What did you do to your non-G Body project today [2024 edition]

[CopperNick]

So the S-10 did go in, and it is still in. The whole intake system on that motor is mostly plastic and at 21+ years of age, it is brittle and fragile and proved that without a doubt. A supposedly simple case of lifting the upper plenum and doing a snatch and drop on the injector "spider" became a whole lot more complicated when one of the old injector sleeves shattered and bits dropped down into the lower plenum intake ports. I had half anticipated that this might happen which was one of the reasons that I farmed the job out. So that got sorted out and the plenum re-assembled only to discover that the trigger module for the distributor and failed as well. By itself the module was around $250 and would need to be brought in; a whole new distributor was 350 and the same schedule, so I called it and had the new timer ordered. Over night delivery to the store but that was a work day for me so the delivery to the yard for the tech took longer than it would have had I been around to grab and deliver it myself. So that got sorted out and the timing and triggering all taken care of.................................now I hear that there is a sporadic fuel leak on the pressure in side. Thinking that when the fuel line was disconnected the O-ring in the coupling may have decided that it was time for it to commit suicide as well.

Thing here is that I am not particularly angry about all this. As a general observation, pretty much all of the mfgrs went to plastic to cut costs and in the process also cut part and assembly life span. I am somewhat surprised that the parts in question did last as long as they did but I am personally not a bully when it comes time to use my truck so it does not get beaten on and abused simply because it is a truck. That philosophy tends to result in longer working lives for many parts, which is something of a nuisance as well because when you finally try to get new parts, sorry bud, obsolete, hey, we can sell you a new truck, just sign here and we'll pick up your first born in the morning.................................



Nick

 

[Ugly1]

So the S-10 did go in, and it is still in. The whole intake system on that motor is mostly plastic and at 21+ years of age, it is brittle and fragile and proved that without a doubt. A supposedly simple case of lifting the upper plenum and doing a snatch and drop on the injector "spider" became a whole lot more complicated when one of the old injector sleeves shattered and bits dropped down into the lower plenum intake ports. I had half anticipated that this might happen which was one of the reasons that I farmed the job out. So that got sorted out and the plenum re-assembled only to discover that the trigger module for the distributor and failed as well. By itself the module was around $250 and would need to be brought in; a whole new distributor was 350 and the same schedule, so I called it and had the new timer ordered. Over night delivery to the store but that was a work day for me so the delivery to the yard for the tech took longer than it would have had I been around to grab and deliver it myself. So that got sorted out and the timing and triggering all taken care of.................................now I hear that there is a sporadic fuel leak on the pressure in side. Thinking that when the fuel line was disconnected the O-ring in the coupling may have decided that it was time for it to commit suicide as well.

Thing here is that I am not particularly angry about all this. As a general observation, pretty much all of the mfgrs went to plastic to cut costs and in the process also cut part and assembly life span. I am somewhat surprised that the parts in question did last as long as they did but I am personally not a bully when it comes time to use my truck so it does not get beaten on and abused simply because it is a truck. That philosophy tends to result in longer working lives for many parts, which is something of a nuisance as well because when you finally try to get new parts, sorry bud, obsolete, hey, we can sell you a new truck, just sign here and we'll pick up your first born in the morning.................................



Nick

Plastic was also a way to save corporate money and weight for increasing fuel mileage. As long as it makes it past warranty period they were happy. Just had to do the intake on my sister’s truck for similar issues. 03’ Heavy 1/2ton ford w/130,000 miles.

 

[Supercharged111]

Plastic intakes are great. They don't conduct heat. And I fail to see how the plasticness of the upper intake is at fault here? Sure the Ford 4.6 aluminum/plastic intakes sucked, but I never had issues with my 350 Vortec intake and the LS intakes do just fine too

 

[Cauterize]

Finally got the GLI in for the DSG service. The local Kraut shop is great. Already got talking about an intake exhaust and tune for the car in the future.

 

[CopperNick]

The issue wasn't with the plenum. The top half came off just as it was supposed to. Where things got complicated was during the removal of the injection "spider". Instead of running individual injectors like an LS motor does, the fuel injection unit is all one piece with delivery tubes attached to it. Those tubes are actually marked and identified according to the cylinder that they feed because there is a controller unit that gets signals from the distributor and one of the CPU's to tell it what cylinder is about to hit TDC and when to deliver gas to that cylinder. 21 years of dealing with engine heat and corrosive gas and other environmental issues basically turned the tubes from soft and malleable to stiff and brittle. 5 of the 6 came out of their feed ports okay; the 6th broke and debris went down into the lower plenum injector fuel delivery port. That meant the lower plenum half had to be lifted off the heads so that those bits of plastic could be retrieved or blown out. Leaving them in there was not an option as there was a high probability that the plastic would melt during the combustion process but equally high a chance that it would fuse to either the intake or exhaust valve and keep the valve from reseating correctly after the combustion cycle was complete.

