BUILD THREAD GP403's sort-of-build thread

[GP403]

(copied from my post in WDYDTYGBT)

Got her pulled and on the stand.... I have some cleaning up to do, pick up all the tools etc... and apparently my trans needs a new rear main seal again, so I has to clean that mess up. It's only been 20 years of light use since we put the last one in lol. Once the cleaning up is done those heads are coming off and I can see what I'm up against if anything. Going to do it right. Clean up the engine, the bay, paint and replace parts and the whole 9 yards baby. I just hope I remember where all these pieces go(!)

 

[GP403]

So yeah, this is my "sort of" build thread. Meaning I've pulled the 403 and trans, and she's getting checked out, and the whole mess cleaned up to show quality, or a reasonable fascimile. I don't expect to do a bunch of (if any) upgrades while I'm in there, so I'm not even sure a "build thread" is appropriate. Maybe a "take it apart and put it back together again" thread.

I will also be posting this to the "Grey Car" section of the new GBodyMag.com site, since I'm using this as one of that sites "project cars." OK so its the only one, and until it gets able to move under its own power again, it will stay that way. Unless something sweet just falls in my lap so you never know lol.

 

[V8 Rumble]

It's coming along great! The cleaner it gets the closer to finished it looks. So this mean you'll have it for next years gm Nats?

 

[GP403]

So I took the head off where I thought I saw something in the cylinder wall as I was setting the head on. That was 2+ yrs ago, and when I (thought I) saw that I just threw up my hands and walked away. Good news is it all looks fine. feels fine, too. Not sure what it was I thought I saw, but its not there.

Bad news is the gasket surfaces are pretty nasty, rusted up since I didn't torque the heads down, just screwed them down to barely tight and left them. I think it will all come off, just more tedious work. Have new gaskets and they'll get torqued down proper like. I think I have the rest of the weekend planned now. 😱😱

 

[GP403]

doh, forgot the pics. and yeah, that's a lot of carbon. maybe time for a sea foam once its back running right again.

 

[GP403]

...and that side is back together and torqued down, hopefully it was clean enough, felt like it. note: 130 ft-lbs is a b*tch when the stand doesn't have wheel locks. I'll get help for the other side, later.

 

[ssn696]

You have to accept that life will be harder when you're a 'Do-It-Alone' kinda guy...

 

[GP403]

you nailed it. ^^

Got the other side off and cleaned up and back together properly, too. Had help for the torque-down so it went a little quicker. Managed to get all the lifters popped (how much fun was that?), need some lube to put the new ones in. Need to order pushrods since the ones I took out were so carboned up and black and gross I don't want to put them back in just on principle. The rockers and bosses need a thorough cleaning up before they go back in, too. The whole thing is pretty damn gross in there, but it still goes. I hope.

Really, if I had the time and/or money and/or skillz, that engine needs a thorough once over from the bottom up. It's been patched together over the last (does the math) 38(?) years? It's a '77, and its still got the original pistons, I think the original cam, original crank (but it was removed and the end machined special for the stick since no 403 came with that option, cripes that was '89 or '90)... I just pulled the lifters which were original... I know the bottom end bearings and fuel pump got done ~2004-5 when my dad had it temporarily....

I want to say the distributor was done in '96 along with the clutch and tires... The water pump, oil pump, and timing chain I'm not sure on.... I'm going to do the water pump, distributor, clutch, starter+solenoid just because its 25+ yrs old, rebuild the carb, new tires, and probably a few (many) other things I haven't thought of yet. I did a bunch of stuff when I got the car in '96, then some things got done in 2004-5, but not much.

Get this engine back together and looking good with new stuff hanging off it, then its onto the bay..

 

[GP403]

I'll be lazy and just ask. Um, clutch...what trans are you running in the GP? Bellhousing?

It's a Saginaw 4-speed that came out of a rusted out '79 Grand Am. The clutch, bellhousing, z-bar, and pedals came out of a '79 5-speed Cutlass, we had the 5-speed in it for a while until the 403 destroyed 1st gear, and no parts could be had.... But its the same basic setup from the Grand Am IIRC.

 

[GP403]

I should add, too that its been a long long time since I've been this deep into a car, and its funny how you just kind of remember stuff, like riding a bike. lol.