Order of upgrades

[Old60Driver]

G'mornin y'all!

So, sometime last year (or year before? lol) I picked up a '97 880 engine, with the intention of doing a bit of top end work to it (heads, cam, intake, etc...), and slapping it in my 83 K20. Pretty decent deal, 200 bones for a just about complete engine. Pulled the heads, and was surprised at how good the heads looked. Decided to go a different route. I tested the heads for cracking (good to go), installed screw in studs, beehives, seals and roller tip rockers, with the intention of replacing the smog heads on my K20. Also picked up a vortec intake. Figured, while I'm in there, I might as well pop in mild RV cam too.

Here comes the question. Should I do everything all at once? IE heads, intake, cam. Or should I just put the heads/intake on, make sure she runs / starts nice with no overheating, and then go back in later to put the cam in?

I know it seems like a lot of extra work, but I'm worried about wiping the cam if I have problems getting her fired back up, as I'm not sure how much tuning I'll have to do on my Qjet with the new heads (if any?). She fires right off now and runs well. (I know, I know... if it ain't broke...lol)

Oh, and I'll be turning the 880 block into a 383 that I'll be putting together with my two boys for a future project car. Don't have the car yet, but it'll be good times putting the motor together.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ricko1966]

I would do everything at once. More efficient on time that way. Mark the distributor,crank pulley and rotor position,so not a bunch of jacking around trying to get it to start. Any tuning necessary on the Qjet can be done after cam break in,you're not trying to make it idle nice,Rev clean,etc right now just run with enough rpms. Make sure your springs are not ANY stiffer than necessary for the cam you're running,make sure all the lifters can spin in their bores,I'd use break in springs,but I'm paranoid. Last but not least,do not injest the cam lube,not sure why they have that warning I guess some people have tried.

 

[Old60Driver]

Wait. People had done WHAT with the cam lube? lol

 

[Old60Driver]

I would do everything at once. More efficient on time that way. Mark the distributor,crank pulley and rotor position,so not a bunch of jacking around trying to get it to start. Any tuning necessary on the Qjet can be done after cam break in,you're not trying to make it idle nice,Rev clean,etc right now just run with enough rpms. Make sure your springs are not ANY stiffer than necessary for the cam you're running,make sure all the lifters can spin in their bores,I'd use break in springs,but I'm paranoid. Last but not least,do not invest the cam lube,not sure why they have that warning I guess some people have tried.

Regarding the cam springs, I only have the beehives. Buddy needed some stock vortec springs, so I gave him the ones out of the vortec heads. Seat pressure is about 90#, if that helps. :/

 

[Ricko1966]

Good reading about spring pressures and cam breakin for everyone. @Old60Driver spell check got me, yes I've gotten cam lube that said not to injest it,IDK cam lube and crackers, personal lubricant IDK, but they thought they needed a warning.

 

[Old60Driver]

Goid reading about spring pressures and cam breakin for everyone. @Old60Driver spell check got me, yes I've gotten cam lube that said not to injest it,IDK cam lube and crackers, personal lubricant IDK, but they thought they needed a warning.

HA!! I've always thought we should remove those warning labels. Things'll get sorted one way or another.

 

[Ricko1966]

Phone locked up trying to link spring/breakin info. I'm going to try again right now, keep checking this post I'll get it here eventually.

Eccentric Ways: The Best Way to Break-In a Flat Tappet Camshaft

Veteran engine builder Jeff Smith shows you how to properly break-in a flat tappet cam—and explains why this method is so critical.

www.onallcylinders.com

 

[Buck69]

The 880 is a roller cam block. Wiping cams was more of a flat tappet thing. Agree with get her all done at once.

 

[Ricko1966]

The 880 is a roller cam block. Wiping cams was more of a flat tappet thing. Agree with get her all done at once.

He's not using the 880 block,just the heads. The 880 block is going to be a 383 at a later date. But yea lots of work doubled up by doing it in stages.

 

[Old60Driver]

Phone locked up trying to link spring/breakin info. I'm going to try again right now, keep checking this post I'll get it here eventually.

Eccentric Ways: The Best Way to Break-In a Flat Tappet Camshaft

Veteran engine builder Jeff Smith shows you how to properly break-in a flat tappet cam—and explains why this method is so critical.

www.onallcylinders.com

Good info! Thanks for the share!!

 

[Old60Driver]

Roger that y'all. Looks like I'll be going all in at once! lol

Another quick question for y'all. I made a post the other day asking about ported or manifold vac for the dizzy. I've always run it ported from the qjet (driver side, low), but noticed the other day that even at 600 rpm, I'm still getting vac there. Enough to turn my timing at idle from 10° to about 24° at idle. Engine seems to like it, so I'm not really super concerned. Should I leave the vac off during break in so it breaks in at exactly 10° or connect the vac, and let the timing advance? Like I said, I'm just going in with a mildish RV cam, nothing crazy.
Thanks again for y'alls advice!

 

[Ricko1966]

Roger that y'all. Looks like I'll be going all in at once! lol

Another quick question for y'all. I made a post the other day asking about ported or manifold vac for the dizzy. I've always run it ported from the qjet (driver side, low), but noticed the other day that even at 600 rpm, I'm still getting vac there. Enough to turn my timing at idle from 10° to about 24° at idle. Engine seems to like it, so I'm not really super concerned. Should I leave the vac off during break in so it breaks in at exactly 10° or connect the vac, and let the timing advance? Like I said, I'm just going in with a mildish RV cam, nothing crazy.
Thanks again for y'alls advice!

Leave it connected,sounds like your on a manifold vacuum source,which is actually the preferred source in most cases.Ported vacuum retards the timing at idle,the later burn cleans up tailpipe emissions at idle.