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99 SAFARI 2WD DRIVER BUILD

16K views 97 replies 22 participants last post by  WoodButcher 
#1 ·
Purchased this van in 2004 from the original owner. Had the trans done 150k ago with HD internals, beast sun gear, corvette servo, RV cooler up front. Shifts great. Had the ECM tuned for intake, exhaust 3" flowmaster, advance curve. Edelbrock/KYB shocks. Rear sway bar, Timbren bumpstops. Drove it daily till 2018. Changed fluids and maintained regularly.

Began having cooling issues..first the heater core went so I bypassed it with a jack handle to connect the lines (hey it's all I had one morning before work)...then it started to blow radiators and water pump seals...but they would last a while...

Currently 220k on the motor, brand new installed parts include alternator, radiator, water pump, upgraded Spider, valve cover gaskets, PS hose, motor mounts. Brand new rear HD springs (with the overload removed so they fit in the clamshell), new shoes, cylinders.

Did all that stuff and now it has a coolant leak...I think at the intake manifold where it meets the driver side head...it's just pouring out when I add coolant...from behind the AC compressor... sooooo... time to get into the motor...

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#2 ·
Nice Safari!
I've got a 2wd 98 that got AF in the oil. Bearings didn't last long after that...

I'm interested to hear about the mods that you've done - (rear sway bar, vette servo etc...) as mine will be coming apart this spring for a new engine/tranny. Maybe the heater core, now that I read your post...

Good luck with the manifold. Are those bolts 1 time stretch like the head bolts?
 
#4 ·
The oil still looks good. It was running much better with the Spider upgrade and all those new parts and then it sat for a month.

Then I went to open the radiator cap and as SOON as I did the coolant poured out of that spot somewhere from on top of the motor.

I am pulling stuff off now and going to remove the intake and see how I feel about it all. I am leaning towards yanking the motor because I really like this van even though it's got some things I need to fix like the damn back door is leaking when it rains. Anyone know about fixing that? It's got the 3 doors.

There is a machine shop 15 minutes from me and I'd love to have this van back on the road with a fresh engine....hmmm...92 CPI cam and even better exhaust...
 
#5 ·
scorean said:
Great looking van, love the color! Quick question about the tranny work, did you do it yourself or have a shop do it? What kind of prices did all that run you? (I know, it's not polite to ask but I'm guessing I'll be into beefing up the tranny before long)
I had a guy do it from the northeast area outside Atlanta. I forget his name but he did an awesome job...he had an ebay store with rebuild service that's how I found him. I did the removal and installation myself and I think he charged me $1000. Love the way it shifts.
 
#7 ·
chucksurette said:
Nice Safari!
I've got a 2wd 98 that got AF in the oil. Bearings didn't last long after that...

I'm interested to hear about the mods that you've done - (rear sway bar, vette servo etc...) as mine will be coming apart this spring for a new engine/tranny. Maybe the heater core, now that I read your post...

Good luck with the manifold. Are those bolts 1 time stretch like the head bolts?
Regarding the intake manifold. I am reading the vortecs have had gasket issues at times. This may have been what led up to coolant issues, whilst combined with the issues of the RED "extended life coolant" they stopped making. I noticed upon removal that I have rust colored stains in my fairly new radiator hoses already.

Once my coolant issues started they didn't stop until this intake gasket popped.

Here's a post on a Vortec Head thread I found about gaskets. It's from 2006...
----------------------------------
from:
http://nastyz28.com/threads/vortec-cyli ... ost-551372
----------------------------------

I think it's interesting that the GM intake bolts come with thread sealer on them already. Do you think that stuff should be adequate by itself?

From what I have found I would have to agree that the MS98000T and GM bolts (12550027) are the way to go. I have seen a lot of people that have complained about intake leaks on their trucks that use vortec heads.

Apparently there was a GM service bulletin and GM has new gaskets that help seal better (GM# 89017465).

Technical Note: This gasket requires the use of GM attachment bolt P/N 12550027 because the bolt has a ball design on the end that seats in the head so it will not crush the intake manifold gasket.

