• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

427 engine (part 2) - RHS block

Well, I check the spare bolts box, and I don't have any long enough. Mine are all about a quarter inch or so too short. Had a DEVIL of a time finding them online, too. Found a Fastenal store in MN that has some. Obviously I can't even bother thinking about starting this till I have the bolts in hand. It will be my luck that they are on infinite backorder like some of the electronics stuff on the C5 is becoming.

In case anyone else wants to try to locate them, knowing exactly what they are called will be helpful.

Fastenal Part #11116118 M10-1.5 x 40mm IFI 536 Class 10.9 Zinc Flange Bolt
 
Try here Advance Auto Parts


Cap Screw-Flanged Hex Head-Class 10.9- M10-1.5 x 40mm
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Dorman - Autograde Cap Screw-Flanged Hex Head-Class 10.9- M10-1.5 x 40mm
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Part No. 980-540
[1 YEAR REPLACEMENT IF DEFECTIVE] Warranty Details


Fit varies by vehicle & equipment specs

Store Availability

Ship to Home
$3.29
 
Sheesh... that never showed up in my google searches. Says they have them in stock at the local store here. Guess I'll be running by there to pick some up.

Thanks!
 
Last night I was up late trying to figure out what else I can do to be prepared to try to tackle these bell housing bolts. So I went back through my videos to watch Chris Harwood installing those bolts. Well, I luckily captured him asking someone to hand him a socket for those bolts, and I was surprised to learn that the bolts are 15mm instead of 13mm like I thought. Anyway, I whipped up a video of the entire process of him installing those bolts just prior to the rest of the drivetrain being put together, and then the drivetrain mated with the rest of the car.



So, obviously I ordered the wrong swivel socket for what I need. And I also am not sure what the heck I am getting into. That bolt that is loose but in place at the 9 o'clock position appears to be as short as the couple of 10mm bolts I have that I KNOW are 5mm too short, so my guess is that it's the wrong bolt there. BTW, I went over to the garage and loosened that bolt as much as I dared, and fortunately the hole is open on the end facing the front of the car, so I put some loctite in there from the open end and then wiggled the bolt back into place. Hopefully that will help keep that loose bolt from coming even looser. So I'm wondering if any of those bell housing bolts on the passenger side are even the correct ones.

Anyway, I cancelled the order for those bolts from Fastenal. I called over to Champion Chevy today and made an appointment to take my car in to them on Monday morning. I need to have Shane do this, I think, and THOROUGHLY inspect those bolts. ALL OF THEM. I will also ask his opinion about pulling out the drivetrain completely and inspecting the clutch and flywheel. If he feels it is warranted, then that is what I will do. I guess I'm spooked by all this crap now. If that bell housing actually flexed enough to cause a misalignment of the drivetrain, then did actual damage occur to the drivetrain at that time? In the same vein, I don't think aluminum is all that flexible, so it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the damned bell housing got cracked around those bolts on the passenger side that were apparently holding tight while the other side MOVED. I may wind up needing Shane to just pull down the bell housing and inspect it. Sure wouldn't want it to come apart on me driving down the road. I'm sure that would be REAL messy.
 
Well, been getting bleary eyed on the net trying to figure out what is going on with my drivetrain and looking at every possibility I can. I found a video/audio from a guy who recorded a noise that sounds a lot like mine, and turned out to be a bad pilot bearing.

His:



Mine:


Sigh.... I think I need to have Shane inspect that pilot bearing. :banghead:

I'm guessing that those bolts being missing on the bell housing could have likely allowed the torque tube shaft to get misaligned with that bearing, and probably damaged or destroyed it.

Here's the thread where I found that other guy's video -> http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-forced-induction-nitrous/3027069-adventures-in-drivelines.html
 
With all the bolts that you have documented as missing you might want to consider having the car flat bedded to the dealer. That is a lot cheaper than driving it and continuing to put stress on the drive line. AS for the pilot bearing being bad I think the fork that moves it back and forth is miss aligned and when the whole drive train is again tight and straight it will straighten itself out. Noise's can be caused by just a few thousands of misalignment.

I went back and looked at the picture of the bell housing and I think the drive train does not have to be removed to inspect the clutch and pilot bearing. It looks to me like the bottom of the bell housing is a separate piece that is bolted to the upper portion. They should be able to drop it and get a visual of the inside of the bell housing that way.
 
CorvetteJohn said:
With all the bolts that you have documented as missing you might want to consider having the car flat bedded to the dealer. That is a lot cheaper than driving it and continuing to put stress on the drive line. AS for the pilot bearing being bad I think the fork that moves it back and forth is miss aligned and when the whole drive train is again tight and straight it will straighten itself out. Noise's can be caused by just a few thousands of misalignment.
Click to expand...

I believe you are referring to the throw out bearing by your description. That is the bearing that rides on the drive shaft at the front of the torque tube and activates the fingers of the clutch plate. The pilot bearing is pressed (or pounded, more accurately) into the end of the crankshaft and the end of the above mentioned shaft fits into that bearing. From what I can figure out, the stock C5 pilot bearing is a real bearing with needle bearings. Some people have recommended using a pilot bushing instead, made out of brass. And then evidently there is a pilot bushing made out of a kevlar composite too that is available. And I have also read where some people recommending using the C6 pilot shaft bearing as it uses ball bearings instead of needle bearings and is supposed to be a bit more robust. But I believe the end of the shaft is different.

