Northstar build

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:48 pm

Ok, I'll take a look when I pull the intake but it probably won't work which is what I thought. I'll just have to clean up the one I have.

Hey, where's Will? He sure has a lot of knowledgable posts.
I was hoping he would have some more input on my setup.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:15 pm

So what are you trying to do? There's a couple northstar intakes in the mall that will work...

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:22 pm

I want to smooth it out like crzyone did with his and paint it up. The older ones have a lot of protrusions/clips for wires and such so it will just take more work than the newer style.

So if I screw it up I can just get a replacement.

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:41 pm

Will the magnesium cover off the earlier models fit on the later 90's intake? I see they have a 4 hole bolt pattern in the center. The other holes could have dummy screws in them if it would work.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 7:42 pm

I don't know how good it would look... but yeah, you can drill the 4 holes and drop it on top of the intake.

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:13 pm

Yeah, I passed on it. There was one listed on eBay that put the thought into my head. I'll worry about cosmetics later, need to make decisions and work on the mechanicals first.

The Dark Side of Will · Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:55 am

Interesting tidbits from the Timesert website:
http://www.timesert.com/html/gm.html

4.0/4.6 M11x1.5 headbolts (first repair): J-42385-500
4.0/4.6 M11x1.5 headbolts (2nd repair, after helicoil pulls out): J-42385-500BS

Northstar 2000 M11x1.5 headbolts (32mm bolt depth intake side, 51 mm depth exhaust side): J-42385-2000

Northstar 2004 M11x2.0 headbolts (J-42385-2030)

4.0/4.6 M10x1.5 main bolts: J-42385-300

The change in head bolt length for Y2K I find VERY strange, because that's a REDUCTION in the length of the intake side bolts... Longer bolts are always better...

I haven't time-serted my main bolt holes yet, and I'm seriously thinking about it if I can get my hands on a toolset.

rockcrawl · Post by **rockcrawl** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:58 am

Will,
I have the super-deluxe OTC/SPX TimeSert kit to repair every bolt hole on a Northstar, '93-99 and '00-03. I may be convinced to loan the tools for a good cause.

I also have a TimeSert kit for just the head bolts, it's for sale if anyone is interested.

The Dark Side of Will · Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:02 pm

If you're willing to loan, I sure would like to borrow.

How much were you thinking of for the head bolt kit?

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 11:49 pm

Cool, this was on my list of things to tackle. I would also be interested in borrowing or renting it out when I am ready to timesert.

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:48 pm

Well, I went ahead and purchased those heads that were posted on pg 1 of this thread and did not sell on eBay. I have been in contact with the sellers, Rich and Steve, from http://www.westwoodautomotive.com/ . They convinced me I'm getting my money worth so we'll see.

The heads have chrfab's 272 cams and sprockets and they had the headwork done by a guy at Moroso that does all their porting work. Rich said that Alan was quite amazed that they were able to get them to flow that well.

The story goes that they were building a built N* for a guy and when it went to the dyno it would not actually run. The guy had purchased an Anderson ecm ?? that he got from the coast somewhere and at the dyno it wasn't able to run from it. The guy got pissed off and decided to dump the project and the go with a totally different engine setup.

I've requested all paperwork they have from chrfab and moroso and they said it will accompany the heads. They should arrive next week. I'll take some pictures of them and see if I can post them. I'm not sure of anyone local here that can flowtest but I am thinking of having them double checked just for piece of mind.

When the head work was done new valve guides were installed and he said new springs were installed by Moroso but he was unsure of their specs. I will probably need to get new ones from chrfab.

Do I also need new retainers or can I safely reuse the stock ones?

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:15 am

Parde_GT wrote: I've requested all paperwork they have from chrfab and moroso and they said it will accompany the heads. They should arrive next week. I'll take some pictures of them and see if I can post them. I'm not sure of anyone local here that can flowtest but I am thinking of having them double checked just for peice of mind.

When the head work was done new valve guides were installed and he said new springs were installed by Moroso but he was unsure of their specs. I will probably need to get new ones from chrfab.

Do I also need new retainers or can I safely reuse the stock ones?

Cool. A flow test would probably be a good idea to back up their claims. Why not get the springs tested as well? CHRfab lists the specs for their springs on their website. See how yours compare. Who knows, maybe the rest of us will have a cheaper source for springs now?

CHRF's springs were chosen to reuse the stock retainers. Don't know about Moroso's... Depends if it fits or not. :la:

The Dark Side of Will · Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:20 am

New stock springs are good for stock redline AND ABSOLUTELY NOT 1 RPM HIGHER... well... maybe 1, but not 2.

If you get CHRF springs, which I'd reccomend (if the springs in question aren't CHRF's already), then they'll come with new retainers.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:23 am

The Dark Side of Will wrote: If you get CHRF springs, which I'd reccomend (if the springs in question aren't CHRF's already), then they'll come with new retainers.

...for an extra $150

The Dark Side of Will · Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:03 am

$300 for 32 springs and retainers ain't bad.

Stock retainers won't work with CHRF springs.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:53 am

The Dark Side of Will wrote: Stock retainers won't work with CHRF springs.

Is their website wrong?

These springs use the stock retainers to keep down the cost.

Parde_GT · Post by **Parde_GT** » Sun Mar 12, 2006 12:46 pm

These springs use the stock retainers to keep down the cost.

That's why I was asking as I saw that it said chrfab springs use stock retainers. My questions was really if on these heads it is recommended to change to a new set and not reinstall the original retainers? Yes, it is only $150 but I'm trying to stretch things as far as I can and still build a healthy reliable powerplant.

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:12 am

Interesting... The springs I installed were larger diameter than stock... I would not have thought they'd work with stock retainers so I didn't look.

The CHRF springs are springs that AJ has found from another app that work in the N*. They aren't custom wound for the purpose or anything like that.

Knowing that, maybe he found a different app that has the same retainer diameter? Tapered maybe? Behived?

The Dark Side of Will · Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:13 am

I just got my timeserts for the main bolt holes in my block... Now I just have to borrow the toolset and whip up a small piece of tubing on an air gun.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:01 am

Have fun, I know I did when timeserting my block. I used red loctite in the holes as well, you may or may not want to do that. I dont think timeserts recomends it, but It cant hurt.

Edit, The guy I borrowed my kit from said his shop used timeserts on the bottom end of a 700hp motor, spinning to 8500 rpm. :thumbleft: