sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Here are some more pics of the damage:

esc

iTrader: (6)

I've broken a lot of parts, but I've never see a piston shatter like that.

That's one sad story.
I hope it has a happy (all forged) ending.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

well being hypereutectic my pistons are very brittle, and I rattled the crap out of them so the result is not surprising. I think it's actually a good thing it shattered like it did, way better than breaking into a couple big pieces and thrashing the head and other parts

yes it will be forged when rebuilt :haha:

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

I would almost guarantee you have a crack or some type of damage in the bore. My brother blew a piston in his old 355 and it looked like yours...shattered like glass. However the rod bent like a "V" and punched a few holes in the block while it was spinning after the piston blew. It would be a miracle if your block is ok after a major failure like that!

But I guess us turbo guys all have our "live and learn" moments lol. I cracked the ringlands on two of my pistons and had to source 2 take outs with new rings and all. Hope you can fix it for relatively cheap, but honestly now that I am 5.3 swapped, I will never look back. Too much benefits with the 5.3. Block and bottom end strength is worlds above any SBC, and the tuning aspect alone is leagues ahead. Keep us updated as you get more carnage pics too!

fasteddi

iTrader: (2)

Nice carnage pics. Im sure youll get her back going again soon and itll be faster then ever.

We've all been there. I killed my engine last year(ringlands). Yours is astonishing though. Reminds me of the compressors Ive seen at work. 16 cylinder ammonia compressors have no mercy and when they gernade no on is there to stop it till it just kills itself..lol

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

We will see, gonna do a penetrant and mag-flux test. I'm also willing to bet there are several indications in #7 but I'm still crossing my fingers it's ok cuz I'm cheap

I am back and forth on LSx, wont be a 5.3 though - sending you a PM

It was pretty crazy when it went, i didn't even hear and knocking or noise, just one big BANG and it was over, that piston just exploded! 21psi on 10.5:1 pump gas will do that LOL

yeah I should have it back together pretty quick, gonna start working full time in may so that will accelerate things nicely

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

ok well I knew the engine was hurt bad, but everything else I was still unsure of until today. The turbine is perfectly fine (woo woo!!) so thats some $ saved. My current setup will be for sale if anyone is interested PM me.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

Thats always a big relief. My turbine wheel did NOT look that nice lol. But that was the PO's fault for selling me a junk turbo. Now it's nice and new after a small rebuild fee.

Jupiter

iTrader: (1)

Sorry to hear she exploded. Keep in mind you get more hp per $ with an lsx!!!

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

And it's round two, school is OVER, parts and materials are in the mail, the TIG welder is set up, just need to find some time!

The A/C and the SBC will stay, intercooler/condenser/radiator will get changed up a bit. I'm still gonna try to avoid cutting the core support, I think I can do it - we'll see

One:



and two:

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

(still) subscribed! Can't wait to see how this version comes together!!


-Paul

Lmancha96

TWO... I like TWO keep the updates coming!!!

gta324

now we talking..... exactly how I'm planning to do when it's time for twins

oil pan 4

iTrader: (1)

Best use of a T76 since I installed mine.

formulakeith

This looked like a nice setup, but I think i saw the rest on another thread

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

So while the above is true and parts are piling up, it's winter time and I'm bored, so this guy will provide me a little fun for the time being



Any body wanna take a stab at HP #'s before it pukes its guts out? 5, 6, 7 hundred?!?!?!

1999 vortech 3-oh-5, 65k miles

34blazer

1999 305?

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

The guy told me it was a 1999, it is a very late vortech 305, I'm not 100% on the year

-AO-

GM made the Vortec SBC from 96-02. The L30 Vortec 5000 had a 9.1:1 CR with its 58cc 059 heads.

34blazer

I thought 1995-96 was the final year for the 305...hmmm

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

No, they definitely made the Vortec 305's through '99


I bet it'll make it to 500 HP, but I'm just guessing. I doubt it'll make it much past that but I would love to be wrong!!!

-Paul

34blazer

Im somewhat surprised lol. Not as surprised as I was when I read that flatties were still being produced for the French up until the 90's!

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

started the tear down today, pulled the rest of the piston out, and yep the cylinder got wacked by somethin! Oh well

anyways after the oil leak I had, and then the BIG oil leak from the hole in the oil pan the car is filthy, and the suspension SUCKS so I'm tearing everything out, painting, cleaning, new bushings/shocks/springs, new fuel/brake lines, rebuilding the t56, probably a new Tq arm after what I found today, hydroboost, lots of work ahead of me

here are some pics of the engine damage, as you can see i was running a bit rich LMAO







And then I couldn't believe what I found when I started tearing the rear suspension out... the TQ arm holes that the bolts to the axle do in were ovaled about twice the correct size, and they were loose! I spent so much time at the front of the car I just neglected the rear end. Check out the video, I checked the pinion angle numerous times with the suspension loaded and it seemed good, nothing moved when I shook it... well I had the jack under the differential and it moved a TON, which I know it was doing when driving which was probably most/all or my vibration issues. You can see in the pic that the U-joint was hitting the exhaust, which is 2.5 inches from the U-joint at rest!

junkcltr

iTrader: (1)

what are you running for cam, heads, and intake?

