Going to start working on my C4 soon

Edmond · Sep 18, 2005

I bought a set of 5,000 mile heads off a forum member. They're ZZ4 heads and if he can find the cam, I'm going to buy that as well. They've got ARP studs on them. They're a definite improvement over my stock 102,000 heads. Just buying a rebuild kit for my heads would've cost almost $250 plus the machining work so these heads were a very logical choice.

I got the injectors earlier in the week so I'm starting to accumulate parts.

Next on my list are likely:

pushrods
water pump
oil pump

Then I'll go from there.

I checked with my neighbor and he has a template for a ported intake manifold gasket. I'm going to match my intake with that, the heads are already matched. Then I'm going to siamese the runners a little bit and port the plenum as best as I can.

My original plan was to start last year or even earlier this year but that didn't happen because I was so busy spending money on a girl and on guitars. But the girl isn't around anymore and I'm done buying guitars so my money will be going to the Corvette now.

vetteboy86 · Sep 18, 2005

Jeez, who could have figured that was where your money went. I have a girl, but she understands the pecking order when it comes to my finances:L

It is good though that you are getting things going.

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

vetteboy86 said:
Jeez, who could have figured that was where your money went. I have a girl, but she understands the pecking order when it comes to my finances:L

I sure learned how to prioritize after her! :L:L:L

My neighbors are more excited to work on the car than I am. I was even thinking about waiting until it snows to work on it while I accumulate more parts. They wanted to start this week! :L

vetteboy86 · Sep 19, 2005

Whatever will minimize your down time. Do you have a place to work on it when it is cold outside? If you do, man I would just wait.

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

vetteboy86 said:
Whatever will minimize your down time. Do you have a place to work on it when it is cold outside? If you do, man I would just wait.

Yes, I will have a space to work inside. My garage is heated with natural gas. It managed to keep it in the mid 60's. I'm not really concerned with down time over the winter because it'll be down anyway.:L I just want to get it right. I know that might be next to impossible the first time but I've got 120 years of experience helping me.

vetteboy86 · Sep 19, 2005

Jeez, must be nice, have any storage room avaliable for another corvette???? I spose I could split the gas bill with you. Get it done over the winter, that way when early spring comes, you can work out the minor details. Dont get stuck for 3 months over the best driving time of the year like I did.

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

With all the junk that's in there, I don't think it would fit 2 cars.

I think I'm going to get the water pump that Rich recommended to someone. It was something like a Flow Cool or something like that. It was about $99 from the catalog stores.

I'll stick with a stock spec oil pump and I'll check the oil filter adapter. There was some slight weepage around that are.

I also have a power steering fluid leak. It appears to be near the pump. But that'll be easy when I pull the motor out of the car. It would be so much easier to work on things that way. Plus, my neighbor has pulled dozens of motors so he could probably do it in 30 minutes. :L:L:L

I'll probably get some hardened pushrods. They don't seem like too expensive of an item.

vetteboy86 · Sep 19, 2005

You are pulling the motor, have fun. There isn't that much junk to connect back up, not as much as an LT1 or LS1 I dont think. Just drop that 502 back in when nobody is looking.

rrubel · Sep 19, 2005

Flow-Kooler. www.flowkooler.com.

If you buy the complete FelPro engine gasket set, you'll get gaskets for the oil filter adapter (and cooler if you have one).

[RICHR]

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

vetteboy86 said:
You are pulling the motor, have fun. There isn't that much junk to connect back up, not as much as an LT1 or LS1 I dont think. Just drop that 502 back in when nobody is looking.

:L My neighbor, the one with the '68 Camaro SS has a couple of 600 something cubic inch motors in his garage. I'll put it like this: the weakest motor he has is a 405 HP LS6.

He's got some 1.6 roller rockers by Crane. I should ask him if he'll sell them to me, they're probably too small for him. He's got a set of 1.7's in his garage somewhere. Only problem is that my heads don't have guide plates so I'll need the self aligning rocker arms, right?

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

rrubel said:
Flow-Kooler. www.flowkooler.com.

If you buy the complete FelPro engine gasket set, you'll get gaskets for the oil filter adapter (and cooler if you have one).

[RICHR]

Rich,

They want $120 for it. Didn't you say it was cheaper at the catalog stores?

bossvette · Sep 19, 2005

Edmond
are the ZZ4 heads the "Vortec" style? GM has changed the way the intake bolts to the heads twice since 1987; the the 87-9? centerbolt style and then the vortec style (which are also centerbolt valve covers.
The Vortec heads are the hot setup if you can use them.

LT4man · Sep 19, 2005

Edmond,

I am glad to hear about you working on your Vette. I remember that at one time you were considering buying another Vette. I glad you stuck with the one you have. I think yours is one of the best looking Vettes that Chevy has designed. With what you are doing to the engine, you will have one fast ride!

Save The Wave!

rrubel · Sep 19, 2005

Edmond, I think I've seen it at Summit for less, but I can't remember. I bought mine from one of the Vette fora.

If you don't have guide plates and want them, buy them. They're cheap, and you just need to put them on under the rocker studs. You may need to adjust them after the pushrods are in, but that's trivial.

I found that self-aligning didn't even fit on my heads. Not sure why, but the roller tip wouldn't come close to the valve stem. Wound up getting 7/16" studs and rockers anyway... peace of mind, if nothing else, at 6k RPM.
[RICHR]

74bigblock · Sep 19, 2005

Sweet!!! I didn't know you were going to do a build up Edmond! Lemme know if you need an extra hand or a tool. I'd be happy to help.

Edmond · Sep 19, 2005

With my auto, I'll probably never see 6,000 RPM. :L

First thing really is wait to see if the he can find the ZZ4 cam. If not, I'll look at other options. I would like to keep max lift at .525 because that's what my springs can handle. I see there is a big price difference in the self aligning and non-self aligning rocker arms. If it comes down to it, I'll put some guide plates on there. Those guide plates can't cost that much.

lt4man, it was actually GM Junkie that convinced me to keep the car. He said that if I had sold mine, I wouldn't have been able to buy one running in the shape mine is running. Another factor was the low market for C4's. I decided not only to keep it, but to get myself some extra power while I'm at it. The motor only has 102K on the clock, which I don't think is much.

Dave, I'll keep you posted. Guy I bought the heads from lives out near the Lockport area. His Mini Ram ZZ4 really pulls hard! :lou

You can really hear the cam on that thing. :L

gmjunkie · Sep 20, 2005

Edmond said:
lt4man, it was actually GM Junkie that convinced me to keep the car. He said that if I had sold mine, I wouldn't have been able to buy one running in the shape mine is running. Another factor was the low market for C4's. I decided not only to keep it, but to get myself some extra power while I'm at it.

I'v Created a Friggin Monster!! It's Alive!! God Help us!! ;LOL