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......T--- Engine Assembly - Cam and Heads ---
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On the last motor I build I used a large pipe wrench on the snout nut to turn the motor over during assembly. I didn't like that, so I built this wrench to use this time and it worked much better. I just took some flat strap and shaped it to fit the nut and welded a handle onto it.
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When I went to install the timing set the top gear hit the block. I bagged the block all up and ground the area that was a problem.
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As I ground it down I would put eh gear on and check the clearance with a filler gauge until I had it where I wanted it.
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I then installed the cam and the Cloyes Hex-A-Just True Roller Set.
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This timing set has a lot of adjustability. There are 3 different key settings (the arrows show two of them) and .....
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........... then there is a fine adjust with the hex that the arrow is pointing to.
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The modified lifter valley vents were installed and ......................
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.........then the lifters and spider assembly was installed. Two main reasons I wanted a late model block was one the one piece rear seal and more importantly was the ability to use roller lifters without link bars on them. I liked the way GM designed the "spider assembly" (right arrow) and the way it locates the roller lifters (left arrow) with the guide plates. I wanted the benefits of a roller cam on this build where I could keep the duration mild and still have good lift for good cylinder head flow.
I went with a Comp Cam XR264HR Hydraulic Roller with 212/218 intake/exhaust at .050 and 488/.495 intake/exhaust lift with 1.5 rockers. This cam should be a good turbo cam with hardly any overlap with the 112 deg. of lobe separation and the mild duration. I tried a lot of different cams with the Dyno 2000 program and liked this one the best for both the un-blown motor now and the blown motor later.
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Next I prepared to put the AFR heads on. Once again with the turbo and boost in mind I bought what I feel are the best head gaskets for the job. These are Cometic Multi-Layered Steel (MLS) 4.065 X .040 head gaskets. They aren't cheap and when I ordered them at what I thought was $75 a pair the guy said do you want two? So my $75 estimate turned into $150, but they will be cheap insurance when I'm running more boost with race gas. You install them dry.
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Here they are in position for the heads to go on.
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I got AFR 195 #1034 65cc Eliminators with the following upgrades:
#8047 spring upgrade (1.270 LS1 Hyd. Roller Spring). They said guys have run 7000 rpm with these springs, I'm hoping for 6300 to 6500.
#7512 Inconel Exh Valves upgrade for turbo use.
7/16 inch stud upgrade.
I ordered them from Mike Lewis (707) 984-6103) at Lewis Racing (give him a call and tell him I sent you).
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I've always wanted some AFR heads as I feel they are the best "out of the box" street head you can buy. I got them with the 65 cc combustion chamber for a 9.1 compression with the JE Pistons I got and the .040 head gaskets at close to a zero deck. The 9.1 compression will keep the motor responsive off of the turbo and should be fine with the boost I envision.
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I couldn't help but..............
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...................... include some more pictures of...............
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................... these heads. They are beautiful and I feel worth the money.
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You can see the CNC machining marks and they said to "not" try and smooth these out or the flow would actually be hurt.