L31 Extreme Budget Build

[L31MaxExpress]

You're just discovering to jack up the LCA to get the upper on? Didn't know there was any other way.
Yeah,the rubber seals play better with cast iron. The seals will actually wear aluminum. Do you happen to know what the bore size is in that MC?

I know to jack up the LCA, but it still would not come close using a hand to pull it down. I had to get a ~4' long pry bar on the upper to pry the stiff bushings down. Not much room to get that pry bar in without it trying to slip off. I finally figured out to use the UCA shaft end and the outer lip on the UCA as points to pry on. Even with the full weight of the van on the lower, I had to pry the UCA down 4-5" to get it into place.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I know to jack up the LCA, but it still would not come close using a hand to pull it down. I had to get a ~4' long pry bar on the upper to pry the stiff bushings down. Not much room to get that pry bar in without it trying to slip off. I finally figured out to use the UCA shaft end and the outer lip on the UCA as points to pry on. Even with the full weight of the van on the lower, I had to pry the UCA down 4-5" to get it into place.

That thing must have some serious springs. I had one where I had to pull the shocks and use a piece of 1/2" threadstock,nuts and washers to pull the LCA up.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

That thing must have some serious springs. I had one where I had to pull the shocks and use a piece of 1/2" threadstock,nuts and washers to pull the LCA up.

It does have some serious springs, not what my 97 has but still very stiff. I had to buy the OTC spring compressor that the service manual calls for to get the springs into the pockets on it. The OTC tool is a drastic step up compared to the cheap, garbage, unsafe parts store rental compressors. The OTC spring compressor perches are pinned into place on the shaft of the compressor. It bites into the spring and stays in one position. I could have broken out that spring compressor, but prying the uppers down against the bushings seems safer.

I just jacked it up against the spring, lifting the frame rail 1/2" off the jack stand. This is how much beef those front coil springs still have left. The UCA wants to sit straight out relative to the studs when it is not bolted in. I spun the lower ball joint nut on about 3 turns, then pried the UCA into place. Once I got the UCA started, I tightened both the lower and upper nuts a bit at a time, service manual minimum spec of 90 ft/lbs on the lower and 50 ft/lbs on the upper, then a bit more to get the castle nut aligned with the cotter pin holes. I set the torque wrench to the maximum torque for both upper and lower to keep from overtightening them while getting the castle nuts aligned. The 87 FSM has a desired and maximum torque listed. It is a range like a Min/Max.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Scooterwrench]

Yeah,you don't want to over torque them,those tapered studs will jam in so tight it will take ANFO to get them back out again.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Yeah,you don't want to over torque them,those tapered studs will jam in so tight it will take ANFO to get them back out again.

Just a BFH for me. A couple of good taps and they come loose.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Procrastinating on the passenger side suspension. I had some errands to run today. Now working on putting an actual exhaust system under it. True dual 2-1/2 exiting in front of the rear wheels for now. High flow cats, magnaflow glass packs and vibrant resonators.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I figured out the water bypass after 3 different fittings listed as 3/8" NPT were not that thread at all. Fitting that worked is a Dorman 56152 using a Gates 19026 hose. That only took a couple of hours too long and 3 auto parts store visits to get the right fitting due to either catalog or manufacturer errors. Long story short Four Seasons has their head where the sun does not shine on their heater fitting line up. I will order a silicone cap for the heater return. Those rubber ones do not last. I have not decided rather to return the coolant to the pump or the radiator yet as both have built in fittings. I am siding toward the radiator because it will continuously help purge air and steam out of the system toward the radiator cap. It might make it take a bit longer to warmup that way though, because it will force circulation of coolant in the cold side tank and lower hose. Not too many really cold days here though. The forced coolant circulation over the transmission cooler in the radiator is also not a bad thing.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[tayto]

i always found the heater threw heat quicker when returning to rad vs water pump. it has been close to 15 years since i've lived somewhere with regular -30*c winters and tested this, but i seem to remember returning to rad was deemed the better way. thinking about it now usually water pump return has supply front of the intake, whereas rad return has fitting at the back of the intake, so maybe that's the difference

 

[sync]

Thats me. GM 94666492 is the full part number. It has 6492 stamped on the end. Basically it is a cam that GM shipped in a 300 hp marine engine. These are measurements I took with a dial indicator on a clamp and a degree wheel.

I grabbed one of those for a decent price and set it on the shelf for later use. Once you get this thing running, I'd love to hear how it idles. I'm assuming slightly more aggresive than the 395.

I feel like the 492, an S10 converter, and a good tune would be a good boost for an ole L31.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I grabbed one of those for a decent price and set it on the shelf for later use. Once you get this thing running, I'd love to hear how it idles. I'm assuming slightly more aggresive than the 395.

I feel like the 492, an S10 converter, and a good tune would be a good boost for an ole L31.

My buddy has one in his 98 K1500 work truck. It has about 350K miles on the short block and had L30 305 heads on it when he bought the truck. It has a very mild idle to it and good power. He runs with it loaded down to near 7,000 lbs and often tows with it. His has the stock torque converter and it is on 35s with 4.10s.