"Geronimo" 54' 3100 LS built in PA

[99 to Life]

well, perhaps I'll just do that then. I typically use this method alot.

[99 to Life]

8-15 Still working on engine. Have prolly 15 hrs in tear down and cleaning. Still not done. Got block painted so once I finish cleaning the pistons, I can start getting the bottom end back together. I will highly consider taking the block to someone next time to hot tank it. I used a high temp primer and then Eastwoods Ceramic Paint "GM CORP BLUE" looks a tad different in person. I'll have some cast/aluminum accents with the blue. Firewall and inner fenders will be a tan. Should look good together.

[Advanced Design]

Hey 99, enjoying your progress. The blue looks almost like an old Oldsmobile color.

[99 to Life]

Rude dude, I'll have to get the measurement on the moch up bars I used for the front springs.

The color looks more baby blue here in pics. On eastwoods site it looked more navy blue, but yes they do have an olds blue that I really liked. It was a lighter metallic blue. The dog crate is nice for keeping all this grease and oil out of my driveway.

[99 to Life]

8-30

Still working on engine. got almost 33 hrs in tear down, cleaning, painting, and getting crank and 4 pistons in. I always forget how long and tedious this is. If any of you have been down this road, I think you'll agree this small package is full of parts. Just have a look at some of the parts laying in the bed of the truck. So many parts and gaskets. Not to mention sourcing it all. Rings, bearings, timing chain, proper gaskets, water pump, lifters, push rods, balancer, fasteners, oil pump, valve seals and the list goes on. Luckily I already have intake, msd controller and carb.

Hoping to wrap up bottom end next week. I have to still clean some parts, paint some parts. Have to get exhaust bolts out of heads, clean them, replace valve seals and reassemble. So hopefully I can rig this up in a couple weeks to do a test fire. Then scramble onto some metal work to try and get stuff painted before it gets too cold.

[lower50's]

Cool!! Are you making a 4 cylinder V8? LOL

[99 to Life]

haha yah hope I remember to put the other 4 pistons in! don't need no rice burner.

[joedoh]

nothing wrong with 4 bangers, my 65 was one!

33 hrs in rebuilding an engine you have more patience than me!

[99 to Life]

I guestimated atleast 40hrs in the engine. I think I'll have more than that. I still have some parts to clean and then paint. Then final assembly and hooking up a temp fuel system. Then the start up. The biggest downfall here was cleaning the piston grooves. They had a ton of carbon built up. Been down this road bf but this ate up alot of time. But.... it was still cheaper to clean and reuse than to buy new pistons. If I could find a good machine shop that could do some basic stuff for me, that would be ideal. Seems hard to find around my parts.

But, I enjoy putting engines together and knowing everything is new. This engine supposedly ran yeah sure, had a bad head gasket. So that the main
reason why I always tear something down if I haven't driven it. Every single engine I have gotten has had something wrong with it, so the whole tear down was essential anyway.

[lower50's]

Yup I agree with the tear down. I learnt my lesson with the trans in my '52, shuda done it.

[99 to Life]

9-10 More engine stuff. about 45 hrs on it so far. Got a bunch of little things cleaned and painted, got oil pan and rear main cover done, also valve covers and accessory bracket. Just have to put cam back in, put covers on and then the heads.

I got 4 busted head bolts out. I just weld a nib onto the busted stud, let it cool, weld another nib on it, then put a 3/8 nut on it, weld it up, let it cool, then take out. Tried doing the washer trick first, didn't like it. I need to put the new valve seals in the heads and they are done, oh and coat them with some clear.

Rod bearings were all checked and torqued, so its just cam and top end. I have to order a few things so I can attempt to start it up soon. I'll just be starting it with no pulleys hooked up. So a couple minute run time here and there until its in and all put together.

[Mains52]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

9-10 More engine stuff. about 45 hrs on it so far. Got a bunch of little things cleaned and painted, got oil pan and rear main cover done, also valve covers and accessory bracket. Just have to put cam back in, put covers on and then the heads.