I think the MS98000T is Fel-Pro's vesion of this gasket.

Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus Valve Cover Gaskets feature:

* Aluminized steel carrier
* Fluoroelastomeric coating
* Edge-molded seals
* Sealing beads
* Self-centering torque-limiters

FEL-PRO HAS INTRODUCED AN ADVANCED PERMADRYPLUS
REPLACEMENT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET DESIGNED TO SOLVE CHRONIC COOLANT LEAKAGE ISSUES FACING SOME FOURTEEN MILLION GM LIGHT TRUCKS AND SUV'S WITH 5.0L AND 5.7L ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM 1996 THROUGH 2002. THIS TIME SAVING NEW SET CONTAINS ALL THE PREMIUM TECHNOLOGIES NEEDED TO COMPLETE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPAIR, INCLUDING PERMADRYPLUS LOWER MANIFOLD GASKETS, UPPER MANIFOLD GASKETS AND AN ADVANCED PERMADRY VALVE COVER GASKET.

IT APPEARS THAT ON MANY OF THESE ENGINES, THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL PLASTIC-AND-RUBBER GASKETS IN COMBINATION WITH THE MORE AGGRESSIVE 'OAT' (ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY) ENGINE COOLANTS HAS CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT NUMER OF SEALING- RELATED ISSUES.
 
#8 ·
Glorious original motor that still runs ok. Minor "chevy ticking" ... probably needs a distributor that thing is squeaking... I changed the oil religiously and always used AC Delco PF52 filters...usually Castrol 10/40...Yes I am thinking of pulling the whole thing and rebuilding it. I will see how it goes tearing this stuff off and getting the intake off.

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#9 ·
Hopefully this RV cooler kept the trans cool. 150k on trans heavy duty rebuild.
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Taking stuff off the front. Need to remove the AC condenser
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Then make some plates before cutting the upper core support out. I think I will drill the holes in the plates and then do the cutting. The cuts will probably be as wide as the edges of the condenser.
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#10 ·
If you can locate a 1st gen van in a salvage yard you can take the to core support off it and use it in place of the section you cut off as it is a bolt on item. see the picture of a 1st gen where it unbolts and you can see how you could modify yours to accept the earlier version to make it easier.
 

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#11 ·
JD_GM said:
Then make some plates before cutting the upper core support out. I think I will drill the holes in the plates and then do the cutting..
Perfect! It's pretty basic, and even better when done right!

Even on my Gen 1.. I still permanently removed these tabs..
(this was actually done for a radiator upgrade.. but good for V8 swaps too)



JD_GM said:
I think I will drill the holes in the plates and then do the cutting..
Good plan! Fit the brace first.. then cut!

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#12 ·
Thanks for the info guys looks good. Here's the plates but I am also going to add a front piece which will be like a U-cup and I will weld it all to the center so it pushes onto the side pieces and then bolts only on the sides.
I'll post pics when I get to that but I think you know what I mean.

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#15 ·
Now it looks like a motor! hmmmmm....350?

I'd love to... but I need to get a solid van again as soon as I can. I will do the CPI cam in this, open the bowls up in the heads and maybe do headers. Was thinking of the Pacesetter set.

I am definitely going to have the exhaust crossover redone that thing looks restrictive as all heck.

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#17 ·
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The mounting plate for the engine stand. The stand was given to me by my friend Rick who passed away years ago, his dad home built it and he had a mopar 440 on it with a blower so I think it will hold this engine. The stand has had a few engines on it including a mopar 318 I built with swirl port heads, also a Toyota 22RE

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The middle cylinder here had some water in the cylinder and mild rust, the intake gasket had leaked. Good thing I decided to tear it down instead of just do the intake gasket.

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#18 ·
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Block bored .030 over

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I have to look up which part # these are, we chose them from a 350 they have the one sided valve reliefs and are a little higher compression than stock, they are cast with the coated skirts

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The stock rods with pressed pins were resized with ARP rod bolts
 
#19 ·
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The exhaust was more important to get more flow from what I researched so I asked Ken to cut the seats open to 1.60 inch (stock 1.50) and unshroud the seats with a nice multi angle valve job. He cut way down into the openings and I plan on running a nice big long Y pipe 2.25" or maybe 2.5" into the 3" exhaust.

