1999 Chevy Tahoe 2 Door Refresh

I am not sure what direction the infotainment system is going to go yet, the stereo being 1.5 din makes things a bit more complicated.

 

It does look like there is a double DIN kit available but it requires some non-reversible dash hacking: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_12095...-Gray.html?tp=3121#pdp-review-cards-container

 

I am looking at a couple different options. There is a complete dash bezel option that looks a bit more factory, but requires painting to color match to the dash.
My dash is currently cracked from front to rear in the middle, and will be replaced with a perfect dash I scored a while back.
The current system consists of an Alpine single din head unit that routes through an alpine 45wx4 amp. Alpine 6.5" component speakers in the door panels and the rear hidden roof speakers have been upgraded to Alpine 6x9's There is a hidden Alpine 8" sub under the center console driven by a hidden 250 watt mono Alpine amp.
It is all circa 2012 equipment but still produces very clean sound with real quality bass......not like Sundays halftime show ....
My main goal for now it to get this major tear down project out of the way, small weekend projects will come later after it has returned to daily driver status.

 

I am not really sure why Power Master requires an extra dedicated ground as there are direct contact points on the rear case support.
Either way it is done, the alternator ground was moved to the side bolt for aesthetic purposes and the cable was installed.



All of the grounds in one location.
I am calling this point "Ground Central", the adel clamp for the power cable bolts over the top of the stud with an additional nut.



With all 4 wiring harnesses integrated into one loom, it was time to start assembly of the front end.
There is allot of work left to do, but the majority of the tedious cleaning, sorting parts and upgrades are complete.

 

Progress updates!
Sometimes progress is forward....
Sometimes progress is reverse....
What even is progress?....

 

So how did we get here..... I was just a couple days from firing this project up!
My local engine builder is a very close friend. I was sharing project progress when he said, "It's a shame to go through all that brand new drive train work just to put a used engine in front of it."
He next informed me that he had taken in some engine parts in lieu of payment from a customer who left him holding the bag on a project. In that conglomeration of parts was a Scat lightweight stroker crank that was brand new. That was just one piece of the puzzle, but further digging was needed.
In another pile of parts we found a set of Scat lightweight forged connecting rods that came in the inventory buyout of our local Napa machine shop that closed down recently. With the crank and rods nailed down it was time to find some pistons. Joe directed me to go to "bay 16" and dig through the old inventory from "International Engines" a shop that closed down 20 yrs ago and was auctioned off in bulk sale. In bay 16 I got incredibly dirty climbing through the pallet racking, flashlight in mouth, looking through boxes of brand new pistons. Eventually I found just what I needed, a set of forged Icon .030 over bore pistons.
With the critical components available at "finders keepers" prices.... I took the plunge and decided to build the original 430,000 mile engine from the Tahoe into a 383.

 

To my surprise the 430,000 mile Tahoe engine was in really good shape inside. The crank was in excellent shape and only needed polishing before being added to the shop inventory, it was quickly snatched up for an engine rebuild in a customers vehicle. Crosshatches in the cylinders were still visible.
After the block passed magnaflux crack inspection it was baked and blasted.

Chasing threads and cleaning out passages.




The main and cam journals were line honed to ensure they were true.
There are enough swinging cranes in this shop a orangutan would never touch the floor!
Into the brand new Rottler H80 CNC boring and honing machine. When Joe purchased this machine he did not have a forklift large enough to unload it. It was a Friday night when the machine arrived and Joe was completely frazzled about getting it off the truck, he called me and asked if I had a forklift large enough to unload his new $150,000 baby.
What else am I supposed to do???
A couple beers deep on a Friday evening..... "Sure I'll unload it, send the truck down."




What do you do when your buddy is frazzled and uptight....
You send him a pic of you driving around with his $150k machine 5' in the air.....





I ended up storing this machine for 6 months until the new location was prepared for installation.
Maybe that was his plan all along.....
Back to present day, we have my block in his new machine!




After initial setup/programing the torque plates were installed on the block and honing started.



It is really cool to watch the display show cylinder measurements delineation in live machining. You can watch the hone straighten the cylinder bores on the display.
The entire process is completely automated, including rotating the block for boring the opposing cylinder bank.
This new system scratches the cross hatches into the cylinders and then bores to the final size.
Cylinder crosshatches are measured with a separate device to ensure proper cylinder wall oil retention.




Surface texture measurements are taken 3 times during the process.
The initial scratch of the cylinder cross hatch. The low dips are the deepest crosshatch scratches, eventually the readout is a consistent heartbeat looking graph.

 

I'm glad someone was able to talk some sense into you.

 

Will this be "CARB" certified or are you outside the scope of that ridiculous problem?

 

It should pass the sniffer test.. I hope
Technically any overbore during a rebuild is not legal in Ca......
As long as it blows clean and passes the visual, we should be good.

 

I'm envious
I think a 383 would be the perfect motor for my cj5

 

.

talk to Duffer… he would agree.

 

With the engine block honed it moved to the parts washer for a final wash out.
Once in the clean room it was coated with wd40 to prevent rust.

The new CNC hone produces the perfect cross hatch pattern every time.




Moving to the rotating assembly.
The lightweight crank, rods and pistons needed balanced before installation. Being able to balance the assembly with the flywheel is an added bonus!





Aftermarket lightweight cranks often need weight added to the nose.
In this case we had to drill a 1" and 1/2" hole in the front counterweight for tungsten slugs to be installed.





The first tungsten slug installed and then balance tested. This single slug was not enough weight and a 1/2" slug was installed next to it.
The goal is to add too much weight, then counter act it by drilling holes to bring the balance into spec.





The rear balancing holes.
Everything was de burred and feathered before final balancing.





The final result, a near perfect balance spun up to 800 RPM.
1.8 grams on the rear and 1.46 grams on the front brings the whole thing to within less than 1/2 oz.

 

Duffer has a craving for HP and TQ like Christopher Walken craves cowbell!
Personally this engine is a bit stout for my taste in a CJ5. Conservative estimates are 350 hp and 450 tq at the crank based off of similar dyno tested builds.

 

I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell

 

I LOVE IT

 

Final Balance results.
.21 oz per inch and .17 oz per inch, it doesn't get much better than that for a street engine.
Joe was so happy with my work that I ended up balancing a 383 rotating assembly for his personal use (more on that to come) and 2 other customers rotating assemblies.




Scat forged floating rods hung on forged Icon pistons.

 

The intake/ fuel delivery is a choke point on this final generation of 350. Upgrading the fuel injection spider to 36 lb injectors covers the fuel delivery portion of the problem.
The intake runners on the lower intake are cast very crude and respond really well to some die grinder therapy.
Yesterday I got started cleaning up the runners, while the dividers were not altered in height, a ton of material was removed from the areas surrounding the ports.
There is more to do, but this is a good start.

 

Wow! A lot has changed in the 40 years since I used an old Rottler manual machine and CK-10 Sunnen hone. Not to mention all the other old school stuff.
I hope the moly (tungsten) weights will be tig welded in place rather than rely on just press fit.