Hydraulic roller cam ID, now motor swap

[BobW]

7 hours ago, DragCat said:

Is it possible, yes, have people done it, yes. I did not 🤣 Pull off all the accessory stuff, pullys/belts prior. I left the a/c and p/s connected, just tucked outta the way 

PS. don't forget to support the front of the trans since your leaving that in place 

 

5 hours ago, 420ponies said:

You should have no problem leaving the hood on. I'd remove the water pump, lower pulley, accessories, use a lift plate and pull from the intake carburetor base. This way you will have all that extra room.

Exactly my plan gentlemen, thanks!

[BobW]

And so it begins.....

 

[DragCat]

3 hours ago, BobW said:

And so it begins.....

 

Keep us posted on your progress 

[BobW]

21 hours ago, DragCat said:

Keep us posted on your progress 

Everything is disconnected, headers off (out the bottom) just 2 bolts holding the trans on.

Had to build an extension for the Horrible Freight Crane, it was way to short to reach from the front, and my space doesn't have room to access from the side. A 4' piece of 2"x2" trailer receiver tube to the rescue. It extends all the way into the red section. I'll probably move it back to the 1 ton position.

Tomorrow the old block comes out.

 

[Dtret]

9 minutes ago, BobW said:

Everything is disconnected, headers off (out the bottom) just 2 bolts holding the trans on.

Had to build an extension for the Horrible Freight Crane, it was way to short to reach from the front, and my space doesn't have room to access from the side. A 4' piece of 2"x2" trailer receiver tube to the rescue. It extends all the way into the red section. I'll probably move it back to the 1 ton position.

Tomorrow the old block comes out.

 

Gotta love that engine compartment. 

[Leghome]

16 minutes ago, BobW said:

Everything is disconnected, headers off (out the bottom) just 2 bolts holding the trans on.

Had to build an extension for the Horrible Freight Crane, it was way to short to reach from the front, and my space doesn't have room to access from the side. A 4' piece of 2"x2" trailer receiver tube to the rescue. It extends all the way into the red section. I'll probably move it back to the 1 ton position.

Tomorrow the old block comes out.

 

Just watch that it doesn’t get front heavy that can be disastrous, voice of experience on that note. Avoided a total disaster but scared the living daylights out of m son in-law and I

[DragCat]

1 hour ago, BobW said:

Everything is disconnected, headers off (out the bottom) just 2 bolts holding the trans on.

Had to build an extension for the Horrible Freight Crane, it was way to short to reach from the front, and my space doesn't have room to access from the side. A 4' piece of 2"x2" trailer receiver tube to the rescue. It extends all the way into the red section. I'll probably move it back to the 1 ton position.

Tomorrow the old block comes out.

Yea, I had to remove/install from the side. 

[BobW]

While everything is apart, I'm looking at mini-starters. Current starter has 2 small posts, larger purple wire being the start, where does the smaller red wire come from, what does it do? I have an HEI ignition.

The smaller starters seem to have only 1 small post. Does the small red wire get eliminated?

[420ponies]

On my BBC swap I had to buy tractor weights and apply them to the back of the crane. It extended out to the very last hole, but was tipsy. Added 190lbs, all  good.No transmission on the back though. I pulled my sbc trans and all with some "borrowed" weights."course the hood was off it then. You might try a '97 Tahoe starter. That's what is on the BBC. Smaller and turns the motor over quickly.

Edited April 22 by 420ponies
added content

[BobW]

22 hours ago, Leghome said:

Just watch that it doesn’t get front heavy that can be disastrous, voice of experience on that note. Avoided a total disaster but scared the living daylights out of m son in-law and I

 

7 hours ago, 420ponies said:

On my BBC swap I had to buy tractor weights and apply them to the back of the crane. It extended out to the very last hole, but was tipsy. Added 190lbs, all  good.No transmission on the back though. I pulled my sbc trans and all with some "borrowed" weights."course the hood was off it then. You might try a '97 Tahoe starter. That's what is on the BBC. Smaller and turns the motor over quickly.

I moved the factory extension back 1 hole to the 1 ton position and moved my extension out about 9". This placed the hook maybe 1" past the crane legs and when centered over the lift I was 2" from the bumper. No issues with balance or tipping!

