Making some progress. Trans coolers, fans are installed. Cooling system is complete and being refilled.



Adapter plate, throttle body fuel injector, fuel lines, throttle cables, PVC valve and temp sensors reinstalled. Crankcase is full of oil, still needs to be primed.



Still needs the distributor and spark wires, computer wiring harness. Won't be much longer and we'll be ready to rock.

See you soon!

I have completed a few more side projects.

The 454 conversion has gone fairly smoothly. There have been a few bumps due to slight changes in the new engine.

The oil cooler adapter for the original engine mounts in a recess in the block, the new block has just the flat face for the filter to seat. Fortunately the new block has threaded holes in the block for the oil cooler lines. I just had to buy the correct fittings to connect my oil cooler lines.

The threaded mounting holes in the heads in the old block were of two sizes, the new block has all holes the same larger size. Required drilling out one hole in the alternator bracket and the rear ground strap.

On the new intake manifold, the orientation of the thermostat housing mounting bolts is different. The hose neck no longer points in the same direction. I replaced the thermostat housing with a universal two piece O-ring type which swivels 360 degrees as needed.

The new intake has other differences. The carb base is not the spread bore like the Quadrajet. It has a square 4 BBL base. Fortunately the adapter plate for the fuel injector body had both sets of holes. Just required a new square bore gasket.

The biggest difference is the new high rise intake. About 2 inches taller than the old one. No problems for the linkages, etc. but the air filter no longer clears the dog house. Fortunately, the air filter is about 6 inches tall. (huge) I found a similar filter about 3 inches high, cut the top off the old filter housing and lowered it. I didn't want to start the engine without the filter in place.

Another side project: The wiring harness for the computer module and the fuel pressure line pass through the forward doghouse, making it hard to remove the doghouse for engine service. It is so much easier to work with the doghouse removed I wanted to reroute the harness and line around, rather than through, the doghouse. Requires longer fuel line (easy) and longer harness. (not so easy, 31 wires...) I spliced in about 30 inches in the harness wires so I can route the cable around the doghouse. 62 splices to solder and heat shrink...

I need to install the longer harness, time the engine, prime the oil system, install the ignition system and we should be ready to run. I'll have some more photos next time.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:
I have completed a few more side projects.

The 454 conversion has gone fairly smoothly.

I just had to say it... what was I thinking?

The turd fairy "dropped in" I have the engine mostly hooked up, went to bolt in the torque convertor. Oh oh, the flex plate holes don't quite line up with the torque convertor!

When I removed the flex plate from the new engine to fit it into my installation dolly, I checked against the old one for diameter and # of teeth. Good match. Forgot to check the torque convertor holes closely.

The old engine (2 pc main seal internally balanced) has a flex plate with 6 holes equally spaced, same diameter.

The new engine (1 pc main seal external balance) has 6 holes also but 3 are the same radius as the old plate, while 3 are slightly smaller radius. 3 of the bolts fit right in, the other 3 don't line up... wish I had checked more closely before installing the engine.

I was not aware that torque convertors were made with non circular bolt patterns. The balancing differences require the new plate to stay with the engine.

Fortunately the difference is small enough to allow use of the same holes if they are slightly elongated by about 1/8 inch. It would have been a bit easier with the plate off but I can get a die grinder in there and I will grind the holes a bit to allow the remaining 3 bolts to fit into the torque convertor. I will have 3 bolts with standard holes and 3 with oval holes. With Locktite on threads there should be no problems.

Still not sure why GM made these plates with weird hole spacing. Has anyone seen this before?

I may be able to fire up tomorrow if I get flex plate bolted up OK.

Somewhere I heard, "It's always SOMETHING!"

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:
Has anyone seen this before?

I am almost positive my converter bolted right up to my 502. It's been 13 years, but I think I would remember something like that.

Further research shows most of the newer torque convertors are using only 3 bolts! Several of the aftermarket torque convertors I saw had only 3 bolt bosses, and several flex plates had only 3 holes in them.

Apparently around 1991 or so when they went to the one piece rear seal, they also went to external balancing and 3 hole mounting, either 10.75 or 11.5 bolt circle. Prior versions had 6 holes on 11.5 circle.

I am leery of using only 3 bolts with this kind of horsepower. I may still keyhole the other 3 holes just for a bit more grip.

to be continued...

quote:

Originally posted by Steve VW:

I am leery of using only 3 bolts with this kind of horsepower. I may still keyhole the other 3 holes just for a bit more grip.

to be continued...

Considering the respective distances from the center or rotation, there is much less shear force on the three TQ bolts than on the six crankshaft bolts.(plus locating pin)

Apparently this is what the engineers have decided also. Most of the aftermarket torque convertors I have seen are using only 3 bolts, even the high power custom applications.

Since it is easy to get the cover off, I will install with 3 bolts for now and check them in a short time. I can always modify the other 3 holes later if needed.

Live and learn. At least this problem was more imagined than real (I hope!) It looks like the turd fairy left just a skid mark this time.

Just get Grade 8 bolts.

Be sure the unthreaded part is precision and that no threads carry any part of the load.

I have been happy with ARP crank, flex plate and clutch pressure plate bolts.

The Chevy Performance Parts catalog might have some higher grade than OEM bolts.

The new intake manifold is about 2 inches higher than the old one. The air filter and housing are huge also. The air filter does not clear the engine cover now.



I decided to remove the huge filter and carbon canister and replace with a filter about 2 inches shorter.





I didn't like the recessed center on the top of the housing, made a new flat top. The TBI unit has a filter hold down bolt that is off center. (Ask GM why!) An off center hole in the flat top allows me to use a straight hold down bolt without a dog leg



Then I trimmed the top off the old housing, attached the side piece to the new top.



Now it just needs to be painted. It clears the engine housing, it is still enclosed and quiet and allows the use of the air horn.



Almost ready to crank it up.

A cold air induction flexible tube will give a bit more power and mileage, and will prevent a backflash from doing anything. I know of one Barth that burned up from that. He is a member here, but hardly ever posts.

The cold air was the main reason I wanted to retain the air horn, also the induction noise is a bit less with the enclosed filter. I've not had any backfire problems since I got rid of the carburetor, usually only with fuel starvation and never too severe. I know of several vehicles which have caught fire that way.

The guy who lost his Barth had loaned it to his son, and there was something about it being driven with backfiring repeatedly.

The cold air intake can also quiet noise on acceleration, too. My truck has a 454, and a big muffler in the air intake, between the fender well and the air cleaner.