Poor life choices - C4 content

Outstanding!!!

WOOHOO!! Not to worry, my Harley would sump more out every spring start up. Just like Stampie said, marking its territory. Glad you got it doped out.

Congrats Pete! Hopefully you'll have it on the street in due time.

You're probably OK. It didn't leak out enough to run the pan dry and the engine needs very little oil at cranking speed, it doesn't sound like you really cranked it that much anyways. The whole break in ritual as I understand it is just to ensure that the lifters spin a lot and get plenty of oil (slung off the crank) doing it to keep things cool.

Also consider that GM themselves will sell you a 290 or 330hp flat tappet crate 350 with a warranty that they expect the buyer to break in properly, the instructions just say "fill it with 10w30 mineral oil" and then the usual oil priming and run it at 2000-2500 rpm for half an hour. The more I read about it the more I'm inclined to agree with the theory that the whole wiped cam mess has more to do with crappy cams and/or lifters that came on the market around the same time as the API SM oil that usually gets blamed, considering that oil in the 50s and 60s only had something like 800ppm phosphorous and people weren't complaining. The higher levels of phos/zinc came later for oxidation protection so the oil wouldn't turn to tar in hot running smog motors, and even then there were some runs of production car engines that managed to wipe tiny smog cams with next to no spring pressure because they were too soft or whatever.

Not a fan of Zip Zorb But this may be the time, not to worry,Fix that and Say

"Thank you SIR May I Have Another"

I'm hugely impressed by all your work. Count me among those looking forward to the drive videos.

I think if you pre lubed the cam good, primed the oil pump, etc. you should be ok. I think gas washing the cylinders would cause you more problems. I'm no engine builder FWIW.

I'll just throw this out there because it's happened to me...if you installed new oil filter on the motor, make sure there is only 1 of the rubber gaskets in place and not 2...I made that mistake and ended up with a gigantic puddle just like that.

I attempted to register the Vette today, but MS requires the previous owner's last registration - even if the car was last registered out of state and has been parked a number of years. If nothing else, I'll register it when I'm back in IL, then transfer it down here next year.

I had all of 10-minutes after work, but was able to 100% confirm the leak is happening at the oil cooler/block mounting surface. Not sure if I'll have time to investigate tonight, but I've picked up enough oil to top it back off after removing the filter & cooler, a new filter, plus enough to do the oil change after break-in.

All this Vette stuff, took mine out today , did 4 corner brakes/rotors. Test drove it, following my son in his Monte Carlo. Boy did he slap me around with his car. Need more ponies. Good luck with the leak, I feel confident you got it.

Never look at the oil after the break in.

You'll be thinking "OMG CRAIGSLIST ASAP."

Fuggedaboudit.

If the SECOND oil change is all metallic and sparkly, then worry. But not after the first.

In reply to SkinnyG:

Thanks for that bit of advice, it's actually something I've been pondering. I picked up a spare cheapie filter tonight in case this one gets mangled when I remove it, so I was contemplating cutting it open to see what was deposited inside after a minute of run time. I'll not do that...

Oh, and I just realized I spent more on fluids tonight than I did for the crank.

SkinnyG wrote:

To quote Harry Hogge "That's not the answer I was looking for."

Dirtydog wrote: All this Vette stuff, took mine out today , did 4 corner brakes/rotors. Test drove it, following my son in his Monte Carlo. Boy did he slap me around with his car. Need more ponies. Good luck with the leak, I feel confident you got it.

This doesn't happen with the later Vettes, though I think the C6 is probably not quite GRM pricing, but it is relatively cheap!

Coincidentally, I also did all four corners brakes/rotors as well.

Then some of this happened. I do need to get a vinyl cutter.

Looking forward to updates on this beast!

I like the C4. My boss has a low mileage ZR-1 sitting around in the garage that he keeps talking about selling.

Well I removed the oil cooler, installed a new filter, topped off the oil & coolant...and now it's doing this:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/87_h3r6EevQ

I don't think that's a knock? I see the serpentine belt tensioner bouncing in rhythm with it, but it's fine when I turn it by hand. Am I berkeleyed?

Remove the belt and run briefly to see if it goes away?

In reply to Dusterbd13:

Great idea! Thankfully that's a sub-minute job on this...and no knock!

Awsome!!

Gotta love stupid E36 M3 that freaks us out.....

Ugh...this berkeleying car is seriously fighting me every step of the way!

So I reinstalled the belt and the knocking sound is gone. Ok, check oil pressure & vacuum:

It seems to have pressure, so I guess that's a good thing.

I adjust the idle mixture screws, but they don't seem to make much difference to the vacuum, so I hooked up the timing light. Unfortunately it didn't want to trigger. I wiggled the wires and briefly had a strobe, but it went away just as quickly. I was about to attempt another plug wire when I noticed the flames on the passenger's side...

I grabbed the extinguisher, but ended up just needing the remaining kitty litter from cleaning up the spill. I'm not sure what caused it, but I definitely need another set of wires before I'll be firing it up again.

This is exactly why I've stayed away from projects all these years...

You are correct in that right at that point where we want a project to be done, this kind of E36 M3 always happens.

And yet, fully knowing that, I can only aspire to getting as close to done as you are.

In reply to Pete Gossett:

At least your valve cover has patina now.

In reply to Stampie:

And one step closer to me pushing it into the gulf!

Man, it only gets better. You make a list, knock it out, and then repeat. At some point the list becomes ways to make it faster.

You're close! I can feel it!