General Tech What did you work on Today?

[Greg]

Ive been driving my little ls swapped gmc around town for 200 miles or so the last couple weeks and continuing to check off little items off the list one at a time.

Tried to take it to breakfast and it ran like crap. Would barely get out of its own way and ran super rough above idle.

Pulled it in the garage and checked codes and all the connections. All good. Not even a code ?

Hooked up the gauge and dammit. 30psi and i literally filled it up last night.

Jacked it up on stands and climbed under it and checked again before the filter. Damn. Still 30 psi.

Stuck the line in a fuel jug and jumped the relay and although slow, i got all the fuel pumped out. I was not thrilled about the ac delco pump dying after 200 miles. Ive used a bunch of these ep-381 pumps and had great luck before.

Once i got it all apart I found the damn 2" fuel hose split wide open.

3" of new hi pressure hose and 2 clamps and it all went back together. 60psi at last. Lol


I decided to just leave it up on jackstands as the new wheels and tires should be here this week and i may as well put them on before it hits the ground. Lol

I still need to swap the torque converter ( the stockn one is SUPER tight and i hate it. Lol )

As soon as Mike gets an opening its going in for gears and a Truetrac install.
One leg burnouts are just lame.



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It's crazy how hard it is to get a decent fuel pump for LS swaps.... my El Camino had a similar problem and I was using a quality, in-tank Walbro pump. I ended up putting a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel rail so I could monitor fuel pressure at a glance.

 

[N-Smooth]

One of my young men decided to take his mom’s Tahoe through the field on the way home from church and got really stuck. Then his dad got his work F350 stuck. I knew it was up to me and Snowflake to rescue.

The only thing I hate more than mud is not helping good people when I’m capable of it.

 

[RustEoldtrux]

You're a good man.

 

[N-Smooth]

You're a good man.

I’d say mediocre at best but I have moments

 

[Tonkaman]

One of my young men decided to take his mom’s Tahoe through the field on the way home from church and got really stuck. Then his dad got his work F350 stuck. I knew it was up to me and Snowflake to rescue.

The only thing I hate more than mud is not helping good people when I’m capable of it.
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I was about to say “remember I’m just down the road if you need me”, but then I saw the pictures…

 

[Hickey]

I was about to say “remember I’m just down the road if you need me”, but then I saw the pictures…

Remember, I'm just 653 miles away. I'll send positive vibes your way! 😂

 

[N-Smooth]

I was about to say “remember I’m just down the road if you need me”, but then I saw the pictures…

Your truck would’ve been perfect 🤣🤣🤣
I was debating between taking my truck or my Jeep- knowing full well the pros and cons but not getting the truck muddy won out. I bet I would’ve gotten it stuck anyways, with just a lsd in the rear axle.
No ragrets!

Remember, I'm just 653 miles away. I'll send positive vibes your way! 😂

It was nothing a 30 minute car wash session couldn’t fix. Lol who am I kidding, it will have mud on it for years to come I’m sure…

 

[Greg]

This thread might need to be moved to Chit Chat, more home stuff in here than vehicle work these days. 😬

 

[Hickey]

I did start replacing the ring and pinion in my JK. Got the axle pulled out and guts removed. I'm taking my time with the new setup, since this is my first time doing it alone.

 

[Gravy]

First time trying this.
This cylinder head had been previously milled down some and had serious detonation (likely from the increased compression + bad jetting).
A number of companies do this so I'm going to give it a shot.

I discovered the difference between a 2000 (correct head) and a 2001 (incorrect head)...


Bad detonation here.

Welded.

Slowly snuck up on the original shape.

Faced it. (From 220 up to 1000)

Increased the combustion chamber CC's a bit.

I'm still not in love with how porous the head is but I'm going to give it a shot. (Millennium shows an example photo that is similar to this head that they call acceptable). Look at the attached .pdf and see if you agree.

I'll check the compression and bump the base gasket thickness if necessary.

