My "Official" Stepside Restoration Thread and LS Swap 2021

[Chevy305]

So I've been playing with the EZ EFI to get my warm up to be a little smoother. I installed the upgraded touch screen and it seems to make a difference. Check out the thread I started in the garage to see more:
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/ez-efi-1-0-upgrades.333912/

I'd still like to get the XFI ECM upgrade along with it too for full laptop tuning but that'll have to wait a while.

 

[Chevy305]

So I've noticed I am starting to get a little lifter tick when the engine is cold. It goes away after a few minutes. I'm wondering if I need to adjust my valves or if I might have a lifter starting to go bad. I will be pulling the valve covers soon anyway when I do my single plane intake swap. How can I tell if a lifter is weak by looking at it?

 

[Bent77]

So I've noticed I am starting to get a little lifter tick when the engine is cold. It goes away after a few minutes. I'm wondering if I need to adjust my valves or if I might have a lifter starting to go bad. I will be pulling the valve covers soon anyway when I do my single plane intake swap. How can I tell if a lifter is weak by looking at it?

Unless its broke, not much.

What does the vacuum gage say? Show a flutter?

 

[Chevy305]

I don't know, haven't really paid that close attention to it. FWIW, I'm running a hydraulic roller retrofit lifters.

 

[Bent77]

I’d probably hit it with a gage and see (unless the EFi has a MAP reference), especially for your own info before you pull the intake

I’m not sure the hand held will show a flutter

 

[folkenheath]

A few minutes? Not a few seconds? I would reset the lash/preload on all of them. (see if one of them was off more) And then check your header bolts too and look for signs of an exhaust leak. Its amazing how much a small exhaust leak on one cylinder can sound like a lifter tick.

Why do you need to pull the valve covers to do an intake swap? I'd check it first. Because if you do have a bad lifter when the intake is off it will be a piece of cake to swap.

Also, try one of those mechanic stethoscopes, or a ~2 ft piece of wood works OK too(short broomstick or 2x2 or something, put one end on the engine and the other end directly up to your ear), you may be able to pinpoint the area its happening and reduce it down to 1 or 2 cylinders.

 

[Chevy305]

You're right, I need to pinpoint the sound. The valve covers haven't been off since I installed the heads several years ago and I have about 5-6k hard miles on them. So it's likely to me that some valves might need an adjustment. I also need to pull my plugs and check the color too.

 

[folkenheath]

You're right, I need to pinpoint the sound. The valve covers haven't been off since I installed the heads several years ago and I have about 5-6k hard miles on them. So it's likely to me that some valves might need an adjustment. I also need to pull my plugs and check the color too.

A hydraulic roller cam when adjusted correctly should never need adjustment unless something is wrong or moved, or because of a loose lockscrew, etc. I had retrofit roller lifters in the 388 in my regal for 20 years and the only time I ever had one tick was shortly after I checked them all after it was 5 years old. I didn't get one of the polylocks tight enough and then it backed off. The reason I was checking them was because I thought they were ticking, turned out to be a loose header bolt. This was back in 2001.(I had the same copper header gaskets in it for about 18 years) I have not touched the rockers on my 489 since I built it over 9 years ago. (knock on wood) ha ha

I guess my point is, you shouldn't expect to have to check the valve lash on a hydraulic setup, if it was a mechanical flat tappet or solid roller then I would check them for maintenance, but even then they shouldn't really move much.

 

[Chevy305]

Finally got around to my single plane intake swap!

So some may recall the single vs dual plane intake with EFI thread:
https://ck5.com/forums/threads/sing...e-using-performance-throttle-body-efi.334208/

Well I bought a Holley Strip Dominator Intake a few months ago and only now got around to installing it. I'm hoping this intake will deliver better fuel distribution to each cylinder resulting in improved part throttle lower rpm response and power.

Before:










Unfortunately no pay off yet, I think the distributor skipped a tooth so timing is off. Going to start over and set it to TDC in the morning.

 

[Chevy305]

So I found something odd when I pulled the old Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake off. It seems as though the bottom of the intake gasket didn't seal properly and was allowing the intake runners to suck in oil splashing around the lifter valley. That would explain my oil consumption problem. About a quart every 500 miles. I put a little smear of RTV around the intake ports this time. Hopefully that fixes the problem.


You can see the oil tracking on the old gasket and even pooled oil sitting on top of some of the valves.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

Yikes

 

[POORBOYK5]

Off topic.... I noticed your Temp sender was in the Thermostat housing... Above the thermostat. In most F.I. systems (like TBI, MPFI) I noticed it's installed below thermostat level. Think it might be better suited so it gets engine temp before the stat opens? Seems as though this would give the PCM all kinds of different readings?

 

[Chevy305]

Off topic.... I noticed your Temp sender was in the Thermostat housing... Above the thermostat. In most F.I. systems (like TBI, MPFI) I noticed it's installed below thermostat level. Think it might be better suited so it gets engine temp before the stat opens? Seems as though this would give the PCM all kinds of different readings?

