92 K2500 Revival

[Komet]

Correction to previous post: one of the front shocks on the black truck was also blown. It now has both Ranchos and axles. I finished up the fuel rail mods:

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Drilling out the holes deep enough to get the tap deep enough was key. I sealed the threads with Gasoila and torqued them to the limits of my comfort, with a little luck it should seal up nicely.

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After using the Grizzly G7944 for a bit, I'm happy with it and it drills a nice hole. The 140rpm capability was super handy for the 45/64" twist drill, I think smaller drill presses that only go to 500rpm would have mangled my workpieces. Would the Harbor Freight drill press do the same thing for cheaper? Probably. But, it's not a cool green color and my red knobs have bears on them.

Rearward facing feed and return are now taken care of. I have turned my attention to engine prep and spent the rest of my time today scraping gaskets. These vortec surfaces seem nicer than my L98 heads, I guess ten less years might be a factor.

I got the factory plastic pseudo o-ring style intake gaskets. I've read they're terrible and I should have just gotten the Fel-Pros like I do everywhere else. I suppose we will find out, I was going by the book on directions supplied by SDPC for the vortec conversion TPI lower.

 

[Komet]

Been scraping gaskets for hours. Burned through five razor blades. I'm thinking a carbide scraper would be a good investment. Opened up the underside:

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Was hoping for a four bolt main but it doesn't really matter at this power level. There was a little bit of sludge in the pan but not crazy. Didn't want to pull the knock sensor or the threateningly RTV'd bolt in the other side of the block, so I duct taped the coolant holes in the head and ripped them off one by one while the bucket was underneath. It worked to capture about 72.98% of the coolant. I am now free from the dexcool menace.

Put the pan back on with a nice new Fel-Pro permadry unit. I said I was going to order new bolts with fresh gasket washers for the oil filter adapter, but I ended up coating both sides of the washer in RTV and sending it:

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Moved on to lower manifold prep, hit a couple roadblocks. First, my top EGR blockoff plate came with metric screws, but the manifold is tapped for 5/16 coarse:

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That's not a big deal, just need some different screws. I also have an interference issue with the rear EGR feed blockoff:

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Seems like I need to clearance the manifold for the plate, the holes appear to be drilled in the right spots:

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EGR fitting in the driver's exhaust manifold certainly isn't 3/8 or 1/2 NPT. My guess is it's metric. Tedious stuff.

 

[Komet]

One step forward:

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One step back:

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Fortunately I haven't gotten the 5/16 screws yet so I can pick up a 1/8 NPT plug at the same time.

 

[Orpedcrow]

Dang. It’s always something lol

 

[Komet]

Home Depot had my screws and the 1/8 NPT plug, got those in and finally installed the manifold:

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I was getting pumped to install the injectors and do a mockup when I looked at the backside of the boss for the pcv vacuum inlet:

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W
H
A
T

Is that doing there?! Sigh, back to the hardware store.

Also did all the paperwork stuff, black truck is now legally mine and registered as an antique vehicle. Pick n pull is going to pay me $122 to haul the green truck away on the 22nd. Would have been $250 but I sold the cats to my buddy for $100, sort of hilarious that the cats are worth as much as the truck.

 

[Komet]

Put the plug in, got a bit further. I'm doing a full mockup to make sure I have what I think I have, since weird issues seem to be around every corner. Getting into the details now:

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Spark plug wires were for a TBI truck I think, all 90 degree boots and the lengths turned out pretty reasonable.

Don't have a throttle linkage plate thing, maybe I can make one out of the vortec one, otherwise I'll just get a used TPI part. That's one issue I'll probably need the engine in the truck for, same for picking the right length of fuel line.

I had some 3/8 transmission oil cooler hose that should be fine for the PCV connection, just need a union adapter to connect it to the 90 degree boot. The fresh air metered orifice thing that goes on the other side has been misplaced but I'm not too worried about it, that's easy enough to toss on at any time. Plugs look good:

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I was considering tossing them back in just in case the initial tune fouls them out hard.

Did a bunch of measuring for various vacuum ports that need plugged, I need a 90 degree 1/4 NPT fitting to relocate and install the oil pressure sensor above the filter adapter assembly. I need a plug for the EGR port in the driver's exhaust manifold, best I can tell it's 3/4" - 16 threads. My plenum is off a MAF car and has no provision for mounting a MAP sensor. I have a 5/16" vacuum port in the back of the plenum that runs the entire vacuum system in an F-body, I think it can be dedicated to the MAP in this application. The MAP has a 1/4" outlet, maybe I can cram a 1/4" hose over the 5/16" port. Probably going to remote mount the MAP to the firewall along with the coil.

Next up is to solve the interference issue between the accessory bracket and thermostat housing. I was too cheap to get a metal blade for the sawzall in my recent 7,892 trips to the hardware store so it might end up being a hacksaw and regret affair.

 

[Vikingdude]

Nice job adapting! I like the workaround to keep the stock oil pressure sending unit. Great progress.

 

[Komet]

It ended up being a m12 cut-off tool until it overheated and then hacksaw affair, fortunately hacksawing through cast aluminum actually goes pretty quick. Little zzzzzzt with the die grinder and it's actually looking pretty decent (and also everything fits):

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The vortec thermostat housing bolts are 11/32, older stuff is 3/8. I used a step bit to chamfer a 3/8 cut into the housing holes and then finished it off with a 3/8 twist drill in the drill press which worked excellent, super handy to have that thing around.

I may have essentially solved the riddle of L31 TPI at this point, there's no more part interference issues that I'm actively aware of. IAT sensor is going to be tight with the fuel return hose, but I have options back there so we'll see how it is next time I have the plenum off.

The local NAPA allegedly has all the small parts I need to wrap up some of the outstanding details. I'm 0/3 on my last three attempts to buy stuff from there so we'll see what happens, I'm showing up with part numbers ready to go this time.

 

[Komet]

NAPA was a bust; I got some vacuum caps and a thermostat but they didn't have / couldn't find the two unique items that brought me there, so another Amazon order it is.

Got a 3/8 union for the PCV, the 24 year old boot decided that wasn't a great idea:

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A new one of those is coming as well. The green truck is no longer with us, it left on a flatbed this morning. Weather was ideal for waxing, did the yearly paint correction ritual on the IROC-Z:

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I need to do some quick fleet oil changes while my half bay is clear, then the black truck will be relocated to drivetrain installation position.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Man that car looks like liquid, the paint is so nice!