Anybody familiar with LT1 engine?

[48builder]

I've built a few small blcok chevy's but this is my first FI engine. I know there are also a few differences in the block and heads. Any of you guys know the answers to these questions?

I bought a new rear main seal. the factory manual says I need a special tool to press it in place. Can I just tap it in carefully, or should I hunt down the tool?

Can a FI throttle body be taken apart and rebuilt? I'd like to either powder-coat or paint mine. It looks like it should come right apart, but hate to do it if that will screw it up somehow.

How can prime it with oil before starting? It has been sitting for 8 years. I've always used a torn-down distributor and a drill, but that won't work in this engine. My bone-yard friend told me he has heard about a way to force oil through an oil-galley plug using compressed air. Seems like it should work. Maybe build a pressure tank and use a fitting like used on tranny cooler lines?

Thanks

Walt

[wayne petty]

throttle bodys can be dissassembled.. and rebushed...   the exposed thread  of the blade screws is usually smashed or melted so it wont unthread..(you have to grind off the exposed thread or it will lock up and break the head off the screw).  and it is a weird thread size like 2.5mmX.60 x6. mm long...i had found a box of machine screws at my local nut and bolt house..  told a carb rebuilder friend about it.. gave him the last ones i had.. and went for more..  some sewing machine guy had bought the rest of them up..  they were a special  and i cannot use 10k...  be sure to take detailed photos of the return spring and pieces so you know how to put it back together..


to rebush a gm throttle body.. with a .372" shaft i use a 3/8 thin wall valve k line guide
with a wall thickness of .015"
and a letter drill #Y  .404"

372+015+015=.402  fits nice and tight..work the shaft in with moly-graphite assy lube..

yes you can tap the rear main seal in...    do fill the inside with some assy lube to stop the garter spring from jumping off...  and you might want to use some weather strip adhesive to the outside of the seal before you install it to hold it in place..

yep greasy on the inside.. stickey on the outside.. makes for  hammering fun...
i sometimes use the old seal as a block to hammer the new one in with ..

when i prep a motor for starting. usually the last things i put in are the spark plugs..
i crank the engine with the plugs out and the oil filter off .. i crank the engine till i get a squirt of oil out the filter hole and then i install the filter and crank a few more seconds till get oil pressure... i do not prefill th filter.. ...  engines with crank mounted oil pumps i use two quarts of 5w-20 oil to prime the oil pump  and crank it .. this allows the motor to suck oil up the long pick up tube..    doing it with 20w50 will almost always fail.    


there are a a few articals on rebuilding the lt1 at
http://engine-builder.com

http://www.babcox.com/aredsearch.htm


here is one of the articals

http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/ar99928.htm

[48builder]

yes you can tap the rear main seal in...    do fill the inside with some assy lube to stop the garter spring from jumping off...  and you might want to use some weather strip adhesive to the outside of the seal before you install it to hold it in place..

Thamks, Wayne. By assembly lube do you mean something like cam install lube? Not sure what I haev around. Any kind of grase would work I imagine. Not sure I understand why the weather strip adhesive on the outside. Maybe I'll get it  once I take the flywheel off and see what it looks like.

Walt

[wayne petty]

here is a better link without a frame for searching

http://www.babcox.com/*.asp
use the authors names  like anderson.. and carley.. makes it easier to find follow up articals...

and the lube i use is stay-lube moly graphite assy lube...  it stays for months without leaking out ...  i also use it to assemble the valve stems in heads... since oil will  just drip out the moly and graphite should last up in there for a while...



and for the outside.. like to use permatex #82... black super weather strip adhesive...

try to stick to name brands.. permatex or 3m . some of the off brands that have been sent to me have turned to dust in minutes... the idea is to glue it in the housing bore... for extra security...  use it only on the outside rim of the seal...
if you use it in the housing bore it will get into the motor...

and lube the inside of the seal also..  


be sure that you DO NOT KNICK THE BACK END OF THE CRANK SEALING SURFACE.when you remove the old seal... no sharp cornered tools..  sorry for the shout....

[48builder]

and for the outside.. like to use permatex #82... black super weather strip adhesive...

sorry for the shout....

Thanks, Wayne. Now I know what you mean. Before I thought you meant to put the weatherstrip glue on the outside face.

Shouting is good if will keep me from screwing something up.

Walt

[wayne petty]

more links to articals.


gen iii small blocks...
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/eb040538.htm
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/ar40068.htm
4.3v6
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/ar40047.htm


cryo treatments for parts
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/ar10183.htm


just a few for reading....


wayne