Engine Rebuild - Part 3 - 04/16/2005

Well. Friday the 15th around 11AM I was thinking I needed to give Mac a call to see the status of my car. Not 10 minutes later do I get a call from him saying the car is ready! I can't make it up to Escondido on a Friday afternoon without leaving really early from work, so I have to wait until Saturday to make the trek. I got up there at 8:05AM and Mac said "wow, you're here early." Guess I really wanted the car...

Everyone wants to know the specifications of course.

From Mac himself:
400 block, 0.030 over bore, hot tanked
ARP rod bolts
Forged TRW pistons
Double roller timing chain
60lb oil pump
Valve job on heads (slight mill to get 8.5:1 compression ratio)
Cam:
Lift: intake @ 2947 - @ valve 442, exhaust @ 3100 - @ valve 465
Advertised duration: intake - 272°, exhaust - 282°
Comments: SUM-2801
1973 non-EGR intake. Mac doesn't recommend an EGR on the car due to exhaust leak problems.
New exhaust - old had been bottomed out on the ground over the years. Went with 2 1/4" pipe all the way back. Mac said this really woke the car up.
New motor mounts
Complete underhood detail. The oil from the leaky valvecovers had made a big mess and it needed to be cleaned.



The motor!



More of the motor.



Even more of the motor. You can see the new 2 1/4" exhaust off of the bottom manifold. The engine idles well, has a slight lope to it compared to stock. Lisa was concerned that it meant the motor was going to die and I told her it wouldn't, it just had slightly more cam than stock so it would sound different.

Listen to the engine idle. Also hear Lisa talking to Mac about rats infesting cars.



The Grand Am has returned home!

Well the car has returned home! It runs quite well. Mac said to break it in for 500-1000 miles and then I can whomp on it. He reassured Lisa that all it needs is to be maintained properly and it will last another 35-40 years. The stereo was playing Led Zeppelin, both windows were down, and I was passing people left and right on the freeways! The speedometer problem has been traced to a melted cable that got too close to the exhaust manifold. Mac said he clipped it to prevent damage to the gauge and to just replace it at my leisure (cable on order, arriving Monday). The next major project (which is quite aways away in the future) is to get the AC in the car working!

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Last updated April 16th, 2005