Ken's Engine Project... Part II - 2003

[Ken]

FINALLY!!!

:J I FINALLY GOT IT BACK IN THE SHOP! :J

Work begins on it Monday; I've got two weeks before the next WCCC event, but I don't know if I want to push it to try and get it capable of making horsepower and achieving low ETs by then, or take my time and dyno it first to sort it out.

The bad thing about "testing an tuning" at the dragstrip, is that I have to do it by myself, and believe me, I need help. Lots of help! :L

I'd kinda like to get it on an engine dyno (as opposed to a chassis dyno) before we reinstall it, but that may be stretching it some. We'll see, after all, I always "play it by ear."

Wish me luck this time. :eyerole

_ken

Note: I split this thread on March 30, 2003. The initial thread was split at the end of last year; to see Part I, click My Engine Project...

 

[69MyWay]

Great news my friend. Soon, very soon, I will be listening for the crackle across the sky when that moster lites back off again!

 

[maxrevs85]

Cool deal Ken, I think the engine dyno is the way to go. Its the best way to find out how she runs and get it right before you stuff it back in.

 

[Ken]

I still find it hard to believe it's been over a year for this ongoing project to get to where it is, and it is still pretty far from completion. Of course we all know that it is never really done, is it? )

The curious thing is that I'm not overly upset by it taking so long. Might have something to do with the fact that I have another vehicle to fall back on this time. :L

That's not to say that some of the delays and mistakes were rather annoying and costly, it's just that I'm getting a little more kicked back about these things in my old age I guess. :eyerole

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

LOL...I think old age does help in the patience arena....Mine is tucked away for the winter , my project will continue in the spring.
Will your car be streetable or just mainly for the strip?

 

[Ken]

It'll be streetable alright, but I don't know if I'd want to travel cross-country in it again; it was bad enough doing that in a stock Corvette, let alone one that is HOT!

Definitely gotta be takin' it to some local SoCal cruises though!

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sounds like you did well on the laptop. Should make dialing in that monster a lot easier. Can't waite to hear the results.

 

[CKA_Racing]

I know a guy who is using the 385 heads in his fiero. Check it out. You may find some info here.
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/025173.html

 

[tntcorvette]

what happened to the first 400?

Sorry for being late on this topic!!!

 

[Ken]

what happened to the first 400?

:confused

_ken

 

[tntcorvette]

well I noticed you are reinstalling your engine and I thought your previous motor was a 400?

Im just too lazy to read 40+ pages of post regarding this to see what happened.

 

[Ken]

:L

The engine metamorphosis went through a lot of changes before we even got off the ground. The engine we finally built is a 417ci (416.5) small block. You can read all about it on my personal web site, simply click my "Homepage" link at the bottom of this post. Go to "The Garage: Project Engine".

_ken

By the way, the engine is about ready to be yanked again. It'll probably come back out tomorrow or the next. Hot rodders are never done. :crazy

 

[Ken]

I've got my own little corner of the shop.

Ain't a whole lot more room than I've got at home, but the equipment I need is here in this shop.

I've gotta remember to get a picture of the turbo'ed small block on the other side of my car.

The exhaust system, by Cars Mufflers:

The engine should be out tomorrow, then I can start making headway. :eyerole

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

EXCITING!!!........let the fun begin.

 

[Ken]

This makes me so very happy...

...to finally have it out. Now the real work can begin; stuff that should have been done last year.

Here is where I am sorely disappointed!

The wiring installation leaves just a little to be desired. Damn, that irritates me! Don't ask who it was to install this harness, but it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to figure it out if you read this complete thread.

I also encountered bolts of varying tightness; the easy ones to reach were tight as a drum, but the ones that were harder to access were barely more than wrench-tight. Certainly there was no torque of any kind applied to them. I had three different size bolts holding the dust shield to the bellhousing, and there are only three required!

The wiring. Oh, the horror! :eyerole

_ken

[size=-3]I'm so sore and tired![/size] :z

 

[-=Jeff=-]

So Ken,

what is in all the boxes?

 

[Ken]

Jeff, oil cooler, valve covers, driveshaft loop, etc... Minor parts.

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

That is totally depressing. Such a beautiful car too.

Tom

 

[radstad66]

That is never good to see!! It will make any vet lover sick

 

[maxrevs85]

Wow , what a beautiful car....it was.....unbelievable. What a shame. Didnt expect to see that.......Wonder what happened? Looks like it hit a wall. Nobody hurt?