Pre-Start Concerns... Gen 5 sat dormant for 3+ years

[cornerstone]

I want to focus on firing up my Gen 5 L83. I bought the low mile motor and 6L80e about 3 years ago. I've basically done nothing to the internals or fuel system on the engine. Only test fitting it to my frame and built mounts, etc. I think I have everything needed to go forward but I'm concerned about a few things. These 3 come to mind, but I'm sure I will have more questions.

1. These Gev 5's are direct injection, and have a mechanically driven high pressure fuel pump mounted on the top, in back of the intake manifold. Do y'all think I should do any cleaning of the fuel system? I have heard of injectors sticking when an engine sits for a long time. Maybe clean out the fuel rails?

2. Prime the motor with oil pressure?

3. Throttle body clean out?

Any and all advise will be appreciated.
-Brian

[JMac11]

Mine had 8 stuck injectors, you can clean them but I bought a set off ebay for $100 and haven't had a problem with them.

[87chevy.com]

You can prime the engine with the injectors fuse removed and crank it for 10 seconds or so, let the starter cool, and repeat a few times.
Clean throttle body if its dirty sure
Other than thar start it and see how it runs.
Pulling fuel pump fuse and priming dont work on direct injection engines.

Clint

[cornerstone]

Thanks for the responses guys.

[sprint_9]

Id prime like 87chevy said and then probably see if it fired off. Check the exhaust with a temp gun to see if they are all heating evenly. Depending on what it shows for temp can determine what you do next. If everything heats evenly you could monitor the exhaust with a wide band, and/or monitor things with hptuners or something similar. The other option is to send the injectors to be cleaned or replaced. I would have a hard time just firing it and doing anything other than idling without some kind of monitoring or having had the injectors cleaned. Its too risky and too expensive to chance.

[cornerstone]

Got it.... I'll look into the procedure to clean injectors, and if I can't do it find someone who can I'll get some new ones.

I do have Dakota Digital RTX gauges ready to be installed when the time is right. Maybe I can hook those up and get some readings? How does the DD get its info? Also maybe I can hook up my scanner to the OBD port and set it to live data. Obviously wiring is not one of my strengths.

Thanks again
Brian

[87chevy.com]

Not sure if you can clean these injectors... maybe just prime it and fore it up..

DD gets it from obd2 port.

[cornerstone]

Today I installed the harness, set the cab and front clip back on the frame so I can figure out where I will mount the computer, air filter and battery. I'm on the fence weather to go with a full custom look under the hood or try to keep it similar to the 2014 Silverado (my donor). Up til now I've been leaning toward custom, as in smooth and clean firewall, remote battery, minimalist look. But recently I've taken notice of a few very nice builds that have used the donors air filter box, overfill tank and other modern components. Time will tell.

I'm not sure what I am supposed to do with these 3 vacuum ports circled in red? Anyone care to educate me?

Has anyone ever cut down a transmission dipstick and fill tube that can give me pointers? I'm thinking it wouldn't be that hard to remove about a foot in length so its not stickin' out like a sore thumb. I may decide to get the Lokar version so I don't have to mess with it.

Any advice or opinions will be appreciated!
Brian

[sprint_9]

Port right behind the throttle body is for the evap system

Port down by the water pump is the vacuum side of the pcv system, it connects to the port on the intake you have circled.

You should also have ports on each valve cover, those are the fresh air side of the pcv system and can be connected to the intake tube after the maf. You can tee them together and connect only 1 hose to the intake if you want.

Since we are on the subject of the pcv system I would really recommend running a catch can on this gen of engine. I have a 14 and have seen first hand the mess that any blow by can make of the intake valves. A catch can will help keep that crap out of the intake and off the valves.

As far as cosmetics I kind of lean toward a custom look myself, but if you can make everything look like it belongs then a stock type setup is really cool too. Ive seen a couple swaps that looked like they rolled off the assembly line with an LS installed. If you are going to put the ecm where it is in the picture make sure the hood hinge will clear it.

[cornerstone]

Thanks Sprint!

[TA_C10]

Never seen your truck cornerstone, very cool man. Always wondered why no build thread. Fire it up!

When I fired up my engine for the first time I had the pcv system connected and I also accidentally left an open vacuum port from evap so when it fired it revved like it was ready for nascar race.... When I broke the intake back down later on I found fresh oil all inside the intake and the pcv valve was pretty buttery too. I am definitely thinking of using a catch can after seeing this happen only running for 30 seconds.... I think the pcv valve was bad so I replaced it too and that may have been the bigger issue but still...

Let me know what kind of catch can you go with cornerstone.

[cornerstone]

Originally Posted by TA_C10

Never seen your truck cornerstone, very cool man. Always wondered why no build thread. Fire it up!

When I fired up my engine for the first time I had the pcv system connected and I also accidentally left an open vacuum port from evap so when it fired it revved like it was ready for nascar race.... When I broke the intake back down later on I found fresh oil all inside the intake and the pcv valve was pretty buttery too. I am definitely thinking of using a catch can after seeing this happen only running for 30 seconds.... I think the pcv valve was bad so I replaced it too and that may have been the bigger issue but still...

Let me know what kind of catch can you go with cornerstone.

