[cruice]

at last i got my v8 engine in and running, the car is a 1995 astro (new front, old dash model), still some small issues to fix, but car is running
hope your guys will let me be a member of the v8club

a little info on what is done and used..

engine:
1988 v8 350" fittet whit vortec heads, vortec exhaust manfolds, tbi intake manifold (redrilled for for 86+ heads), new crankshaft whit berrings,
heads overhauled, new high output oilpump, complete new gaskets, and more..

transmission:
1992 th700r4, b&m shiftkit fittted (to heavy duty standard), new oil and filter..

eletric:
complete wiring loom, digital instrument, and more taken from 1992 astro.

other parts taken from 1992 astro:
steering collum (to eliminate airbag), brake pedal/consol/hydralic brake booster (to fit cruise control).

basicly my astro became a 1992 astro in a 1995 shell :lol: but have a v8, and just about all equiptment, as 2x ac, 2x heater, front fog lamps, power windows, c-locks, and so.. :twisted:

best regards, from denmark..

brian.

pictures to come soon...

 

[webcat]

Redrilled intake ? Was this a 12 bolt intake and you just drill 8 holes to change there angle?
What injectors you use ?
what memcal chip you use ?

 

[cruice]

hey webcat,

the center intake bolts redrilled to change the angle of the bolts to fit the heads.
the injectors is from the 350" tbi, but the tbi on the engine i rebuild was ruined, so i fitted the incectors in the 4,3 trottlebody.
im running a complete ecm from a 1992 c1500, as my v6ecu freaked out when i tryed to fit it whit a v8 chip, and gave a fault code 51.

best regards, brian

 

[webcat]

I have something simular , I have a 1996 Express van that came with a Vortec 305 , i put TBI intake on it , i have 12 psi fuel psi and 61 lb 350 injectors i'm working on getting a cold air setup and tie it in to my stock vortec air filter box , i also have a adjustable fuel psi regulator that i need to install yet , i'm going to bump my fuel psi up to 15 psi and then adjust it back and forth until i get it dialed in!
I'm running the 16197427 PCM with 305 memcal and have a 4L60e trannee

Some pictures of that drilled intake would be sweet , i have a carb intake with a TBI adapter , i was'nt sure if i could drill the holes straight so i bought one .

here's a link to my project
I still need to clean my wiring up and do some rerouting
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forums/gen ... c-tbi.html

 

[AstroAustin]

Welcome to the V8 Club! Lets see some pictures.

 

[Ultraz]

Congrats :banana:

 

[Mr_Bowtie]

Congrats! We need some pics for sure! :rockon:

 

[astro355]

hey webcat,

the center intake bolts redrilled to change the angle of the bolts to fit the heads.
the injectors is from the 350" tbi, but the tbi on the engine i rebuild was ruined, so i fitted the incectors in the 4,3 trottlebody.
im running a complete ecm from a 1992 c1500, as my v6ecu freaked out when i tryed to fit it whit a v8 chip, and gave a fault code 51.

best regards, brian

I'm confused by this. Vortec heads only have 8 bolts for the intake manifold so there is no center bolts. Newer style cylinder heads that are not vortecs have center intake manifold bolts that are at a different angle than the outside bolts. Its impossible for older style intakes to be used with vortec heads since the intakes will never seal on the center runners.

That being said, welcome to the club.

 

[cruice]

Thanks for letting me into the club :dance: nice finally to be able to join, and not just sit and look at the internet and wonder what/how to do whit a v8 project.

i made a little site whit pictures today, for you all to "enjoy", more will come.. just a little "teaser". go to http://www.outlawcustoms.dk

regarding the heads, they have 6 bolts eatch for the intake manifold, so 12 bolts total.. the 4 centerbolts is more strait down than the rest whits goes in at an angle. im told its vortec heads, as they have a "spiral" in the intake chamber behind the valve.

brian..

 

[webcat]

Cruice , here's what Vortec heads look like , they have 8 intake bolts , when i said i was thinking of drilling my intake i was talking about all 8 bolt holes on the TBI intake and not using the center bolts on each side (head) , i was'nt sure if this could be done plus even if it could be done i did'nt know if i could get my holes drilled straight so i bought one !
I think Vortec heads and TBI heads have different Torqe specifications
torque specs for 5.7L TBI heads 65 ft lbs
TBI intake 35 ft lbs,

I dont know the torque specs for 5.7L Vortec heads

vortec intake specs are 11 ft lbs,

 

[astro355]

What are the casting numbers on your heads?

Webcat, you should just get a new intake. By the time you weld and brace the old intake (assuming that it seals), you would be better off getting the intake made to fit the vortec heads.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/good-vs-bad-chevy-vortec-heads-165336.html

 

[webcat]

Webcat, you should just get a new intake. By the time you weld and brace the old intake (assuming that it seals), you would be better off getting the intake made to fit the vortec heads.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/good-vs-bad-chevy-vortec-heads-165336.html

Yea , thats what i did , I bought a Vortec carb intake and carb to TBI adapter , i already have it installed .
kinda a tight fit under the cowl but after i hook up the cold air intake tube from a cadillac i think i'll be alot better off clearance wise

 

[fermenter]

Webcat, you should just get a new intake. By the time you weld and brace the old intake (assuming that it seals), you would be better off getting the intake made to fit the vortec heads.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/good-vs-bad-chevy-vortec-heads-165336.html

Yea , thats what i did , I bought a Vortec TBI intake and carb adapter , i already have it installed .
kinda a tight fit under the cowl but after i hook up the cold air intake tube from a cadillac i think i'll be alot better off clearance wise

Now I'm confuzed, I looked at the pics...and if the head pictured is the one you used....it looks like a head made for a TBI intake, swirl port or the other GM head without the swirl. As you indicated having a swirl behind the valve I would guess they are TBI heads. The stock TBI manifold should have worked.
Now if you had vortec heads then you shouldn't need any machining to mount the Vortec TBI manifold.

