rebuilding my engine

[chevyboy1992]

yea.i heard that but didnt want to buy new rockers until i had my final set of heads on my engine.im having problems mounting my intake to my stock heads so im gna see if i can find a set of camaro tpi heads and see if they are more of torque heads than hp im after torque

 

[sewlow]

Torque rules!

 

[chevyboy1992]

yes sir you got that right.i think with my gears and the way i want to set my engine up i should have pleny of torque to turn the tires.im trying to find what heads i want to run.i want good ones but more of torquer heads than anything.if im right the more torque you have means the lighter you can be on the foot therefor not kill as much gas but i could be wrong.also how do you use a plastigage.i cant figure it out.where do you get the stuff that you mash to check the clearance

 

[sewlow]

The stuff that you mash IS plastigauage. Any parts store should have it. It's been over...well...let's say, a long time since i've had anything to do with the bottom end of an engine. My experience is more with heads. The parts guy (the old crusty one, with the experience, not the dumbass kid that'll spend 20 minutes looking for a rad cap for a '71 Beetle) should be able to give you some pointers, or an engine rebuilder, or youtube.

 

[chevyboy1992]

lol thanks man i like that truck by the way i alomst bought a 2wd a while back but i work on the farm on the weekends and i havea tendency to fix all my rides up.

 

[sewlow]

lol thanks man i like that truck by the way i alomst bought a 2wd a while back but i work on the farm on the weekends and i havea tendency to fix all my rides up.

Do you mean my blue '97? It's the shop/winter truck. gotta 2/4 drop, rear sway bar, CAI, seat from a '91 with the arm rest, 800w stereo, new deluxe bumpers, all new body side mouldings including on the bumpers, modded front plate bracket, & 275/60-15's.
Have you seen my '98 GMC?
Yea, I gotta mess with my trucks, too. Stock/original is b-o-r-i-n-g!

 

[chevyboy1992]

you got that right.im ready to get my z done its getting too cold to keep riding a crotchrocket.the truck is still sharp lol even if it is a shoptruck lol

 

[ManicMechanic]

wow, another Alabamian...i'll be following this to see how it goes...looks like a nice truck from the avatar/signature. i miss having a 4x4...

 

[skylark]

With the plastigauge, take a light smear of vaseline and wipe the crank and bearing surfaces. Then cut the plastigauge into short (1/2" or so) sections and place them on the vaseline. Then torque the bearing cap to the spec that you are using. Then loosen the bearing cap with a couple of light hammer taps without striking downward on the cap. You then take the package that the plastigauge comes in and determine how wide the plastigauge has crushed to. The green plastigauge is the one you need for the clearance that you are looking for. A word on bolt lube, each fastener has a spec that is based on it's size and strength. If you install the fastener dry it is one spec, wet with oil is another (different oils have different specs), also beware of the arp lube is has a much different spec. I use clean vaseline and drop the dry specs by 20%. Make sure you remove all of the plastigauge from the crank and bearing surfaces.

 

[chevyboy1992]

thanks manicmechanic.and skylark i do appreciate the help i just ordered a new plastigage from summit along with a feeler guage and some other tools.