TOP END REFINISHING

[Paul Workman]

All the HVAC, cruise, etc gets it's vacuum from the starboard-side plenum nipple between #4 and # 6.

On mine I left the port side vacuum connector (the one that serves the SPTs) and a short piece of the hose tucked under the plenum. But, the hose is plugged, giving it an "un-altered" appearance. Same goes for the TB bypass. The IH is plugged, but I left the hoses "as tho" everything were stock. (That way Scottfab wouldn't have a cow if ever he saw a photo of my motor () (Oh, I like Scott a lot. But, he definitely sees thing trough a different prism than I do...make that MOST do! LOL!)

Hats off to you. You may not have all the answers (most of us don't), but you haven't let that deter you from forging ahead anyway. Serendipity is one hell of a teacher!! In the end, you'll know more about the top end (at least) than more than half of the ZR-1 drivers do, I'd bet! Good on you!!

[XfireZ51]

I left the actuators on and used tie wraps. Worked just fine for months.

[Paul Workman]

Uhhhhh.... Well... I don't know that I'd ever brush a gasket with a wire brush before reinstalling it; wiping it clean with brake cleaner on a rag, tho perhaps.

I DO spray one side of the gasket (the top side) with silicon spray as a release agent to facilitate future removals w/o damaging the gasket. I don't know that I'd use grease, but for sure you want the gasket to stay put, i.e., not squirm around, especially near coolant passages.

I've experience a few gaskets that slid around, e.g., this one was actually the IH/head gasket. Note the gasket has squeezed into the runner, and the coolant too. (This can be a problem with ported runners especially, as the space between coolant and the runner gets narrow.)



This happened within weeks of installation on a couple occasions (note the runners are significantly ported). I had been smearing a film of RTV on the gaskets - thinking that would "help". NOT!

I switched to Jerry's gaskets, and it was he (as I recall, Jerry?) that suggested than the gaskets be applied dry (read: NO RTV, etc to "help").

Now (especially with ported top end) I take great pains to get the metal surfaces absolutely dry and clean with (CRC - red can) brake cleaner and a razor blade, before installing (Jerry's gaskets) dry, except on the IH around the coolant port. There, around the coolant port only, I use some Permatex sealer (I forget the exact part number, but it is opaque, powder blue colored, bonds like glue and seals as well). That seems to have done the trick!

Well, you may get away with it (greasing the gasket(s)). But, if you develop a high idle later, you'll have a pretty good idea where to start looking.

Don't forget the BLUE LOCTITE on the threads before torquing the plenum/IH.

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by Paul Workman

Don't forget the BLUE LOCTITE on the threads before torquing the plenum/IH.

Concur

Clean, dry bolts with a couple drops of blue Loctite on bottom threads of bolts (Injector Housing) and thin coat of Permatex on gaskets (except when I have a gasket NOT exposed to coolant in which case NOTHING on gasket). Red Loctite on everything inside the Front Cover. Blue Loctite on Oil Pan Bolts. Nothing on Head Gasket and nothing on Plenum gasket since I have TB/Plenum coolant locked.

Actually I do not use any Loctite on my SS Allen Head Bolts (Cam Covers or Plenum). I use Aluminum Stat-O-Seal Washers on all Allen Head SS Steel Bolts installed in the Plenum and Cam Covers (including the IH Coolant Manifolds).

Aluminum Stat-O-Seal washers with molded Buna-N inner seals are much more reliable than the more common steel stat-o-seals. If the rubber portion fails to make contact all around the port, the aluminum will act as a crush washer, providing a reliable metal to metal seal. Use them to seal screws, bolts or plumbing fittings. The Buna-N seal is resistant to petroleum fuels and oils.

[XfireZ51]

Why not just get a cover from Lgaff?