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

a have a few of each laying around, not really sure yet.

I took the entire rear suspension, fuel tank, EVERYTHING in the rear today. I also started converting the 3 bolt header flanges to V-bands.

welder upgrade



reducer welded on:



TIG is nice to finally have



And I cut the header wrap off of my old stuff, the down-pipe looks brand new still, the hot side shows some color change but only corrosion where I ground off the "aluminized coating". This was driven in the rain, covered in antifreeze, hosed down numerous time over 18 months... Header wrap isn't as bad as some claim.





And I have grown to really, really hate working on the car with this old hotside so I'm redoing it I'm going to try to run the pre-turbine side down between the oil pan and engine mounts, and then put in a smaller a/c condenser and modify the hvac box so I can run the DP under it. It actually seems pretty easy I just have to find the correct size evaporator. I need one that is 10" tall, 8" wide, and 3.75" thick. I'll be going through what they have at the parts store tomorrow

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Got a new evaporator, out of a 1996 Lincoln town car, measures 10.25x8.75x3.25 ish, I will weld the appropriate gm fittings on and make new lines to hook up the compressor and condensor.

Fit the new evap core into the ac box





Here is the clearance I will gain



The box didn't quite close



Cut off the excess bottom part of the box (rough in these pics), and cut the top so the box would close





Here is a 3" pipe



And 4"



Some structural fiberglass for the bottom



Resined up, I just used csm for the top since it does not need much strength





I'm going to sand this down and paint the outside, then coat the inside with something like spray in bedliner to make sure it's sealed. Add some foam to seal the evap core, and it'll be done. Should make running the downpipe much easier

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

a/c box installed to check the clearance I still need to finish the glass work, a bit more clearance than stock:



this is a 3" pipe, a 3.5" will fit for sure, and maybe even a 4" with some careful massaging.

FSTFBDY

iTrader: (33)

looking great. Id use something like lizard skin ceramic spray insulation for the inside of the box. Even do the outside then sand and paint it. Will keep all the down pipe heat off it.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, that is pretty much the plan and I will use heat reflection tape on the lower half outside as well.

I got the glass work sanded down today, and sealed up with a high temp rubber spray, I will paint it with high temp epoxy paint and then put the tape on.

I also started repairing my Spohn TQ arm that had some damage form the fuel/brake line bracket which I have moved. The damage was pretty bad...



Prepped for weld:



Welded and ground, it's not perfect but it'll work.



and then It was onto the worn out bolt holes:



I welded them up now I just need to redrill them. Sorry no pics yet

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

in an effort to get this thing on the road soon, I pulled the 305 apart so I can check the bores for roundness, probably going to take it .030 over because the pistons I want to use only come in .030 and .060 over and I dont want to pay or wait for custom pistons.

apart:



This is a 305 piston vs the one that exploded on me, pretty funny before and after picture



new hotside coming together. I need to get all the exhaust work done so I can pull the transmission/heads and get those going







the drivers side will be hard with the knock sensor, is there a way to relocate the knock sensor? I was under the impression that its locations was critical because of how it's calibrated.

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Nice! Where/how do you want to relocate the knock sensor? Adding a pipe elbow to change its orientation will desensitize it from what I understand, so you would have to compensate for that in the tune if you can? Would it be possible to just move it to the block drain on the passenger side instead? I don't think this would affect the calibration much, but might not help with your clearance, hard to tell what you have for space there in that pic.


Can't wait to see how this turns out! I'm working on a somewhat major overhaul of my powertrain right now too


-Paul

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

I have heard that the 305 and 350 knock sensors are different, I need to read up on how they work to determine what my options are. I dont care where it goes, just away from where it is now haha

quadgoat

iTrader: (1)

Yes, both the sensors and the knock modules are different for different engines. Some of that goes out the window when you add things like roller rockers and headers too though.

-Paul

tjtaylor

I dont have a knock sensor on my setup at all. Was curious about it with the Holley efi but they said I didn't need to run one?

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Its not really required, but it's nice to have as another tuning tool. While a WBO2 is nice, I dont have any EGT sensors or a dyno/track in my back yard to play with timing so it atleast gives me SOME idea where I'm at

It's not perfect, when I shift it picks up some false knock, but it does allow me to pull timing when it sees knock way before you can hear it. I've never actually heard any pinging/knocking but if I ramp my timing up it will hit a point where it starts to show true knock, but I dont hear/feel anything. Same thing at the top of the RPM range, it really helps shape the timing curve (ie not like a locked distributer).

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

made some more progress today, welded up the passenger side. I really don't like welding this "aluminized" tubing, I grind the coating off but it welds kinda blue/grey and is a bit dirty, it'll be ok but I will use plain mild steel in the future.







