Reviving the TSTE

[GutlessSupreme]

I'm probably going to keep the details short, and the pictures aplenty.

 

As much as I hate to do it, I'm going to hackjob fix the TSTE. Right now, the camshaft in it is trash. I'm going to remove it, clean the hell out of the inside of the motor, reuse my lifters and pushrods, and, yep, you guessed it: use the 139k camshaft out of the TGP.

 

Yes, this is a terrible idea.

 

Only things I'm going to replace on the TSTE are the timing chain and sprockets, and any gaskets/o-rings I can while I'm in there.

 

This only has to last me until like next summer. Hopefully it'll be getting a top end swap at that point, along with the Getrag swap. Of course, it'll get a new cam, pushrods and lifters at that point. I might go as far as to replace the rings too, which wouldn't be a bad idea on this 155k motor.

 

Pics, day 1:

 

 

it's cold in the garage

 

 

I didn't have one of those balanced pulley removers readily available, so I grabbed the next best thing. A 10 pound sledge.

 

 

[Prospeeder]

Awsome, really glad your repairing it, That Turbo STE is a nice car

[GP1138]

:shock: Just be careful dude.

[Pabz]

How much are those engine hoists and where can i get one?

 

MMMM heaters.

[Intlcutlass]

I'm probably going to keep the details short, and the pictures aplenty.

 

As much as I hate to do it, I'm going to hackjob fix the TSTE. Right now, the camshaft in it is trash. I'm going to remove it, clean the hell out of the inside of the motor, reuse my lifters and pushrods, and, yep, you guessed it: use the 139k camshaft out of the TGP.

 

Yes, this is a terrible idea.

 

If I were you I would keep my eyes open on ebay.... I got a cam (new) for $20.00

I just can't see inviting another potential disaster, because if it does fail, you will be kicking yourself in the ass...

[GutlessSupreme]

Do I REALLY REALLY want this?

 

edit: it seems that I do.. and for that price.. :shock:

[GutlessSupreme]

How much are those engine hoists and where can i get one?

 

MMMM heaters.

 

Haven't a clue, borrowed it from a Volvo guy up the street.. things fuckin hardcore though, I'll tell ya that.

[Pabz]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/93-GM-3-1-V6-CAM-LIFTERS-WITH-TIMING-SET-NEW_W0QQitemZ8016914466QQcategoryZ33614QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Do I REALLY REALLY want this?

 

Hell Ya man, nothing like driving with new lifters and cam shaft.

[1990lumina]

How much are those engine hoists and where can i get one?

 

MMMM heaters.

 

Does Edmonton have a Rpincess Auto - must have.....anyway I know they have one model...Costco sometimes as them i've seen....however I don't think the ones I mentioned a are a good as the one in the picture

[herb427sc]

The hoist looks just like the one I got from

Harbor Freight about 10 years ago.

 

The only problem was the shaft on the Hoist

Cylinder was not chrome plated.

 

You can buy them now for under $200.

[supreme_style21]

thats the same lift I have in the garage too.

[White93z34]

wow for a brand new cam lifters, etc. $35... you'd be retarted NOT to do it.

[GutlessSupreme]

Damn Little T :shock:

 

you got bad luck with engines....

 

fix it up good!!

 

I should clarify!

 

the motor in the pics is the TGP motor.. I was stealing the cam via brute force attack

 

But now that I see that auction, chances are the only thing I'll be saving from the TGP is the transmission (which does appear to be rebuilt, now that I've dropped the pan and seperated it from the motor).

[gp90se]

the tranny outta my tgp only had 5k on it, after 4-5 rebuilds that didnt last (so the story goes).

 

I have a chery picker in my yard, bought it for $180 from a place called C.A.P

 

when ya pull it all apart, pull the drain plug, toss kerocine all thru the top end of the motor, might even want to put the plug back in, put 5 quarts into the crank, turn in over by hand a few times and drain it again. magnet on the drain plug to get all the metal outta the motor.

 

Good luck

[GutlessSupreme]

thanks man 8)

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8016315665&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

 

Is there any reason those wouldn't fit a '90? I know the lower intake might be a little different on pre-'91s but I thought the gaskets would all be the same. They look the same, anyway.

[Pabz]

Yep, yours is a 189,

 

you can check felpros application guide on there website,

 

I say go for it.

[GutlessSupreme]

No I know, I was just wondering why it said '91+

 

I'll check the website later.. gonna be late for work!

[Pabz]

usually the felpro sticker says that man. look up the part number.

