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What's left once you pick up the block? Assembly or is there more prep/fab work first?

My To-Do list from another forum:

To put the short block together:
-Pick up block
-Gap new top rings
-Assemble short block
-Figure out what's up with new style RMS (J-45930 tool in hand; RMS can happen at any point before installing clutch)

To assemble the long block:
-Cerakote shop to complete Cerakoting of cylinder heads [EDIT: DONE 2/05]
-Modify right head to accept later style cam sensor
-Have local normal machine shop clean up head decks
-Cometic gaskets to be delivered early Feb [EDIT: Arrived 2/02]
-Assemble long block (Install heads, build timing drive, install oil pump, pickup, front cover and pan)
-Assemble intake manifold with STS-V/XLR-V EV-6 injectors
-Install intake manifold

To assemble long block to transmission:
-Complete machine work to updated dual disk clutch throw out bearing holder laser cuttings
-Have Calico DLC coat the throw out finger pockets on throw out bearing holders
-Order clutch (PTT keeps parts in stock => minimal lead time)
-Modify stock replacement flex-plate to become ring gear for PTT flywheel
-Make centering ring to use 282 input shaft as clutch assembly tool
-Build Clutch (Titanium pressure plate to flywheel bolts? RMS must be done before this)
-Assemble engine and trans

To install powertrain in car:
-Powder coat or Cerakote intermediate axle bracket
-Assemble intermediate axle
-Assemble exhaust manifolds to engine
-Assemble mount brackets to engine
-Assemble powertrain to cradle
-Assemble suspension to cradle (big question: do I have time to update to Dustbuster Minivan knuckles now or later...)
-Update heater and brake booster hoses in engine bay
-POR remaining engine bay sheet metal

Obvs gotta lotta shit to with different lead times, so yeehaaa.

Move car from current shop location to my dad's house so I can build the harness and re-engineer the accessory drive, as well as suspension and brake mods to get it back to driveable.

Return-to-Service:
-Update Dr. Suess X-pipe assembly for slightly more catalyst clearance
-Build harness (Need to order the harness side of the production break connector for the manifold harness
-Anodize or Cerakote 3 bolt oil filter mount, Accessory bracket & AC Compressor fitting
-Redesign accessory belt tensioner to work better and play nice with battery tray
-Update clutch slave mount bracket to accept 1.25" FWD slave cylinder

This is the feature on the '93-'99 right head that must be modified. This is the right bank exhaust cam.
The heads are with the machinist now, but he won't be able to get to them until next week. :-/



I guess I need to post a snap of what the '06+ head looks like for comparison.

did you mean 5 of what looks like the same post?

I did not. Should be only one

all fixed....I like to asked first

No, Mark, I posted five times because I have five heads to modify because I'm working on 5 parallel builds, which is why it's taking me as long as your build is taking you

I figured 5 for starting a race team maybe.....but doing 5 just to give me a fighting chance of keeping up is mighty nice of you.

Want to buy one when I'm done?

My dad an I picked up the block at Promar on Friday. I had them hone the bores using my torque plate, skim the decks, install time serts in head and main bolt hole locations, and try to drill the block drains. The last one was weird because of the three block drain bosses still on the outside of the block, GM has put lumps in the bottoms of the water jackets for two of them, so drilling the boss never penetrates the water jacket... so I only have one operating block drain. WTF, GM? Why alter the water jacket dies like that?

Promar's rebuilding process has at least two wash steps, but neither are right after honing, so they gave me the block back covered in honing scunge. It wiped off the Cerakoted outside without any effort at all. I had to scrub the inside with paper shop towels and WD-40 to get it clean, though.

Shiny new deck



A slightly fun detail of decking a Northstar



Typical bore hone



Fun shot of a couple of the die numbers



My new top rings are officially gapped



Real Steel. Torquing up the bottom end with these in place even felt different than with the aluminum threads.



Crank sensor in the valley



Crank installed and bottom end torqued for checking bare crank rotating torque. It was 13 inlbs.
The irony is that now that I've torqued up the bottom end, I have to take it back apart to install the pistons and rods. Half the rod bolts are not accessible with a stretch gauge while the lower crank case is installed. That also means I probably won't be able to check incremental crank torque as I install the recip components