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

[Mad-Mic]

damn took me awhile to find this post again :L that sucks i wasn't expecting to see that vette smashed since you just shot it in very fine condition! did it rain that week? :L

 

[Ken]

I need some help identifying wires...

Can you believe the butchery?

Oh, the horror! The horror!! :L

The bulkhead connector had two harnesses passing through it at one time. The innermost harness, to your right in the picture, has been lopped off at the connector itself, with not an inch of wiring left in the event you'd want to use it again. I doubt if anyone ever would re-use the old harness by trying to splice it, but you never know what the next guy will want.

This is the other end of whatever was butchered out of the old harness (the end opposite the bulhead connector); my guess is that it is all for the old MAF setup, before I switched to Speed Density. Now that harness is history, and another new one for the TEC3 is going in.

I do have the Electrical Supplement for my '87, but I am very bad with electrical diagrams, mainly because I need a semi-accurate layout of the components and the associated wiring colors, which the supplement does not provide. I go from one page to another until I find myself back at the page I started from and nowhere nearer an answer.

So, instead of getting more frustrated with the wiring, I spent the day there trying to make some more room in the shop. Will and I are very different people when it comes to organization; I could never, as evidenced by my attempts today, work in a messy environment.

It actually is beginning to look like an engine shop in front of my Corvette, Will has several engines in various stages of build (Y'all saw the Turbo'd small block, right? ), and a ton of valve covers; I told him we should start having valve cover races.

 

[-=Jeff=-]

Re: I need some help identifying wires...

I need help here if you can: What are/were these wires used for? Several were just wrapped back up on themselves under some electrical tape, so I suppose they could be for an option that was not delivered for my particular Corvette.

Is this the pic you need help with? the brownish/red and the white connecter that look close to the same were for the HEI.

I am not sure on the 2 black round ones..

Damn someone really did hack up that harness

 

[maxrevs85]

Ken, In the top picture ,the red wires with the rubber connector is for your oil pressure sending unit at the back of the block by the distrib and I believe the other wires to the right are the wiper motor connectors. Where the heck is the injector harness? and jeff is right about the distrib wires.

 

[Ken]

Duh! I know what the connectors are for!! :L You guys must really have a low opinion of me if that is the case.

I'm talking about all of those individual wires of varying colors. I forget which had the stripes, but there is a pink one obviously, I think there is a black one behind the pink, a brown, a yellow, a green (again obviously!), for a total of six. As I said, I know what the connectors are for, and the two green wires leading off to the lower-right in the picture are for the air intake temperature sensor.

Now that was only six wires, this:

...mess is something else altogether, but I don't think that will be an issue, I'd just like to know the purpose of each. The schematics don't include a breakdown of the harnesses, just the components, so it's kinda tough deciphering it.

Thanks for helping me guys.

_ken

 

[-=Jeff=-]

Sorry ken I misunderstood the question..

So these wires were just taped off? I am guessing at some point before the Sd conversion they were used..

I will have to look in my 89 service manual to see if I can help..

 

[Tom Bryant]

Ken,

I can probably borrow and scan or copy a 1987 service manual if you need it. Let me know.

Tom

 

[Ken]

Geez Tom, don't you read either? I stated that I have both the Service Manual and the Electrical Supplement! :L Thanks anyway.

I don't think the missing wires are going to pose a problem, I'd just like to get it straight in my mind what the purpose for them was. It seems weird that their would not be a schematic for the harnesses: the engine harness, the interior/dash harness and the body harness. It gets especially weird where the harness of one enters/exits the right side of the firewall (#237?) and is tied together with the harness emanating from the left side, which I believe it is #106. I get frustrated then I get ****ed off! But I guess that's better than getting ****ed on. :L

I spent another three hundred today on various parts: a battery relocating kit, TCI roll control, and installation kit for the roll control, and long wheels studs with nuts. That just about takes care of all I'll need to go drag racing, except for the seats, which I have yet to make a firm decision on.