Maybe I'll try to look closely at the bell housing tomorrow to see if anything looks funky and decide from there as to whether I want to drive it or have it towed. I'll probably just take pics with my still camera and view the pics, as my eyes aren't that good for seeing small stuff close up any longer. Maybe I should try what that guy in the other video did by putting the emergency brake on and applying the brakes while releasing the clutch to see if that makes the noise show up. If it happens NOW with that one bolt at least snug, maybe that will be an indication of pilot bearing damage. If no noise, well maybe I am due for a LITTLE bit of good luck with this thing.
 
harmonic dampener

Rich, I've got a friend that has to have the harmonic dampener on his C6 replaced, and
I've been reading a bunch of posts about the dampener from GM being, bluntly, a P.O.S.,
and I got to wondering what kind of dampener is on the new motor in the C5Z? Seems
like every engine put into a Vette since 1997 (from the factory) could possibly have one
of these problems. Does your crank have a keyed dampener, or is it press fit like the LSX
engines? I've also read a bunch of recommendations about "pinning" the dampener to
the crank in forced induction motors. Has yours been "pinned"? Not necessary if the
dampener is keyed, but probably worth looking at if yours is a press fit. Just wondering..........

Andy Anderson :wavey:
 
navy2kcoupe said:
Rich, I've got a friend that has to have the harmonic dampener on his C6 replaced, and
I've been reading a bunch of posts about the dampener from GM being, bluntly, a P.O.S.,
and I got to wondering what kind of dampener is on the new motor in the C5Z? Seems
like every engine put into a Vette since 1997 (from the factory) could possibly have one
of these problems. Does your crank have a keyed dampener, or is it press fit like the LSX
engines? I've also read a bunch of recommendations about "pinning" the dampener to
the crank in forced induction motors. Has yours been "pinned"? Not necessary if the
dampener is keyed, but probably worth looking at if yours is a press fit. Just wondering..........

Andy Anderson :wavey:
Click to expand...

I don't know what brand dampener is on the engine, but it's definitely not stock, and it's also definitely keyed on the crank.

dampener_01.jpg


Yeah, I had one of them fail on the LS6 while at AntiVenom, so I learned my lesson about them....

Thanks..
 
Aarghhh.... Today (Monday) didn't go all that well.

Got up early to take the car into Champion Chevrolet, well, this video will tell most of the story....



Shane called me in the evening and said that he thinks the slave cylinder might have been causing the noise problems. But I want him to inspect the entire drivetrain to look for loose or missing bolts, as well as any possible damage caused by those missing and loose bolts holding the bell housing to the block. I'm still concerned about that pilot shaft bearing.

He asked me to research whether a heavier duty slave cylinder is recommended for that Fidanza clutch, but so far I haven't found any indication of that being the case. Some people recommend a better clutch master cylinder, but I'm not sure how necessary it is. Having one that is adjustable would probably be handy to adjust the catch point of the clutch, I guess. Mine has seemed to catch pretty high ever since I first drove it back home from South Georgia Corvette. It was interesting to note that some people recommend replacing both the clutch master cylinder and the slave cylinder with a each clutch change. So I guess they are considered as wear items.

Anyway, I'll just have to see what Shane comes up with concerning my car.

I will tell you this, though, it was really no fun having to drive for a few miles only in first gear. Pretty unnerving.........
 
Using the starter to start and pull the car in gear reminds of the time I was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the first day of qualifications. At the end of the day when everybody was leaving I lost the clutch on the car I had then.(A 65 Chevy II with a 327 engine Muncie 4 speed posi diff Corvette ceramic Brakes Chevelle rims in a stripped out body. It was a COPO car from GM) I did the same thing shut off the engine put in gear start engine. Once free of traffic I then up shifted without a clutch and downshifted and drove it 50 miles home. I fully understand the white knuckles you had and the swivel head routine trying to find ways to avoid stopping and judging how to keep out of the way of the other cars.
 
Well, all I can say is that I sure am glad I wasn't trying to make a drive out to California as a certain someone said they would have had no qualms about doing in my car.... :nonod: Heck, considering all of the issues I found and fixed on my car since November, I'm sure that would have been a real fun filled and action packed trip. But I guess I would have gotten to see all of the roadside auto repair shops all along the way. :lmao:
 
I called Fidanza this morning and they said that their clutches are designed to use the stock hydraulic plumbing. And that is what they recommend that I use.

So I talked to Shane this morning, and we are going to go with OEM GM clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder. I didn't see any real benefits from the after market offerings, at least for how I intend to drive the car, and besides, since I'm going to be paying dealer prices, I might as well get at least some sort of dealer warranty on the parts. Shane has to order them, so they should be in tomorrow.

He also found some lines up above the drivetrain area that were too close to the exhaust pipes and showing heat damage. I believe he said the oil feed line to the turbos was one of them.

I dunno, but I do feel like a little bit of weight has been lifted off of my shoulders thinking my car is in good hands.
 
Here's what I could see happening when that AAA guy wanted to tow my car yesterday.... :rolleyes:

 
The tow truck guy told me he tows Corvettes that way all of the time. I'm like, "Yeah, right...." I just flat out told him, "Ain't gonna happen." About had my fill of people saying they know what they are doing and then finding out after the fact that they were just blowing smoke. Do you REALLY think that towing company would have voluntarily paid for any damage they did to my car? :nonod:
 
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