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Post Info TOPIC: Vortec 5.7 mechanical fuel pump mount question.


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Vortec 5.7 mechanical fuel pump mount question.
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After a long winter (and spring) lack of building progress, I finally got back to my chassis.  To recap, I am installing a 1952 Chevy truck body on a 2000 Sonoma chassis.  I lowered the engine into place last weekend to see how the engine and trans mounts will work out.  With this year of truck, the engine must be moved back for rad clearance unlike forward for an S10 conversion.  I am using a Vortec 5.7 with fuel injection so the mechanical pump is not used.  The block casting has a mount and tapped holes for a mechanical fuel pump yet the block was not machined for mechanical pump functionality.  Currently one of the S10 conversion mount plates (when installed to move the engine back) interferes with the casting area for the fuel pump.  Does anyone know any reasons why I cannot cut off this part off the block where the mechanical fuel pump would normally go?  Is there a thickness issue or some other disaster waiting to happen if I do this?  If I can cut it down flush with or just below the height of the stock block engine mount bolt tabs, everything should line up.  Another option is to purchase another mount system but  it is so close, I hate to make the purchase if this can be done.

Gotta love the "figure it out" moments.  It's definitely what keeps this interesting.

I can post a few pictures later today if that would help describe my current predicament. 

 

Brendan



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Brendan



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A picture of the clearance issue.20180515_145952.jpg



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Brendan



TRENTON, ONT & SOUTH CAROLINA

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I am not a machinist, but looking at the pic,it appears that the boss for the fuel pump would be fine to remove,there is lots of meat there, plus no oil or water problems.I f it was mine I would find a scrap block and make the cuts on that one first as to give you a idea how much to remove,just my thoughts,hope it works for you.

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If the the fuel pump push rod hole is not drilled in the block then u should be good .
However believe there is an oil drain back hole in the bottom of the well ..that will need to be tapped an a pipe plug installed.

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have you tried fliping the plate around?
side to side up side down Etc...
Think n you have..but do not know..

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Strange thing is that the fuel pump holes are tapped but there was no cover on it.  There is no drain hole within the cavity either.  It is a crate engine so maybe that is the configuration used on those.  I did try many positions with the plate but the stock mount holes are different on each side of the chassis.  The rubber mounts I got with the engine had been modified for these hole differences.  The engine had previously been in an S10 but moved forward.  If I do put the rubber mounts on the block rather than the frame, there will be quite a bit of modifying required and it looks like the plates would then hit the upper a arm mounting bolts.



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Brendan



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Here is a better picture of the area (from another SBC engine).

I would say that you would be just fine to remove a good chunk of that casting as long as you realize (which I'm sure you do) the option of ever running a mechanical pump is goes with it.

If your block has the push rod hole and a drain back, do as GroundP said and run some threads in them (I would pipe thread them) and cap/plug them.

If those are store bought mounts, would it maybe be a good idea to ask the manufacturer why this is required or are you installing them differently and modifying to fit your needs?


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Since I haven't heard any reason not to cut the mount off, except for the fact that a mechanical pump is out for the future, I will start hacking away bit by bit.  As for a mechanical pump, I am going full electronics on this engine since it will #1, help with any possible emissions concerns, and #2, I love old school but have to go this route since the engine came with a new spider injector, cat's, O2 sensors and all of the other electronic bells and whistles and, I having taught electronics / instrumentation for over 20 years.  It wouldn't look good for an electronics / instrumentation guy not to have it this way.  It would almost be like as bad as a cabinet maker buying press-board furniture. no

As for the mounts that Pete mentioned, they were purchased but for an S10 V8 swap but I don't think any are actually available for moving a sbc back for rad clearance as the 1952 requires instead of forward for firewall clearance as the S10 would require.   

Thanks for the help guys.  I will post some pictures once the engine is in.  The transmission mount will need to be fabricated next once I get the headers on to determine the clearance required and also set the engine vs. diff angles.  Might be interesting without the body weight on the rear end.

 

Brendan



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Northern 52 wrote:

As for the mounts that Pete mentioned, they were purchased but for an S10 V8 swap but I don't think any are actually available for moving a sbc back for rad clearance as the 1952 requires instead of forward for firewall clearance as the S10 would require.   

 

 


 

 

If I am understanding this ... you are flipping the mounts so instead of moving the engine forward it will move the engine back which is not actually what those mounts were designed to do.

Any reason why you don't just install them as though they were going in an S10 (as they were designed) then make new frame mounts to accept them?  

I get that you're not interested in running a mechanical pump but I'd be a little worried that you aren't creating some other issue like too much weight between the relocated engine mounts and the trans mount or steering clearance issues or exhaust clearance issues (just saying this off the top of my head as I obviously can't see exactly what you're working with).

If you must trim the block/fuel pump boss, I don't see why it couldn't be done though.

 

Again, all this is assuming you have flipped or reversed the aftermarket mounts ...

 



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Northern 52 wrote:

The transmission mount will need to be fabricated next once I get the headers on to determine the clearance required and also set the engine vs. diff angles.  Might be interesting without the body weight on the rear end.

 

Brendan


 

 

If you are running rear leafs, there is no reason to weld the pad to the axle housing until you get the truck together and load the suspension ... then set your pinion angle, tack, remove, fully weld and re-install.

 

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I am flipping the mounts as compared to what they are designed for.  With the 52 chevy trucks, the rad support (fender support also) is way back compared to the S10.  They almost look like the rad is in a tunnel when looking from the front of the truck.  That's the reason for moving the engine back instead of forward.  Even at that, there will only be room for a very thin electric fan between the block and rad.  

I just got in from the garage and the surgery went great.  The mount adapter plate went in exactly as planned and the engine mounts sat right where they should be.  The mount bolt holes even lined up with no prying required.  I didn't realize how easy it is to cut cast steel with a cut off disc. 

As for the rear axle, I used a 2 inch lowering kit with blocks already tapered to correct for the angle of the new axle location. I just need to figure out the trans angle for it's mount.  

 

 

 



-- Edited by Northern 52 on Wednesday 16th of May 2018 04:04:49 PM

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Brendan



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Northern 52 wrote:

 

As for the rear axle, I used a 2 inch lowering kit with blocks already tapered to correct for the angle of the new axle location. I just need to figure out the trans angle for it's mount.  

 


 

I did it differently myself ... got the engine and trans in where I wanted them then set the pinion angle but whatever works.

 

Glad the engine mounts and trimming the block worked out for you smile



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