 

[Gravy]

How much is a new cylinder head? That seems like quite a bit of work for a relatively small part

Good question.
$236 ($306msrp) for a new one ....but they're currently unavailable/ discontinued (so it's used or nothing) probably $100 for a used one on eBay.

It's possible I could buy and install a $300 2001+ cylinder and use the other head I have (since they clocked the head studs 180°) If the powervalve linkage is the same.

Truthfully it's as much learning as anything here for me. And I've got less than an hour into it.

 

[Hickey]

Good question.
$236 ($306msrp) for a new one ....but they're currently unavailable/ discontinued (so it's used or nothing) probably $100 for a used one on eBay.

It's possible I could buy and install a $300 2001+ cylinder and use the other head I have (since they clocked the head studs 180°) If the powervalve linkage is the same.

Truthfully it's as much learning as anything here for me. And I've got less than an hour into it.

Seems like you could design and build a simple milling/boring bit that locates via the spark plug threads and spin it with a drill. Kinda like lapping in valves, but a larger scale and more aggressive bite.

 

[zmotorsports]

I did start replacing the ring and pinion in my JK. Got the axle pulled out and guts removed. I'm taking my time with the new setup, since this is my first time doing it alone.
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Nice. Glad to see someone else using a spreading fixture. 👍

 

[zmotorsports]

First time trying this.
This cylinder head had been previously milled down some and had serious detonation (likely from the increased compression + bad jetting).
A number of companies do this so I'm going to give it a shot.

I discovered the difference between a 2000 (correct head) and a 2001 (incorrect head)...
View attachment 147164

Bad detonation here.
View attachment 147165
Welded.
View attachment 147166
Slowly snuck up on the original shape.
View attachment 147167
Faced it. (From 220 up to 1000)
View attachment 147168
Increased the combustion chamber CC's a bit.
View attachment 147169
I'm still not in love with how porous the head is but I'm going to give it a shot. (Millennium shows an example photo that is similar to this head that they call acceptable). Look at the attached .pdf and see if you agree.

I'll check the compression and bump the base gasket thickness if necessary.

When I was building 2-strokes I'd spin the head in the lathe off a spark plug adapter and cut new squish angles and clearances to compensate for deficiencies, then measure the volume using ATF in a graduated beaker. Works great but a lathe is needed. Then I did the same as you by lapping on a surface plate and some fine sandpaper prior to installation.

 

[Hickey]

Nice. Glad to see someone else using a spreading fixture. 👍

With the shims outside the carrier bearings, it's just so much easier with the case spreader. They are cheap enough online that it seems like a no-brainer to employ one.

 

[zmotorsports]

With the shims outside the carrier bearings, it's just so much easier with the case spreader. They are cheap enough online that it seems like a no-brainer to employ one.

Agreed, but more importantly, it is next to impossible in many applications to get the proper carrier preload without a case spreader. I've seen too many failures over the years from shops that just pound in as many shims as they can and call it good without actually measuring, adjusting and compensating for carrier preload. The carrier preload is what keeps the carrier in place in those high torque scenarios. If the carrier can move even the slightest amount it will move away from the pinion at the worst time and therefore climb the ring gear teeth to the face which is the weakest part of the tooth rather than keeping it down in the root and where it was set up.

 

[Gawynz]

 

[Hickey]

View attachment 147192

I got one I'll loan ya! I hope to never do this again. Too much anxiety.

 

[glockman]

Ford puts some giant metal abortion under the back seats that creates a flat surface when the seats are up. I pulled that long ago and use the space for valuable things like the truck gun, bullet for that and other guns and tow straps. Well they keep sliding out onto the floor under hard braking. Lots of words to say I made a box.



While I was at it I out a usb charger for back seat passengers to charge stuff.
Turned out decent.

 

[crosbike]

Removed my trussed, geared and sprung over dana 44 from the rolled mj and installed the stock dana 44 under the donor. The donor will eventually be made into a truck bed trailer after the transfer is complete. Now i gotta get everything else stripped off the donor and hopefully fix all the leaks before i swap it in.

Also bought this stupid thing for cheap.

Plans for it are to resell it or put it to work when nobody wants to buy it.