'72 K5 - Greg's @MightAsWellK5 Build

[Greg72]

2010.08.14 - UPDATE! - IN THE GARAGE HAVING FUN WITH HOOKERS...

Hmmm...looks like I have everyone's attention.

Yes, the new Hooker Headers arrived (P/N: 2455HKR) and it was time to get them bolted up. These new replacements are a 2" primary with a ~34" primary length and a 3.5" collector. This is exactly what the GM Performance manual for the 502 calls for, so I won't be leaving any power on the table.

As I've been quoted to say: "Custom is custom"... even with off-the-shelf parts, sometimes things don't fit exactly right. The attempted installation hit a small snag when the header flanges hit the lower cylinder head bolts. I marked them with a silver Sharpie and gave them a quick kiss with a sanding roll to create the necessary clearance.

The rearmost bolt on the passenger side header was impossibly tight to the tube, so I needed to slightly angle grind the hole to allow the bolt to pass through completely.

Once the headers were installed, I took an overhead shot of the flanges. One of them is slightly crooked, but I will most likely be cutting these off to weld on a ball & socket style flange anyway.

I re-installed the harmonic damper, and the lower triple v-groove pulley as well as the upper waterpump pulley. The color looks great with the orange and all the stainless ARP hardware.

Passenger side header and the new Lokar locking oil dipstick.

Unfortunately, something isn't quite right. The alignment between the upper and lower pulley is off by what looks like 1/4". I think I might have accidentally painted the old 454 pulley (the 496 engine build) instead of the 502 one. They have different part numbers and I'm guessing the alignment might be slightly differerent.

The pulley I'm using now is stamped with:

3937787 AC

The one I think belongs on the 502 is stamped with:

14023135 BN


Does anyone know if I'm on the right track here???

This engine will ultimately have an A/C compressor installed as well. I've read that there are a total of 6 types of pulley configurations on a BBC, so there's a chance that I'll need to buy all new pulleys regardless of what I already own. I don't think any of these engines came with A/C originally.

 

[76zimmer]

The rule of thumb I was always told was 1 x bolt diameter in steel, 1.5 X in Aluminum. This was on aircraft tooling...

Rene

My schooling was for mild steel applications I believe, which is probably comparable to cast iron....it's been a long time ago

That head bolt interference, I also had with the ARP's and my L&L's too Greg.
That mis-alignment could be from a few different things too. I had to use a water pump pulley shim to get mine right, and that was with a serp setup.

 

[ryoken]

that motor is looking sexy.....

just another approach you might wanna consider on the collector if your going thru the trouble of welding a collector on there... you might wanna consider a slip-fit collector...

imo, slip-fit collectors are the most bulletproof collector you can run... i've run em on my Chevelle and many Mopars ..... it certainly wont EVER leak.... not to mention you can run a long collector if you want for better performance if you have the room...

 

[smartcarkiller]

Whats up with the ball and socket exhaust flange? I have heard of them before but I just can't picture how they work.

 

[76zimmer]

 

[smartcarkiller]

well now isn't that fancy. Makes sense. I could use those on my Corvair.

 

[4X4HIGH]

well now isn't that fancy. Makes sense.

Makes for NO LEAKS as well.

 

[BGKYK5]

That is one sexy engine.

 

[Greg72]

I'm slowing learning more about this pulley mystery.

The part number on the pulley I installed (3937787 AC) decodes to:

3 Groove, 7.7" & 6.75" diamters, BBC, 1969

This doesn't indicate that it was for an A/C equipped car, and clearly it is not the correct pulley for a Gen V 502.

I haven't found it online yet, but the part number: 14023135 BN

Is a longer sequence number and probably represents the orignal 502 crank pulley.


There are a surpising number of pulleys out there. I found a listing on a Camaro site that shows about 40 pulley varieties (Crank, water pump, PS, Alternator, Smog)... and there are plenty of OEM style ones on eBay to choose from once I finally figure out what I should be running.

 

[howdiy]

My pulleys are off by a 1/4" also

 

[Greg72]

....and mine are off in the wrong direction. If the waterpump pulley was too deep I could buy a simple shim kit to move it out by 1/8", 1/4" or whatever. Since the crank pulley is too far back I'm not sure what the easy answer is.

 

[howdiy]

Thats how mine is also

 

[4X4HIGH]

....and mine are off in the wrong direction. If the waterpump pulley was too deep I could buy a simple shim kit to move it out by 1/8", 1/4" or whatever. Since the crank pulley is too far back I'm not sure what the easy answer is.

Greg, is there enough room for the pulley to get moved back the required distance (pulley won't hit the pump casting)? The reason I ask is because you can press the flange further onto the shaft to move the pulley backwards to align with the crank pulley but in order to do this you will have to remove the pump and the back cover then support the impeller shaft from the back while you press the flange down the needed distance. I've done this for people in the past. Before doing this I would make sure that the alternator and whatever accessories pulleys will line up as well.

 

[JDNobodi]

I'm wondering why you haven't installed the 502 pulley yet. You make sound like you had two sets of pulleys.

 

[Greg72]

I'm wondering why you haven't installed the 502 pulley yet. You make sound like you had two sets of pulleys.

I'm reading that there is a cast-iron 2 groove pulley for the 502, but this engine didn't come with that one when I bought it.

Given that I'm trying to run A/C, I don't think I'd be able to get away with a 2-groove crank pulley anyway....I think I'll run out of spaces for the compressor, alternator, PS pump and waterpump.

 

[76zimmer]

Have you thought about a serp setup, like the Kwikperf conversion?

http://www.kwikperf.com/bbc_serp_kit.html

I'm liking mine pretty well, and so have others.

 

[JDNobodi]

I'm reading that there is a cast-iron 2 groove pulley for the 502, but this engine didn't come with that one when I bought it.

Given that I'm trying to run A/C, I don't think I'd be able to get away with a 2-groove crank pulley anyway....I think I'll run out of spaces for the compressor, alternator, PS pump and waterpump.

Another question, have you thought about a aftermarket aluminum pulleys? Are you trying to achieve a factory accessory look.

 

[Greg72]

Nah..... the "old school" look I'm going for needs a v-belt setup.

It's not really a restoration per se, but I want the engine to look like a believable version of something that might have existed in 1972.

I'm really trying to avoid using anything too "modern" looking. I'll put EFI on it, but it will be a 4-BBL TBI version (more carb like)....and of course no MPFI fuel rails either.

Got a set of classic M/T aluminum valve covers on the way from an eBay auction too....once those are painted/polished and installed it's REALLY going to look the part!!

 

[Greg72]

Another question, have you thought about a aftermarket aluminum pulleys? Are you trying to achieve a factory accessory look.

Please provide a link if you can.

I've seen the March stuff but it's a bit too fancy looking...especially on the waterpump pulley. If I could get an aluminum set that really "looked" older, I could paint them in the 20% satin black paint and keep the old-school look I'm after.

 

[BobK]

It's not really a restoration per se, but I want the engine to look like a believable version of something that might have existed in 1972.

Oh ya...looking at this I could swear i WAS 3 AGAIN!

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