1992 GMC Typhoon

way to keep it going!  

These cars are so cool

Thanks guys, I started researching what to do with the PCV system and kept reading about other trucks with excessive blow by and bad rings. I woke up a few times that night thinking "what if my rings are bad?" so I decided to pull the block out and refresh it.

Already pulled it apart and made a quick trip to the local carwash to hose everything down. I'll post up some more pictures once its on a stand in my basement. Bad news is it started snowing today which means I might be done working on the truck outside for the winter and will have to wait for spring to reinstall it. In the mean time I've ordered even more parts. Custom Turbo Tweak chip, 60 lbs injectors, beehive valve spring kit, bearings, rings, more gaskets, 58mm throttle body, etc.

Honed the block for moly rings and cleaned out the bores. Next I tossed the block up on the bench and replaced the cam bearings. Over all everything went smoothly.

Cleaned the block down one more time then put it on a stand and started to install the crank. As I was putting the bolts in the main caps I noticed that #3 was backwards. Oh stupid me, let me pull that one back off and swap it around. I line up the bearing notch with the one on the block and tap it in place. Take a step back and noticed it's still backwards. WTF? 

I pulled all the caps off to inspect them and sure enough the notch for the bearing tab was machined on the wrong end on cap #3. Also all the caps have already been punched with #'s which is not something that normally happens at the factory and all the bearings were original GM ones from 1992. My friend who works at a machine shop looked it over and said has seen this one or twice and usually means someone messed up at the factory. 

Now my problem is, should the cap be installed backwards or flipped and face the correct way with the bearing notch on the other side? I dont remember how it was facing when I took it apart. I'm assuming they would have wanted the notches to line up plus someone numbered the caps all down the same side. I also spent a while examining the mating surfaces of where the caps go together to make sure the patterns line up. From what I can tell the cap was installed backwards so that's how it's going back in.

Now one of the few things that makes a typhoon engine different then a normal 4.3 block is they got nodular caps for added strength. I guess I can see how there is a greater risk for human error when someone pulls one these off the assembly line to make the change.

I brought it to another machine shop to look over and they said to line up the notches and the punched numbers as that's how it looks to have been installed and honed from GM.

Anyway I checked the bearing clearances with plastigauge and they were all .002" so I torqued it all the caps down and called it good. 

I had to go back and read where I left off. Life has been getting in the way of making progress but I’ve still been picking at it when I get a chance. Long block is back together and I’ve stopped thinking about the main cap. I did end up swapping out the valve springs and retainers since there wasn’t enough clearance to the valve guide with the new cam. Other than that everything else went back together smoothly.

I was going to build my own downpipe but decided to give in and just buy one from Syty Performance.

Winter has been so mild this year and today was above 60 degrees and was able to get a jump on things. While its been cold out I’ve at lease degreased the frame and a few other things in preparation. Snuck home during lunch break and was able to paint.

Don't care about how perfect the engine bay is detailed. My focus was on trying to make things stop rusting. For paint, I decided to try Eastwood's rubberized rust encapsulator. 

I get so excited whenever I see this thread updated.  Good work and awesome save!  That main cap deal seems kinda odd.  Hopefully it doesn't screw you up down the road!

Syty stuff fits pretty damn good btw.

That turbo is so large that it needs a name.

V6Buicks said:

I get so excited whenever I see this thread updated.  

x2

It's nice to see one of these getting love.

I love seeing these rolling around. It's rare, but it happens. They are a little lower than a Jimmy and they are immediately noticeable.

Any idea what HP/ftlb  numbers you'll see with the new 'SNAIL'....off the top of your head?

I love these so much.  Total sleeper appeal.

Tony Sestito said:

That turbo is so large that it needs a name.

Boosty McBoostface

Thanks guys, so far I have no idea what I’m looking at for Hp/Tq. Project has kind of snowballed but I think all the parts will work well together.  Here is the build list so far:

Stock short block with new rings and bearings

Comp 422 cam .500/510 lift, 215/220 duration at .050, 114 lobe separation

Ported Vortec heads

Alex’s Parts beehive spring/retainer kit 130lbs seat / 283 lbs @500”

Precision PT5862 turbo

Syty Performance 3” downpipe

Tial external wastegate w/ 14.5 psi spring

60 lbs Siemens injectors

Turbo Tweak Chip

BBK 58MM TB

If I had to take a wild guess I’m thinking 350 hp / 420tq at 14.5 psi? Whatever it makes I’m sure the stock 700r4 is going to hate it.

Sandblasted the manifolds and crossover pipe. Painted those plus the turbine housing with some eastwood header. Guess we'll see how long that lasts.

I was also trying to mock up the oil drain line but I think I'll have to deal with that after the engine is back in the Typhoon. So far I can with reuse the stock elbow that threads into the pan with a 1/2 npt to -10an adapter or buy a 3/4-16 to -10an fitting at go straight in.

With all this virus stuff going on I decided to drop the short block in the truck now incase MA goes on lock down and I'm stuck at home. Hardest part of this whole project is getting the engine in and out of my basement. It was also cold put yesterday so I didnt stop to take any extra pictures of all that nonsense but it's in.

Looking good sir.

How does one levitate a motor out of a basement?

I've been trying to picture that for a couple of days now.

How did you do it?

I usually put them on a hand truck then put a ratchet strap around the engine so it doesn't fall off. Down is not so bad but coming back up the stairs is a huge pain. I've done 2 Datsun engines like that by myself and it's not fun.  The 4.3L was heavier so I asked 2 friends to help. They pulled the dolly up the stairs while I pushed. This also involves lugging the engine hoist in and out of the basement. Right now there are 3 more Datsun engines kicking around down there in the corner that will need to leave someday. I should really build a ramp....or a garage. 

In reply to PseudoSport :

One quick question I didn't see mentioned.  
How much extra did you gap the piston rings for the turbo?

looking great - been following the progress quietly for a while. You make me wanna clean up the engine bay in one of my non runners if I get too bored. 

In reply to frenchyd :

They are gapped at .025-.026". 

I went to install the fuel rail and noticed that the return line would spin where the rubber is clamped to the metal line. I decided not to take any chances so I ordered new stainless pressure and return lines from Sportmachines. 

PseudoSport said:

In reply to frenchyd :

I gapped them at .025". Hopefully, I won't get spark blowout. 

 

 

Is that your plug gap or ring gap?

ha, read that quickly and was thinking plugs since that's one of the last things I did.  I checked the top and middle rings in all the cylinders and they were .025-.026" out of the box.  It's loose compared to stock specs but I was looking to run .024" so I called it good. 

Ah, I'm loving this. I wish I had extra room to have one of these.