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Pure Insanity is off the road again.

P

Pure Insanity

1/2 ton status
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Posts
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Location
Culleoka, Tennessee
Well it was a fun month but PI is shop bound yet again.
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Its not the tranny this time tho. LOL!! I fianally got the tranny handled in Sept. then let it sit for the most part till the last week of Nov 1st week of Dec.

I have been running into all sorts of things happening, that have finally added up to make me pull it. For 1 I think I have a cracked flexplate. 2 I think the studs are pulling out of the heads. 3 I cant get this carb to play nice. and 4, (the biggest) being I had to limp it home 30 plus miles tonite.

So to fix prob 1 I need to pull the motor or trans. Ive done the tranny enuff times so Ill go for the motor this time. LOL!! Im gonna get an SFI approved flexplate this time. The one thats in there now prob doesnt have 1000 miles on it. Ill get a new stall converter while I am in there. The orig. 2500 stall got wiped out on one of the tranny blow outs.

To fix prob 2 I will need to pull the heads to send them to the machine shop, so pulling the motor is sounding better.
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I will most likely have everything done to the Vortecs to accomadate a larger lift cam. Have the heads machined for larger springs ETC. Maybe Ill swap cams at the same time.

To fix 3 is just gonna be to buy a carb. The one I have on there is just done. I give up. BUT I am getting another 4150 mech. secondary Holley, just a new one.

While its apart, I will do the Hydro Boost conversion. Having to do all this has put a screeching halt on swapping in the 14 FF and getting the parts to swap the front to 8 lug, gears for the 14 and new wheels ETC.

On the plus side I got some killer pics of PI this past weekend. I am waiting for my brother to figure out his dig. camera so I can get them.
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I got some of it flexing and a few of it about standing on the hitch. I did that especially for those that say Holley carbs flood on inclines. Remember PI is on 38s and the hitch is quite a way from the ground, and I had it less than a foot off the ground. I stayed there for a few min while my bro took the pics and it just sat there idleing like it was on the street. Go ahead and say what you want, I still love Holleys and I am too old to change now. LOL!

I wish I had even a stock motor to swap out for the one thats in there to get me by but I dont. The kicker is that it has been my daily driver for the last month plus since Sandis car died. So I will be sporting my dads beat up ugly flat bed dually to get me to work till this weekend, and it looks like Im going car shopping.

If ya can't stop.......Smile as you go under!
smile.gif

PIC of mine from flblazers site<a target="_blank" href=http://www.flblazer.alloffroad.com/photo3.html>
GO</a>
 
Saw the letters PI and started having flashbacks about the Philippines, then I noticed your nick.

Too bad about the tranny, BUT, if you're tearing up parts, then that's a sure sign of a healthy motor................


<font color=blue>I don't know everything, I just think I do.............</font color=blue>
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Well were they at least good flash backs??

This time isnt the tranny. I would prob pop my cork if that happens again any time soon. LOL!! I pulled it 4 or 5 times before getting a whole new one built. My record is like 15 min to get it out. The fluid was still hot and it was on the ground.
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I had the old tranny out that many times and had put only 30 miles or so on it total.
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All is good in that dept now tho.

If ya can't stop.......Smile as you go under!
smile.gif

PIC of mine from flblazers site<a target="_blank" href=http://www.flblazer.alloffroad.com/photo3.html>
GO</a>
 
Man, I tell you. Its always a love/hate relationship, isn't it? Good luck and you'd better hurry up and post those pics...

<font color=red>"SETTING OFF ALARMS IN A CITY NEAR YOU!"</font color=red>

<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/BigTex-Mean-Machine>http://coloradok5.com/gallery/BigTex-Mean-Machine</a>
 
hey, when it rains it pours huh???
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<font color=blue> Jeff - may the force be with you</font color=blue>
<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/Jeffs-Stuff>link to k5's</a>
 
Believe its comp cams that is selling "high lift" compatible valve springs for the Vortecs, no mods required. Save yourself some $$ I'd think. I've got the part # if you can't find them.

I won't go any more in depth on the Vortec heads because I don't know your engine specs or how much you know about the studs and stock springs etc., or how much you want to hear :)

Dorian
My tech/links page: <a target="_blank" href=http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html>www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html</a>
Why insist on counting when the ring gear has the tooth counts stamped in?
 
I think Dorian's our resident Vortec expert... is there something you don't know about the Vortec's??? LOL

<font color=blue> Jeff - may the force be with you</font color=blue>
<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/Jeffs-Stuff>link to k5's</a>
 
Ill have the pics up pretty soon I hope, but I said that about the pics I took while on vacation to the mountains back in Nov too.
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I am at my brothers mercy waiting to get them. While I was doing this, I was about 50 yards from my grandparents house, and they were sitting at the table, right in clear view of my antics. My grandmother refused to look while my grandfather is yelling "Peggy come look at this fool! Hes gonna tip it over!" LOL!! They knew I have been doing this long enuff to not push it too far, and wouldnt put it over,(but ya never know! LOL!) but he thot it was kool to watch. I did break the windshield worse while doing it.

