Well I just put my engine and transmission in my Z28. My last hurtle is the header install. Here are some pics of how she sets now. No intake, spark plugs, valve covers,...nothing much in the way. Here are some pics







Wanted some advice. Now first off, I have performed 7 LS1 LT installs on manual and automatic F-bodies, 2 sets of midlengths on two auto F-body LT1s, and one set of shorties on my 1992 Corvette. This is my FIRST LT1 LT install. I have been doing searches for the past few days so please don't suggest that.
Few questions..

1. I read on z28.com that a couple of people installed theirs from the top with the valve covers off. From what yall see do you think this would be the best route?

2. I searched and tried to determine how to remove the steering shaft. Could not find any writeups with pics. How do I get the shaft off.

Thanks folks

 

I did mine both from the top with the VC's and stearing linkage off... It wasn't too bad, but my motor mounts were bad so that might have helped me, I have read and talked to other guys that needed to loosen the Passenger side's motor mount and lift the motor a little to get it in...

As far as the steering linkage goes it is rather simple ther is a through bolt about 1/4 down the shaft that needs to be removed, then where it attached to the rack you need to pull a bolt there then the shaft will come out...

I don't have pick but can get a few later today if nobody responds with them already...

 

OK so unbolt the motor mounts one at a time, jack that side up, get the header in for that side, but the motor mount bolt back in then repeat for the other side COMING IN FROM THE TOP. Right?

So I unbolted the top bolt to the linkage and the one at the bottom near the rack right? Which way do I tap it to get it slid loose. I unbolted those and could not really get her to move.

I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME PICS MY FRIEND THANKS

 

I just did the same thing that your going to do last week. Watch that you dont scratch the inner fender if your going from the top. The pass. side went in with a little effort. The drivers side is a PITA!!! I would think jacking the motor up would help some but I just too a giant prybar and used it to pop the header in. Its funny b/c the bolts are so easy to access on a f-body but the headers are a PITA to get in, my b-body is completely backwards.

Jason

 

I'm glad i don't have to go through this hassle, I'm puttin my LT's on when i pull the motor and build my 383

 

Only do that if needed, a few people have needed unbolt the mounts and a few have not, I didn't...
The outer part of the shaft that we are trying to remove slides over a splined shaft on the rack, you have a few choices here, you can either take a flat screwdriver and separate the area where the bolt went through to loosen that connction some, pry the outer part up from the rack, or any combination you have access to. I was able to get the screwdriver in and loosen the connection then pry it up and it popped right off, but other guys couldn't and could only pry it up off the rack but it still came off. Just wedge the scewdriver between the rack and the part of the shaft that the bolt went to and pry up on the shaft...
I will check this thread when I get home from work and shoot a couple pics if nobody comes up with any before then...

 

Start with the bottom of the steering linkage and push it up. That should move it off of the splined shaft and then you can slide it off the top linkage as well. I only removed the valve cover on the passenger side to snake the header in through the top. The drivers side went in through the bottom after jacking the car off the ground a good amount.

 

next time lay them in place before you put the heads back on. i would take out the stearing linkage and make sure your car is in jack stands high enough that the collectors don't get stuck on the ground when your sliding them in at an angle.

its actually pretty easy to do from the top. USE COPPER GASKETS!

 

Thanks folks. Let me see if I can't slide the passenger side in tonight.