cross hatching so I felt there was no need to open a bigger can of worms...the nikasil liners and the engine itself is fairly bullet proof,...I went ahead and did the bearings on jerrys advice since I had the bottom opened up and replaced both main seals as well...

:)
Thank you for explaining this, I just felt that you spent a ton of money on this
project to have torn down the engine this far and not to check these areas
that there had to be a reason...jimmy

[oricale]

Jimmy, I really didnt spend that much,..I did alot of it myself saving that expense, the most expensive thing was the full OBX exhaust and getting the heads done...

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Nice work!!! I can appreciate all your efforts having just done the same not too long ago and one thing does lead to another......while you're in there. Thanks for the flashback and keep up the awesome job. Thanks for helping to keep the dream alive.

[RICKYRJ1]

Great Job! How about painting the letters in the plenum white & the 4, 32 black or silver. Just a thought :salute:

[oricale]

Oh yeah,...I forgot!!!...check out the exhuast!!! OOOHHH SOO SHINY!!!:cool:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-21.jpg
:How they will look on the block!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo2-20.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo3-21.jpg

The transformation is almost complete...she will live..

[Scrrem]

Man, they do a nice job of polishing there exhausts!!
Rich

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Very nice and shiny. I take it that is the OBX exhaust system? Have you test fit the mufflers? Just curious as the pipes and tips seem quite long from the mufflers. Can't wait to see your completed project.............

[daviddu79]

Very nice

[oricale]

Allright,...SOOOOOO....Since I have had so much help/assistance with the rebuild of #517...Here are some updates!


http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2325.jpg
(I actually had to drop in the engine by myself
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2307.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2269.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2327.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2342.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2341.jpg

[VetteMed]

Lookin' good!!

[oricale]

Got the engine in!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2377.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2383.jpg
There's Rich Servicing her up before the initial firing!!!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2267.jpg
I had the Cam Covers Powder coated with A pearl-white
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/photo1-23.jpg
So I Finally got it running,..but there was a serious loud ticking...
Drivers side Tensioner..exploded!!!!!!!
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2451.jpg
So the ticking was still there!....BAM..the other tensioner was blown too!.....DAMN!

[oricale]

http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2551.jpgSo after many issues we finallly got it running good,..but I still had a vaccuum issue,..and it was coming from the PCV boot (FUBAR) so I went ahead and built one out of billet aluminum parts/steel braided hose ect...
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2549.jpg
DONT be alarmed,..the throttle is a loaner from JIM VOTER due to an odd issue with it,..the painted one will be on for BG!!:)
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad18/oricale/IMG_2550.jpg
Also while I was in there I thought I would set up a oil catch can system as well!!!

[Pete]

Nice Dempsey.

I like the PCV F-hose :wink:
Heck,you can even powder coat that and it will look nice.

Pete

[SteelBlueZR1]

Congratulations on getting her running. You really do amazing work! I love the pearlescent white cam covers and the braided PCV system. Hope to you and your car soon at a Wazoo event. Are you coming up to Jims Saturday or Sunday?

[Scrrem]

Sweet catch can!!!

Rich

[oricale]

Hey Pete!,...Actually I would like to JB-weld (build up and smooth to a one piece item),..THEN paint it...

Rich,..Thanks man!

Bert,..Unfortunatley I have do the military thing this weekend,...BUT yes, "Irene" and I will be there!..:cheers:

[LGAFF]

Did you powdercoat the rail? Just curious, I need to powdercoat the fuel rail on the 100+ intake I am doing for my Callaway TT

[oricale]

Lee, No ,,Just prepped it and painted the rails with a 550 degree drk gold paint, then 550 degree clear coat,...it looks decent but I am thinking of ways to do an anodized or something like that

[GOLDCYLON]

A lot of quality work there!!! That fuel rail looks gold anodized you did a nice job there