Update The new lifters arrived as well as the 1:1.6 rockers and some assembly lube. I got the cam, crank, pistons and timing chain and gears installed over the weekend. I am going to try to get the lifters and new rockers in to check clearances tonight.
Checked out the 1:1.6 rockers. Looks like the clearances are all there so now it is just assemble the motor. After that a lot of work sorting out the wiring then on to the exhaust.
A little progress. I got both heads on and the 1:1.6 rockers on, pushrods installed and valves adjusted. Just need to source some oil pan bolts and I can button the whole thing up and decide when to tear in to swapping engines.
Wow it been 2 weeks since I posted. Sorry about that. I have most of the engine buttoned up. I will get some pics when I have it finished. Scored a new Hedman Y pipe from CL last night. Saved me about $50.00 over getting one off an ebay seller.
Well I got the engine buttoned up. Wasn't easy, with parts missing (oil pan, water pump etc) I had to also locate fasteners. I prefer to use grade 8 or better screws so it gets a little expensive. Something to think about when buying a cheap engine with missing parts. With new parts from ebay equaling or lower than salvage yard prices it is important to include fasteners in your budget. Anyway all clearances checked out all lubed up the lifters replaced and 1.6:1 rockers, I just need to properly fit those headers (bolts not lining up and interference with a water temp sensors in the way) and get a flex plate (and fasteners) and build a running engine stand so I sort out all the problems before I swap it in to the Firebird. This should make the swap a 2-3 weekend project.
A quick look at the Y pipe and it should connect to the cheap ebay headers without much modification. Here is some eye candy.
and the other side 
Will keep you updated about the stand.
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Hi fellow car people. Here are some pics of the engine stand I am building to run the engine before installing it. The reason for running it first is to work out the bugs in the wiring harness and computer so the time between install and a running car is as small as possible.
First pic.
Second pic.
and a close up of the radiator mount.
Still need to set up something to turn the water pump.
Update: I have the PCV system figured out. I found a edelbrock filter to put on one valve cover and a grommet and PCV valve for the other cover. I tried a stock set of wires and will have to modify it to work with the headers. I will also have to find a set of wire holders to keep the wires off the headers. I also bought some screws for the starter and have it bolted up. After inspecting the oil cooler adapter I figured out it uses engine coolant to cool the oil. I will need to figure out heater hose routing to get the heater core, throttle body and oil cooler hooked up. I am thinking out the intake manifold to the throttle body to the oil cooler to the heater core and back to the radiator. Thoughts?
zordak wrote: I will need to figure out heater hose routing to get the heater core, throttle body and oil cooler hooked up. I am thinking out the intake manifold to the throttle body to the oil cooler to the heater core and back to the radiator. Thoughts?
I would put the oil cooler after the heater core to remove as much heat from the coolant as possible before going into the oil cooler.
After flexing my Google-foo I found out that on the C4 vette they actually ran from the block drain to the cooler then return to the radiator with a "t" to the line returning from the heater core.
Made this at lunch today.
Oil pump priming tool.
also was able to find the thermostat I bought for the engine in the car but never used.
For plug wires/holders: i love the msd universal cut to fit wires, and made4you wire looms. Clean, simple, and inexpensive.
Ran into problems this last weekend. First the flexplate I ordered was for a 2 piece rear main seal and won't fit the 1 piece rear main I have, so after some very careful checking I ordered the correct one. Second the ECM I have is for an 89 350cuin using a MAF sensor. I kinda wanted to go the Speed density route(was the way the factory did it on the TPI from 90-92), but that means a new ECM and I still need to burn a new PROM because of the 1.6:1 rockers I installed.($100 for the ECM and $200 for the stuff to burn a new PROM) I would like to use the TBI ECM and wiring but the people on ThirdGen.org are down on this idea but no one has posted a list of good reasons as to why it won't work. I am going to sign up and ask for help and maybe get some good answers. Maybe not. I'll see. Third I need the wire set from the distributer to the coil. It was not with the harness I got. I will have to figure out connectors and make one.
Coil arrived yesterday, flex plate due today and the connectors for the coil could be here in fri. If I can get some time and stop feeling like I have been hit by a truck I might try to get the engine to fire by a little gas through the throttle body, just to make sure the I'm getting spark at the right time. Then on to rigging up a fuel system and something to turn the water pump.
In reply to zordak:
Very nice
looking forward to a first start video!
Flexplate arrived yesterday and it fit. Also figured out where to put the coil, I'll need to fab up a bracket.
Got the new connectors in and hooked up all the sensors I could. Then figured out what wires to jumper to spin the starter and got that working. Tried to jumper 12v to the ignition and turn the dizzy CCW to see if I got spark, but no joy. I need to do some more checking on the harness to see if the ECM is getting power, I think not. According to the diagrams spark control is in the ECM, so more work with the VOM is in order.
I got spark. I put jumpers in the harness and found a place to power the ecm then twisted the dizzy until I got spark. since the engine was set up at TDC on #1 I tightened the dizzy down there. Should give me close enough to get it to fire. Just need to fab up a coil mount as the out side of the coil needs to be grounded and I don't want it flopping around while running. Then I need to fab up a fuel pump and tank. I received a fuel pump for a lincon navigator from an online parts place along with some other stuff I actually ordered so I am going to try to use that. In case your going nuts about me not trying to return it, I tried called them up said I received it by mistake, did not order one, did not need a fuel pump for another vehicle, just wanted to give it back. Instead of just emailing me a shipping label I could slap on and drop it off at the local place. They acted like I was saying they sent the wrong part and wanted me to jump through a lot of hoops to return it. So I just kept it.
I know I sounded close to a running engine but allergies are acting up and I have that hit by a truck feeling at the end of the day, so I am moving slowly on the coil mount. Also my DD decided to drop the exhaust so I have to get that stuck back together.
Got the DD sorted out. Just spent the money on new exhaust instead of trying to weld together the old stuff. Getting hot and humid again, going to be hard to do things after work, no A/C there so by the end of the day I am worn out. I will try to do a little work on the coil mount Just going to be slow until next weekend.
Cooled off and I can now breathe through my nose again, so I got out and finished the coil mount.
So now a push to get it to fire.
I went ahead and bought an ECM for a 91 305 TPI with an automatic. There are instructions on Thirdgen.org for converting a TBI to TPI using the stock harness. I am going to sell the 89 TPI for a 350 and a MAF ECM also the TBI ECM. I just need to decide if I want to buy new connectors unique to the TPI or carve up the harness I have. Decisions, decisions.
zordak wrote: ...There are instructions on Thirdgen.org for converting a TBI to TPI using the stock harness. I am going to sell the 89 TPI for a 350 and a MAF ECM also the TBI ECM. I just need to decide if I want to buy new connectors unique to the TPI or carve up the harness I have. Decisions, decisions...
Sometimes I need to look further into the future. I designed the running stand wide so the engine would not tip when revving it up. Unfortunately it is the same width as my cherry picker so I cannot set the engine on the floor with the stand on. I got the stand off and will try a few things to set the engine in it. Either use the cherry picker and a lot of muscle to wrestle it into place or double the rafter and put up some 2x4 supports and use my come along. Not much going on this weekend so maybe I can get it to fire.
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