exact parts needed for top end swap into olds

[IsaacHayes]

MS98004T is small port. Which you'd use since you have the older heads. It comes with valve cover gaskets, EGR, and coolant pipe gaskets.

Basically it comes with all the stuff you will need when you take off the intakes. Everything but the upper intake gasket since you need the large port for that. It's not a FULL gasket set (doesn't have exhuast or head gaskets). Get it it's what you need. Don't mix up the pushrod order when you take it apart!

Don't for get the oil pump drive shaft o-ring I mentioned above too.

And remember if you don't have roller rockers or notches in the heads to swap to them you'll have to grind the LIM to clear them.

[3100 MPFI]

When you go get the parts, get a DISTRIBUTOR GASKET for a small block chevy. Use the stock O-Ring, but stick that distributor gasket on there as well. I think I just used like 1988 Camaro for the gasket. It fits on there better, and will help seal in the event of the O-ring failing (which it WILL do in time).

[IsaacHayes]

Don't re-use the stock o-ring. Just go to the dealer and get their brown silicone one. It's improved and oil-resistant. When I went there they gave me the SBC dist gasket too without even asking for it.

[gboogie99]

ok, got everything off of the engine now i have a few questions...

1. the quick disconnect on the thermostat housing for the heater...on the old manifold it was a screw in, on the new manifold its a push in... where can i get the push in? the parts stores dont have it

2. how do i tell the difference between the types of rockers?

3. my alternator is held down by three bolts one of which is attached by a rod to the uim...this is not on the new uim

4. an oil pump ring keeps being mentioned...please explain because I dont see where this is necessary on the topend swap

[IsaacHayes]

1) You can tap the new manifold. 1/2" NPT is it? I can't remember. The new push in style doesn't use a coupler. The pipe has an o-ring and is pushed directly into the LIM.

2) Look at them. The rollers will have a roller fulcrum. The older non-roller will just be stamped metal (ball & pivot).

3) Discard all those funky braces, and just run a bolt and a nut to the alt bracket by itself. The later motors don't use that extra stuff as far as I know. I've ran the bolt/nut combo and it works just fine.

4) This is just maintenance to do while you can gain access to it so you don't have an oil leak there later. It's on the block below the thermostat. Unbolt the hold down, and grab it with some pliers and rock it back and forth as you pull up.

[gboogie99]

I had to grind the LIM to clear the rockers, because I did not have the roller fulcrum rockers. You will probably have to as well. Or if you are lucky and have notches for the roller rockers in your heads, you can steal some from a 96-99 or whenever it was still the same studs and swap them over.

http://60degreev6.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=640&c=7 Before clearancing
http://60degreev6.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=641&c=7 After (I still had to take more off when I went to bolt it down and saw where the rockers came to)
Becarefull not to grind through the runner.

does anyone happen to know the part number for the roller rockers? I dont have them, but I rather put them on than grind the manifold. i dont have anything to grind with...

[gboogie99]

ok scratch the replacing the rockers... Im gonna grind the manifold with the dremel until it gets right.

[IsaacHayes]

You can only put them on if your heads have notches for them..... Some 95 heads did, some didn't....

[gboogie99]

aight yall i did exactly what iwas warned to be careful of... I ground a hole in one of the runners on the LIM. Now how do i fix it????

[DEI37]

Replace it.

[IsaacHayes]

I was just gonna reply in this thread last night and see if you were making progress.


Ouch that sucks. Do you know anyone that can weld aluminum? LOL

I don't know if this would work or hold up, but might be worth looking into.

http://durafix.com/

Not sure if that would work on cast aluminum or not..

[3100 MPFI]

can you get a pic of the hole?

[SappySE107]

durafix is a bitch with a manifold. You have to heat it up a lot and its not easy. I bought the stuff and its never been used properly

[1meanz]

i ALMOST done the same thing!i came 1 hair of going through the lim, you could see a crack starting. but it wasnt a through crack. so i sent ahead and threw it on there, and its working fine! no problems at all. so thats all good lol. im planing on doing gaskets on the top end sometime or another so i might change it over. or get some roller rockers for it and just use a new lim not sure... but i had the uim off to paint it and i looked, you cant even see the place now.. lol

[gboogie99]

well, here it is . I got a cousin who builds racing engine who told me to use aluma weld with a blowtorch to mend it. i bought some engine block putty from the parts store...