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The intake is stock 1.94 but also similar work on the valve seats and also a new set of valves.

We considered going to 2.02 intakes but they were really close in the middle between them and decided to leave them stock.

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The tops of the guides and spring seats were cut down to allow the right valve height and HD Erson springs were used with the original retainers.

The guides themselves were sleeved with iron sleeves and then new PC seals.

The rocker arm studs will be new screw in adjustable studs that will work with the stamped and self aligning 1.6 rocker arms to get some more lift from the '92-'95 CPI cam.
 
#20 ·
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Old stock cam on right is stock '99 Vortec

You can see the obvious difference in duration and lift!

New stock cam on left is Sealed Power CS1537 for 92-95 "CPI"

specs as follows:
1992-'95 VIN "W" WITH BALANCE SHAFT: The premium high output engine came with central fuel injection, a balance shaft and a better cam starting in '92. They are comparable grinds so most rebuilders are interchanging them.

10144047
10241693

Opens : -17 BTC/39 BBC
Closes : 45 ABC/-11 ATC
Duration : 208/208
Opens : 13 BTC/70 BBC
Closes : 84 ABC/24 ATC
Duration : 277/274
Cam Lift : .288/.293
Gross Valve Lift : .432/.439 (w/ 1.6 rockers----.460/.468)
Center Line C/L : 121/115
Rocker Arm Ratio : 1.5/1.5
Valve Lash Clearance : HYD/ROLLER

(Cross referenced from Mellings OE equipment guide)

A E CLEVITE 1668
DANA/CLEVITE 229-2286
ENGINE POWER COMPONENT EPC-4613A
GENERAL MOTORS 10144047
SEALED POWER/FEDERAL MOG CS-1537

data here:
http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.ph ... tes.95401/
 
#21 ·
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Cleaned and painted of course Chevy Orange with VHT engine paint, which sprayed nicer than I thought. Hey for $9 per can it better haha.

The bore hone is finer cross hatch for moly rings. Ken told me that Keith Black recommends a looser top ring at .030 gap because of the piston metal that transfers heat faster than other pistons so we don't want the top ring to close up on the gap if it runs too hot.

New cam bearings and freeze plugs. I *might* paint the oil galley with something as it feels very rough. Not sure yet I will think about it.

Have to remember the pistons go in the obvious direction (valve reliefs at the top duh) but the rods are side specific with the way they are on the rods.

The rods bearing notches go "away" from the cam and face outside of the block. (putting here so I remember haha)

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#23 ·
Damn that is looking good!!
 
#25 ·
The fresh bored cylinders, nice new over-sized performance pistons, heads, valve-job and all machine work, new cam... ALL BEAUTIFUL!!! Fully building an engine "the right way" from bottom up is always exciting and fun!!!

Yeah it's only a V6... BUT that's going to be one BAD-*** V6!
I'm certain it will not disappoint in ANY way! Especially the way you are building it!!
The V6 is an awesome little engine, and this one will probably outlive you! lol

I've built a few engines in my lifetime and I have to admit I just learned something new today from one of your many fantastic photos! I've never actually seen the inside of a 4.3 (when mine went bad it went to the curb)... and I had NO idea what this was! I've never seen one before. I had to do a little research and find out what it is. Interesting to learn they can actually cause some internal knocking if they wear or go bad...

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Let me re-post just one of your very cool photos!!!
They are ALL so FANTASTIC!! :thumbup:



IMPRESSIVE AND COOL IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!

Note: Interesting hook-placement and angle how you pulled the engine.
The "home-made" engine stand is very cool too!

You have also shown how easy it is to cut the cross-support and pull it out easily from the front.
Great detail and step-by-step! You obviously are very skilled at engineering what ever you need.
You can elaborate on any part of the job as much as you like.. one day you'll look back on it all for reference.



Excellent job.... great updates and photos!
Looking forward to the BIG DAY!!! :D
 
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