After that was all sorted out, it was discovered that a few other bits of plastic had died or failed due to time and length of service and they had to be replaced as well.

Thing here is that this was apparently not the first time that that plenum had been dismantled as the intake gaskets that came out during the dissassembly process had "Felpro" stamped into their metal support frames. That makes them a higher quality gasket than what the factory would have had put in originally.

I have always been curious about the history of my S-10, mostly because it came with a receiver hitch but also had a custom made air intake that someone had fabricated out of aluminum tube and flat metal that had been shaped. I have never bothered to have the tune read to see if it is still stock or has been "tweaked". I suspect a previous owner may have tried to adjust the maps or have them adjusted but since the ride came to me as a used vehicle I just bought it as it was and then started to fix/change things as I wanted them to be and as time and budget permitted. I have never seen many of them show up in the yard; only one in there now and the back story on it is that the owner drove it in!!! and left it. Made no sense then or now but the suspicion is that he was getting pressure to get rid of it and chose to send it to the yard so there would be no cash come back that would have to be spent on other things. The box is rotten in the eyebrows but that is a common cancer area for these trucks. GM does not make full side panels for them and no one else has picked up on the lack.

Anyway, it is home; delivered back to the house today at noon and I am glad to have it back. Even though it was locked safely away in the compound at the yard, I still get real twitchy when I have to trust others to take care of my toys; they just don't have the same sense of ownership and possession that I do, but that is just me....


CopperNick

 

[Supercharged111]

Meh, that plastic crap would have found its way out eventually. I'm familiar with those spiders. The fact they're made from plastic is the least of their problems. It's amazing the original unit was still kicking. The newer style units are way better, I bet the truck runs way smoother now doesn't it? I'd tuned a 4.3 on 87 octane before. I didn't get very much out of it, they left less on the table compared to a V8 that's for sure.

 

[CopperNick]

Given the presence of those aftermarket intake gaskets, I am leaning towards the notion that the spider that was just removed was not the original either. So at least once, I believe, sometime during the seven years before I bought it, someone dug into the plenum and replaced that factory spider, and used Felpro gaskets on the lower half of the body. Gotta wonder if one of those spider tubes snapped back then as well. It would explain the presence of the gaskets. Doesn't really matter on balance, just a byte more of the missing history.

Yeah, the new injection units are supposed to be a lot more efficient and better built than their predecessors. It's one major reason why I pulled the trigger on this job. Given my tendency to stockpile parts for pending projects, I might even go ahead and score another one while they can be had and keep it in reserve for the future, jic.



Nick

 

[Ugly1]

Given the presence of those aftermarket intake gaskets, I am leaning towards the notion that the spider that was just removed was not the original either. So at least once, I believe, sometime during the seven years before I bought it, someone dug into the plenum and replaced that factory spider, and used Felpro gaskets on the lower half of the body. Gotta wonder if one of those spider tubes snapped back then as well. It would explain the presence of the gaskets. Doesn't really matter on balance, just a byte more of the missing history.

Yeah, the new injection units are supposed to be a lot more efficient and better built than their predecessors. It's one major reason why I pulled the trigger on this job. Given my tendency to stockpile parts for pending projects, I might even go ahead and score another one while they can be had and keep it in reserve for the future, jic.



Nick

Had a buddy find a used one for a Chevy he had at one point. They are out there and getting harder to find.

 

[Ugly1]

Plastic intakes are great. They don't conduct heat. And I fail to see how the plasticness of the upper intake is at fault here? Sure the Ford 4.6 aluminum/plastic intakes sucked, but I never had issues with my 350 Vortec intake and the LS intakes do just fine too

Not saying it was. As for the ford, 5.4L, we replaced it as it was about the same cost for the whole intake bs. Replacement of the cooling system crossover which was aluminum. Plus it was loaded with oil from the breather. Thus making it run better.

 

[Malibu795]

Scored full set of 5 H2 rims n tires granted date code is 2007🤦🏻‍♂️ but for $450 and 20 minutes from my place I jumped on it.

And good place to store them