427 engine (part 2) - RHS block

[mickeystoysz16]

With the regular wt 5-30 I am getting 44 psi at startup with 40-43 psi @normal operating temperature in a stock C5Z.

[navy2kcoupe]

Originally Posted by Rich Z

I put in a Fumoto oil change valve to replace the regular oil pan drain plug while I was at it. Had to fiddle around with extra gaskets to make it sit at the correct angle, though, and not have the valve handle hanging down exposed to road debris while driving.

Rich, got any pictures of the installed valve? Which model did you use, and
are you using an extension? That sounds like something that would be worthwhile
doing on my engine, and I would like to know EXACTLY what to order to do
it correctly the first time.....! Don't need no stinkin visit from Mr. Murphy!
Andy

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by navy2kcoupe

Rich, got any pictures of the installed valve? Which model did you use, and
are you using an extension? That sounds like something that would be worthwhile
doing on my engine, and I would like to know EXACTLY what to order to do
it correctly the first time.....! Don't need no stinkin visit from Mr. Murphy!
Andy

Yeah. Just brought the camera over from the garage today, so I've got pictures of the valve that I took yesterday.









The model number I got was F107S. That's the one with the short nipple, which seems to fit just fine. They also make a model without a nipple that would work, but the long nipple would likely be a problem.

You can even put a piece of hose on the short nipple when you open the valve for the oil draining process, if you wanted to. I put a wire wrap around the top of the valve lever as an extra safety precaution in case the spring would ever break inside the valve. Never heard of that happening, but I know how my luck runs sometimes.

The company selling these is called "QwikValve". They cost $27 each when I bought them.

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by mickeystoysz16

With the regular wt 5-30 I am getting 44 psi at startup with 40-43 psi @normal operating temperature in a stock C5Z.

With the thin oils, after a test drive my oil pressure would be hovering around 22 to 24 psi when idling in front of the garage door. This is OK, according to the experts, but I want to see what this thicker oil will do for the pressure.

[navy2kcoupe]

Rich, Thanks for the pix! Yep! You're probably right to install a zip-tie on that
sucker! Been reading this thread too long, not to get the idea that if it weren't
for bad luck, you would have no luck at all. You must have used up all of your
good luck when you married Connie! I went to the web site of the manufacturer
and saw a cutaway model of the valve, and it's a ball valve which to my mind is the only type of valve to use on anything liquid. Do you have anything negative
to say about the valve so far like workmanship, hard to open or close, dripping,
etc..? This might be one of those "looks too good to be true" deals, but then it
might just be a quality product that does what it's designed to do. If that's the
case, I'll have to order one for my car.
Andy

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by navy2kcoupe

Rich, Thanks for the pix! Yep! You're probably right to install a zip-tie on that
sucker! Been reading this thread too long, not to get the idea that if it weren't
for bad luck, you would have no luck at all. You must have used up all of your
good luck when you married Connie! I went to the web site of the manufacturer
and saw a cutaway model of the valve, and it's a ball valve which to my mind is the only type of valve to use on anything liquid. Do you have anything negative
to say about the valve so far like workmanship, hard to open or close, dripping,
etc..? This might be one of those "looks too good to be true" deals, but then it
might just be a quality product that does what it's designed to do. If that's the
case, I'll have to order one for my car.
Andy

I bought valves for all three vettes and have had one on Connie's C6 for a while with no complaints. Well, except that you have to fiddle around with extra gaskets to get the valve handle to be above the center line, anyway.

The spring holding the lever down into the detent feels just right. Not too stiff, but not so loose that there is any chance it will accidentally open up on you. But still, I'm going to use wire wraps any way.

I've still got to put two of them on the C6Z next time I change the oil in that car, but I need to get some extra gaskets from QwikValve first.

All in all I would have to say I would buy them again knowing what I know now about them. Looks like they will do the job with no muss or fuss.

[navy2kcoupe]

Thanks Rich! Good info. I change the oil in the garage with the Vette
up on ramps, and it's not that high. There's ALWAYS a mess! I put down the
cheap shower curtain liners that you can get for a buck at dollar general to
protect the floor, but that valve would cut down on some of the mess as well as
saving the threads by not having to remove the plug everytime.
Andy

[Rich Z]

Originally Posted by navy2kcoupe

Thanks Rich! Good info. I change the oil in the garage with the Vette
up on ramps, and it's not that high. There's ALWAYS a mess! I put down the
cheap shower curtain liners that you can get for a buck at dollar general to
protect the floor, but that valve would cut down on some of the mess as well as
saving the threads by not having to remove the plug everytime.
Andy

I think if you get a section of hose to fit over the nipple on that valve then that should just about completely eliminate ANY mess while changing the oil. I use a section of hose to put on the nipple of my catch can when I drain it, for that very reason, and it works very well.

[THUNDER]

well rich looks and sounds great. if you still have an issue with babying it give me a call i would be happy to give it a go rofl. so glad to hear that you have it home and its almost ready. now i have to find me a new one. no more hardwood ghost for me.

[Rich Z]

Yep, going along pretty well. I worked on a new tune last night and loaded it in today then took a test drive. Drives remarkably well, all things considered. Pretty much drives like stock but with a lot more muscle behind the gas pedal. I still want to try to sharpen up the throttle response in a few spots, but I don't think that will be too tough. Most people probably wouldn't even notice it, but I'm a picky SOB.

Mike Carnahan has been helping me somewhat, but the guy is pretty busy and I had to take what nuggets of wisdom I could get from him and then run with it myself. Plus the mod over on the EFILive gave me some pointers to look into when he looked at the tune and I told him what I was striving for.

Actually I'm thinking I should create a new thread concerning all the tuning stuff I've been learning so I can keep track of what I did. Memory isn't as good as it used to be, so my keeping a log via the forums here will help a lot if I need to go back to try to figure out what I did.

I have only heard the drivetrain noise once, faintly during the last several times taking the car out for a drive. Just a chirp when pulling it out of the garage while it was still warming up. So I'm hoping that was a long break-in period for something in the drivetrain that will be self healing.

Besides that, the only mechanical issue I can think of that I need to address is that when I come to a dead stop for a few moments, my vents start blowing hot air, regardless of how I have the controls set. This is without the A/C running, btw. No big deal, but tracking it down will give me something to do.

Oh, and I've got to find someone to put that Tigershark front bumper fascia on for me and paint it. I'm pretty pleased with the work I did on the paint job, and can live with the flaws remaining for a while. And I may actually be able to fix many of them myself as well. Just because I've never done something before doesn't mean that I CAN'T do it.