420ponies,  Does the '97 Tahoe starter have 2 small wires in addition to the battery positive cable?

[DragCat]

on the original 454 I installed a Powermaster mini starter. Worked well for me , got it from Summit and yes I had HEI. 

[BobW]

15 minutes ago, DragCat said:

on the original 454 I installed a Powermaster mini starter. Worked well for me , got it from Summit and yes I had HEI. 

Thanks, I finally found the info that told me the 2nd small wire was to power the coil for a points ignition. I also have HEI, so I'll be good with a mini starter!

[420ponies]

15 hours ago, BobW said:

 

I moved the factory extension back 1 hole to the 1 ton position and moved my extension out about 9". This placed the hook maybe 1" past the crane legs and when centered over the lift I was 2" from the bumper. No issues with balance or tipping!

420ponies,  Does the '97 Tahoe starter have 2 small wires in addition to the battery positive cable?

Yes, 1 wire to positive stud, 1 small wire to solenoid side(closet to block ).

[Dtret]

4 hours ago, 420ponies said:

Yes, 1 wire to positive stud, 1 small wire to solenoid side(closet to block ).

So you’re saying 12 gauge wire to stud closest to the block, 14 gauge wire to the outer stud and obviously battery cable to center ( big) stud. 

[72 Monte Carlo]

I would only think you'd need to have the 14 ga wire on the outer stud of the solenoid, if you were still using an external coil and points style distributor.

[420ponies]

Nope. Battery cable and large wire to center stud. Starter relay wire to the inside closest to block. If your using coil then that wire goes to outside stud.

[BobW]

Working alone,got the new motor in, lots of crawling under the car, crawling out to push & wiggle the block into position. Used a rachet strap around the crank to get the angle close to matching the trans. Two bolts started an slowly pulled the pair together, again out from under the car to lower the crane. 

Pics of the empty bay and the motor ready to go in. New front seal on the trans, torque converter bolted up, still need to install the headers then I', done under the car!

I'm too old for this, too tired to take a pic of the motor bolted in! 🙃😉😪

[cbolt]

No gearhead friends?

You could have asked me, I am only 1.5 hours away and would have drove down to help ya. I'm old too, but never too old to lend a hand. 

"ROAD TRIP!"

[BobW]

12 minutes ago, cbolt said:

No gearhead friends?

You could have asked me, I am only 1.5 hours away and would have drove down to help ya. I'm old too, but never too old to lend a hand. 

"ROAD TRIP!"

Thanks Jim! As my lady friend says: "Not too old, just too stubborn"!  🙄

[DragCat]

It sure is a lot of work for sure. Probably took me twice as long cause I'm one of those who tags and bags every bolt, takes pictures of everything, and uses painters tape for notes on everything 🤣 Luckily my buddy helped me with the pull, and the install, but we needed another friend to put the hood back on. 

Looking forward to the pics reinstalled and the up and running video 

[BobW]

OK, motor is in, headers & exhaust connected, car is back on the ground. Much easier to stand in front of the motor to connect everything else! Fired right up as soon as it got gas to the carb. Tomorrow I'll work on the March Performance mid-mount system.

 

[BobW]

OK, motor is in, accessory's installed, timing adjusted, fires right up. Started to leave the garage for a test ride.....Uh oh....brake pedal is hard as a rock! I guess the unknown cam is more aggressive than we thought! 

Vacuum canister on order, hopefully that will solve the problem without needing an electric pump. 🤔

This is how it sounds through Magnaflow Delta 50's!

 

[DragCat]

Sounds and looks good 🤘

[cny first gen 71]

Looks and sounds great,  make sure you double check all the vacuum lines and the check valve on the booster. 

[BobW]

6 hours ago, cny first gen 71 said:

Looks and sounds great,  make sure you double check all the vacuum lines and the check valve on the booster. 

There was a small crack in the hose to the trans modulator, I replaced that hose.

I put a vacuum gauge on the booster port on the manifold, it reads 12" . I then put the gauge on the PVC port at the base of the carb. it reads 15". I tried running the brake booster from that port, had a little bit of pedal before it went hard.

I'm pretty sure a steady feed of 15" to a vacuum reservoir cannister will just remain at 15" so.........

Vacuum pump ordered.......