Help!!!!

[Cutlass]

1) In this pic the top numbers (15, 13, 11, 12 14) are those the top of the cylinder?

2) I seem to miss-placed my notes - there were 2 short bolts on the inside row, are these 10 & 9 form the pic above?

Focus...focus. Its all right there in the instructions (see notes #4 and #5)
Bolts 11-15 are the small M8 (8mm metric) on the intake side of the head
Bolts 9 & 10 are the M11 (11mm metric) medium length bolts, so yes those are the shorter bolts you are talking about.

[SMWS6TA]

Thx Cutlass, just wanted to make sure.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Before I reassemble everything, I have a question, which may sound dumb. How do you know if you got all of the gasket off? I felt the whole surface and it feels like metal and smooth. I would just hate it if it leaked because I didn't get it all off. This is what my block looks like now minus the fluid on the pistons.

[SMWS6TA]

those look pretty clean

[SMWS6TA]

This is one of those better to ask and make sure I got this right.

1. Cylinder head bolts (first pass all M11 bolts (1-10) in sequence) 30 N.m (22 lb ft).

Check I understand

2. Cylinder head bolts (second pass all M11 bolts (1-10) in sequence) 90 degrees.

Check I understand

3. Cylinder head bolts (final pass all M11 bolts (1-8) in sequence - excluding the medium length bolts (9 and 10) at the front and rear of each cylinder head) 90 degrees.

Is this + 90* on top of the 2nd pass of 90*? (meaning 2nd pass 90* + this pass 90* more)

4. Cylinder head bolts (final pass M11 medium length bolts (9 and 10) at the front and rear of each cylinder head in sequence) 50 degrees.

Is this + 50* on top of the second & third passes? (meaning 2nd pass 90* + third pass 90* more + this pass of 50* more)

5. Cylinder head bolts (M8 inner bolts (11-15) in sequence) 30 N.m (22 lb ft).

Check I understand

[SMWS6TA]

Parts!!!








I did notice 2 things comparing these from the ones that came off the motor.

Lifters - I tried pushing down on the top where the push rod seats on the old ones and nothing moved at all, on the new ones I saw a little movement.

Push Rods - the new ones are thicker and I rolled them on a glass mirror. These sounded and rolled much smoother then the old ones.

[98TransAmWs-6]

My old lifters move a little. Also are your pushrods hardened ones or chromoly? It could be they make those thicker. What size pushrods did you go with? I heard you need different sized because the ls7 lifters are shorter. I am trying to decide if I need stock sizes ones or not with 243 heads without sodium valves and ls7 lifters.

[SMWS6TA]

Push rods are chromemoly and stock length. LS7 lifters are same length as LS1's.

Not sure what the length is needed for 243 heads. You could get a push rod length checker to make sure. I've seen them for $20

[Cutlass]

(meaning 2nd pass 90* + third pass 90* more + this pass of 50* more)

Yep 22ft*lbs +90* +90* +50* is correct

[Cutlass]

I did notice 2 things comparing these from the ones that came off the motor.

Lifters - I tried pushing down on the top where the push rod seats on the old ones and nothing moved at all, on the new ones I saw a little movement.

Push Rods - the new ones are thicker and I rolled them on a glass mirror. These sounded and rolled much smoother then the old ones.

The old lifters have oil in them and won't easily compress like new "dry" ones.
Sounds like you may have found a problem/the problem with those pushrods. If the new ones roll smoother then hopefully that'll solve your noise.

[SMWS6TA]

Soaked the lifters last night.







Hope I get some time tonight to get started on this. By the time I get home it's dark as hell and yesterday was raining.

[SMWS6TA]

Cutlass do I need to pump the lifters to get oil inside or will soaking them be enough?

[Cutlass]

Soaking is fine. They'll pump up when you start the engine. It'll probablly rattle for a few seconds before they pump up.

[SMWS6TA]

Progress report...

Cleaned 27 out of 30 head bolt holes before it got to dark to see and removed the gasket residue using a jell spray that removes the stuff like butter after 5 minutes.

I chased each hole 3x's to make sure they are clear and placed tape over them to keep anything falling back in.

[SMWS6TA]

And this kiddies is why you take the time to thread chase all of your head bolt holes in addition to blowing all the coolant out.

I took this after blowing the coolant out and all of this was still in the threads. Each hole came with this junk out on the first threading of the chasers, I run them 2 more times to make sure I got it all and followed with blowing more air to make sure.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Yuck! I filled all the holes with brake cleaner and let them soak for 5 hours and then blew out the cleaner and then did the thread chasers and nothing come out except for a little dust. Tonight I will blow out the holes, use my wet dry vac one last time, and wipe the inside dry with q tips just in case before I start the reassembly.

[pajeff02]

Blind holes are great accumulators during the machining process. Just make sure you are using a set of chasers and not taps to clean the threads.

[SMWS6TA]

Passenger side on




Drivers side on



Get 'em while they are young....I strongly believe in teaching my kids on how to do stuff like this, even if they choose later in life to pay someone to do it at least they have a general knowledge to know when someone is blowing smoke up their ass.





I fought on and got the headers back on, I quit when the ps pump started fighting me and I just couldn't see the hole for the dip stick.


It will probably sit till tomorrow unless this wave of storms pass by 2pm.


I now understand why ARP head studs are worth every penny. (1) Once installed no need to worry about the bolt holes filling with water or grime. (2) You only need to torque to spec fl lbs unlike GM head bolts where not only torque to spec but also needs to be clocked additional degrees. This is where it sucks!!!!

[pajeff02]

I take it there was room under the cowl to set the heads down over the studs?

[SMWS6TA]

I take it there was room under the cowl to set the heads down over the studs?

I believe so, but what I meant is I now know why ppl invest in them......Next time I'll be getting them.






I got more done, I button up the drivers side and installed the intake.

The ps pump is giving me fits, I think they gave me the incorrect bolt for the pulleys. This set doesn't thread into the pulley shaft.


I still can't find the hole for the oil pan from above and I can't lift the car up because of the grade of the driveway is too steep. I think I need to bribe some friends to come help me move it.