Restoring Rusty

[enaberif]

flakes will come from lots of areas... cam, timing chain, lifters, push rods etc.

[Gregski]

so I stopped by Pep Boys on the way home from work today and decided to pick up two of these valve cover breathers, I have some but they are chrome and I prefer the black ones, I was so tickled as they rode shot gun with me on the way home

[Gregski]

when I got home I was quickly reminded why I didn't buy the black ones in the first place, they don't fit in my valve covers, they is too big!

so on to Plan B, here's how you paint over Chrome, you don't you wire wheel it off, I tell you I never thought I would be thankful for poor chrome plating, but I was, and soon we were down to the nickel

[Gregski]

a quick spritz of primer and tomorrow we'll be ready to make them black

What do you mean you never night painted? It's great, everything you shoot, turns out great, well until daylight, ha ha

[Gregski]

but that's not what today was about, today we took our first step on the journey to reassembly, we put together the driver side Vortec cylinder head (C 16 9)

we set up our little station for production line like cleaning of parts and assembly, and miticulously cleaned every part

Fun Level = 5

[Gregski]

my buddy Pontiac Mike loaned me these valve stem sleeves to protect the rubber seals while I slide them on, but these sleeves proved to be a bigger pain in the butt to remove (with oily paws) after the seals were installed than installing the seals without em, LOL

I just used a deep socket to press the seals into place

[Gregski]

I only used oil on the valve stem so it would slide into the guide easier, and a dab of oil on the retainers so they would stick to the shaft while I released the spring, there was no assembly lube used at this stage

first valve done

second valve done

and all 8 done in the first cylinder head

time for supper

[enaberif]

make sure to put a small dab of Assembly lube on the tops of the valves for the rockers before you cinch that all up and make sure to use assembly lube on the bottoms of the lifters too.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Nice Greg that is for sure a tedious job and I agree it is about a fun level 5

[flashed]

Looks good ,and our good Pep Boys store one county below us closed and a new one opened nearby here that only does oil changes ,that sucks as they used to carry things our regular parts stores dont .
Keep at it and we will keep watching .

[chevybuldr]

Take your oil can and hit the inside of that guide with oil. Then take your hand and cup it and put oil in it, use that to oil the stem of the valve. Put the valve in and spin it as it goes in. I can not stress how important this is. The valves see most of the heat and will stick very easy. Trust me on this Greg they need to well lubricated and the start of the engine.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by enaberif

make sure to put a small dab of Assembly lube on the tops of the valves for the rockers before you cinch that all up and make sure to use assembly lube on the bottoms of the lifters too.

got the tops of valves under the rocker arms part, but wouldn't the bottoms of the lifters get their lube from the lubbed up cam? just askin'

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by chevybuldr

Take your oil can and hit the inside of that guide with oil. Then take your hand and cup it and put oil in it, use that to oil the stem of the valve. Put the valve in and spin it as it goes in. I can not stress how important this is. The valves see most of the heat and will stick very easy. Trust me on this Greg they need to well lubricated and the start of the engine.

I did put oil on the stem of the valves using a paint brush dipped in oil before sliding them into the guides, question

interesting, the thing is won't all that oil just run down in the time it takes me to clean up and paint the frame rails and motor mounts etc. I am thinking a month of sitting on the engine stand looking pretty

when its time to break her in, we plan on filling the engine with break-in oil from both valve covers, essentially take the covers off and poor the oil all over the valve train and watch it drizzle down in each glorious Vortec head, then we'll do the electric drill on the oil pump shaft trick while rotating the pistons 1/4 turn a couple times around as all the valves open and close, than a quick prayer and BAZINGA!

[chevybuldr]

Originally Posted by Gregski

I did put oil on the stem of the valves using a paint brush dipped in oil before sliding them into the guides, question

interesting, the thing is won't all that oil just run down in the time it takes me to clean up and paint the frame rails and motor mounts etc. I am thinking a month of sitting on the engine stand looking pretty

when its time to break her in, we plan on filling the engine with break-in oil from both valve covers, essentially take the covers off and poor the oil all over the valve train and watch it drizzle down in each glorious Vortec head, then we'll do the electric drill on the oil pump shaft trick while rotating the pistons 1/4 turn a couple times around as all the valves open and close, than a quick prayer and BAZINGA!

While you would think it would, oil does not dissolve. They will stay libricated enough till you start. The idea is you want no dry area in that guide. Start up is the most crucial time for them.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by chevybuldr

While you would think it would, oil does not dissolve. They will stay libricated enough till you start. The idea is you want no dry area in that guide. Start up is the most crucial time for them.

Copy that, thank you so much for looking out

[79sierra]

Originally Posted by Gregski

got the tops of valves under the rocker arms part, but wouldn't the bottoms of the lifters get their lube from the lubbed up cam? just askin'

You will want to put assembly lube on the cam lobes AND the lifters as well.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by 79sierra

You will want to put assembly lube on the cam lobes AND the lifters as well.

Can't have too much on that contact point.

The oil film on the valve stems should hang around for quite a while. If you're worried flip the head on its' top and squirt some motor oil on the stem where it comes out of the guide in the ports the night before you bolt em on.

[enaberif]

ASSEMBLY LUBE EVERYWHERE!

And then when your done.. prime that engine! Your not hurting a thing. Better to over lube than under lube.

[Gregski]

GREAT NEWS: I was able to return the bad/extra heads for a full refund!

So I am only out like $75 bucks for a set of [ahem] slightly used GM Vortec heads with rockers.

Score!

[flashed]

Great news ,now you can spend that on something else .

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Gregski

GREAT NEWS: I was able to return the bad/extra heads for a full refund!

So I am only out like $75 bucks for a set of [ahem] slightly used GM Vortec heads with rockers.

Score!

Indeed.

[Gregski]

late night in the garage tonight, put in 5 solid hours

first painted the valve cover breathers black - and I'm happy with the results

[Gregski]

more importantly assembled the second Vortec cylinder head, the passenger side - I think these heads turned out great

[Gregski]

did some mundane cleaning, like this gross fule pump plate, and learned my fuel pump actually does need two gaskets, there's the 2 bolt hole fuel pump to spacer/plate and another four bolt hole one between this plate and the block, who knew

I'm showing you this kinda stuff, cause it's not all Groupies and Booze

[Gregski]

and started getting the workbench ready for re assembly this Saturday, finally!!!

Center stage we have the holy grail, No it's not a poster of Pamela Lee, goodness gracious Earl - focus! ha ha its the Camshaft, the heart of the beast, we have not even broken the seal yet as we do not want to unleash the dragon just yet