Time for DaHoooley engine again.

[Robyn]

Been unable to get started on the fresh engine for DaHoooley, but today I swamped out the work area and rolled the stand over and got started.

First off I needed to rip the 6.2 that I had started, apart and get the main bearings, cam, timing gears and various other parts back off that platform so I can use them on the fresh engine.

Will wrap that 6.2 block up in a baggy to keep it clean as I may need it for the 85 Blazer project in the future ???????????

So this coming week I will finally get some time and go get the finished AMG/GEP block thats been sitting in the machine shop for the past few months.

With this I can finally get started on the build.

Got new AMG heads, Scat crank and new rings. Have a very low hour set of pistons from a GM 6.5 that will do the trick nicely.

Still need a few goodies (gaskets and such) but can get it back together soon, hopefully.

Well, I had better get back at it.

Later

Missy

[Robyn]

OK

Made it out to the "little shop in the woods" and picked up my 6.5 block.

All done and ready to go, will get it on the stand and start bolting it together.

Still missing the bell housing dowel pins and the oil pump dowel pins.

(new block did not come with them)

Was able to order the pins for the timing cover from Ma General.
Got the oil squirt nozzles and the head dowel rings, the oil filter bypass and the cooler bypass and the little soft plug with the tiny hole in it that goes above the bypass valve.

I'm getting there.

Missy

[DmaxMaverick]

Use roll pins for the dowels. Measure the depth of the holes and turn down and taper the outer ends of the pins to seat firm in the hole, but slide easy over the pump and bell housing (way easy if you have a lathe). A bunch cheaper than the OEM replacements, and your local hardware store should have the sizes you need. Been there....done that.

[Robyn]

I have the bell housing dowels now and the oil pump dowels will be here in a few days.

This is one of those times that I want things just as they came from the factory, or maybe better


Missy

[16gaSxS]

Robyn; You are having more fun than a girl deserves! Here is hoping those pesky gremlins keep snoozing while your in the midst of your project. Keep us posted as able. Good luck.

Marty

[Robyn]

At this stage of the game and having the truck down for nearly a year now, I have all but lost interest in the pickup.

It would be nice to have it back together and running, but we shall see.

Found a couple more goodies this afternoon at the chevy store, so I am getting closer.

Still waiting on a cup plug that goes in the main oil gallery and blocks the flow where it separates and goes to the oil cooler.

Not sure if its a special size so I decided to get the factory part. (I will measure it and then list the little critter so others may benefit)

Missy

[john8662]

Beat ya.

My CC Dually 4x4 is my daily driver right now. Still working bugs out (like exhaust leak on crossover). Been running for over a month now.

[Robyn]

Good for ya

Stopped off an picked up my new AMG heads this afternoon (Finally)

Got most all the little goodies nailed down now.

Was worried about what the oil gallery cup plug that goes under the rear main cap looked like, sooooooooooooooo I scrounged up an old 6.2 block that was junk and took a peek down in the oil passage.

Decided to try and coax the plug out with a SLIDE hammer. Drilled a hole in the cup plug and just have to thread a lag screw into the plug and then try the slider on the little urchin.

I have hopes that it will come out easily and in good enough shape that I can see what it was and duplicate it.

The parts listings don't show the damned thing.

Got one oil pump dowel pin and its in now, had to order the second one.

The dowel is the same as the cam dowel on a small block chevy.

The bell housing dowels came in today too.

Once I get this little crap handled I will get the block on the stand and go at it.

I want to keep things dry and oil free until I get that cup plug in the oil passage. I can blow out any little metal flakes that come off as I drive it in.

Once I get going, this thing should come along easily, as I have all the other parts from the last build, like hoses and such.

Need to get a set of fuel return hoses as he others got ripped off very unceremoniously during the tear down.

[Robyn]

WELLLLLLLLL now.

Luck seems to be running at the moment. Got home this eavening and went to work to finish coaxing the little oil gallery plug from that old 6.2 block. Screwed a 1/4 inch lag bolt into the hole I drilld in the plug, hooked up the slide hammer and JOYYYYYYYYYYYYYY two little taps and the little sucker was out and in my grubby little paws

Measures about .508-.510 " and the hole is about .504" as near as I can measure it with a little snap gauge.

The cup plug is about 5/16 deep from the lip to the bottom of the cup.

I do hope this is a standard cup plug and not some Bastard size.

Anyway, at least I now have one to look at.

Stopped off at the parts house and got the bell housing dowels too.

Yesssssssssss.

Other than finding the cup plug and waiting for the second oil pump dowel, I'm pretty well set.

Stopped off and picked up my heads tonight also. YESSSSSSSSSSSS More JOY.

Maybe O'll DaHoooley will ride once again.

