It might help counter act some of the force the belt has pulling all the accessories towards the center of the engine. The other accessories have front and rear supports on the big aluminum brackets.
The herd grows
- Thread starter 0xDEADBEEF
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It might help counter act some of the force the belt has pulling all the accessories towards the center of the engine. The other accessories have front and rear supports on the big aluminum brackets.
It's been a minute since I did one on a 5.3 but I'm pretty sure the LS does not have the extra bracket. Just the 3 bolts.
I put it on just because better safe than sorry I guess.
Starting to look like an engine again. I might be biased, but the Vortec SBC is at least as ugly as any LS ever was. 
Hoses and wires everywhere, big-ass brackets, etc.
Had to stop because if I set a tool down for 5 minutes it was 300 degrees when I picked it up.
Hoses and wires everywhere, big-ass brackets, etc.Had to stop because if I set a tool down for 5 minutes it was 300 degrees when I picked it up.
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All back together. Drove it about 30 minutes with the heat on, the gauge never got above 170 but it was blowing hot out the vents. Seems ok, it always shows 170 once it warms up.
I'll check it in a couple of days to see if the timing cover RTV hack is holding up or if it's the Exxon Valdez still. I didn't smell any oil after the power steering fluid burned off.
My AC is really weak now, but I don't think that has anything to do with the repairs. I was watching the clutch turn off and on, which was weird. I think it might be low already. Not in a hurry to fix it.
I'll check it in a couple of days to see if the timing cover RTV hack is holding up or if it's the Exxon Valdez still. I didn't smell any oil after the power steering fluid burned off.
My AC is really weak now, but I don't think that has anything to do with the repairs. I was watching the clutch turn off and on, which was weird. I think it might be low already. Not in a hurry to fix it.
Job well done. So what is the plan for it? Is your son (son, yes?) going to drive it, a new daily for you, etc.?
I bought it for me, but the plan was to let my son drive it this school year and then he would go off to college next year. 2 wrenches have been thrown into that plan: 1) he loves it 2) Mom doesn't think it's suitable for him.
So, I honestly don't know. I don't want to take it from him given how he feels about it, but it does take more to skill to keep this one going straight down the road and the visibility is bad because of old tint and the barn doors. My other son took to driving like a duck to water, but this one struggles at it. I've told him when the time comes he can have it, but it may be a while.
In the meantime, just fix stuff and make it better. If I can stop the oil leaks it's mostly cosmetic stuff after that.
My oldest son also was pretty easy to teach driving an has done pretty well, except for already thinking he's a master racing driver.
Trying to teach my daughter now an it's rough. It's like she just can't get a grasp on it an I don't understand why. Im constantly telling her the same things over an over. She was also the only one I couldn't get to ride a bicycle, in fact she still can't. She's too scared she will fall over lol. Took 15 mins maybe for that with the boys. Hopefully my youngest won't be as hard to get driving lol.
If no one else is on the road, he's fine. He's not going to hit any stationary objects. It's more a case of what he sees, what judgement he makes, what he does with that information, etc. He's got ADD which is definitely a factor in his struggles. Anyway, the less of his brain he has to devote to car contol, the better.
Welp, I got good news and bad news.
Bad news, the timing cover is leaking right where the oil pan gasket should be.
Good news, I'm calling Blue Print tomorrow. I want to see how far out they are and what's required to retain my engine accessories. I'd like to do the engine swap around the first part of December.
Bad news, the timing cover is leaking right where the oil pan gasket should be.
Good news, I'm calling Blue Print tomorrow. I want to see how far out they are and what's required to retain my engine accessories. I'd like to do the engine swap around the first part of December.
After sleeping on it, I think I should at least look at the options.
1) Pull the engine, clean it and re-seal it. Stick it back in.
2) LS swap it
3) Crate 5.7
Opt1 is the cheapest, but it's still a tired old engine at the end of the day.
Opt2 is too much work, but I included it because I think an aluminum 5.3 with a mild cam would be the perfect motor in here. I don't want another months long project.
Opt3 is like an infinite number of options, but I'm narrowing it down to either the BP350 or the BP383. This is actually the quickest and easiest option. I am not dealing with a machine shop ever again in my life if I can help it, so I'm only considering crate engines.
1) Pull the engine, clean it and re-seal it. Stick it back in.
2) LS swap it
3) Crate 5.7
Opt1 is the cheapest, but it's still a tired old engine at the end of the day.
Opt2 is too much work, but I included it because I think an aluminum 5.3 with a mild cam would be the perfect motor in here. I don't want another months long project.
Opt3 is like an infinite number of options, but I'm narrowing it down to either the BP350 or the BP383. This is actually the quickest and easiest option. I am not dealing with a machine shop ever again in my life if I can help it, so I'm only considering crate engines.