[Guest TurboSedan]

i prefer the paper Felpro plenum gaskets. Jeff M mentioned one time that one of his friends tried using those metal/o-ring plenum gaskets on a TGP, but couldn't get it torqued properly with an in/lb wrench and broke the plenum :shock: those ones listed above probably would work; the difference is the '91 bolts are 'bigger'. well, '91+ plenum bolts themselves are smaller, but they have a rubber sleeve which makes the bolt holes in the plenum (and gaskets) bigger.

[GutlessSupreme]

Paper gasket? Never seen them...

 

I broke the original LIM on the TGP.. was using Napa's gaskets (whatever they carry, don't know if it's actually Napa brand). Not the fault of the gaskets though, I just overtightened.

 

And I'm not so much worried about the upper intake gaskets.. I still have a set of spares I think. It's the LIM gasket I want (that's cheap for the full intake kit, and I'm tired of using Napa's two piece LIM gasket that has no chance of being reused if I need to remove the LIM again). I even have a good TB gasket, and I'm just gonna swap the oil pump drive from the TGP motor because the silicoln o-ring is a bitch to get on.

[Crazy K]

I goofed once and tried to install paper gaskets on a 91+. The hold-down bolts don't lock down against the plenum and left a large gap where the plenum abviously wouldn't have been sealed.

 

The metal type is for the 91+ The bolts have a metal sleeve with a rubber jacket, the bolts become tight against the metal sleeve, and "suspend" or "float" the plenum in position between the "rubber washer top part of the rubber jacket" and the o raings in the gasket.

 

The paper type is for 90-, the plenium has small hold down holes,

the bolts hold the plenum down directly.

 

if you want to use 91 style style then you need to get the correct bolts, and use a newer plenum or ream out all your bolt holes! I like the newer style more and it shouldn't be hard to retrofit if you really wanted to. after all softer aluminum reams easily!

Ken

[Crazy K]

GutlessSupreme, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Put the new o ring on! (unless you don't mind being sorry later) wrap the shaft with a plastic bag to get it to position without damaging it and lube it as you do so, then cut the bag away.

I have always double sealed my drive gears (9 so far) using a cardboard gasket in addition to a new O-ring.

the gasket off of a 1975 chevy belair v6 should fit perfectly!

[GutlessSupreme]

GutlessSupreme, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Put the new o ring on! (unless you don't mind being sorry later) wrap the shaft with a plastic bag to get it to position without damaging it and lube it as you do so, then cut the bag away.

I have always double sealed my drive gears (9 so far) using a cardboard gasket in addition to a new O-ring.

the gasket off of a 1975 chevy belair v6 should fit perfectly!

 

It is fucking new. It was only in the motor for a week before I blew it the fuck up. I'm not fucking stupid.

 

 

 

Sorry, really pissy mood and having the first few drinks of my life tonight. Not a great combination.

[Guest TurboSedan]

if you want to use 91 style style then you need to get the correct bolts, and use a newer plenum or ream out all your bolt holes! I like the newer style more and it shouldn't be hard to retrofit if you really wanted to. after all softer aluminum reams easily!

Ken

 

- you can use a '91+ plenum on an '88-'90 LIM; just use the '88-'90 (bigger) bolts. i have done it and it worked fine; but it wasn't quite 'right' IMO.

 

- you cannot use the '88-'90 plenum (like a TGP plenum) on a '91+ LIM. the '91+ bolts with the rubber sleeves are too big to fit through the earlier plenums, and even if you did drill the plenum bolt holes out so they would fit, the '91+ bolts are too small to thread into the earlier LIM. you could drill the plenum out bigger, but those bolts won't even come close to threading into the earlier LIM. it just won't work.

 

to do it the right way, swap plenums and LIMs together as a matched set; IOW, '88-'90 plenum should be used with the '88-'90 LIM and vice versa. if you want to keep your TGP plenum, then keep the '88-'90 LIM you have.

 

btw, the paper gaskets won't work on '91+ 3.1 MPFI engine? are the bolt holes in the paper gaskets too small? i really think the gaskets should be interchangeable. that would suck; no way would i use those metal/o-ring gaskets ever again.

[dbtk2]

It is fucking new. It was only in the motor for a week before I blew it the fuck up. I'm not fucking stupid.

 

Its not new if its been used for a week. Used ones will not seal and you will have a nice oil leak and you'll be pissed at yourself later. Don't reuse it, even if it was only used for a week.

 

Shawn