Thanks man. I still consider a build thread every now and then. I guess the reason for no build thread is because I just hate trying to come up with a name. Yeah- that's a dumb reason. I check in on the build thread section nearly everyday, because it keeps me thinking forward and gives me new ideas for what I've got coming down the road on my truck. I'm always looking forward to see huge progress and awesome creativity in others work, and thanks to you, MDPotter, Sprint_9, 87chevy, gringoloco, siggyfreud, J3rmOff, Beaterku, 1971Stepside, cebra, YBnormal, P7M89MM, trkfrk, roushinator, Metaldoc, lolife99, n2billet, 6t9camaro, 68 short step, Vic1947, Knomadd, LS1nova71, Grumpy old man, aboesec10.... I could go on and on. I do like the idea of contributing more if for no other reason to help the next guy trying to undertake this "quick swap"

I'm still trying to understand how to plumb a catch can, so don't hold your breath on seeing it soon.

Brian

[cornerstone]

In regard to the evap system, I believe it's not needed with a non emission build. If that's the case I will just block off the hole or cap/plug it.

Next issue. I'd like to get a catch can hooked up. Is there someone who can tell me in layman terms how it needs to be hooked up please? This is one of those things that could send me down a rabbit hole for weeks while I read 15 articles and find 20 differing opinions, and still won't have a catch can. Maybe one of you can relate? Any comments or help is appreciated. I am using a gen 5 engine.

Brian

[sprint_9]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

I'm still trying to understand how to plumb a catch can, so don't hold your breath on seeing it soon.

Goes between these two : Port down by the water pump is the vacuum side of the pcv system, it connects to the port on the intake you have circled.

I just used 3/8 fuel line rated for some vacuum and a spring clamp on the barb. No need to go crazy on the clamp either as the barbs are plastic.

I can snap some pictures when I get home tonight too.

[sprint_9]

I never really figured out the vented vs. non vented cans, I think the vented ones were for any form of forced induction. Naturally aspirated I think you want to stick with non vented.

I have a catch can on my c10 and also on my 14 with a gen 5 5.3. Both of them are Elite Engineering and are non vented, they are really nice but quite expensive new. I did some watching and scored two nice used ones, the one on my c10 was actually for a Camaro, but it worked out really good as I am running a Camaro water pump and included bracket fit in a good spot. I also run a clean side separator on both, its the black filter deal on my valve cover. It helps keep any small amount of oil that can back feed through the clean side of the PCV system out of the intake.

You will have a huge mess if you start the transmission like that, at minimum loop them to just start it. Before you do any significant driving you need to plumb them to a cooler. Whatever you do dont cap them off.

[sprint_9]

I found some old pictures so I figured I would post anyhow.

Picture of oil out of the clean side of the PCV all over the alternator.

Picture of the valve before

Picture of the valve cleaned

Picture where I put my can, in the bottom of the picture you can see the sludge I emptied out into a cup.

[cornerstone]

Yet again with the thoroughly answered questions. Very nice of you. The before and after pics of your intake valves gives clear understanding of the need for a catch can! How did you clean out the ports and valves?

[sprint_9]

Happy to help.

If I remember right I closely inspected each valve to make sure it was closed first, you dont want anything falling into the cylinder. From there I taped off any that were open and then soaked the others down with carb clean and let them soak a few minutes. Then I used a copper gun brush on a rod to get down into the port and try and knock anything loose. I would try to soak up any large chunks with a paper towel or suck out with a turkey baster. When that was done I soaked them with carb clean again and let them sit over night. I used enough carb clean to cover the just valve, the port walls will blast off pretty easily since it isnt baked on as bad.

The next day I knocked off the remaining with the gun brush, sucked up and dried out any extra carb clean. I then taped off all but one cylinder and used a blow gun to blow any left over debris out and vacuumed everything up. Finished up all cylinders I had started on then I rotated the engine by hand and started work on the ones left.

My truck was hard to start so that prompted some research and I found out about the valve coking issue, since cleaning a couple years ago its been alot better starting. The worst part about the whole thing was getting the intake off, there was some stupid clip in the back that was about impossible to get un snapped.

[cornerstone]

GM engineers spent like a billion dollars in research to come up with their version of direct injection, and they didn't add a catch can?? Wth? That's a seriously labor intensive fix! I wonder if they have changed the design since then, and what kind of warranty work that created for the dealerships...

[cornerstone]

I went to searching for catch cans and eventually ended up at YouTube. This guy sounds like he knows what he's talking about to me (which doesn't say a whole lot) but, he answers the question of vented or non vented cans. You chose the correct path with your 14, he says it has to be a closed system. He also mentions the importance of having a well designed can, with quality baffles and the ability for separation, which will reduce buildup by approximately 95%. He also goes into some other way to prevent what happen to your motor, like what to look for in oil selection. Check it out!

https://youtu.be/xrLNDgrIw3U

[cornerstone]

Last night I was able to crank the motor over. I can’t fire it up until I get the transmission lines hooked up to the cooler, so I didn’t send power the fuel pump for fear of covering my floor with tranny fluid. I ran over to Summit today and picked up a Spectre cold air kit, Lokar remote transmission dipstick, an EVAP blockboff plate, and some fittings and hose to hook up transmission cooler lines.

So this 3 row radiator is in great shape, it is for a 350 with a TH350 transmission which is what my truck had before I took it off the road. I’m hoping to be able to use it with the new L86. I don’t remember what that thing I circled is for... anyone care to enlighten me?

[GerhardH]

Hi Brian,
You have done alot steps ahead. Congratulation. Happy to see pictures of your first ride.

[sprint_9]

I like the new location of the ecm alot better, looks like it belongs there.

Not sure if you have thought about it or not but one thing to watch out for would be headlight clearance and getting to the turn signal plug with the ecm mounted. The turn signal plug isnt a high use item but something to just be aware of.

[87chevy.com]

If you need to weld in a new bung and can do it yourself, an option that prob will work is just cut the collector tube and rotate it.. if you got the means to do so