I looked at some TCI polyethelene seats today, but if their size is any indication of the size on the ones offered from Summit or Jegs, I'd rather get theirs. I like those better mainly because there are cutouts for the shoulder harness where the TCI version did not, although there were cutouts for the lower restraints.

I was going to move it next door tomorrow to have the floors re-glassed around the roll bar mounting points, but it got put off until next week sometime.

I got the intake off today, and the intake gasket on ports (#3 & #4) on both sides was slightly pulled into the airway. Not bad , but enough to disrupt the airflow.

We may still be able to use the custom valve covers if we just reposition the PCV and vent outlets. The baffling appears to be well-enough designed, so it may simply be due to the fact that the PCV and vent openings are poorly positioned so that they sit at an angle. I'll get it worked out.

The wiring though... Oh, the horror! :L

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

Ken , to hell with the wiring, check out these seats
www.sparcousa.com

 

[Tom Bryant]

Ken,

Read? Me? I just look at the screen for the pretty colors. Maybe there is a seperate schematic for the electrical. I'll ask around.

Those are some great looking seats and some are priced pretty low. You should check for a dealer close so you can try one on.

Tom

 

[-=Jeff=-]

Also Check out www.corbeau.com

they have decent prices and also sell the direct fit tracks

 

[Ken]

Yep, I've already checked out Sparco and Corbeau, as well as Momo, Kirkey, Tillett and a host of other racing seat manufacturers. Most of the racing seats, at least the fiberglass, polyethelene, and carbon fiber of course, seem to be around twelve-thirteen pounds each, which is what I seek, but they (Sparco, Momo and Corbeau) are also much more expensive than the seats from Jegs, Summit and the like.

_ken

 

[Ken]

For those of you that who be interested in seeing what machining the block needs for the rods to clear it when you build a 417 cubic-inch stroker. It was a 400 block to start with.

This is the repair that Lou's friend Keith performed for me when I was in New Jersey last year. He simply installed an oversized bolt and it's been holding ever since. :cool

Here is a shot of the battery relocation. I just used the base from the original battery tray and cut it to fit. Thanks Whalepirot (Mike) for the tip!

_ken

 

[Rowdy1]

Sweet

 

[Tom Bryant]

Interesting pics Ken. I don't think that big bolt will ever come loose. Just what the doctor ordered. Cool idea on the battery tray too.

I don't know if you read my post about my engine in my '69 stepside project turning out to be a boat anchor but now I'm starting an engine project of my own. I think I will call it "Project Anti-Ken"

A 4 bolt 350 in the frame and making the right noises for under $500. Of course it won't compare to your project but it will be a good cruiser engine with a mild cam, flat top pistons, Offy intake and small Holley. May even pull decent mpg numbers too. Whatcha think?

Tom

 

[Ken]

As long as they are the right noises you hear Tom, I think it'd be cool! :cool

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

Just got done going over the block and it looks like a keeper. A 4 bolt '79 Z28 removed under warranty for oil consumption. The oil problem was the kid behind the wheel with the lead foot. Mommy and Daddy didn't believe that and squeeked for so long that Chevy oiled them with a new fitted block. It hardly shows any wear and my straight edge, and micrometers love it.

I'll probably catch a lot of flack for all of the things I won't be doing. But then it isn't going to see the severe use that your 417 is. I'll start a thread in the General Tech Forum later tonight.

Tom

 

[Ken]

Be sure to take plenty of pictures as the work progresses (I know, I know -- "Good luck" eh? It's hard for me to remember too.) :L

_ken

 

[Ken]

Mo' pichers!

I know Rob'll puke if he sees this, but anal as I may be, this'll do for now.

Cleans up nicely!

These didn't. A before shot:

...and after:

As clean as I'm gonna go with it. After all, it ain't a show car.

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

Nice job on the clean up Ken. Maybe someone will rebuild that red one. I hope so.

Tom