Fixed it for you:



Its pretty close to the alternator so I'll have to pull the plug any time I loosen the alternator belt. Speaking of which, I had to install a different alternator bracket because it seems most single plane intakes don't have a boss for the factory style stamped bracket. But this bracket is much better and can't slip like the factory one. And those of you who remember Dunefest '16 might recall the constant belt squealing and Dunefest '14 spitting the alternator belt on test hill. So this bracket is better aligned and hopefully will prevent further alternator belt problems.
I also picked up a set of the half v belt half seprentine pulleys that was on the late 80s trucks if i still have problems. Are they worth the effort to install?

 

[79rustyk10]

Fixed it for you:

View attachment 283884

Its pretty close to the alternator so I'll have to pull the plug any time I loosen the alternator belt. Speaking of which, I had to install a different alternator bracket because it seems most single plane intakes don't have a boss for the factory style stamped bracket. But this bracket is much better and can't slip like the factory one. And those of you who remember Dunefest '16 might recall the constant belt squealing and Dunefest '14 spitting the alternator belt on test hill. So this bracket is better aligned and hopefully will prevent further alternator belt problems.
I also picked up a set of the half v belt half seprentine pulleys that was on the late 80s trucks if i still have problems. Are they worth the effort to install?

I use the late 80s half serpentine brackets on my shitbox. I had PS belt issues, so it needed two PS belts, but other than that it's been good on my 79, and I used the same setup on on Nova back in the day too. It is not pretty like the aftermarket setups however.

 

[folkenheath]

Looks like you definitely found a problem with the gasket. It seems like the gasket shifted, I've noticed it happens quite often. I like to mark it with something and then after the intake is sitting there move it back in position if you have to before you tighten it down. I also put some RTV behind it in a few places just to keep it in place while you set it down.

Are you going to drive it any more this year?

 

[Chevy305]

Looks like you definitely found a problem with the gasket. It seems like the gasket shifted, I've noticed it happens quite often. I like to mark it with something and then after the intake is sitting there move it back in position if you have to before you tighten it down. I also put some RTV behind it in a few places just to keep it in place while you set it down.

Are you going to drive it any more this year?

I'll drive it up until Thanksgiving where then I'll store it at my in-laws. But how how much use it gets is purely weather dependent.
I'll drive it today while i run a bunch of errands. The stop start cycles help the tune adjust quickly. Once i feel the tune is pretty good, I'll change the spark plugs and check the color and see if the fuel is more evenly distributed.

 

[454Sub]

I'm beginning to wonder myself if the dual plane single plane intake stuff is different with LS or FI engines.

I personally went with a similar air gap single plane intake, but instead of the throttle body efi mine has 8 injectors and a 102mm LS style throttle body.

My point is does a single plane even help anymore with EFI, or will a TBI unit like yours for example be effected differently than mine since mines spraying right on the intake valve similar to an 8.1

 

[Chevy305]

I'm beginning to wonder myself if the dual plane single plane intake stuff is different with LS or FI engines.

I personally went with a similar air gap single plane intake, but instead of the throttle body efi mine has 8 injectors and a 102mm LS style throttle body.

My point is does a single plane even help anymore with EFI, or will a TBI unit like yours for example be effected differently than mine since mines spraying right on the intake valve similar to an 8.1

For those of us with a TBI style injection, the single vs dual plane matters because of fuel distribution. On a dual plane intake the injectors just fire blindly into each half of the intake where at low and part throttle conditions each cylinder pulse can't grab from all the available fuel in the intake plenum. But with a carburetor each cylinder pulse pulls the fuel from the bowl so each cylinder gets what it wants. With a single plane and TBI each cylinder has all the available fuel in the much larger intake plenum to pull from and the cylinders aren't cut off from each other allowing for better fuel distribution.

With MPEFI I don't think it really matters because the fuel is injected directly on top of each valve artificially distributing the fuel evenly. The only thing in the intake plenum is air so it then becomes a debate of intake runner length and air velocity to compliment the cam.

IlI' leave this bit with you: Are you aware of any factory EFI engines with dual plane intakes? I would bet you it is for those reasons above.

 

[folkenheath]

I'll drive it up until Thanksgiving where then I'll store it at my in-laws. But how how much use it gets is purely weather dependent.
I'll drive it today while i run a bunch of errands. The stop start cycles help the tune adjust quickly. Once i feel the tune is pretty good, I'll change the spark plugs and check the color and see if the fuel is more evenly distributed.

Did you reset the tune or leave it? I feel like my plugs were so uneven I reset it to baseline.

Did you view all the plugs before you swapped the intake?

 

[Chevy305]

Did you reset the tune or leave it? I feel like my plugs were so uneven I reset it to baseline.

Did you view all the plugs before you swapped the intake?

I haven't reset the tune yet. I've only been able to take it around the block after getting the timing set back right. Even with the old tune it definitely made a difference in low rpm response and power. Who would have thought that a single plane intake would improve low rpm response and power, it only goes against everything conventional hot rodding tells us.

I haven't pulled all of my plugs yet either but with my gasket leaking and sucking oil from the lifter valley I'm not sure they will give me a good read any way.