Project: BLACK METAL - '67 Camaro

[67rally]

I got my new distributor from DUI. It has 22 degrees of centrifugal advance all in by 3000rpm:

[67rally]

I also installed an Edelbrock 1" 4 hole phenolic spacer to resolve some heat soak issues I had been having with both carbs. I have only run it and restarted it once since the install, but so far so good.

The new studs are 1" longer to accomodate the spacer:




Spacer is on:




And here's a good shot of the new spacer, carb, DUI distributor, and Taylor wires:

[67rally]

Well, it's about time for an update. I have been trialing to dial in the engine for the past couple months and just putting a bunch of miles on it. The engine revs fine to around 4000-4500rpm and then would fall flat.

Here are 3 different troubleshooting threads that I started that go into all the details:
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=211544
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=211625
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=214157

I ended up replacing the carb, plug wires, added a spacer under the carb, and replaced the dizzy. None of that fixed the problem. I tried readjusting the valves, rejetting the carb (5 or 6 different combos), and regapping the spark plugs, and it still didn't help with the top end.

[67rally]

I met up with Tom (Melrose RS on Team Camaro) this weekend to do a little more trouble shooting, and really just to prove to myself that I wasn't crazy.

I took it out for a test drive and it still fell flat in the low to mid 4k range. Tom did the same and it had a little burst of power and then ran even worse. We parked it and checked the throttle linkage to make sure I was getting mechanical WOT, and that the secondaries were opening, which they were. We headed back to Tom's, but the car would not idle at stop lights, it just died. We limped home.

We let it cool down, and checked the following:

Checked tach for accuracy against my digital timing light and against an analog tach.
Checked vacuum (15 mmhg @ 825rpm)
Checked plug wires
Checked header temps 1-8 (150, 180, 255, 205, 240, 225, 186, 280)
Inspected valve train
- rocker slots long enough
- no interference between retainers and rockers
- not rocker studs pulling up
- no apparent bent pushrods
- rocker arm movement ok (no evidence of wiped cam lobe)

Next we performed a compression test
1 - 135 psi
2 - 135 psi
3 - 145 psi
4 - 139 psi
5 - 139 psi
6 - 139 psi
7 - 140 psi
8 - 135 psi

Then we performed a leakdown test. We tested each cylinder 2-3 times. We had a high of 75% and a low of 55%. We couldn't tell if the tool was just bad or if there really was that much leakage from all the cylinders. We did not observe any air bubbles in the radiator, or hear leakage from the exhaust or carb. The leakage appeared to be coming from the heads.

Aside from the high leakage, everything on the top end seemed to check out fine.

We readjusted the valves and took it out for another spin and it sounded like garbage. It did not want to climb over 2500rpm, and there was a noticeable vibration in the pedals and a disturbing bottom end sound above 2000rpm.

We limped home again, I called a tow truck and had it towed back to my place. We're thinking maybe a spun rod bearing.

[Windy City Chevelle]

Even at you doing it yourself if you throw on some top notch stuff and customize some stuff and add some High end stuff you'll end up dropping around $40-50K at twice the time if not longer. This is the best time to build a car just have to be smart about it

[qnitro]

man this is a great build.. love the home garage builds..

[Camaro1968]

Great build thread! I hope you figure out your engine troubles.

[67rally]

Thanks guys. If you guys knew how small my garage really was you'd laugh! It's a one car garage that is literally 2 1/2' longer and 3 1/2' wider than the Camaro...and I have a motorcycle stuffed in there as well!

I have started pricing out an LS/T56 conversion for the spring. I'll keep this thread updated as I figure things out.

[67rally]

I'm still looking my LS/T56 combo, but in the meantime I'm going to sell off everything that's worth any money to fund the new drivetrain. The tear down begins...

[67rally]

Ok, it's been a while since I updated this thread, but lot's of good news....

I have sold off a bunch of the old engine parts...heads, intake, carb, alternator, distributor, cam/lifters/timing chain, along with some other random stuff lying around and it will basically pay for the LQ9 that I am going to pick up tomorrow!!!! I have spent a ridiculous amount of hours searching for the right engine and I finally found it!

I am heading out tomorrow afternoon to pick up a nice clean LQ9 dropout from an '04 Cadillac Escalade. It will include the Alt, AC, PS pump, ECU, Wiring harness, gas pedal, TAK (throttle control) module, MAF sensor, O2 sensors, airbox, etc. The LQ9 is essentially an iron block LS2, and in stock form it has 10:1 compression and produces 345 hp and 380 lb-ft tq.

Of course, I'm not going to leave it in stock form......

I also have a T56 from an '04 GTO arriving shortly. The '04 GTO T56 is a step up from the '98-02 F-body T56's. This one has the same triple cone synchro's that the LS1/LS6 Corvette's have. It also has a 1st gear ratio of 2.97:1 which combined with my 3.31's will give me a final drive ratio of 9.83:1. That should be just about perfect.

