Its been a long time coming. I bought the engine in October 2000 as a replacement for the aging engine in my Formula. Probably 25K miles later, and I'm still not finished.
I will post pictures later tonight. My advice, is always double check what the books reference for part numbers, and then double check that what you receive is actually what you ordered. I just realized last night that the ARP F/W bolts I ordered from Summit don't fit my crank. They also shipped the wrong part# ARP rod-bolts too. My machinest caught that mistake for me.
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01:21 PM
88formula Member
Posts: 2361 From: Worcester, MA Registered: Oct 1999
Very cool! Please takes lots of pics while putting all the externals on and post them. Ive got a 2.8 build comming up (block and heads are at the shop as we speak). Keep us posted!!
I started and listened to the stock engine purr one last time tonight, before stripping it down. It does sound sweet, and its given me 50K trouble free miles. I will miss it, even if it is getting worn. I think the clock on it is around 186K miles. I will post pictures tonight. I spent about 2 hours this evening stripping the engine in the Formula to swap over to the new engine. I was able to get the original engine down to the block and heads. Exhaust is off, intake is off, rocker covers are off, etc. I did break one of the ss bolts in the middle intake, but luckily I have a spare intake, so it doesn't matter at the momemt.
I downloaded the pictures from my camera, but they are no good. I need a better camera, one with a flash.
Upon inspection, the inside of my old engine is NASTY. Everything is covered in black slime, and all the allen bolt heads in the oil galley are full of dirt and crap. The cam is obviously very worn, not a dark spot on any of the lobes. Lifters are very shiny too. According to CompCams, stock valve-train is made to last 100K miles. I'm closing in on double. Tomorrow I hope to finish stripping down the original engine(and finally see what a timing chain with 186K miles looks like). Then its cleaning and painting the parts I'm swapping over, bolting them on, and installing the new engine. I'm hoping for the end of April.
[This message has been edited by fiero56 (edited 04-09-2002).]
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10:15 PM
Apr 9th, 2002
BOILERMAKER Member
Posts: 1334 From: Indianapolis, IN, USA Registered: May 99
Fiero56, about the middle intake... had the same thing, make sure you blow out the holes of any glassbead/sandblasting material left in them otherwise that will happen, at least thats what happened to me... now I plug the holes up with extra bolts whenever I do glassbeading.
No major progress on this thing yet. I dropped the cradle the other week, and haven't been in the garage since. This weekend I hope to start cleaning and painting the intake for installation.
I am very anxious to get this on a dyno and see if there is any increase over stock. If money spent were a factor, I'd probably be making close to double factory HP.
Last night was the night for initial start. Had everything ready, went to put in the thermostat. Couldn't find one. So, had to postone until tonight. It does build oil pressure though. Everything is connected and bolted, and ready to go.
William(former member) will be by again tonight to help.
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01:49 PM
Fierokid87 Member
Posts: 4954 From: N. Ridgeville, Ohio, USA Registered: Jan 2001
I decided to let the pros do my engine this time. I ordered the ARI 2.8 to 3.4 stroker longblock. It will have a Crane Compucam 2030 cam & lifter kit, Performance heads with the pocket port and polish, Crane Cams Full Aluminum Rocker Arms-1.52 ratio, Double roller timing chain set, Performance pushrod set, Stock oil pump( I have heard that the high performance pump wears the cam and lifters sooner), Chrome moly ring upgrade, Hypereutectic piston upgrade, Cross drill crankshaft, New water pump, Harmonic balancer, Neutraly balanced flywheel, etc. I already have a lot of external mods for the engines intake and exhaust plus various sensors, chip, etc. I hope to be close to 180HP when Im done.
The engine started! Took a bit of work, the ign module had gone bad, and I had the distributor out about 70*. Had to diagnose no spark, and then why no ignition of the mixture.
Did the fast idle for 20 minutes and then gave it an oil change. Exhaust manifolds are leaking slightly, 25lbs isn't enough torque on the nuts.
I need to tighten exhaust manifolds, install dogbone, set the timing, and then take it out to seat the rings.
[This message has been edited by fiero56 (edited 06-07-2002).]
I started another thread about this. The engine had initial start on 06/06/2002. I put nearly 500 miles on it that weekend. By the 19th, I had over 1,500 miles on it, and now, the 25th, the engine has just over 3,500 miles. Not a single issue has come up, the engine has been dead reliable, and I have had to make zero adjustments. Just change the oil at proper intervals.
I have two rolls of film to be developed. After they are developed, I can post pictures of assembly, installation, etc.
Its nice to have this car back. I've been racking up the miles in the 2 weeks since initial start .
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05:01 PM
Wichita Member
Posts: 20685 From: Wichita, Kansas Registered: Jun 2002
Knock on wood? Keep us updated..we love pictures.
