With that strange 3 3/4" size you are very limited on aftermarket gauge options. I do like the factory "recessed" look though.
CK5
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beags86
Eastbound and Down
If a guy was motivated enough I'd think you could probably shim it or make a spacer out of HDPE.
I probably wouldn't buy that. As I'd be afraid the plastic was cheap or not as sturdy as the factory bezel.
I had only seen the digital bar graph style, I didn't know they make the dial type. I kinda like the numerals and the full sweep.There is another company that makes drop in gauge inserts I can get now very recently. Intellitronix I think. They offer different colors of analog gauges.
Found it...
https://www.intellitronix.com/chevy-truck (scroll down you'll see they offer needle and bar graph style)
I don't have any personal experience with them, but they look competitive.
I was afraid I might have trouble with the tach conversion because the one I saw from LMC is listed for 78-87. Wasn't sure why 73-77 wouldn't work. Otherwise, I'm definitely interested.
I agree with you, the bar graph definitely looks like modern 80s , not factory.
My place has 2 of the analog needle type in stock if you decide to go that route. No worries either way.
I was just thinking if I keep this up, I'll never get the L29 into the crew cab.
The previous owner paint job is starting to show its quality. It has been over 5 years now.
Patina!
Value just went up.
Back when I was looking for the breather grommet, I replaced the PCV valve with a fancy dual-flow unit https://mewagner.com/?p=444. I was annoyed by the oil mist around the breather, oil fill cap, and PCV. The breather had so much oil coming out, it was putting oil all over the spark plug below it. Every time I did a search about it, this M/E Wagner PCV would come up. I decided to give it a shot, and it works great. My valve covers are clean and there was a little bit of seep at the front of the oil pan and that's stopped too. I've driven it several hundred miles; I hadn't posted about it earlier because I wanted to see how it would work.
You can read the science on the website, I would just be regurgitating it here. The key is the dual-flow design and the fact that it's tunable.
I plan on getting one for the crew cab next.
I decided to use the Dakota Digital speedometer adapter. It was difficult to find a place to mount it due to the size of the box and also having to figure out a good way to route the speedo cable which isn't very flexible. This was the spot that I came up with:
It's connected to the speedo output from the Edelbrock trans controller. The easiest way to calibrate it is with the app thru bluetooth. So far the needle seems to be a little sluggish. I don't know if this is the Dakota unit or if it's my speedo. It wasn't smooth with the cable connected to the TH350. I'm thinking maybe I need to pull the speedo out and clean it up.
You can read the science on the website, I would just be regurgitating it here. The key is the dual-flow design and the fact that it's tunable.
I plan on getting one for the crew cab next.
I decided to use the Dakota Digital speedometer adapter. It was difficult to find a place to mount it due to the size of the box and also having to figure out a good way to route the speedo cable which isn't very flexible. This was the spot that I came up with:
It's connected to the speedo output from the Edelbrock trans controller. The easiest way to calibrate it is with the app thru bluetooth. So far the needle seems to be a little sluggish. I don't know if this is the Dakota unit or if it's my speedo. It wasn't smooth with the cable connected to the TH350. I'm thinking maybe I need to pull the speedo out and clean it up.
beags86
Eastbound and Down
Those pvc vavles are supposed to be the ticket.
I'm just way to much of a hillbilly to spend that kinda money on that.
I just oil catch can my stuff and call it a day.
I thought some about that but I was concerned about oil fumes. If it's not an issue, I may go that route with the crew cab.
From my perspective I think a proper baffle to keep the oil mist inside the engine is better than catching it in a can outside the engine. Although it is not always possible.
I hadn't heard of this Wagner valve. I immediately wondered what baffling they recommended, and found this interesting article. Their simple baffle design worked better than I would have guessed, in their test at least. If you try it make sure it clears the rocker arms.
PCV baffling
Also, keep in mind, a PCV valve doesn't do anything at WOT, because it opens with engine vacuum and at WOT, vacuum is not available. This means at WOT the breather has to vent the pressure. If you wait for the valve to open, pressure is too high. This is why some people put a breather with a hose, this burns the blowby, but you still need a baffle whether you use a hose or not. And at WOT, the flow reverses from going in the breather and out the PCV valve, to just going out the breather. That means you need a baffle on your breather too to prevent oil vapors from getting on your valve cover or getting burned in your engine.
It is up to the owner, the use, and the local laws whether they want to use a breathers, a PCV valve with breather, or a vacuum pump.
No matter what the system, I think its important to baffle it inside the engine, to keep the oil where it belongs, and not vent it or burn it and create carbon deposits in your engine.
On my truck I have a PCV valve and breather. On my regal I sealed the valve covers and use a vacuum pump. Both have baffles in the valve cover.
I hadn't heard of this Wagner valve. I immediately wondered what baffling they recommended, and found this interesting article. Their simple baffle design worked better than I would have guessed, in their test at least. If you try it make sure it clears the rocker arms.
PCV baffling
Also, keep in mind, a PCV valve doesn't do anything at WOT, because it opens with engine vacuum and at WOT, vacuum is not available. This means at WOT the breather has to vent the pressure. If you wait for the valve to open, pressure is too high. This is why some people put a breather with a hose, this burns the blowby, but you still need a baffle whether you use a hose or not. And at WOT, the flow reverses from going in the breather and out the PCV valve, to just going out the breather. That means you need a baffle on your breather too to prevent oil vapors from getting on your valve cover or getting burned in your engine.
It is up to the owner, the use, and the local laws whether they want to use a breathers, a PCV valve with breather, or a vacuum pump.
No matter what the system, I think its important to baffle it inside the engine, to keep the oil where it belongs, and not vent it or burn it and create carbon deposits in your engine.
On my truck I have a PCV valve and breather. On my regal I sealed the valve covers and use a vacuum pump. Both have baffles in the valve cover.
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The PCV hole has a baffle but the breather hole doesn't. I'm still debating about putting aftermarket valve covers on which would provide an opportunity to baffle the breather. But I do like keeping the factory covers.
Something that helps better than nothing, but not as good as a baffle is an extension, if you extend the breather up 6" with one of those twist on extensions is helps, but it won't help as much as a baffle. Its up to you whether or not you think the oil film around the breather is too much or not.
So far I have 1000 miles with the fancy PCV and there's no film. I'm interested to see how it looks after a few thousand more miles.
After about half a dozen fill-ups, I can confidently say the gas mileage has improved by about 3mpg with the 4l80. I'm getting 15.5mpg. That's up from 11.25mpg a little over a year ago before the new engine. The new engine improve the mpg by about 1.
Also update on the quote above about the engine randomly cutting out on me. @folkenheath recommended pulling the ground for the fans off the battery (where the efi is grounded) and putting it on the frame. That seems to have done the trick. It's been warm enough to run AC several times this month and I haven't had any cutting out issues.
The hood continues to go away.
I did rub all over the truck today to make it shiney again. Actually it was my first time machine polishing and I like it better.
I did rub all over the truck today to make it shiney again. Actually it was my first time machine polishing and I like it better.
Because It’s not fuel injected?
I had carbureted vehicles for decades
I also recently learned you have a 94 Camaro from the drag thread, which likely has EFI, and I don't see it in your "builds"?
Then again I have a Regal, and it's not in any builds, maybe I need to fix that...