FWIW here are the LS1 T56 F-body vs GTO gear ratios:
F-body: 2.66, 1.78, 1.30, 1.00, .74, .50
G T O : 2.97, 2.07, 1.43, 1.00, .84, .57

This should also make a shorter drop from 4th to 5th which will be nice, but still a very low 6th ratio.

[67rally]

Alrighty, a little update, the new T56 should be here tomorrow or Monday at the latest. And I picked up a low mile LQ9 out of an '04 Escalade last week. It's been freezing all week, so I haven't gotten anything done.

I did manage to do a little work today, but I turned into a popsicle after a couple of hours and called it quits. I managed to get the hood off, PS pump off, headers out, and all electrical connections disconnected.

Tomorrow I'm going to push the Camaro out of the garage and pull the old engine block so I can start cleaning up the engine bay. My plan is to sand the subframe and anything else that needs cleanup down to bare metal, prime and paint while the engine is out. I'd also like to get the new LQ9 off the wooden stand and onto my engine stand and start dismantling it.

Here's a couple of the before shots. Trust me, it won't look anything like this once it goes into the engine bay:

[67rally]

Alright, I'm officially frozen. Supposedly it got up to 28 degrees today, but I was in the shade all day so I don't buy it.

It took a litte longer than planned. I was going to remove the engine and tranny as one unit, but I couldn't get access to my shifter to get it off. The handle is welded to the shifter, the shifter hole is tiny so I couldn't access it from above, and couldn't get to one of the bolts from below. Anyways, I managed to pull the engine and bellhousing as a unit, then remove the shifter, then drop the driveshaft, and finally drop the tranny and remove the crossmember. It'll be quite a while before the new engine and tranny go it, but at least now I can start detailing the engine bay. Time for a beer.:beers:


Prepping for surgery:


Ready for removal:



Up, up and away:





It's officially out:



The old and the new:

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Nice choice on the new engine purchase..

[67rally]

I took advantage of the 55 degree heat wave today, and stripped the wiring harness along with some other stuff. The exterior is going to need a good cleaning, there's plenty of dirt and grime built up, but everything was in good shape.

Before:


Harness removed:


Coil packs, exhaust manifolds and fan removed:


Here's the jumble of wires that will be someone else's problem:


While I was at it, I pulled the valve covers. I just didn't want to see any nasty sludge build up, and was pleased to see this:

[67rally]

My T56 arrived yesterday, along with the bellhousing. The box the bellhousing was in was also supposed to contain a clutch, flywheel, transmission crossmember, etc. It tore open in transit, and everything was lost. The seller is shipping out replacment parts this weekend.

T56:

[darkgable79]

That's good customer service right there. I hate it when s**t gets lost in transit or when the delivery driver "rings the doorbell" & leaves packages at your doorstep. At least wait to see if I answer 1st.

[67rally]

I spoke with the eBay seller for the tranny this weekend and decided to take a partial refund on the clutch, rather than having him send me a low mile used one. I think I would definitely be pushing the limits of what a stock GTO clutch could handle, so I am looking at either an LS7 clutch setup or possibly a stage 2 from Monster/Spec/??? Either should be good for 450+rwhp.

I ordered a new GTO starter for the LQ9 from someone on LS1tech. I have a GTO bellhousing and it turns out that the GTO starter is smaller in diameter than any other LS starter. So my choice was to get an F-body bellhousing or a GTO starter. I opted for the new starter.

My new throttle body arrived a few days ago, and I just ordered my new intake and fuel rails. I'll post pics when I'm ready to unveil...

Last thing is I just won an eBay auction for a nice set of 243 (LS2) heads. The heads flow a little better than the 317's that come on the LQ9, but they also have smaller combustion chambers.

The LQ4 has a 9.5:1 compression ratio, the LQ9 has flat top pistons which bump it to 10.1:1 and with the 243's I'll be right at 11 or 11.1:1.

[67rally]

Now I have to decide whether I'll just install bigger springs and add a cam, or if I'll send the heads out to do a valve job/port work as well. Porting is expensive, but if I'm going to do it, now would be the time. I am looking at Advanced Inductions or Total Engine Airflow to do the port work, which would put me over 300cfm at around .500 lift and up.

[67rally]

I pulled all the accessories off today. I think I'm going to clean these up and re-use them except for the water pump. I'm looking for a good deal on a 2010 Camaro L99 water pump as it will line up with the rest of my truck accessories, but move the upper inlet from the passenger side to the driver's side for a cleaner install. I'll swap out the starter for the GTO starter that's in the mail, and obviously I'll need new motor mounts, once I decide on my headers.



Before:


After:

[67rally]

I also just found out that the 243 heads I have coming already have a set of PRC .650 lift springs with less than 500 miles on them. This will save me a few hundred bucks and literally just paid for the heads!