PSA for camshaft expansion plugs+ flex plate!

[Jimbo2312]

Hey fellas,

The motor I’ve been waiting for is finished, I’ve dropped it in and had to pull it already. Motor builder was suspect, three plugs were absent. Here is some info I wish I had.

1) Not all flex plates are the same, I’m not sure if they were different for the trans that had the TV Cable.

2) My cam expansion plug was absent, Dorman code 555-071 is too big. I’m ordering two more, but Dorman code 555-049 is within 4 one thousands of an inch, that should work.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[any4xx]

Uhm… yeah. “Motor builder is suspect” is an understatement. I’ve never seen anyone leave that out. Pretty basic.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Oof. I'd have a hard time installing that without tearing it back down and inspecting everything. Did he put the plug under the rear main cap?

 

[Jimbo2312]

Uhm… yeah. “Motor builder is suspect” is an understatement. I’ve never seen anyone leave that out. Pretty basic.

I would have been better off building this myself man. Or buying a rebuild from NAPA. Was a nightmare to be honest, $3300 later too ($700 of that was to tear it down from a completed bow tie head motor to vortec though)

 

[Jimbo2312]

Oof. I'd have a hard time installing that without tearing it back down and inspecting everything. Did he put the plug under the rear main cap?

I know, I don’t feel super great about it either after this haha. I’m not sure what plug you’re talking about here, like a plug under the rear main seal?

 

[Hipster]

All I can say is Holy f**k here. Yeah. I would be wanting to do a teardown and check tolerances. No need trashing a new engine before you even get started.

In all my years doing stuff, finding competent machinists has been my biggest issue. Not all machinists are engine builders and the obverse holds true as well.

 

[Hipster]

I mean really, I would tear down and get out the manual and make sure every plug that is supposed to be in there is actually there and tolerances are proper for the intended build.

 

[Spareparts]

You dropped it in with that cam plug missing then had to remove it? Why because it had a sevier oil leak?

 

[Hipster]

I would have been better off building this myself man. Or buying a rebuild from NAPA. Was a nightmare to be honest, $3300 later too ($700 of that was to tear it down from a completed bow tie head motor to vortec though)

I hate to keep adding to the thread or otherwise trashing it, but there are still a lot of old school shops that build build to old school race clearances. Loose rods, loose mains , loose piston to bore clearance. Everyone else has figured out your better off running 10w30 for more power. What type of build got done? Race clearance on the rods and mains for 50+ weight oil is a street engine that's almost already wore out from the beginning.

 

[Hipster]

Vortec takes one flexplate. tbi another, change pistons with oversize/different compression height/weight pistons and you need to think about rebalancing the rotating assembly WITH the flexplate and harmonic balancer that is going to be used for final assembly. What did you do/have done?