PCinDC

Alright guys,
So based on everyone's advice I went ahead and tackled this job myself. This is by far the most in depth motor work I've ever done, and I couldn't have (and wouldn't have) done this without Clark's Garage, Arnnworx's tools, and of course Rennlist and 951 Forums.
I also got help from Steve, chapstick951 here at the list. A huge thanks to Steve for offering to help and another huge thanks to his fiance for letting him come out and play. I never planned on killing anyone
Another thanks to Tony (blues2) for coming by for a little 944 comraderie. Hope you enjoyed dinner.

This is how the motor looked when I bought the car in January. Kinda nasty huh? The car failed emissions and started this whole slippery slope process of rebuilding.




This is how the car looked when I started work Friday night. There's a Vitesse TO4E, Lindsey 3" exhaust, Tial 38mm wastegate, SFR intercooler pipes, Godzilla BOV and 55lb injectors in there.



This is about midway through the day Saturday. The belt covers, belts and rollers have been removed. Their associated pulleys, rollers and tensioners have been removed. The old camshaft assembly and the exhaust headers have been removed. The old cylinder head has been removed. You can see the tops of the filthy pistons in there - 100K miles will do that. Not as bad as some pictures I've seen. You can see me removing the oil cooler for a reseal.



In this picture the wide fire ring headgasket is on the car. I've cleaned up the bores with degreaser, re-surfaced the mounting area and siphoned all the coolant out of the water jackets. The new Milledge head is ready to be installed.



New cylinder Head has been installed. Headstuds were in good shape and reusable. I have a Milledge camshaft to go along with this head, didn't get time to install it. Need some new bolts for my exhaust headers first.



I had planned on wrapping the exhaust headers in thermal wrap like I did with all the other exhaust parts pre-turbo and immediately post-turbo. I wanted to test fit to see if there would be adequate clearance - this header wrap is 1/8th inch thick, as opposed to most which is 1/16th. The new water pump hasn't yet been installed.



Here you can see the headers after I wrapped them with thermal wrap. Pretty cool huh?



You can see the new water pump on the car. This is also a decent shot of the Turbocharger, you can see the aluminized heat blanket on the turbine, and if you closely, you might see the thermal wrap on the downpipe. The crossover has also been heat wrapped. The motor is slightly more assembled than this right now (belt covers and a few pulleys back on). I didn't take any more pictures yesterday.



This picture shows the DME, KLR, SMT6 and Zeitronix brain. Need to finish up a few things here, like removing those ballast resistors and putting them on a heatsink. Didn't realize these get so hot!



Shows the a-pillar gauge pod I installed a while back. The gauge on top displays Boost pressure and intake air temperature (post-intercooler). The gauge on the bottom displays water temperature and Oil temperature. I'm in the middle of mounting these 2 sensors, fittings should arrive this week.



Questions:
1) The new head didn't have any exhaust header studs installed. I want to use bolts instead of studs to make these easier to remove in the future. Does anyone know which bolts I need to get? Need these ASAP, the rest of the build has to wait until these are on.
2) How far along the number 4 exhaust header do I need to mount my EGT probe?
3) Where can I source a heatsink to mount those ballast resistors?
4) What do you think?


And thanks again to all who have (or will) answered questions, offered advice or offered moral support. Much appreciated!

hosrom_951

I think that you did a hell of a job great work.

BTW, you wraped the headers AFTER you installed them right? was it easy/hard?

The reason why i am asking is that im going for an oil pan job and im wraping the crossover and downpipe. What was the size did you use for the headers? 1" or 2" wrap?



As fas as the EGT goes, TongG recommended 1" off the exhaust headers : https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...&highlight=EGT

PCinDC

Hosrom,
Thanks for the compliments.

Your q's:
No chance on wrapping the headers with them installed. Theres just not enough room. Pulling them is pretty easy one you get the cam off. FWIW I removed the head and exhaust headers as one peice, so if you plan on doing a headgasket, do it then. Otherwise, I'd leave em unwrapped. If you are able to get them wrapped with them in the car, you have much smaller hands than me!