My tentative plans (OMG Here it comes) are once the rig is going again, to install a set of 6" stacks and install a 6 inch lift kit.

That DaHooooley is so stinking low to the dirt it aint funny.

Well so much for the dreaming anyway.

Later troops.

Missy

[Big Green]

Why not just open it up to 9/16 and run a 3/8npt tap and install a threaded plug?

providing you've got the wall thickness....

[Robyn]

This area is the confluence of several passages and there is simply no room to do anything but install the plug as was designed.The use of the cup plug is fine, just had to get one in my hand so I could see what I needed.This is an item that would normally never need to be replaced or removed, so finding a listing on it in the GM books had/has proven to be difficult.I have not had time since getting my hands on an old one to scrounge around and see whats available.I dont think that this is going to be too hard though.Any tampering with the area (Drilling) would likely result in serious damage that would render the block JUNK.Missy

[john8662]

My tentative plans (OMG Here it comes) are once the rig is going again, to install a set of 6" stacks and install a 6 inch lift kit.

I just installed an 8" Tip onto the 4" Exhaust system and it's too loud, stacks, that's for kids...

Cup plug...

There are two plugs for the same hole (but two different bore diameters) on the block for the oil cooler bypass valve cover/cup plug.

If you're a 4x4 (and I know you are) you need the smaller cup plug. You'll notice there are two bores in the block. The first bore is just like your n/a 6.2 and won't work with an oil filter adapter. The second bore is what you want. I can get you the exact part number plug you need to get from your machine ship (it's a Pioneer part number). But that stuff is at home in the shop. I keep a bag of them because I don't like not having one and the machine shop being out of them.

[6.5 Detroit Diesel]

I just installed an 8" Tip onto the 4" Exhaust system and it's too loud, stacks, that's for kids...

stacks are for kids????

8" tip onto a 4" system, now that's excessive

[Robyn]

OK

Lets get one thing straight I am only 59 now and I want to enjoy my childhood before its all gone.

Now the little cup plug is not a normal plug that anybody I know has ever heard of.

This plug goes about 2 inches down in the block under the rear main cap.

The hole that feeds the oil from the oil pump goes at an angle through the cap and then feeds into the block, slightly ahead of the main bolts.

The plug goes at the central point where the passage out to the cooler is separated from the one that feeds the engine coming from the filter.

Under most circumstances this plug would never be removed, as the passages can all be cleaned and washed well without touching the plug.

Since my block is Brand new and was never readied for over the counter sale, the plug was never installed.

I think I have it nailed down now though. Got hold of a dealer in Cali that had 20 of them and he got one in his hands and I had him measure it. Sadly he only had a tape measure, but it was close to 1/2" and that's a good thing as the one I dug from the old 6.2 measures .508"

Should have one here tomorrow. Fingers crossed

Once I get this crap figured out I will post the part numbers for all these damned little pieces.

Front cover dowels
Rear dowels for the Bell housing to index.
Oil pump dowels
And this other damned little plug

Yesssssssssss Stacks are for KIDS, I want some. 6 inchers mounted to a 6 inch square Log collector box in the bed of the truck.

About 4-5 foot tall should be way kewl I want the ones with the 45 degree cut. Not the Bull Haulers but the one that's similar but not so wild on the tip out.

Missy good stacks

[Quartermiler6]

I think that tip looks good behind those dual tires. Its actually proportional.

[Robyn]

OOOOOOOOOOOK

Sunday July 31st 2011

Got the big bag of LITTLE parts out and went at this engine.

Right off I had to buy some 10 X 1.5 mm Bolts to fasten the block to the stand.

Then there was the issue of driving the newly aquired oil galley plug into the main line.

Bought a 8" long 1/2 inch bolt and cut the threads off and then machined the bolt to slip easily inside the cup plug. BANG BANG BANG with a 2 pound club and the little beast was seated firmly in the bore

The next item was the 3/8 pipe plugs in the rear of block ???

Hmmmmm the plug kit came with only 1/4 pipe plugs Back to town to scrounge up some 3/8 plugs.c

Got the rear cam bore soft plug driven in and all hunk dory.
The brass freeze plugs in the side ofthe block are all in and ready to go, as are the water jacket drain plugs.

The oil squirt nozzles in the main line bores are all in and ready to go now as are the main bearings.

The cam is in and turns freely, with the plate bolted on the front, all is well.

The oil pump alignment dowels are in as are the bell housing dowels and the timing cover dowels.

The oiil cooler bypass and the oil filter bypass are in along with the cup plug on the bypass bore.

Looking great so far.

I need to bring the crank home now from the shop and drop it in and check the clearance with some Plastigage.

Once that is done it's Rodeo time. The mains can be torqued down and then its on to the rods and pistons.

The piston set is slightly used and need to be cleaned well and installed on the rods.