I got 4 busted head bolts out. I just weld a nib onto the busted stud, let it cool, weld another nib on it, then put a 3/8 nut on it, weld it up, let it cool, then take out. Tried doing the washer trick first, didn't like it. I need to put the new valve seals in the heads and they are done, oh and coat them with some clear.

Rod bearings were all checked and torqued, so its just cam and top end. I have to order a few things so I can attempt to start it up soon. I'll just be starting it with no pulleys hooked up. So a couple minute run time here and there until its in and all put together.

Looks like you're sticking with the truck pan. That's was plan to lets us know how the clearance ends up. Thanks

[99 to Life]

yah, clearance is fine since the truck isn't too low. plus I have the engine mounted up a little higher so the headers clear the frame at the flange.

[47 Fasttoys]

Looks good 99, What are you using below the beaker bar while torquing the main bolts, some kind of a degree wheel for stretch bolts?
Thank,
Rob

[Tikal48]

You got the motor looking good! Not planning to touch mine until next summer. At least till all of the body work is done. I did get a look inside the crank case of mine when I changed from the GTO oil pan. Hopefully I won't find anything major. . . LOL

[99 to Life]

Rob, its a degree torque tool. Basically LS's technology not only changed in the parts, but the "building" of them. You torque to 15ft lb then to 60* for example.

Tikal48, better to tear down sooner than later. Just never know what you'll need. A spun bearing could spell disaster, broken rings etc. Just never know till you bust into it.

Slight and I mean slight chance I may get it buttoned up and try to fire up this weekend. Ordering parts right now. Plug wires, all new coils, fuel pump.

[joedoh]

learn something every day! I had no idea, I actually just watched a video on it

[ptc]

Lots o work, but looking good! I like the Pontiac Blue color too, looks kinda like it in the pics....

[99 to Life]

thanks guys, yes insane amount of work. I have to find a shop to hot tank the block next time. You can see my method of cleaning parts here. If I can step up to an 80g compressor, I can start sandblasting some stuff. Either way, even if I could shave ten hours it would help, but there is simply just alot of time in putting it all back together.

some more pics of the blue. Wasn't really what I was going for, but it should look good in the engine bay. Going with a tan fire wall and inners. Going to have red spark plug wires along with the msd box. So a touch of red and blue and the tan, should look cool. Really hoping to get the engine atleast almost put back together this weekend.

[Advanced Design]

Nice, the tan, red wires and blue engine will be a good look. Moving right along....

[lower50's]

Ya those colors should look real nice together. Hope you get all your parts and get it together.

[99 to Life]

Little teaser for yinz. Got new coils and awesome 10mm wires. Gonna look good. I got high temp tape coming so I can re wrap the harness for these.

snagged a moch up trans for $20 - credit to CL
snagged running boards (little ruff but fixable) - credit CL 100 bucks

also bought a trans xmember kit ($40 bucks, not worth the time to build one) and some new LS mounts. The ones I made are good but very tight so there its a bit cumbersome removing and installing engine. We'll see if I make the final move on the new ones.

[SSABMUD]

FYI, the best and only thing that will make a dirty aluminum piece look like new is Turtle Wax Rim Clean. Spray it on and let it sit a minute without drying and then pressure wash it off. It works amazing. It will wreck paint and will etch the aluminum if left on too long. I use it on quad engines mostly.

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by SSABMUD

FYI, the best and only thing that will make a dirty aluminum piece look like new is Turtle Wax Rim Clean. Spray it on and let it sit a minute without drying and then pressure wash it off. It works amazing. It will wreck paint and will etch the aluminum if left on too long. I use it on quad engines mostly.

I'll have to try that.

[99 to Life]

ssammud, good call man, I'll try that. I loaned my pressure washer out and it blew up.
Def need to get another. Next time I do an engine, I'm hoping to have my blaster working too. I'll try the rim clean on my moch up trans! Im hoping to just get a brand new trans with warranty for this build, so will save me some time cleaning!