I used the 2" wide wrap. I got a 100' roll and have about half leftover after wrapping the headers, crossover and downpipe. I'm going to use the rest of the aluminized sheild I have on the intake manifold. Plan on epoxying a layer of heat sheild to the bottom of the manifold.

Thanks for the link on the EGT probe - I have fittings in the mail - I'll get that welded on this week and hopefully get it buttoned up on Thursday (gotta love federal holidays).

What I really need to know is what bolts to use for the exhaust headers. I need to order those today so I can get them on Wednesday.
Thanks again!

hosrom_951

Sorry, can't help you there for the exhaust headers, but im more interested in the wrap

You wraped the headers, corss-over and downpipe with ~50' of the wraping material? (2")

That sounds sweet (i have 1" 50' and ordered a 2" 50' to wrap my cross-over, downpipe and try to wrap the turbocharger hotside as well ).

TonyG also recommened a 'Thermotech blanket' to wrap the headers (with everything installed). I also believe that he claimed that they work wonders (i ordered that as well but hasn't arrived yet )

PCinDC

Hos,
The blanket style wrap for the headers is about your only option if they are installed. I don't think this is as effective as wrapping them like I did, but anything helps.

You definitely have more then enough thermo wrap on the way to you to complete this job. You'll be looking for other things to heat wrap.

Ski

Paul, the head had bolts in it from Chris Cervelli's shop and let me tell you they were a major PITA to get out!! I fought every one of them out - not a one came out easy.

I would go with studs and IIRC you can go down to your friendly GM/Saturn dealer and see if they have a set and copper nuts. I've heard these fit but never tried them personally.

Did you put something on the WFHG or is that just lighting?

PCinDC

Hi Bret,
Thanks for the info. Don't the studs make it a major PITA to remove the header without removing the head? Do you think it was just an issue of the bolts not matching the thread pitch? And are the Saturn studs you mention exhaust studs? For what car?

Thanks!

PS: I thought the same thing with the headgasket. I had been cleaning the bores before I installed the gasket. I noticed that there was a bit of gunk in one of the bores and sprayed it with a little more degreaser. I think the light is reflecting off of that. Don't worry I cleaned it all off before installing the head.

hosrom_951

What else can be wraped besides x-over pipe, downpipe and tubocharger exhaust housing? (excluding headers)

PCinDC

Hos -
Pretty much nothing. You'll have a lot left over.

SamGrant951

Wow, you have definately been busy! Nice work.

Ski

The studs are ok IF the end for the nut is the right length and not too long. You only need a full nut and I've seen them stick out 5-7mm - that's too long and then yes, you have problems getting the exhaust manifold off with the head in place. But you can use a block of wood on the oil pan, slightly jack up the engine on the passenger side and whoola - space is created. I've pulled the head with the exhaust manifolds attached several times which is the easiest way I've found.

Not sure on the Saturn studs, I just remeber it being brought up a couple of times - I bet they're all the same. Take one out of your old head studs and go on a quest...or get bolts, just get at least a grade 8 or better would be my choice if I bolted it and make sure they are NOT an exact match with the diameter of the exhaust manifold openings; leave a little bit of expansion room for heat. Maybe someone here has done this....?

and yes, the car looks great, good job.

hosrom_951

Do you think 1" 50' wrap is enough for the cross over and downpipe?

PCinDC

Sam, thanks for the compliment! Lots left to do...

Bret, thanks again. I suppose if it comes down to it, I can just double nut and remove the exhaust studs from the old head. That sounds like it will be the easiest way so I might just end up doing that tonight. Should I use new nuts or will the old ones be okay to re-use?

I have another question:


The circled area - What's supposed to go here? There was nothing there on my car, however looking at a diagram it looks like this might be where the Oil pressure sending unit goes? Can anyone confirm?

Thanks!

PCinDC

Hosrom, probably not. The 50' I used was 2" wrap. I would assume you need roughly double to do it with 1" wrap.

Ski

circled area houses the oil thermostat. That water pipe to right there has seen better days, a new one is less than $30 - now is the time.