Plans for L32/3X00 Hybrid

[tkoforpresident]

thanks for the advice guys, I will certainly use it!

[bszopi]

Slowing down will always provide for more rational thinking and not screwing anything up. And as you stated, you have plenty of time, so no need to solve every problem right away.

As far as the tap goes, be careful not to go too far with it. The first time I tapped the LIM, I went too far, and the tap ended up inside of the thermostat cavity. I couldn't rethread it out, and there was no way to rotate it inside the cavity, so I ended up having to destroy the brand new threads (and the LIM in the process) to get the tap out. Just a word of caution...

[tkoforpresident]

Slowing down will always provide for more rational thinking and not screwing anything up. And as you stated, you have plenty of time, so no need to solve every problem right away.

As far as the tap goes, be careful not to go too far with it. The first time I tapped the LIM, I went too far, and the tap ended up inside of the thermostat cavity. I couldn't rethread it out, and there was no way to rotate it inside the cavity, so I ended up having to destroy the brand new threads (and the LIM in the process) to get the tap out. Just a word of caution...

any ideas on what I could practice on first? Seems like it would be a worthwhile investment of time to do a few trial runs and get the hang of it.

[TechRod]

Take your tap and oil to the junkyard and have fun

[pocket-rocket]

Take your tap and oil to the junkyard and have fun

Lol!

Or you could use a toothpick or something as a depth gauge and put some tape on the tap just a bit closer to the tip of the tap as your marker, so you don't bottom it out.

[tkoforpresident]

so how far in do i really need to go? The plan right now is to tap into the unused coolant passage in the LIM using a 1/2" NPT tap and then I guess threading in some kind of 1/2" -3/8" reducer which will allow me to install a gm 3/8 CTS

[pocket-rocket]

Wow, now you see how worn out I am. I was thinking you were tapping a bolt hole, not the CTS hole. I would only run the tap like maybe 1/4 in farther than the thickness of the metal there, that way you get threads all the way down. You also wouldn't bury it in there going that far either.

[tkoforpresident]

so only a 1/4 of an inch into the hole?

[pocket-rocket]

1/4" deeper than the hole goes. Reason being, the end of the tap is tapered, so you won't get good threads all the way down if say the hole was 1/2" deep that you needed to tap and you only ran the tap down 1/2". That's why I would do the extra 1/4", to get the tapered portion of the tap through to thread the hole the entire length.

[tkoforpresident]

I found a site where I can order some nice "allen head" bolts for my 3400 TB and UIM. The "kit" comes with the bolts for other things as well but I really only need them for the UIM and TB. Since I can't seem to find a set of factory UIM bolts anywhere it looks like I'll be picking this set up. I suppose these bolts will look a bit nicer than stock anyhow.

[tkoforpresident]

NEW PARTS!!!


3500 LIM & Rocker arms:








that's all for now!

[pocket-rocket]

You must not have a Mrs. Mine would have my hind end for having engine parts on the kitchen table, lol. That and ours is 1/4" glass w/ a tapered and rounded edge...

[CNCguy]

Be sure to keep the centerline of the tap inline with the center of the hole. A 12 point socket will fit on the square shank of the tap and makes it much easier to keep the tap lined up. Correct thread depth can be easily maintained without a thread gage or mating part. Simply run the tap in until there are seven threads left exposed. This will work for all sizes of pipe taps.

[tkoforpresident]

You must not have a Mrs. Mine would have my hind end for having engine parts on the kitchen table, lol. That and ours is 1/4" glass w/ a tapered and rounded edge...

haha there isn't going to be a "Mrs." for many years. I just turned 23 back in february.

And that's not the kitchen table, it's a coffee table

as if that were better haha

[tkoforpresident]

Be sure to keep the centerline of the tap inline with the center of the hole. A 12 point socket will fit on the square shank of the tap and makes it much easier to keep the tap lined up. Correct thread depth can be easily maintained without a thread gage or mating part. Simply run the tap in until there are seven threads left exposed. This will work for all sizes of pipe taps.

I will do my best. Your tips ease my mind when it comes to this procedure. I'll be tapping the LIM and doing some grind work on the UIM so that may be the next update