I am having renowned auto technician and board member Ryan (ahartz28?) reinstall my heads for me. But before I have him come over and do the work, I want to make sure I have everything else out the way. Therefore, I need some one who has a compression tool to come over my house and perform a leakdown test, to make sure I didn't fry any piston rings and need to have them replaced.

Ryan, if you're out there, here's an update:

Yesterday, I took my heads to E & E Machine Shop over on S. Flores St.

They are cleaning them, pressure testing them, and resurfacing them. My guess is it'll probably take a week. I also bought a fel-pro gasket set and 2 sets of head bolts.

Also yesterday, I went out to Autozone and bought
dino oil, a 180* t-stat & gasket, antiseize compound, and antifreeze.

Today, I'm buying some more bleeder valve screws, banjo bolts & banjo bolt seals.

I also bought some stuff that I plan to do myself: Spark plugs and plug wires

In the coming weeks, I'm gonna get a manual fan switch, electric waterpump from CSI, and a 1LE elbow from thunder racing.

I don't have a timing light and some of the other stuff you'll need to get them put back on, so you'll probably need to haul your tools along with you.

Is there anything else I need to buy in order for you to put the heads back on?

FYI, I labeled all of the bolts for the intake manifold (left and right sides), both exhaust manifolds, fuel injector pins, rocker arms (left and right sides), pushrods, etc. and put them in ziploc bags so you can find everything nice and easy.

Expect a call from me within the next month, because I want to be driving sooner rather than later, but I also want to keep driving, so I'm gonna make sure I do everything right THIS TIME.

P.S. How much did you say you charged to put heads back on? I don't remember.

 

If i remember correctly he charges $2500 + your soul. JK

You might also want to buy a case of beer. Always helps with mod installs.

 

O i forgot. You might also want to invest in doing headers at the same time. Its well worth it since you already have the manifolds off currently. IMO

 

Unfortunately, as nice as that sounds, I'm only replacing stuff that I NEED for the car to run. For tyhe header install, I thought the headers bolted up to the exhaust manifolds, so wouldn't it be easy to just raise the car and pull them from the bottom with the exhaust manifolds already installed?

 

Very busy man. He is heading to Houston today to do some racing. Just got done with Alex's car with a header,cam and head install. Damn im I jealous! I have my car with him right now. Heads and headers for me next week.

Im sure Ryan can get can get everything he needs to do a check on this. Email him at AHART383Z28@aol.

When its at the shop its much easier than if he has to go somewhere to do it. And Im afraid beer wont cut it. Tried that one before.

Money or trades is the best thing. Im always willing to give when the work comes out as well as it does. Top Notch LT1 Mechanic!

 

Well, If I could get it to the shop for FREE, then I'd have no problems doing so, but I'm not gonna pay $45 to get it towed to the shop, especially if I don't have it. Plus, with my bottom end exposed like it is, elevating it on a tow truck may do more harm than good.

 

what i will need is the head gaskets,intake manifold gaskets,and exhuast manifold gaskets and maybe a few other little things, the 180 stat you got from autozone is probably the wrong one they dont sell the right one for an LT1 even though it is listing for one.
oil and filter as well and coolant

 

Hey I've got a truck. If you can find a trailer, i have a come along and chains and we can get it up there and to the shop. For like $15 for gas.

Thats how i towed my car from San Marcos to Randolph AFB then to Ryans shop .

Heh come to think of it we almost got stuck in that damn turn around That was quite interesting.

 

Cool!! Thanks Ryan, it looks like a I'm a little ahead of the game as I already have all of the stuff you listed and a little more.

And 16blckz28, I gladly accept your offer to tow it to the shop, I want to make Ryan's job as easy and comfortable as possible.

In the meantime, how do you clean the engine block without putting it in a hot tank?

I want to put it in a hot tank, but I don't have the money to pull the block and put it back in. My heads come out of the machine shop today, and they will be thoroughly clean, so there's no need to clean them. But I've got alot of crud in my cylinder bores, almost looks like rust. I'm hoping not but whatever it is, I need to get it out of there.

 

Also when you return the 180* thermo get a 160* instead. (<-same price)

Well if you can come up with a trailer from a friend or something then i can tow you. I have a trailer but its crappy. And as me and ryan figured out it has no liscense plate (its a friends trailer) I guess maybe it fell off or something

 

Actually, the 160* was one of my problems. My PCM wasn't programmed for it and so it stayed open 100% of the time. I've explained this several times already so i don't feel like going into a lengthy explanation on it, but take my word for it.