I have a fresh ring set, so things are looking good.

Its all wrapped up now in a baggy until next time.

Once the crank is in and ready, this thing can move along quickly.

I still need some misc gaskets and a set of head gaskets. Got head bolts and all the rest of the goodies saw little use from before.



Missy settles into the coming late sunday afternoon with a good feeling.

[Robyn]

Well as usual, it's another SNAFU.

Decided this morning that I would get to work and get the crank in the DaHoooley engine and get the bottm end buttoned up.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Notta gonna happen. Dropped the crank in the bearings and went to work checking the clearance

Started with the number one main and it had less than .001"

OK off to get the micrometers and have at it to see where the anomaly was.

Scat crank is within specs. In fact its right in the middle of the spec that GM puts in the book.

Soooooooooo Mic the block bores and see where they are, Block has got to go into the machine shop and have the mainline opened up about .0025.

The specs call for 3.1425 to 3.143 inches and the bores are at 3.1405

I am at a loss as to why a brand new fresh block would be that far off.

We checked everything else including the deck height and all is well. The cam bearings went in sweet as did the cam.

Soooooooo, the cam is back out and the sucker is ready to go back to the shop.

My normal shop does not have a mainline honing machine, so I will have to make a couple calls in the morning.

The bores are all round so its not a biggy to hone the mainline a tad to get the clearance size where it needs to be.

Ohhhhhhh well, such is life.

Missy

[Robyn]

The block is in the machine shop and will most likely be done before the weekend.

After some serious thoughts on how the maniline on this thing ended up undersized the picture of the "Bunch of Blocks" that were sold into the private sector finally stated to take shape.

Now this is conjecture on my part, but the facts of what is in real life seem to fit.

My guess is that during a production run of blocks at the machining facility, either a programming error in the CNC line or a tooling error ???
a bunch of nearly completed blocks were found to have mainlines that were undersize.

The huge machining lines that do blocks are not set up to redo stuff thats been machined and to hand finish a batch is not possible due to costs and most likely the lack of equipment.

The mainline is not done at the factory level as we would do it in a small shop with equipment such as a Sunnen line hone.

I did some digging and some of these blocks had finished cylinder bores and some were roughed in at under 6.2 diameter. Sooo my best guess is that a batch of blocks got through and headed for the assembly or most likely "QC" and the error was found or some such scenario.

At this point the "bad batch" would have been separated and side lined.
What happened after this is still only a guess, but my bet is that they were slated for scrapping and someone decided that "hey these can be salvaged in the private sector"

and slipped this Iron out and sold it.

The stories are varied as to exactly what avenue they took in getting into the market place, but they certainly did.

One story was that they showed up on ebay and a few other outlets.

The truth of exactly how this all come to pass will never be known, but I am betting that the story I have painted here comes close.

After speaking with a fellow at GEP I learned that the blocks were "Supposed" to have been rejects and thats how they got loose, but he also said that the stories and Butt covering were wide and varied.

Yesterday I spoke with the shop that I purchased the block from and after some chatting the owner finally admited that they had reworked the mainline on every one of these blocks that they had used.

This little tidbit certainly added credibility to my theory.

And SOOOOOOOOOOOO the convoluted Saga continues.

After this debacle I have looked over and checked everything that I can think of on the block and all seems well otherwise.

Looking forward to getting this beast together.

Don't try this at home.

Missy

[Robyn]

The block is back home now from the shop. Mainline is all finish honed and looks sweet.

This weekend I will get back onto things including the taking of some much needed Pix.

The cost to open up the mainline was $129.79 which I feel was a good deal as it included a trip through the washer too.

Soooo I will start stuffing it back together and we shall see how it shakes out this trip though.

Missy

[Robyn]

UPDATE
JOY AT LAST

Got at it earlier this morning, dropped the bearings in the block, installed the crank DRY and checked the bearing clearances with palstigage.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS all is well with the clearances across the board at .002"

Removed the crank, bearings and installed the squirt nozzles, put the bearings back in, lubes it with lubriplate, dropped in the crank and installed the rear seal then all the caps.

All buttoned up now and mains are tight. The crank spins free as the wind too End play is spot on.

The AMG block has had a BUTTLOAD of extra metal added to the main webs so there is VERY LITTLE room inside that block around the crank counterweights.

I waited on getting the crank in this time before installing the cam, which I would normally install first off.

Sooooooooooo Its off to the RODEO finally.

Tomorrow I will get going again and install the cam and the timing gears and such.

Still have two Pistons to clean up then they can be assembled on the rods and then into the engine.

Maybe in a week or so, this thing can go back into the truck finally.

OMG, I do hope this thing goes well this time.

With a fresh block, heads and crank, IT SHOULD

Will post some piccy's maybe tomorrow.

Missy