The drivers side is all tacked, it goes around the knock sensor! I left the full welding for after work this week, I like to come in fresh and just weld after work, I cant handle trying to cut/fit tubing after a long day of work



a view of both:



I think I will invest in an oil cooler and some heat shielding haha!



out past the engine mounts and K-member! I need to drop the drivers side [right in this pic] to be even with the passenger side, I may be able to spin it at the v-band, or add one more tiny bend. The rest is easy from this point! couple more v-bands, pipe to the turbo, and slap together a new DP.

project89

iTrader: (1)

what size pipe tubing is that? and what mounts?

lol i now think i know how im going to run my new downpipes specially if thats 3 inch tubing

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

It's 2.5" ID, Mososo Solid Mounts.

If you move the tubing up towards to motor mounts a bit you can squeeze 3" in there, I slid some in just to see; it will be tight but it can be done.

The issue you'll have is the starter and oil filter, your DPs will run right into them. The oil filer can be remote obviously, but the starter is not so easy. It will take some thinking but I'm sure it can be done

project89

iTrader: (1)

right now im considering a front motor plate vs solid mounts so that would help
dam motor plate eats up alot of valuable room but lets me set the motor back a good bit

im doing up and foward headers with mid or low mounted gt3582's my first thought was oval 3.5 under the k , but ive already done that setup on my v6 car years ago and it sucked

if i can run the solids and pass a 3 inch downpipe threw there and get it past the starter id be golden as the car is going to need a dual 3 inch system

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Wooooooo! Pro-gram splayed billet caps, .031 over, arp studs, wiseco pistons blah blah blah the usual... These pistons need quite a bit of prep before they go in, not real happy with the fit and finish in the valve reliefs but for $550 with pins, retainers, and rings I can't complain too much.

Jupiter

iTrader: (1)

SHAAAZZAM!!!!
That should hold up pretty good. Good to see progress on your motor. I hope to have mine running by next month.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Got a small start on the fuel system today, the plan is to run two in tank stock style pumps, one on all the time, and a second that will only be switched on when its time to play. I am going to incorporate the second fuel pump into the same circuitry as an electronic boost controller so it will be on WG springs and one pump, then two pumps and high boost when switched on.

I took the stock fuel pump/sender assembly out and starting modifying. Keeping with the theme of this car I'm retaining as many stock systems as possible, so I will keep the charcoal canister, the tank fresh air line and check valve, and a return and feed obviously.

My plan is to leave the fresh air line and check valve alone, replace the stock charcoal canister line with a -8an return line, replace the stock feed line with a -10an line, and convert the stock return to function as the charcoal canister line. I'm switching the charcoal canister line rather than just replacing the stock return with a larger line because the stock return holds the fuel pump and sending unit.

I first crimped the bottom of the stock return line:



I then drilled four holes in the very top of the old return line for the charcoal canister to use to draw fumes off the top of the tank. There was a sort of check valve on the stock charcoal canister line, I need to look into this further to make sure I don't need to put a check valve here,maybe one that has an internal float to close it since a pressure activated one wont work here



Then I cut the stock charcoal can line off, and drilled from the top with a 5/16" bit to remove it. The drill actually broke the braze/solder/crimp holding the line in so it came out perfectly.







That is as far as I got today, I need to order some parts now. I also took the fresh air make-up check valve apart and cleaned it, it allows air INTO the tank, not out

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Awesome

RBob

iTrader: (1)

The valve that was on the CCP vent line was a roll-over check valve. In the case of a roll over it helps prevent fuel from pouring out of the canister into the hot engine compartment. There was also a restriction in the line.

The 'mushroom' air vent valve allows air into the tank at a low pressure differential. This is make up air for the fuel that is removed and used.

This same valve will also allow air to escape the tank in the case of too much pressure build up. The cracking pressure is above the CCP vapor control valve cracking pressure. So in normal use it won't vent tank pressure.

But remove the CCP canister and plug the vent line for it, and the air vent valve will release pressure. It can also release pressure in the case of an accident where the CPP vent line gets crushed, or the gas tank takes an impact.

RBob.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Ah thats what the big spring the the "mushroom valve" is for, allows the "in" check valve to move up to the fluted section of the housing and release pressure.

So I should be ok with the charcoal can drawing fumes form the stock return line, but my concern is when the tank is FULL it will draw fluid instead of vapor... hmmm

RBob

iTrader: (1)

They are the same as my thoughts.

RBob.

formulakeith

That looks pretty good so far, hows the project now?

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

It's coming along, building a house also so I'm swamped! I should make some good progress soon the house work is calming down finally

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

I built my house as well, on nights and weekends. Took about 18 months. Lot's of work, but rewarding when it's done the way you like. The only thing I contracted out was the foundation. Everything else was done by myself.

-- Joe

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

Yeah I just want it done! I have way to much on my plate right now.

I made some progress on the car tonight. I am going to keep the turbo placement so I can use the old intake, cold side, oil lines, etc. I just used the old bracket to locate the turbo, I will build a mount to hold it then clock the exhaust housing to face the harmonic balancer.



here is the new down-pipe routing, this is the old one cut up for mock-up I'll be making a new one:





under the A/C box!