93 should be back today...

[sothpaw]

...I've had to wait a month for the heads/cam job.
Wish me luck. I'll report back next week-- I have to break
it in anyway, 200 mi of driving required before my first stomp.

 

[Vettelt193]

I suggest an oil change after the 200 miles too, it is cheap insurance.... anyway, GOOD LUCK TODAY!!! I know you have studied every possible combination, so I am sure it will be good

 

[vader86]

Do follow the mechanics break-in instructions to the letter.

 

[sothpaw]

...not back yet.

Hopefully, it will be early next week. Last week was not good.

I hate surprises, when doing some thing like this. I asked so many questions because
I was striving for "no surprises". Wednesday morning, the mechanic informed me that
the new heads were missing studs and pushrod guideplates. The heads supplier told
me that it's common practice to replace these with new, aftermarket parts when you
do an operation like this.

These parts turned out to be cheap relative to the rest of the stuff involved in this set up.
As it was, because of the surprise, I had to phone all over during the work day and try to find a local speed shop that had them. None did, so I tried vandevere for the OEM parts, that would have been a 2 day wait, so no car on Friday. Finally, summit had something that they claim
fits the car. What sucks is I was in such a hurry, I didn't even ask the brand name
for the guideplates. I hope they are a good quality part. I had to pay summit to over night
these parts.

Way too much head ache for what should have been a minor detail.

 

[vettedoc]

Ah.....what we won't go through to make our babies a little bit better!!!!! It will be worth the wait in the end so be patient.

 

[vetteguy]

Andy, sounds like a sweet set-up. I'm sure it will be worth it. Now if it ever stops raining around here, maybe we can actually get out and enjoy these cars. See you around, Guy

 

[Vettelt193]

Any updates?

 

[sothpaw]

still not back, it has been raining cats and dogs here, so
in a sense I haven't missed it.

I will have to get an update myself. I try not to bug this
mechanic, but I haven't heard a thing.

 

[rrubel]

Andy, your Vette is lonely! Stopped by tonight to pick up my daily driver and saw it sitting in the corner. There was a nice later C3 there, but in a different bay.

Doesn't look like anything's back together yet.

Hey... at least you don't have to make excuses for why your wife can't park in her half of the garage like I have to when I'm in the middle of a project.

[RICHR]

 

[Mad-Mic]

hehehe....

what shop are you getting the work done at?

 

[sothpaw]

crunch time!

...It's still not back and it won't be this weekend. The reason
is good: with the new cam, he is checking for coil bind, piston
to valve inteference, retainer to seal interferance. So good care
is being taken, and without my input. That is a big positive.

...but I'm going to be in a world of hurt if delays continue. I was
all set to drag race (all corvette) June 14 and autocross (all corvette) June22. He says the shop is closed after next week,
so if it's not done next week, I will miss both events.

 

[Dave C. '04 Z06]

Any Updates?

-Dave C.

 

[sothpaw]

Mechanic went on vacation. Back next week.

In the interm, I started checking the valve spring specs, as I now have lost confidence in my highly-regarded heads shop.

Springs appear to be not good enough for a 566 cam.

So, maybe I will get different springs or cam or send the whole __ed thing back. I already will miss the 2 races I wanted to use this thing for.

 

[Dave C. '04 Z06]

I feel for ya having all this trouble.

Have a beer....


-Dave C.

 

[Vettelt193]

no kidding... it just wouldn't be right unless everything went wrong at least once. make that two beers!

 

[oldace84]

Please keep us updated.....looking forward to your post....Hope its not asking for too much.....
thanks
tony

 

[sothpaw]

Nothing different--

--mechanic is still not back

--I don't even know if I want him to button it up as the cam manufacturer says not to use the springs which the heads guy put in there. These springs seat at 120 lb and for 566 lift, open pressure is 373 lb. Catalog recommends 500 max lift for them, 132 lb seat, 359 lb open load. Cam hotline guy wrote 530 max lift, and has had problems in LS1's--he does not recommend for street use at all.

--LT4 stock springs have 250 lb open, and hot cam springs 315 lb open, hot cam has 525 lift. So my set up will wear faster.

 

[Vettelt193]

I would tell the mechanic what you have learned, then let him finish... there is no telling what parts will be missing if you take the car un-finished.

Whatever you decide. GOOD LUCK. and please help friends out by making sure they don't use that mechanic. He doesn't sound very competent. Now I am sure you are really upset they stopped making the first came you picked out... I really liked the specs on that one.

 

[rrubel]

It's not the mechanic who's the problem - he's just doing the work Sothpaw wanted. The problem is too many cam cooks spoiling the... whatever...

This is why I'm not going with custom anything...
[RICHR]

 

[sothpaw]

not what it seems

Vettelt193,

Rich is right, it is not the "mechanic" who picked the springs or the cam or did the head work. All he is responsible for is to remove and replace the heads& cam, etc with the parts I supply him.

Friday, I talked with a rep. from the cam company who fills orders for my Cyl. head guy( this is the vendor who chose the springs and the cam, although I told him in writing that I wanted springs compatible with whatever cam he chose, based on the performance/handling characteristics I described on the phone). This cam rep. said these springs are ok for 10 k miles or so, to be safe. He does recommend replacing them with another, 320 lb open load spring.

--So, I am going to take the car as it is and replace the springs at 10k mi or so with 320 lb springs. Really, I think my heads guy is more concerned with performance and not wear. That is why he and I disagree on spring selection. Also, I think the choice of the stiffer 373 lb springs drove my expenses up because of the 7/16 studs & rockers. These, I was told, are advantageous (performance wise) with stiff springs and a cam.

Rich,

What I have learned here is that everything is custom. You have to be a really well informed consumer. I trusted my well liked, well known cyl. head guy to chose stuff for me. I think he satisfies most if not all his customers. However, I don't think they ask about the wear to their engine. I doubt that they double check the selections with the cam manufacturer, or even know what springs they have or how long they will last.

I recommend that you look into what valve springs are needed for your cam, and you will probably need to get them from Ligenfelter because that's your cam. Of course, you can just ask what the others run with this cam. The springs must be 1.26" OD to sit in the head unless someone opens up the seat for you, and be sure that the valves, valve guides, retainers, etc., are compatible with the springs you chose. I am thinking you will need 320 lb open springs because you have the same lift as me.