Bummer about the oil pickup. Who did your harness? It’s definitely worth subbing that task out...it’s nice to just plug everything in without having to fiddle.

 

Efisource.com they provided the harness and microsquirt for $580. Which isn't bad at all, even a swap harness and swap gm ecu is almost that price.

 

Its amazing how these swap parts are so available now. Even sent with a base tune, pretty awesome.
The harness looks good from here. It’s great to reduce the clutter and potential fire hazards under the hood.

 

Well new btr springs, summit cam and oil pickup came in today. Really excited to get this engine ready to drop in. I'll be off tomorrow so the goal to have the engine prepared. Then I can start making sure the engine bay is good to go. My timeline is to be finished with the install by june but may have it running by may or sooner.

 

Cleaned out all the gunk in the front timing cover.

Pulled out the old camshaft using the water pump bolts.

Lubed up the new summit cam

Installed cam, timing chain, gear and sprocket.

Checked out my new pickup tube doesn't look like it will work. Welds look off, may try to modifiy it because it's pretty close.

 

Oil pump oil and already cycled some oil through it.

 

Cylinder head gasket surface getting cleaned up. This is after gasket remover, razer blade and a light scotch brite pad.

Been cleaning the pistons a bit and the matting surface of the head gasket.

Front timing cover, gasket and front seal installed. Also new lifters lubed up and installed.

New problems arise as the pickup tube I ordered was not welded correctly.. I'm about to take the first one I got with the oil pan, trim it down 3inches in length and have it welded. This pickup was an excellent fit just too long.
Waiting on valve spring tool and then should have the heads on this week.

 

New BTR valve springs and seals installed.

Head gaskets sprayed with copper sealant.

Finally got a pickup tube that worked. The one that came with the pan was way off, then ordered one from summit that was off as well and now the third one works lol.

Applied some RTV to the pan and block to help seal the gasket.

Oil pan is getting bolted on.

Another shot of the pan.

Almost there...

 

Well brake booster, a/c and evap canister hoses removed. Working on the washer tank and a few other items.

Bellhousing and adapter test fitted. The clearance from the drive shaft to the bellhousing face is just over 1/2inch roughly. So may need to take out the transmission and press it forward a smidge. I haven't set my pilot bearing and adapter yet. I wonder if I can use that to make up the difference? Just like 1/8 or 1/16.

 

fascinating!!

Makes me appreciate my low milage (64k) all original car that much more. Enjoying the build and write up.

 

Cyclone,
Would it be helpful to have my car alongside for quick reference?

 

Wow Conrad, you are doing great! Keep on!

 

Dude, your intake valves look HUGE, what dia mm?
What sort of clearance checks or adjustments are required to fit the stage 3 bumpstick?
Microsquirt with harness and tune, does this connect to the GM ecu as a piggyback?

 

Hey Noah 1.89 intake valve size on the stock 862 cast heads. I went with a lower truck lift on the cam so only needed behive ls6 springs the rest of the factory valve train works for it. I went with BTR springs since there lift is a tad higher at .560 and stock length push rods. The Microsquirt is a standalone unit so doesn't need any GM or Porsche stuff and I can tune it on my laptop. I'm hoping the base tune will at least get it idling, then I will try the autotune feature to get a base map for my setup and fine tune it from there.

 

Yes...yes it would 😈