My new Semi High Performance na 3.1 Build -!Engine Done- Car is running!

[gp90se]

you have any intentions of playing with the juice?

[AWeb80]

nice work

 

...i havn't read teh whole thread...but why didn't you do a 3100 top end?

 

for a little more flow.

[19Cutlass94]

Theres some big differences between a 3.1 and a 3100 top end. Which equals much more work.

[Mach 5]

The 3100 intake was a little more work, plus I like the older intake design on the top of the plenum. It will flow a little better when I get the 60mm Throttle Body installed. The porting should also help.

 

By juice, do you mean nitrous? For me as a daily driver, thats a little over the top. But if I was at the strip, then yes I would.

 

 

Jarek

[Mach 5]

Here are some pics.

[Mach 5]

Some more

 

 

Jarek

[Mach 5]

The 2 pics are the (before) and of the strut tower bar that I fabricated, the other one is of a down pipe - madrel bent 2/12 to 2 inch pipe- which I just made today, and the others are of the engine bay...etc.

 

 

Jarek

[pwmin]

sweet. engine bay looks pretty damn clean from here

[Mach 5]

Thanks. I actually spray some rubberized coating on it and I powerwashed it.

[Mach 5]

Car is done. Started right up first try. id like to thank everyone who had helped me on this project especially my father who bought me the block.

 

Pics coming soon!!!

 

 

Jarek

[Brian P]

SWEET!! How did the break-in process go?

[93CutlassSupreme]

i missed quite a thread.

 

this is quite a project...i'm glad somebody gave the 3.1 the light of day

[Mach 5]

Not too bad. Like I said, It started first try but, it was hard to keep running. I had the throttle at about 2-3k for 20mins then I did some sprints. I changed the oil and then did an idle re-learn. My check engine light did come on and my car was running rich, so I popped the hood and I heard a hissing sound from the back of the motor. So I sprayed some starter fluid back there and the idle changed. So I had a vacuum leak. Pull the codes and I got (12)- diagnosis, (23)(32), and (45) or o2- rich exhaust, and MAP- High voltage= low vacuum, and mixture control solenoid-in whichever order- So I pulled the plenum off and find one vacuum line mis-routed, and 2 had popped off. so replaced all the lines and started it up and its been fine since then. Now I just got to fix my exhaust leak.

 

 

Jarek

[Mach 5]

Before I forget- The cable that goes from the Throttle body to the Transmission broke at the trans- plastic clip. Where and how do I fix this? Thanks

 

 

Jarek

[Mach 5]

Engine runs good. I have some more pics but not of after installation. I will have some soon after I figure out what the ticking sound is. I just pulled the intake manifold off and pulled all 12 lifters and took them apart and cleaned them out. There were little pieces of metal in the check valve inside the lifter causing the valve to not hold pressure. I also checked the pushrods and set the preload to 1/2 turn after double checking valve lash with a feeler guage. The dreaded sound is still there but is quieter. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

Anyways, overall the engine performs well and I can spin the tires easily now! Comparing this to before is a big difference as I couldn't spin them with the stock engine. The vaccuum is also lower 12in over 19. And also before I got 15mpg highway and now I get get 17+mph highway and 15.5 city. What a difference!

 

I do have even more updates which I will post at a later time.

 

Jarek

[Addicted To Boost]

You're only getting 17 MPG highway? Something must still need attention, because my TGP gets 22 MPG city and it still has all original parts on it... needs a tuneup bad

[1990lumina]

I don't know of a 3.1 that doesn't tick..lol...glad to hear/see it's all together running half decent for you!

[Mach 5]

Yeah, well I believe that the 17mpg is do to the car running on a rough tune. I just installed an Air/ Fuel Guage and the light is in the rich (sometimes maxed) section during cruise and hard accel and on lean during decel. It does have grunt though which makes me happy!

 

That comment about the ticking makes me feel a whole lot better. The ticking has gotten quieter since the other day.

 

More updates to come! Got the camera on the charger right now. Maybe tomorrow.

 

 

Jarek

[Brian P]

Yeah you're gonna hear some valvetrain noise with many aftermarket flat tappet cams. I would recommend using diesel specific oil in that motor, since it has adequate amounts of Zinc in it to prevent valvetrain wear.

[Mach 5]

What do you use? After lets say 5000miles can I switch to royal purple?

 

 

Jarek

[19Cutlass94]

You can either switch to RP, or use rotella... which has MUCH more zinc and other things that you need. Its what several aftermarket engine performance companies recommend

[gp90se]

GM EOS works just as good (if you can get your hands on it) and your not stuck with 15w40

 

valvoline is coming out with their own version of eos soonly

[93CutlassSupreme]

Diesel oil is only necessary during cam break-in.

[Mach 5]

Thats what I thought. What about a mix of GM EOS and Royal Purple?

 

 

Jarek

[Mach 5]

Pics that I promised

 

Just bought the intake tube from S-K Speed Shop the other day. Its a 4 inch tube. I had to remove the heat shield to make it fit. The switch and guage box is a radio shack project box with a piece of aluminum that I made to fit with a vacuum guage (no clue on brand) and an Air/Fuel Guage from Faze. The first switch is for the guages and the second is for the LED's. As for the third... still deciding.

 

The car actually runs good and it pulls hard from about 1800rpm to about 5500rpm where it hits the limiter. I give this cam an (A+). This makes it alot better as the old one fell off at 4500rpm and it was dead after that.

 

Jarek