No matter I am in envy!!!!!

 

[fermenter]

Sorry guys, I confused webcat's reply with cruice's post as per the intake.
The pics from cruice still look like TBI heads though.

 

[onewingman]

Holy BAT GUANO!!! BATMAN!!!
I bought an ASTRO all wheel a few months back, serviced everything but the plugz...just looking at the cover spelled trouble...WEEELL, I was right, the chilton's sucks for the '93 anyways, loosey directions on cover removal...But that was just the beginning...the pass side was flippin' BAD enuf!!! then I went around to the driver's side and proceeded to bash my knuckles, cut my hands and wrists, and swear like drunk sailor on leave :violin: ...I have been kinda thinkin' over the V8 swap, but after looking at the accessibility of the plugz in that arrangement, I got some serious doubts...
So, any of you V8 guys have an opinion on changing PLUGZ...
I'm thinkin' that modifying the floor pan around the cover on the driver's side is maybe not altogether a bad idea...that is if you like to run good plugs and not go crazy every time you have to change them...
Has anybody made any cut-outs for plug accessibility? Or have any insights on servicing them...?
Thanks, George
PS there's a TPI 350 pic floatin' around somewhere that looks flippin' AWESOME...!!! :layrubber:

 

[webcat]

Has anybody made any cut-outs for plug accessibility?

I hav'nt yet but i certainly plan to , i'm gonna start out with headers , that should make it easier , it worked on my G30 van and i could change the plugs and do compression check fairly easy without cutting the floor , if headers dont give me enough access you can bet your ars the floor will be modified !!!
I'm not gonna change plugs or test through the wheel well or from underneath.
i'm also going to cut my dash back to have better access to my engine , i cut my dash back on my G30 van and my engine became extremely easy to get to !
i was thinking something on the lines of hinges where i would have a about a 3" door to open on each side , either that or a piece of the floor that lifts out , spray undercoating on it real good and put something on it to get a really good seal!
If you decide to do it make sure you take alot of pictures so we can get some ideas , i'll do the same.
:goodpost:

 

[webcat]

Cruise , i took mine for a test drive , it started and idled great but whenever i would get on it it would cut out / back fire through the throttle body , i first suspected it running lean when i gave it alot of throttle so i babied it until i got it home and then checked codes , there where no codes which confused me because i was pretty sure it was running lean so i could'nt figure out why i was'nt getting a lean code
So then i took it for another ride with my multimeter hooked up to the oxygen sensor and while giving it some throttle i watched my meter when the engine cut out and it was dropping down to about .150 mv and when it would do this i would immediatly let off the throttle and then just drive at about 20 miles per hour and all was good .
I then went home and studied what it takes to get a lean code
It read Oxygen sensor voltage under .2volts for 50 seconds during closed loop , that explained it , whenever it cut out i would immediatly let off the throttle and then baby it all the way home , when i would give it alot of throttle i would only do so for mayby 2 seconds
I then went home and installed a adjustable fuel psi regulator , i then guessed about 5 full turns of the fuel psi adjustment screw would get me about 15 psi , it ended up giving me 16 psi
well with 16 psi it runs alot better with no more cutting out , i suspect i need to bump my psi up 2 or 3 more psi , i'm gonna bump it up one psi at a time until i get it tuned in , i'll probally keep going until it starts to run bad and then back it off
if you decide to get a adjustable fuel psi regulator you might want to get a external one , the one i have is'nt external and replaces the stock regulator and is very easy to install but its hard to get to the adjustment screw while the throttle bodys on the motor

Should be able to fine tune just by watcing the Oxygen sensor readings during cruise , i was told to adjust the fuel psi so its a liitle rich at wide open throttle and then during the mid range speeds the computer will take care of it

If you know your horsepower here's a link that will help you calculate your fuel psi needed , injector size , flow rates etc.
http://www.dynamicefi.com/TBI_Fueling.php

.

 

[cruice]

What are the casting numbers on your heads?

i dont remember if i took pictures of it, but will look trough my pictures to see if i did.

brian

 

[cruice]

Cruise , i took mine for a test drive...

nice :dance: hope you get your bugs worked out, until now mine have not been "making issues" whit the engine, but i havent really kicked to it yet, as i want to let it run nice and slow for a while whit the new crank shaft/berrings, so only been at 50-60km/h for 2 small trips. working on it every day, whit alot of different things

keep up the nice work..

brian

 

[cruice]

made a little update at my website whit pictures of my homemade tbi to vortec aircleaner adaptor, and dubble din radio installation.

look at: http://www.outlawcustoms.dk

brian.