Yeah Jeff when I have problems w/ this rig it bites me good! But hey, I take it in stride and dont let it get me too mad. I could readjust the valves and swap the carb and flexplate, and keep it going for now but I think its best to just dive in and fix it right. I am still not sure why the flexplate cracked, or the studs are pulling out, but Im not gonna put too much thot into it, unless it does it again that is. I am actually not POSITIVE that the plate cracked or the studs are pulling, but all symptoms point to the plate being cracked and the valves need to be adjusted after less than 1000 miles, seems like they are pulling out. The cam seems alot more tame also.

The Vortecs are said to be able to take a .490 lift max. I am under that w/ the cam I have. When I pull the heads I will have screw ins installed, and maybe guide plates so that I wont need to run the rollers rockers w/ the guides. I am really not too sure about what exactly it will take and what will be needed to make the Vortecs more big cam friendly, so any info would be appreciated. As far as specs go its a complete 97 Vortec motor less the injection. I replaced the cam, and will most likely change it again when I put it back together this time, now that the heads will take it. When the magazines "discovered" these heads, one of them did a build up of almost exactly what I have. They came up w/ 406 or 412 HP. I dont remember. I am not overly impressed w/ off idle power, but that could be due to the carb problems, but it will set you in the seat and you can feel it pull. At 2800-3000 you can hear it change tune and really feel it pulling all the way up.
smile.gif
I am not impressed by the off idle most likely because my last rig had LOADS of torque down low. This one is a bit higher up on the RPM. But then it could be the carb problems too.

If ya can't stop.......Smile as you go under!
smile.gif

PIC of mine from flblazers site<a target="_blank" href=http://www.flblazer.alloffroad.com/photo3.html>
GO</a>
 
That sucks canal water steveo. Hope it all come together in the end. Geez your rig is starting to sound like mine

-Mikey
1987 Chevy K5 Blazer- 350 TBI
<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/captcrunch>http://coloradok5.com/gallery/captcrunch</a>
 
naw capt. I don't think he's been as fortunate as you are yet...
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<font color=blue> Jeff - may the force be with you</font color=blue>
<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/Jeffs-Stuff>link to k5's</a>
 
Actually GM claims .450 lift is the most you can go on stock vortec springs. Guy with Vortec's in his Monte ran about .485 lift for quite some time with no problems, then snapped a stock stud. Don't think that stud itself was the issue, I think it was a combination of RPM's and lift.

The post I saved was from I believe a Camaro site:

"Since I posted the original question, I've found that the machine work will cost Me $50.00!!But I also found a spring that will be a drop in fit for vortec heads!! Comp Cams # 983-16 and retainer # 751-16. the new Ovate wire springs by Comp Cams (the ones above) have 105 lbs. seat preasure and a rate of 410 lbs which is close to the Z-28 spring good for up to .550 lift."

if I was going that much lift or high RPM, I too would go with the screw in studs, but I would talk to comp cams or someone about what they think of the "guided" rockers on a high lift/higer RPM application.

If you wanted full roller rockers, all out steel roller rockers that should bolt right in to the Vortec heads run between $250 and 300, but then also, if you are having the studs changed to screw in, guideplates aren't expensive to install either.

I stayed with a "small" cam to try and stay away from low end torque problems you seem to be having, hopefully it works. Unfortunately, without going big block, you are either sacrificing low end for high end power, or sacrificing top end for low end.

Dorian
My tech/links page: <a target="_blank" href=http://www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html>www.dorianyeager.com/index2.html</a>
Why insist on counting when the ring gear has the tooth counts stamped in?
 
Grandpa says "Peggy come look at this fool, he's going to tip it over!"

Rahh-ha ha, Man we've got to be related!

<font color=white>.</font color=white>Eric
<font color=white>.</font color=white>Twizted
 
.450 huh? OOPSIE! LOL! I am above that, and have seen 7000 RPM. The cam specs are .450 intake and .461 exh. w/ a 114 lobe center on both, and SAE duration of 291 int 287 exh. I choose to give up some on the bottom to get the power up where I would need it for bogging. I think once I get a new stall in it, w/ a new carb that will work properly, I will regain some of the low end I am loosing.

I will save this thread for the spring info. I have found a few options thru Jegs. One is a conical spring that is smaller at the bottom. $50.00 for machine work doesnt sound unreasonable to me. I am gonna call the machine shop tommorow to see what he charges for what I will need done. I planned to call Crane, Comp or Jegs to see what they recommend, for a plan.

Pretty much like you said w/out going BBC you gotta give up one to get the other.

I am sure it will all work out in the end Mikey. It always has one way or the other. LOL!!

If ya can't stop.......Smile as you go under!
smile.gif

PIC of mine from flblazers site<a target="_blank" href=http://www.flblazer.alloffroad.com/photo3.html>
GO</a>
 
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